EDITORIAL – Shut up already

One of the country's perennial complainers, Risa Baraquel, blew into town last week, harping about the rice crisis. But the substance of her griping betrayed her utter lack of grasp of the true situation ( see yesterday's editorial ).

Clearly, she was in the rice crisis-bashing mode only for the political expediency of having something to complain about. What to do about her complaint completely eluded her, if we are to judge what she proposed to do about it.

Here is what she said: " President Arroyo must resign because the rice crisis is yet another reason for her to step down. " Wow, she not only does not know what she is talking about, she also does not know how to get out of the argument.

Arroyo, as survey after survey show, is the most unpopular president the Philippines had, next only to the dictator Marcos. To a growing number of people, it would be no skin off their backs to see her go.

But that is another story. Let us stick with the rice crisis. And let us take for granted that she has nothing to do with the crisis and consider the proposal that, for whatever reason, she must take the fall and step down.

And then what? Will the rice crisis, as Baraquel sees it, suddenly heal itself and vanish? Or should we let somebody, anybody but Arroyo, take over and handle it. Legally and logically that somebody should be the vice president, Noli de Castro.

Can Baraquel assure the Filipino people that de Castro can handle the crisis? Or does she have another thing on her mind, such as a junta, with the likes of herself and Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casino on board?

It would be interesting to see these people put their rice where their mouths are. This country needs people who are willing to do something about situations, instead of belly-aching about them and offer nothing else by way of constructive ideas or solutions.