The problem with Philippine politics is that everyone in it knows exactly what to do — or so they believe. If you have any doubts at all that this is true, just look at the latest reshuffle that happened in the Senate recently.
This latest rigodon not only deserves close scrutiny for matching committees with a senator’s supposed capabilities and track record, but also for the simple fact that the Filipino people have to contend with another reorganization, reset, or redo of this sort.
Sure, it happens in our nation every time a new president comes along. It tends to happen too with every new leadership change in a region, a city, a barangay, heck, even in companies and classrooms.
Just because it seems to be the usual practice does not make it right.
What makes it wrong is when sweeping reforms are made without considering what needs to be retained or continued. When this happens, one cannot help but assume that the imposition of changes is purely ego-driven.
Ego is what drives most of our leaders today. It was clear in the way they made a big production of Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s arrest on Monday, for example. While other individuals linked to the flood control controversy were arrested without drama, there was the newly installed Senate President blocking the path of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, insisting that he and his men “respect the institution.”
It was not, Cayetano continued, about Jinggoy. It was about making an arrest in the supposed hallowed halls of the Senate, saying that an arrest there had “never been done.”
Cayetano even recalled the times senators stood up for their colleagues who were about to be arrested. For example, then-Senate President Jovito Salonga for Juan Ponce Enrile, who was charged with rebellion.
At that moment, Filipinos saw just how out of touch with reality our leaders have become.
Clearly, many in the majority bloc do not realize the extent of the derision people have for the characters and events transpiring in the upper chamber. From being subjected to tears arising from something so out of place and out of context, to seeing how such “standing up for another” meant letting someone crucial to a national issue get away, what sort of “respect” for this institution can anybody muster at this point?
Remulla, even to his critics at that point, gained many pats on the back for his retort to Cayetano: “The last person you took into custody escaped. You cannot do that.” In other words, this Senate leadership had “lost the privilege” of no arrest when they let their ally get away.
And all the while this was unfolding, key bills were left hanging, as the majority bloc “chose not to show up,” according to a statement from the minority, which had been ready to resume work for that day. It was a very telling situation that revealed just how low the Filipino people are in some of our leaders’ priorities.
Sometimes, good projects get shelved because the new leaders would rather have their own projects funded (and for all the credit to go to them). Most times, progress is stumped because the leaders can never get past the arguments and paranoia, so not much ever gets done.
If there is anything that needs fixing, perhaps our broken leadership should begin with themselves.
