August is here and again, we say our thanks to God for taking care of us in July and again, in this new month. July was extremely hot and humid. We look forward to more comfortable and typhoon-free days for this month for everyone.
While students in certain universities will be starting their school year this month, elsewhere in the world, students will be welcoming their long summer break. In Japan, for example, our Filipino teachers and their families are happy to have this summer vacation, just like their Japanese and other foreign counterparts.
The first day of August reminds us again about the passing on to the Lord of a beloved woman leader, president Corazon C. Aquino. She is best remembered for her courage, her humility, her integrity, and her commitment to the Lord. Millions of Filipinos mourned her death and many say that her death propelled her son, PNoy, to presidency. Together with the heroic legacy of her husband, Ninoy, who was killed at the tarmac during the conjugal reign of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, it was not difficult for millions of Filipinos to elect another Aquino as President.
PNoy's voice cracked when he remembered his parents' legacy during his July 15th SONA. Was he emotional because he was reflecting on whether he has well-fulfilled his role as a son in keeping up the legacy of his parents? Or did he become emotional because of the burden of having so much more to do for his bosses, for the millions who placed their trust in him as their leader and with only a year to do so?
PNoy, for sure, knows that most of these Filipinos who elected him president are among the millions who are poor. In his 5th SONA, PNoy cited about 2. 5 million of the poor improving their lives during his term.
Latest 2014 SWS survey, however, show that from June 27-30, 16.3 percent of the respondents reported that they experienced hunger in the last three months, which although slightly down from 17.8 percent in March still translate to 3.6 million families!
The same SWS survey found 55 percent (12.1 million families) saying they considered themselves poor in June, up from 53 percent in March (11.5 million), while 41 percent (9 million families) said they consider themselves food-poor, again up from 39 percent in March (8.5 million families).
Even without these survey results, poverty and hunger are still visibly all around.
PNoy has one more year to make the lives of these millions who trusted him much better, more sustainable. Can he allow the poor to finally enjoy the fruits of the economic growth that he boasted about in the SONA? He has a year left to fulfill his promise to his bosses.
PNoy also enumerated about the gains in the fight versus corruption. "Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap," he said in his first SONA. If there were gains versus corruption, should there not have been gains as well for the mahihirap? He has a year more to fulfill his promise to his bosses.
The disaster-affected families are among the mahihirap who elected PNoy as president. Although so much delayed and lacking, can PNOY now focus and more effectively lead the sustainable reconstruction of the lives of these disaster-affected families? Funds are not lacking- PNoy himself thanked all the donors who rushed to support the disaster victims.
Will PNoy finally back up his pure heart with actual political will and harder work to construct homes for the homeless, to provide food for the hungry, to offer steady employment, health and other welfare services, especially to the millions of the poor, first in the disaster-affected communities, and then to all other poor throughout the country?
He and his cabinet can start rolling up their sleeves and be visible working for and with the poor. Not for photo-ops as previous presidents were wont to love, PNoy can lead the hard work of building shelters as many and as quickly as needed. He can also lead the planting of home gardens of organic crops, rice included (no importation please!)
Jobs and steady wages can be allotted soonest to farmers, fisherfolks, and those in the forest for protecting and managing our precious natural resources. Remove all the perks and hefty salaries from GOCCs and use this, together with all available government resources and services FIRST and FOR the poor millions who trusted him.
What a way to finish a presidency, to fulfill his legacy from his parents, and to return the trust of the millions of his bosses who believed in him. So much that can be done in a year!