Glaring hitches of the administration
TWO weeks ago was a nightmarish fortnight for the administration of President Duterte. It was marked by incidents that embarrassed the national leadership, and even blamed for the stalling in the muddied shoulder of the NAIA runway of a commercial jetliner from China carrying 165 passengers.
Malacanang, to my mind, viewed those hitches as the last things the administration needed. But they did happen so ominously that the nearest entity to pass the blame on was the Palace by the Pasig.
The most-talked about tricky rhetoric was the President’s admission that he was ready to call it quits and leave the presidency. He said, he was exhausted and frustrated over the non-eradication on the use and traffic of illicit drugs.
Adding to the above, he said, was the spreading malaise of corruption that appears to creep into every branch of government.
The August 14 announcement was welcomed by skeptics and some opposition personalities. But who will succeed him? The Chief Executive rattled off a “military junta” A General in Western Mindanao command said he will follow only what the law of the land says. And the PNP spokesman, in a press conference Friday, said the PNP was not inclined to support a “junta,” following only what is in the Constitution.
The President mentioned Senator Escudero who immediately pointed out there is a succession mandated in the Constitution. He also mentioned former Senator Bongbong Marcos who urged the President to continue and finish his term.
But, in spite of the above refusal, the President he would still insist that the young Marcos be made his successor, all the more so if he wins his poll protest against the vice president.
And what about VP Leni? No, she is not competent enough, he said, grimacing as he mentioned her name.
Over and above this rigmarole, student activists were restless as they staged lightning rallies in UP campus and in Katipunan street, holding militant placards and shouting, “Mr. President, what’s taking you so long to resign?”
The publicized resignation was just “an afterthought,” answered the Malacanang occupant said a report in another morning daily on August 18.
Meanwhile, by August 23, Wednesday, MMDA’s traffic enforcers on EDSA would have started issuing traffic violation tickets to drivers who were caught driving alone in their vehicles in the 17-kilometer thoroughfare for violating the agency’s High Occupancy Vehicle traffic scheme.
The MMDA stopped it Friday, August 17, after the Senate enjoined the former to rescind the plan. That triggered mainstream and social media in labelling the traffic-easing scheme “inutile,” “stupid,” “brainless,” and similar diatribes.
As if that embarrassment was not enough, a commercial jetliner from China carrying 165 passengers skidded off the NAIA runway and stalled on its muddy shoulder in a driving rain Thursday evening, August 16. Passengers and crew all got out of the Boeing 737 aircraft safe.
But since the plane blocked the runway, it caused the cancellation and diversion of 136 international and domestic flights, stranding more than a thousand departing passengers some of whom slept on the cold tiles of the terminal lobby, without being served meals by either their respective airlines or by airport officials.
Watching the passengers at the lobby crowding each other, one likened the teeming thousands to scenes of the movie Exodus and the Woodstock rock concert.
Airport and flight operations were back to normal by Monday, after four agonizing days for those travelers.
Amid these transportation-related flaws, the Bulletin came out with a screaming umbrella headline last Monday, August 20: “Congress to probe NAIA runway mess.”
That and earlier transportationrelated missteps will fall on the laps of DOTr Secretary Tugade. Regarded by many as a rhetorical speaker who loves to talk, the Cabinet member will have a lot of talking – and explaining – to do in the Chamber.
NOVENA/MASSES IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF THE NATIVITY. The Calbayognon Association, Inc., composed of Metro Manila residents from Calbayog City, will start the nine-day novena and masses for their patroness on Thursday, August 30. Sponsors and their schedule are: Aug. 30, Mr. and Mrs. Nonoy Fulgencio; Aug. 31, Ms. Merle Bacurio and Rey Chan, and their families; Sept. 1, Milagrosa Academy HS Batch 1980; Sept. 2, Querol family; Sept. 3, Ms. Juanita Yrigan and Jordan family; Sept. 4, Tuesday, Mrs. Editha Pandong and Vanessa Pandong-Noda; Sept. 5, heirs of the late Atty. Tomas Gomez Jr.; Sept. 6, Christ the King College HS Batch 1980; and Sept. 7, Romy Durmiendo and family. Novena/mass on weekdays starts 6 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday, 4 p.m.
A concelebrated mass will be offered on September 8, feast day at 6 p.m. at the Quezon City Sports Club on E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Quezon City.