So far, so good. In other words, everything is working according to plan. That, essentially, is how Press Secretary Trixie Angeles, sums up the first 48 days of the Second Marcos Presidency in the context of the traditional first 100 days of any new president or new administration.
What the parameters are, they’re not clearly spelled out. Compared to whom, to which and to what, no specifics. In any case, by its fruits, one can fairly rate if the new president/new administration is doing fine, in fact.
“The primary task for the executive targeting first 100 days success is to set the right strategic priorities and stay focused on them”, Niamh O’Keeffe said. BBM appears to be on it though. He has picked members of his Cabinet carefully, especially his economic team which drew cheer, not jeers, from even his critics. At least,he has shown he understands the country’s priorities: put the economy back in order, especially agriculture, and sustain the efforts versus the ongoing pandemic, even future ones.
In an imperfect world, however, even the best of men with the best intention and unassailable expertise, are men at best. BBM has pegged, through his Finance Minister Benjamin Diokno, a 6.5-7.5 economic growth via the GDP this year, making a modest increment every year thereafter. This early other economic experts are not optimistic. The ongoing recessionary trend globally may make that to be difficult, if not impossible. Cross your fingers.
High fuel and food prices are fueling inflation. Weekly pump prices are going down minimally, but this is more attributable to the world market roiled eternally eternally by the law of supply and demand rather than by any new government policy. In the meantime, calls for amending the oil deregulation law, which sounded reasonable and just during the campaign period, have fallen on deaf ears or placated with promises of subsidies here and there. And winter in the West, which usually means fuel demand will go up and, therefore, will trigger an uptick in prices, is approaching.
Determined to revive agriculture from its moribund state, BBM has decided the role is cut outfor him: ta-da, he appointed himself as the country’s chief agriculturist in addition to being commander in chief. The first thing he has discovered for himself is that, he is still in the dark.
Lately, BBM has found out that an agency under him has approved a resolution that sought the importation of more sugar in light of a huge shortage in supply. The resolution was illegal, so his legal team headed by his executive secretary and campaign lawyer-spokesman Vic Rodriguez. BBM has ordered an investigation as two of those who signed the resolution have submitted their resignation.
“Of course, it is quite possible to be in the dark in the dark but there are so many secrets in the world that it is likely that you’re in the dark always,” Lemony Snicket wrote in “The End.”. Apparently, is still in the dark in the dark about some people under him. Else, how could that illegal resolution have
been passed, allegedly with his signature on it, under his nose? Whoever masterminded the whole thing knew the risk was worth it or he was too powerful to be outed. The investigation has the semblance of a moro-moro, to some. They say, the alleged illegal reso was just a ruse to force the incumbent commissioners of the sugar regulatory body to resign so they can be replaced with BBM’s people .
The end of the investigation already has a foregone conclusion. Professionals know it when it is
time to go. Two commissioners have taken the drift.
BBM has also made it clear: the Phiiippines is not rejoining the International Criminal Court after his predecessor, former President Duterte, has withdrawn from it following the ICC’s probe of human rights violations in his bloody war against drugs. But BBM, per his two Cabinet members, will not stand in the way of the resumption of the investigation of Duterte’s case. Solicitor General Meynardo Guevarra said, the state – meaning the Filipino people–, not the government or its officials, have interest in it. Impliedly, the Filipinos have to know the truth and nothing but the whole truth. Justice Secretary Boying Remulla said, the government will cooperate with ICC as matter of respect and decency.
Caveats: BBM has not filled up the vacant positions of five commissioners in the Commission of Human Rights. Human rights were not a priority in his first State of the Nation Address. In fairness, he has pledged to protect human rights at one time. One good news, though: the Ombudsman has finally acted true to form and function as an independent constitutional body: it has acquitted former Sen. Leila de Lima of bribery. One thing could lead to another. The former senator , encouraged by her latest legal victory, has asked that she be allowed to bail, given her recent acquittal and past
recantations of previous witnesses.
In the meantime, the Marcos family has yet to settle the P23 billion or P203 billion estate tax due the government for the last two decades as ruled by the Supreme Court. Nor has BBM publicly assured his BIR chief that he would be a model citizen for the his countrymen to see. While he is busy trying to rebuild the Marcos dynasty back in into a well respected name by being nice, soft spoken and non-combative, his eldest sister is doing it the other way round by launching a cinematic lampoon about Cory Aquino and his mahjong nuns in the run-up to the 1986 snap election that threw them out of their
comfort zone.
It’s still too early, premature, if you will, that new administration is on his way. Going back to the right path after deviating from it takes a longer time. Not in the first 100 days. Not even in 1000 days, John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural address. In fact, not even in a lifetime, he said. It’s always too soon to speak of presidential success.
