Who's gonna watch the P'NOY Administration

Friday, 19 November 2010 03:36

Written by Dr. Edna E. A. Co

On 30 June 2010, the Filipino nation shared the triumph of a glorious democracy as Benigno Simeon C. Aquino took his oath as the 14th president of the Republic of the Philippines at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The world witnessed and joined the nation celebrate. The Filipinos beamed with optimism and high expectations which were nil during the last years. The inaugural euphoria was a little over 120 days ago. As the days went on, the Filipinos remain hopeful about the administration of the young Aquino, although some quarters begin either to express disturbance or to raise questions. For one, the question asked was whether the P’noy Administration did very well in the selection of its cabinet, of its trusted men and women, and the rest of its official family? Some believe there were good men and women committed to reform in the government; others think there were cabinet members who seem to have passed their ripe age in public service and it would have been better if the benches are occupied by younger, more energetic and driven, bright people. After all, the nation is not wanting in brilliant men and women who want to serve the country. For another, a sticky question was whether the appointments were any different from past

administrations that put premium on a small league of friends, fun mates, schoolmates, and loyalists rather than based on competency? For while some may be competent in their field, public service requires a competency that is coupled with an understanding and appreciation of the workings of the Philippine bureaucracy. The scuffles committed in the early days of the administration were bothersome. The squabbling among top officials is not a secret – and just like a starting family that tries to grope and feels its way through, the awkwardness sends a disturbing message.

To date, thousands of appointments remain unfilled. And there seems to be no sense of urgency to fill in the posts. Some quarters are bothered by such laid-back disposition in Malacanang.

If the budget is one gauge of the administration’s priorities, the message is that the rural sector does not seem to get the necessary attention (and allocation) that it deserves. At least not as much as the the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT). The CCT may not be intended as a dole-out, however it will certainly cater to limited needs of poor households. In the meantime, there is lopsidedness in dealing with urban and rural poverty. What happens to agriculture, fisheries, and agrarian reform, supposedly the more sustainable productive sectors of the country?

Beyond the campaign rhetoric of “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap”, the administration has yet to inscribe the slogan as marching orders among various departments and translate such slogan into intelligible and substantive programs and embed these in the Medium Term Philippine Development Program (MTPDP) of the Aquino administration. Has anyone seen that yet?

These questions sound impatient. Perhaps they are. And perhaps these may not be too fair for a four-month old administration. However, the signs tell the tale of a leadership, its direction and will. Could this administration be a harbinger of reforms or will it be the same as its predecessors? Many Filipinos pin much hope in the P’Noy administration since day one of the Aquino presidency. Perhaps as the “boss”, we should keep watch over this administration.

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