Believe it or not

[explorer]

Believe it or not

By Conrado de Quiros
Inquirer
Last updated 09:33pm (Mla time) 12/20/2006

Published on Page A12 of the December 21, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

WE HAVE a situation today that is truly one for the books. We have a situation today that knocks at the door of Ripley's "Believe It Or Not." That situation is: Come January next year, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be the longest-serving president in this country since 1986.

GMA will have occupied Malacañang longer than Corazon Aquino, the Filipino leader who was loved apart from respected, at least by the elite and middle class and by the foreign community, until her rule wore on. But notwithstanding the criticism against her, which became strident toward the end of her term, particularly on the issues of corruption and human rights (vigilantes, anti-communist cults, paramilitary groups), she could have gotten a second term if she wanted it. Easiest thing in this country to bend the law to suit clamor, and there was a strong residual clamor for her. It is to her everlasting credit that she willingly stepped down, thereby ending, as she began, on a high moral note.

GMA will have occupied Malacañang longer than Fidel Ramos, the president who oversaw the salad days of post-Edsa Philippine economy. Much of it of course was by luck, though he or his propagandists made it out to be by his genius. It was the heyday of Triumphant Capitalism after the fall of the communist world, given graphic form by the very literal fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Philippines was caught up in the economic boom that rippled across the world in its wake. Until the 1997 financial crisis came to burst its bubble and reduce to tatters the flag of unbridled laissez-faire. Whatever hopes Ramos might have had of staying on--he contemplated amending the Constitution too to allow him to run again--were razed to rubble by the tectonic financial upheaval.

And GMA will have occupied Malacañang longer than Joseph Estrada, arguably the most popular postwar president this country ever had. Probably more than Ramon Magsaysay. Short of not counting the votes at all, Joe de Venecia could never have beaten Erap--so overwhelming was his lead. Indeed short of not having elections (at large) at all, Joe de V can never beat anyone, which has driven him to embark on Cha-cha as though the devil was flailing at his back. Which it is.

Erap's rule was short-lived through his own fault. I do not know what might have happened if he had only half lived up to his vow of being "Erap para sa mahirap (Estrada for the masses)." But he turned out to be more "Erap parusa sa mahirap (Estrada punishment for the masses)," courtesy of a cabal of hoodlums dedicated to ripping off this country. I recall that that was a time when I could not imagine how much lower this country could sink. It seemed like the utter pits, the end of the line, rock bottom. I did not figure on his successor.

But that is not what makes our situation one for the books. That is not what makes our situation an entry in Ripley's "Believe it Or Not." What does is this: Come January next year, GMA will be the longest occupier of Malacañang--"longest-serving president" is correct only in "longest"--and she was never voted into office.

She came to power the first time around by the very route she, or her truly appropriate alter ego (if only because of sheer ugliness), Raul Gonzalez, now wants to stamp off the face of the earth: People Power. She clung to power after May 2004 by calling up Garci and demanding to win by a million votes over FPJ, which she did. Either way--though the first is legitimate while the second is not--she was never voted president of this country.

There's more for Ripley: Come January next year, GMA will have been the longest occupant of Malacañang since 1986 despite being neither loved nor respected. Indeed, despite being reviled and ridiculed. Forget the surveys that show that. Mind only that neither Cory nor Ramos nor Erap was ever heckled by a student while addressing a graduating class. No, not even Erap despite his English. Indeed, GMA was stressing the importance of English when it happened, which only shows that there's more to communication than a facility in that language.

Come January next year, GMA will have been the longest occupant of Malacañang since 1986 despite overseeing only the biggest exodus of Filipinos abroad. As of the last survey, fully a third of the population wants to leave this country--which probably indicates only the number of Filipinos with the means to do it. If you count those without means but would like to, you would probably be counting nearly the entire population. With good reason: The dawning of the 21st century, which was largely GMA's term, has also been the sinking of many Filipinos into the twilight of hunger. Literally. For the first time in decades, hunger is spreading throughout the land with only the OFW billions to slow it down.

Come January next year, GMA will be the longest occupant of Malacañang without Erap's charm or roguishness. Indeed, with an approval rating that is inversely proportional to Erap's popularity. No other Filipino leader has drawn such popular anger and distrust, consternation and disgust.

Indeed, come January next year, GMA will be the longest occupant of Malacañang despite: turning lying and cheating into acceptable behavior, or one worthy of emulation, which some nurses have tried to emulate, as witness their conduct in their last licensure exams; turning murder and mayhem into national policy, as witness the alarming number of political activists and journalists in the provinces who have been gunned down, but which seems to be alarming only the global community and not the national one; returning the country back to the arms of dictatorship, even the thugs in Congress now want to impose their will on the people, who the hell cares if they like it or not. Despite all this, or maybe because of all this.

Believe it or not.

[Eismann]

Hey it's Christmas...have a little charity. Maybe even put a rest on this issue muna. Fill our hearts with joy and hope...not pessimism and despair.

[creepy]

Give it a rest.

De Quiros has ceased to be worth reading. Wala nang masulat. Sana magsulat na lang siya tungkol sa mga kalokohan ng mga editor ng Inquirer.

[X_type1]

oops...ceasefire muna..merry christmas po sa lahat

[oldblue]

Believe it or not? believe it! who cares?! heehehe

[Flagg]

Ah yes... classic de Quiros. Simplistic and self-serving... which traits, by the way, do have their adherents in any society.

For example:

She clung to power after May 2004 by calling up Garci and demanding to win by a million votes over FPJ, which she did. Either way--though the first is legitimate while the second is not--she was never voted president of this country.

Above was written as if the act was unique to GMA... however, someone seems to have forgotten the Miriam vs FVR election brouhaha... in light of which, why does someone now consider FVR a legitimate President of our great country?

de Quiros did write one incontestable truth though... pangit talaga si Raul Gonzalez. :bwahaha:

[cutedoc]

next to marcos, gma is the longest president to be seated...

any development or improvements or whatsoever, i would just close my hand,kneel and pray that for whomever is seated on the throne, be it the most bastard person in the world, if my friends, family and all my loved ones will be safe and live their living years productively without or just a few rants, the hell i care=)

peace be with everybody, merry christmas to all=)

[jonski]

maligayang pasko

[Sarsi]

[SIZE="4"]Unbelievable? Believe it![/SIZE]

We are here in the Philippines where right goes wrong and wrong goes right