Credits

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Of Roses And Surveys

It is now clear why the nine Magdalo soldiers changed their plea to guilty. The real score was to make Gloria Arroyo and Hermogenes Esperon smell like roses. In the guise of POLITICAL reconciliation, Gloria is set to pardon them. Regardless whether it would be a conditional one, the end result is the freedom for the nine and the image building for Gloria and Esperon. Esperon is about to retire and he would like to come out deodorized. As for GMA, she will boost her image among the men in uniform. Gloria's operator Ronaldo Puno seems to be pulling the strings again just like how he orchestrated Erap's pardon.

So the stage has been set for the spin meisters and propagandists of the palace. The nine will be made political props in Gloria's drama. Like rabbits ganging on a carrot, I am sure the nine soldiers will look back and suffer the consequences of their decision. Of course we cannot judge for they have families to protect and futures to secure. With the impending pardon, many of their grievances have yet to be addressed in earnest. Everything has only been a window dressing of sorts. The "bata-bata system" continues and only those close to GMA and Esperon enjoy real perks.

It's all about Gloria's and Esperon's image. Both wants to show how humane(?) they can be.

So the latest surveys are out, Gloria's ratings continue to spiral. While the palace dogs debunk this, perception is equivalent to sentiments. Anthony Golez counters by saying that surveys are not absolute, what counts is the continuing rise of our economy. So they now go back to our booming economy(?). Despite the staggering cost of living, the impending rice shortage, the weekly increases in oil products, the threat of a new round of hikes in electricity and water and the increases in tuition this coming school year, they still claim a progressive economy.

When Filipinos continue to leave in the thousands everyday to seek jobs abroad, the only growth is in remittances and the unabated corruption in government. Let's go back to the surveys. If you ask those who benefit from Gloria's reign, then the economy is booming. If you ask the ordinary laborer who has to make ends meet, life is getting harder everyday. When a government makes it a policy to export its citizens, life is not good as they want us to believe. When a government has employment programs for kids as young as 15, then something is definitely wrong.

This administration survives on rhetorics, terror and lies. I throw this statement back to Gloria, "No political posturing will put food on the table. No headlines will produce jobs." Gloria's politics is becoming personal. It has touched the empty stomachs and wallets of the people. Soon the surveys will result in actions, actions that this administration will not want to face. Resignation or ouster through peaceful means might be more palatable than be dragged out of Malacañang by the hair.

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