After the presidency
WITH President PNoy’s term ending in June, 2016, one wonders whether he will just leave Malacañang and enjoy the carefree life of a bachelor past president or will continue to be of service to the nation as his mother, Corazon Aquino, did. Before the 2004 elections, she told me that she was out of politics and was concentrating her time on recognizing and encouraging non-governmental organizations and grassroots people organizations in empowering the masses. Of course in the aftermath of the “Hello, Garci” incident and the calls on Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign, she was in the forefront of the mass actions despite her delicate health condition. Seeing her in one Makati rally, where then Mayor Jojo Binay gave the permit to rally and sent the usual support, I asked her, “Ma’m, what are you doing here? You should be resting.” She replied, “This woman is making me go out. We need to save the nation.” President Cory was always consistent in her determination to be of service to the country even after her presidency.
President PNoy could learn from his three living predecessors -- former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos (FVR), Joseph “Erap” Ejercito, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA). Two of them decided to run for lower government positions, GMA as congresswoman representing her district in Pampanga and Erap as mayor of the premier city of Manila. In Congress, GMA introduced bills to strengthen the economic gains of her administration and to cater to the needs of special groups. As mayor of Manila, Erap continued the propoor thrusts of his administration.
I doubt whether PNoy will be able to follow the two in running for another public office after the presidency. He was a reluctant candidate for president and his actuations as president seem to indicate that he wants to “get it over with” and go back to private life. Of course, if he does run for Congress, I am sure he will definitely be elected by his Tarlac constituents but he may find it difficult to top the senatorial elections given the opposition to some of the programs of his administration and to the perception of deficiencies, especially in the areas of transport and communications within the sphere of influence of his expected endorsee for president.
I also doubt whether he has the energy, dedication, and wealth of leadership experience to be a source of wisdom and inspiration as former President Fidel V. Ramos. In his numerous speaking engagements, FVR continues to push for national unity, Philippine competitiveness in the global arena, enhancing the preparedness of the nation for the challenges not just of ASEAN integration but also the threats coming from regional powers intent in expanding their boundaries. I have seen how FVR, whether in the golf course or in the communities he visits, continues to win the respect and admiration of the local people by his engaging banter with them and his sincere concern for their welfare. In his writings, especially in his column in the Manila Bulletin, he weighs in on the relevant issues of the day bringing his deep reservoir of leadership experience and wide knowledge of current and evolving paradigms to bear on them. I remember the daily summary of the books that were bestsellers and featured innovative concepts that he read through to keep abreast of regional and global developments and I wondered how he managed given his hectic schedule while I at times had a backlog on my perusal of those summaries. PNoy will find it difficult if not impossible to be an FVR.
So I guess President PNoy can just go back to what he was doing before he was president. And it had very little of a contribution to the progress and prosperity of the Filipino nation and to improving the lives of the Filipino poor.
Business Bits. FVR’s latest book “Giving Back: Service and Legacy” will be launched tomorrow, July 20, at 3:30 p.m. at the Champagne Salon of the Manila Hotel. His legions of admirers and my fellow Cabinet and sub-cabinet officials in the FVR team are all invited to attend.