Playing with Fire
Dangers of a plurality president
By Gonzalo Duque
UP to now the favorite pasttime of Pinoys is the last SONA of the President.
Of course, versions vary. Those who are in the administration or are sympathetic to the President, the Sona was never so good. Especially that part where the President lambasted her critics.
Was it good that she was in a fighting mood? Majority of those we interviewed say“tama lang, dahil kawawa na si Gloria sa kanilang bashing.”
One guy says, “Kung di kumibo di parang tama ang mga critics. Huwag naman. May mga kasalanan din sila e. In point of fact, magugulo ang opposition ngayon. Pag mag bad mouth sila, akala mo hawak na nila ang buhay ng kahit sino.”
How did all this bedlam become like this? Apolitical analyst submits the view that the non-stop political free-for-all was due to our having junked the 2-party system. With the emergence of the multiparty system, the electorate, the general public could not make up its mind. Confusing ang direction tuloy.
And so even in the voting, so many of the presidential candidates would divide the votes among themselves. And end-result, the one who gets the highest number of votes is one with less than 50 percent of the votes. So what happens? We get a minority president. The grumbling and the whining won’t stop. Parang walang mandate. In such a situation, it would be difficult to mobilize a good majority of the public. And so it would be impossible to unite the nation.
Sana after the term of PGMA, manumbalik na ang dating gawi ng pulitika — yong two-party system. Then it would be easy to have a majority vote.
But, the scenario seems to portend a sad phenomena. You all could see how many presidentiables are running after the pie. We might have not only three or four presidential candidates. We might have four or five. Some say seven. Ay ang gulo ano? And yet, we are promised an automated poll! We really hope the Comelec was not biting more than it could chew when it assured all of us that our elections in 20l0 will be computerized.
* * * *
If the political smoke after the most awaited May 20l0 elections dies out because then the President will — we’re sure of this — make good herword there would be elections, this nation can look back with a smile. The woman many have loved to attack and attack would be miseed. Listen to Senate President Johnny Enrile, who rates her the best president the country has produced so far.
All told, hindi naman nag kulang si Gloria a. In infrastructure and the economy, the country has survived where others fell. But the tumult, the fighting, the absence of a sense of national direction is due to what we theorized —the siring of a plurality president.
It’s the sense, it’s what we are made to think by an irresponsible media, that this country is on the way down, ay agaylay kaambagelan ya gagawaen tayod leader tayo, Walang hiya ba ang lider, or tayo? How come? Why did we allow it to be like that? Mapalad tayo because we have a tenacious president. Matapang, matatag, mabiskeg though very diminmutive… infant terrible ika nga!
For all we know and for all you’d care, the President is a survivor. Have you seen a a time during her presidency when she was not attacked? None. She was always at the receiving end of anger and hate. Well, at any rate, when Rizal and Jesus stil walked the earth, they, too, were persecuted. Just was the fate or destiny of great men and women. Wala na hinto yan?
Let’s congratulate her. She did well. And hoe that he advocacies will come to pass. Cross your fingers.
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