I would like to make some points about issues that I encountered lately.
1. Support for Corazon
My friend Thesa wore a yellow ribbon to school and I did too as soon as I found out she had a long ribbon to share. Erika said she did not like Cory. She stated some of the reasons why - CARP, Mendiola massacre, Doy Laurel, Casino Filipino. N on the other hand was totally in support of Cory. I told her my opinion and she only answered “Ok”. It made me think I was not able to explain my side very well.
Being a president is no easy job. Being a president out of a People Power Revolution makes it more difficult. For one, you have the burden of huge expectations. You are a symbol of democracy; that’s bigger than and far from being just an elected president. Just imagine bold letters twice as big when you spell accountability. Presidents make wrong decisions too and these we find easy to say “that was a wrong decision, she should have seen in coming etc.” in retrospect. Consider asymmetric information, consider differences in political views, and consider what it’s like to make a decision. In policy making, it’s almost impossible not to have winners and losers. Policy for group A could mean taking some of group B’s subsidy or group C’s privilege. There is no utopia where in one person can make each and everyone happy.
See, that might be the problem. Giving someone the task to be a symbol of something so meaningful to people has its dangers. No one is perfect but when you put someone in such a place and he or she does something wrong, you lose respect. A revolution is no revolution if you fought it alone. There are people who took part in it that no matter what their motivations were, they were of some help in the victory. When you study politics, you will learn that there is such a thing called political necessity. In one way or another she may have given some people favors. But how do you expect a leader of a transition government to act? In some parts you have to pay “utang na loob” or you have to give concessions to appease people who threaten a frail government trying to build itself in a new political environment (democracy). There are some things that are inevitable in politics. As Laver (1983) said “Pure conflict is war. Pure cooperation is true love. Politics is a mixture of both.”
As to Doy Laurel, I am not that sympathetic of the thought that Cory did not give her position to Doy as it was agreed upon according to Thesa’s professor. Doy wanted to run as president but, if I remember it correctly, Cardinal Sin did not allow him to. He was a politician and that would raise doubts of the people thinking he still is just like one of them (traditional politicians). Cory was just right to give the people the feeling that they can fight. Even people in advertising could identify to this – packaging is important. It is not something noble, that’s just the way it goes – people are drawn to support or patronize something and you have to do anything to get that support. Doy cannot draw that immense support. If we recall the events, there were numerous coups that attempted to bring the Aquino government to an end. (I think the military wanted to gain power because they played a huge part in the revolution. That is true, without the support of the military; the revolution might have turned out differently. However, their goal was very selfish. It was like “you owe your freedom to us, we should rule” without even thinking, do Filipinos want a military government?) If Doy took Cory’s position, it would just give the impression that, not only Pres. Aquino, but most of all the democracy the people fought for was not worth it. It would appear weak, trivial and senseless because it was unable to sustain itself. It would mean the people fought for nothing; that they were but accessories of the revolution because the military could just replace the dictatorship if they wanted to. If Doy assumed office, it would be as if she gave up and appointed someone to save the government. I wouldn’t, in a million years, wanted Doy to be president. I wouldn’t want a woman who is already in power give up and pass her responsibility to someone. It may be unfair to Doy because Cory gave her word, but it would have been unfair to the people as well since they did not vote for Doy to be their president.
But just to clarify, Corazon is not a saint. I cannot say she was never tainted with fraud, intentional or unintentional. CARP and Mendiola massacre should not be forgotten. She was in politics.
2. On bureaucrats.
Alex Magno was in Cory’s background in a video clip. He wore a yellow shirt. As an impulse, I pointed to the screen right away and said “Uy, si Alex Magno”. My dad reacted and said “Nako, isa pa yang super balimbing.” I did not respond. I thought for a while then I smiled. Being a writer, it is expected of him to criticize the current government and people have been commenting that indeed, his political views change from time to time. Anyway it is not so much about Alex Magno that I want to react upon. He has assumed certain positions in different governments. I would just like to add that he is a bureaucrat. What he writes in his column is not my concern.
The point I want to make is, if one serves the government as a political adviser or as the one who makes the president’s speeches or street sweeper, he or she is a part of the bureaucracy and not a politician. Can you see the difference? If I have enough knowledge to advise the president, why wouldn’t I? Why would I let my political views prevent myself from advising the president? If worse comes to worst, I can walk out and declare my opposition. For example, my job is to write a speech for the president but I do not agree with her principles and with what she does. We are a week away from SONA. Would I leave my job and pass it on to someone? No, because the people has to have the State of the Nation Address no matter what. The Philippines will not miss SONA just because the president’s speech writer has his own views. When you are a part of the bureaucracy, your views are subordinate to your duty. People who work at PMS (Presidential Management Staff) continue to work despite political turmoil. Presidents change and it doesn’t matter if they are elected or installed by other means what’s important is that they have to work to maintain order. They do not work for the president herself but for the Office of the President. To put simply, if I work as a nurse in a Brgy. Health Center, I would not stop giving vaccination to babies just because the ZTE controversy broke out.
Not all who worked for Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Arroyo are “balimbings” some of them are called bureaucrats.
