A WEEK ago, the Joint Foreign Chambers and Philippine business organizations met to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Arangkada. Unfortunately, BSA3 was a no show at this high roller event. Worst, his speech was read, without much passion and nary an eye contact with the audience, by the literal cabinet secretary, Rene Almendras.

2016 is 16 months away and some businesses are doing daily countdowns setting aside any expansion plans while members of the diplomatic community are said to be having jitters due to prospects for 2016.

THE undated resignation letter of Purisima was a resignation from the position of Chief Philippine National Police (CPNP) and not a resignation from the service.

THE second national address of BSA3 was essentially done to accept publicly, the resignation of suspended Chief PNP Alan Purisima. A sacrificial lamb to an arena shouting kill. It would have been more than just that had Purisima and his PR handlers given BSA3 his time under the klieg lights until the next news cycle. But alas, none of that. In the vernacular, “nagsaluhan” publicly.

ON 4 December 2015, the Ombudsman issued a preventive suspension to CPNP Alan Purisima for six months.  Per news accounts dated 13 December 2014, Purisima complied with the order of the Ombudsman “after President Benigno Aquino III asked him to do so.”

AND I thought we will end 2014 quietly, but with sudden events such as Seniang becoming a tropical storm, with 9 provinces under signal no. 2 and 14 others under signal no. 1 and the missing Air Asia #QZ8501 with 162 passengers, we are left with more worries and sad experiences as we bid 2014 goodbye. The realization that there is a greater being than us is a warm comfort because these too will pass, but it is likewise a cold reminder of needing to do good by our fellow travelers in life.

In fairness to the previous Congresses, we have had our share of model laws. Laws that in other countries are heralded as trailblazing and innovative. Such is Republic Act No. 8436 or the Automated Election System Law.

IT has never been the style of previous leaders to find solace in blaming others or certain events. But President BS Aquino does exactly that, blame others for bad events and occurrences in his administration and the Philippine economy. The seeming faults in our stars are blamed often to GMA, a contrasting message that had traction at the beginning but has lost its glitter as we hit the last inning in the 6 year term.

TODAY, crisis and turmoil are the new norms rather than the exception. War and terrorism are just part of the challenge. New companies, even industries, rise and fall faster than ever, elected officials no longer have a 100 day honeymoon before they start to lose voter confidence, and in the age of 24/7 news cycle, “breaking news” is ever present.” This was how Marco Cacciotto, chairman of the 47th Annual World Conference of the International Association of Political Consultants or IAPC summed up the theme Eternal Crisis: “Political Consulting in Changing Times,” which took place in the eternal city of Rome, Italy last 17-19 November.

It did not have a pejorative meaning but after its initial utterance, the question, “what are we in power for?” has always been the norm from administration to administration in justifying acts of omission or commission by incumbents.  Jose Avelino, the first Senate President of the Third Republic and a Liberal, asked the question then.

Recently, the Aquino cabinet met to have a compact that they will work doubly hard in the next 20 months.  They called it a Performance Pledge.  

How would one level the playing field with the Aquino administration actively endorsing their candidate hence loading the bases?