Keeping the cake and eating it too

Whether GMA admits it or not, it was former prexy FVR who came to her rescue as a knight in shining armor when her pedestal was crucially tottering and ready to fall.

From FVR's later accounts, the saving scenario of a shift to a parliamentary system he outlined to take effect in mid-2006, was his spontaneous last card to shore GMA from toppling over. In short, FVR had not well thought it out his game plan, except to divert the emerging mob demand for GMA's ouster.

As if on cue, Speaker Jose de Venecia also took up FVR's clarion call for a parliamentary shift. With his usual aplomb as a political magician whose wand doesn't fail to evoke the pied piper retinue, Joe DV has sold FVR's idea well to draw popular adherence, except the senate centurions who don't agree to get slain by FVR's parliamentary ploy.

With the then ominous writings on the wall sentencing her as almost dead meat, GMA readily embraced FVR's obviously unsolicited play with alacrity. To a drowning person on the verge of sinking to the bottom, even a useless last straw is desperately worth clinging to.

And so, the beleaguered GMA assured and committed, in no uncertain and unconditional terms, that she would abide by whatever Congress may enact on Cha-cha. GMA made her willingness clear to sacrifice herself by shortening her tenure despite the mandated term until 2010, that is, should Congress adopt FVR's idea.

While GMA is surely not out of the woods as yet, convergence of factors has luckily bailed her out from total collapse. The timely distraction by FVR's and JDV's inspiration for Cha-cha, the aborted impeachment, the failure of street demos to harness the middle class into "people power", the brighter economy with the peso appreciation inching to P54 to $1, and the steadfastness of the PNP/AFP - all these have spelled out as saving graces.

But definitely, GMA must not revert to her maenad-like posture of frenzied cattiness as a "mataray". Instead, she has to project herself with panache or flair as a stateswoman. She can't afford to be wishy-washy or vacillating.

Having given her word as amenable to shorten her term if Congress decide for a parliamentary change in 2007, GMA should not insist to finish her term in 2010.

Surprisingly, there's that recent discordant and jarring fickleness that GMA agrees to elections in 2007, but insisting to continue as President under the parliamentary system. Speaker JDV came out with a conciliatory statement that: "GMA can stay on until 2010", should the French model be adopted, with a strong president who is both head of government and head of state. FVR is lukewarm with his no comment on this, obviously because his original suggestion as acquiesced to by GMA was for her to cut her term to allow an early shift to parliamentary system in June, 2006.

Such changing posture is wrought with risk. Instead of placating her critics for now and the people themselves who are not satisfied with her governance and want a change of leadership, reneging on her word of honor will surely refuel chaos.

GMA has had her cake, that is, despite the "Hello Garci" episode that she had brushed aside as "lapse of judgment" mea culpa, she has luckily but teeteringly, overcome the loud "Gloria resign" calls.

Mrs. President, you have kept your cake, but you're not in a position to overstretch your luck by eating it too, with your insistence to stay put until 2010. For once, don't be fickle as a woman, and stick to your word of honor as The President!