By Greg Macabenta
The propaganda torpedoes whom the Marcos machinery mustered for the snap election in 1986 pounced on the obvious inadequacy of Corazon Aquino to foil her candidacy, summed up in the derisive quip: “She is just a housewife.”
This was a stark contrast to the credentials of Marcos who was routinely described as brilliant. But that “quality” was his undoing. We had had enough of brilliance used for corrupt and self-serving ends. We were convinced that honesty, integrity and good intentions w ere all our country needed to right the wrongs of the Marcos dictatorship. We were also convinced that, with democratic institutions restored, the rest would logically follow. Economic recovery. A triumph over poverty. Reforms in government. Efficiency in the bureaucracy. The return of civic responsibility. The dismantling of fiefdoms.
Sadly, we were wrong.
Cory Aquino's enduring legacy is that she lived true to her mandate of restoring freedom and democracy. In doing this, she never faltered. In the face of the temptation that the current occupant of Malacañang and her minions in Congress have found irresistible, Cory insisted on the inclusion of a no-reelection provision in the new Constitution and graciously turned over the enviable powers of the presidency to her successor.
We will always remember Cory for that act of nobility and patriotism, and will forever be grateful. No one can argue that she was the moral20force our country needed, at that precise point in our history, to dismantle the authoritarian structures and heal the wounds inflicted by Marcos. Neither can anyone question her own personal integrity, her courage in the face of several coup attempts, and her commitment, long after she had left office, to the causes for which our people have continued to struggle.
But she was unprepared for the charlatans, schemers, leftists, separatists, militarists, business monopolists and plain crooks, criminals, opportunists and incompetents who besieged her presidency. She had to deal with groups and individuals whose interests would not be served by reforms - and many of them prevailed. Worst of all, she had to deal with certain members of her own family.
Cory Aquino will be remembered and honored for being the beacon that lighted the way for our people. The outpouring of grief over her passing is testimony to the affection that the nation has for her, in contrast to the derision being profusely hea ped on Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The fact is that, Arroyo has done many good things for our country, even if she could not resist exaggerating some of them in her annual SONA. But the scandals identified with her tenure are what she will be marked for. That should serve as a warning to those who abuse power. History will be their ultimate judge. To paraphrase Mark Anthony in his eulogy to Julius Caesar, the evil that Arroyo and her co-conspirators have done will live after them. The good will be interred with their bones.
On the other hand, the failings of Cory’s presidency should also serve as a warning to those of us who continue to believe that good intentions are all we need to solve our country’s many problems.
Indeed, we are so naïve that we are readily impressed by Motherhood promises and clever slogans, good looks, sweet talk and “star power.” While we acknowledge that it takes medical expertise to become a doctor, knowledge of jurisprudence to become a lawyer, and specific skills to qualify for a vocation, we have this inexplicable impression that it only takes charm, good intentions and Pure Unadulterated Honesty and Integrity to become president of the Philippines. We refuse to acknowledge the wisdom of the Peter Principle.
We place a lot of importance on likeability and outward humility, typified by the comment of one employee in Congress who was asked why she chose then Congressman Chiz Escudero as a likely presidential contender: “Mabait kasi.” (Because he’s nice). This also explains why, despite his impressive record of performance, Dick Gordon scores so low in the polls. “Kasi, mabigat magdala.” (Because he is heavy-handed.)
We are fascinated by the Robin Hood syndrome. We don’t mind public officials stealing from the rich provided they give to the poor. We are willing to tolerate corruption if mitigated by performance. “Nagnanakaw nga, pero may ginagawa namang mabuti.” (He may steal but, at least, he’s doing something good .”) We rationalize our own bad habits by voting for the candidate who possesses all of them in generous measure, “Pero may pagmamahal sa mahirap." (But he loves the poor). Which is why Erap Estrada continues to rate high in the surveys.
Lee Kuan Yew would never win in a Philippine election. And even if he were to win, he would have to survive assassination attempts and would have to deal with more than the seven coup tries that beleaguered Cory.
I admire Cory Aquino for the same reason that millions regard her with such affection. But I was also critical of her throughout her presidency, for what she lacked as a chief executive and for being unwilling to wield the power that could have dismantled the business, political, social and religious structures that weighed down the country. Like it or not, a strong man is what we badly need. But one who will not become power mad, as Marcos was.
I understand that Ninoy would have been such a strong man, had he become president. But would he have been consumed by power? We will never know. We do know that about Cory. She did not allow it. Would Ninoy also have threatened to jail his own relatives, in the manner of Lee Kuan Yew? Who knows? We do know that Cory could not.
A first person account, by someone who had no reason to exaggerate to me, is about Ninoy explaining to him what he would do about corrupt officials. According to this narrative, Ninoy said that he would not hesitate to line up the crooks before a firing squad, to serve as a warning to others.
Perhaps, with Cory’s compassion and her rare ability to hold power without being consumed by it, all she needed was a measure of her husband’s ruthlessness to have enabled her to achieve the other important objectives of the People Power revolution, aside from restoring democracy.
I mourn the passing of Cory Aquino. Witnessing so much opportunism, so many instances of abuse of power, so much dishonesty and the absence of a sense of shame among those caught redhanded, makes her passing so grievously felt.
My fear is that the qualities that endeared her to all of us are so compelling that, in the forthcoming presidential elections – assuming there will be one – we may forget, once again, that being loved is only one essential part of being president. Knowing what to do and getting them done, despite the risk of being unloved, is the other essential part.
Unfortunately, this is the very argument that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been using to justify the unjustifiable. But, unlike Cory, power has gone to Arroyo's head..
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
The propaganda torpedoes whom the Marcos machinery mustered for the snap election in 1986 pounced on the obvious inadequacy of Corazon Aquino to foil her candidacy, summed up in the derisive quip: “She is just a housewife.”
This was a stark contrast to the credentials of Marcos who was routinely described as brilliant. But that “quality” was his undoing. We had had enough of brilliance used for corrupt and self-serving ends. We were convinced that honesty, integrity and good intentions w ere all our country needed to right the wrongs of the Marcos dictatorship. We were also convinced that, with democratic institutions restored, the rest would logically follow. Economic recovery. A triumph over poverty. Reforms in government. Efficiency in the bureaucracy. The return of civic responsibility. The dismantling of fiefdoms.
Sadly, we were wrong.
Cory Aquino's enduring legacy is that she lived true to her mandate of restoring freedom and democracy. In doing this, she never faltered. In the face of the temptation that the current occupant of Malacañang and her minions in Congress have found irresistible, Cory insisted on the inclusion of a no-reelection provision in the new Constitution and graciously turned over the enviable powers of the presidency to her successor.
We will always remember Cory for that act of nobility and patriotism, and will forever be grateful. No one can argue that she was the moral20force our country needed, at that precise point in our history, to dismantle the authoritarian structures and heal the wounds inflicted by Marcos. Neither can anyone question her own personal integrity, her courage in the face of several coup attempts, and her commitment, long after she had left office, to the causes for which our people have continued to struggle.
But she was unprepared for the charlatans, schemers, leftists, separatists, militarists, business monopolists and plain crooks, criminals, opportunists and incompetents who besieged her presidency. She had to deal with groups and individuals whose interests would not be served by reforms - and many of them prevailed. Worst of all, she had to deal with certain members of her own family.
Cory Aquino will be remembered and honored for being the beacon that lighted the way for our people. The outpouring of grief over her passing is testimony to the affection that the nation has for her, in contrast to the derision being profusely hea ped on Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The fact is that, Arroyo has done many good things for our country, even if she could not resist exaggerating some of them in her annual SONA. But the scandals identified with her tenure are what she will be marked for. That should serve as a warning to those who abuse power. History will be their ultimate judge. To paraphrase Mark Anthony in his eulogy to Julius Caesar, the evil that Arroyo and her co-conspirators have done will live after them. The good will be interred with their bones.
On the other hand, the failings of Cory’s presidency should also serve as a warning to those of us who continue to believe that good intentions are all we need to solve our country’s many problems.
Indeed, we are so naïve that we are readily impressed by Motherhood promises and clever slogans, good looks, sweet talk and “star power.” While we acknowledge that it takes medical expertise to become a doctor, knowledge of jurisprudence to become a lawyer, and specific skills to qualify for a vocation, we have this inexplicable impression that it only takes charm, good intentions and Pure Unadulterated Honesty and Integrity to become president of the Philippines. We refuse to acknowledge the wisdom of the Peter Principle.
We place a lot of importance on likeability and outward humility, typified by the comment of one employee in Congress who was asked why she chose then Congressman Chiz Escudero as a likely presidential contender: “Mabait kasi.” (Because he’s nice). This also explains why, despite his impressive record of performance, Dick Gordon scores so low in the polls. “Kasi, mabigat magdala.” (Because he is heavy-handed.)
We are fascinated by the Robin Hood syndrome. We don’t mind public officials stealing from the rich provided they give to the poor. We are willing to tolerate corruption if mitigated by performance. “Nagnanakaw nga, pero may ginagawa namang mabuti.” (He may steal but, at least, he’s doing something good .”) We rationalize our own bad habits by voting for the candidate who possesses all of them in generous measure, “Pero may pagmamahal sa mahirap." (But he loves the poor). Which is why Erap Estrada continues to rate high in the surveys.
Lee Kuan Yew would never win in a Philippine election. And even if he were to win, he would have to survive assassination attempts and would have to deal with more than the seven coup tries that beleaguered Cory.
I admire Cory Aquino for the same reason that millions regard her with such affection. But I was also critical of her throughout her presidency, for what she lacked as a chief executive and for being unwilling to wield the power that could have dismantled the business, political, social and religious structures that weighed down the country. Like it or not, a strong man is what we badly need. But one who will not become power mad, as Marcos was.
I understand that Ninoy would have been such a strong man, had he become president. But would he have been consumed by power? We will never know. We do know that about Cory. She did not allow it. Would Ninoy also have threatened to jail his own relatives, in the manner of Lee Kuan Yew? Who knows? We do know that Cory could not.
A first person account, by someone who had no reason to exaggerate to me, is about Ninoy explaining to him what he would do about corrupt officials. According to this narrative, Ninoy said that he would not hesitate to line up the crooks before a firing squad, to serve as a warning to others.
Perhaps, with Cory’s compassion and her rare ability to hold power without being consumed by it, all she needed was a measure of her husband’s ruthlessness to have enabled her to achieve the other important objectives of the People Power revolution, aside from restoring democracy.
I mourn the passing of Cory Aquino. Witnessing so much opportunism, so many instances of abuse of power, so much dishonesty and the absence of a sense of shame among those caught redhanded, makes her passing so grievously felt.
My fear is that the qualities that endeared her to all of us are so compelling that, in the forthcoming presidential elections – assuming there will be one – we may forget, once again, that being loved is only one essential part of being president. Knowing what to do and getting them done, despite the risk of being unloved, is the other essential part.
Unfortunately, this is the very argument that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been using to justify the unjustifiable. But, unlike Cory, power has gone to Arroyo's head..
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
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