From a distance, objectivity can be clearer. Taking my regular visit to the United States in line with my advocacy for Gawad Kalinga and my fascination with the new generation of Filipino-Americans, I can still watch what happens in the Philippines with keen interest but less emotion. I would suggest the same exercise for those in high positions and great authority, especially when ratings are in and results are down.
SWS says that the overall public satisfaction with the administration of President Noynoy Aquino suffered another significant drop. It does not come as a surprise to many as the most recent polls already showed a trend of lower numbers. True, the net satisfaction level is still considered good, especially in comparison with Gloria Arroyo’s consistently negative results, but lower is lower and the message is clear.
Being defensive is an understandable reaction. Who likes being told that one’s market has more complaints and frustrations? Even if there are valid reasons for performance to be particularly challenged, significant drops in ratings are always a cause for concern, if not alarm. Actually, being defensive immediately narrows one’s capacity to see a broader, and truer, spectrum. Instead of seeing shortcomings and working on them, more effort is expended in explanations and justifications.
It is extremely difficult to maintain very high ratings, but that is no excuse for not doing so. A country that is beset with major problems require major initiatives. Curing problems always brings some amount of pain, a necessary ingredient to either dismantling weak practices and policies, or building a more disciplined approach. People who are impatiently waiting for better things to happen to their lives do not like to undergo more difficulty for the sake of better things ahead. Change demands sacrifice, and that is not what those in need can afford to keep doing. Change also demands fresh ideas and ways of doing things – which those in positions of advantage resist.
<STRONG>Future of hope</STRONG>
President Noynoy was given a spectacular opportunity to be the main driving force of change. He still has it, of course, as the challenge to lift his people and country out of shameful corruption and poverty levels will be a daily endeavor. I just hope that he will not be distracted into believing that he is more the change instead of being its catalyst, that his role is to inspire, to facilitate, to be a light rather than be a manager. Yes, he must have strong instincts for managing his key players, but his destiny is to manage a people out of their misery and towards a future of hope.
In my understanding of the anatomy of change, the Filipino cannot resolve the perennial cancers of corruption and poverty without a revolution. To my mind, the intention of good governance is too little, too early, if it is to be the primary methodology of great change. And great change is the challenge to the P-Noy administration, no less than that.
The campaign and election of Noynoy Aquino was the precursor of the ideal methodology of change that can raise a people and country out of the quicksand we have been stuck in for a long time. The spirit of volunteerism overtook the traditional political mindset in catapulting Noynoy into the presidency. Allowing that spirit to dominate his administration will make P-Noy not only successful but phenomenal. People Power is indicative of what real democracy means, but those in government are uneasy, even afraid, of actually using it. Some political parties may mouth people power slogans but will never encourage it in governance.
Look at how the Liberal Party is behaving. As a political organization in the context of Philippine history, the Liberal Party has been trying to be the main influence in the life of a president who is part of the party. That would be normal in a normal democracy, especially one where a strong two-party system is in place. Unfortunately for everybody, for the Liberal Party and for the Filipino people, the present state of democracy does not allow the principles of a two-party system to dominate a multi-party set-up. In fact, the present multi-party system as governed by personalities more than principles or ideology. The Liberal Party is not exempt from this malaise.
<STRONG>Sentiment in the context of governance</STRONG>
The ratings of P-Noy cannot help but go down from the high levels he had enjoyed in the beginning of his term when he allows party politics to influence his choices of appointees and program of governance. The enthusiasm of the Filipino people, clearly reflected in the early ratings, was grounded on the spirit of volunteers, ordinary Filipinos who had to express directly their sentiments by campaigning for Noynoy, then in even greater numbers, cheering his ascendancy to the presidency. There has been no proportionate response to that outpouring of good will and aspiration for great change. Instead, traditional politics is seen as a continuing power in appointments and programs of governance.
People elect their leaders, and they can do more after elections. People Power can be a strong tool for governance, and a guarantee of high satisfaction ratings. If the people understand that they are part of governance, that they have a responsibility to pursue and an accountability to accept, they can rate themselves and P-Noy, not just P-Noy. On his part, P-Noy knows that the people directly, and not through or because of any political party, supported and voted for him. He might want to understand what that sentiment means in the context of governance.
A revolution is scary, but necessary to bring about radical change. To dismantle corruption and eliminate poverty in the Philippine context need radical change. People Power is the rare option where revolution and peace can go hand in hand. I had believed that the presidency of P-Noy was destined, just as the martyrdom of Ninoy and the ascendancy of Cory against all odds. I also believed, and still do, that the destined presidency of P-Noy will succeed or fail on his honoring, or neglecting, people power in governance.