THINK BITS
Back to basics
By Ricky PocaCebu Daily News
Last Monday President Noy delivered his second State of the Nation Address. Many criticized the President for not presenting a road map for the country. But I think the Sona was centered on the need to go back to basics as a precedent to solve problems effectively.
Many expected big announcements from Aquino. Instead he concentrated on reminding everybody about fundamentals that many have already forgotten.
The fight against corruption should be a personal battle, not just the government’s. The message was for all of us in the public and private sector.
Our helplessness in combating corruption has transformed into an attitude of accepting it as part of our lives, which I believe is very wrong.
It is not right for the President to promise the nation big things only to succumb to corruption just like the previous administration. Even intellectuals can’t appreciate Aquino’s Sona. Perhaps we’ve gotten so used to sophisticated speeches and promises that only get broken that we cannot understand or refuse to understand something as simple as a speech about going back to basics.
Many politicians who criticized the Sona President only exposed their own irgnorance. They have been used to the practice of corruption, which was encouraged by the previous administration with impunity. They are guilty of the wangwang mind-set that the President condemned many times. I bet that if he had promised anything to the people, the speech would still be criticized by some sectors. It was a case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
The Sona was substantive and deep. Those who are used to crooked ways may criticize the President all day but they can’t accuse him of stealing from public coffers or cheating his way to his position.
The time for criticism is over. Helping ourselves find solutions is the call of the hour. Let’s stop being part of the problem.
At the University of San Carlos, political science students viewed the live broadcast of the President delivering his Sona.
In their critique, more students liked the speech of the President than those who disliked it. I’m happy pol sci majors mounted the activity and I hope they will be encouraged to make Cebu their “laboratory” for change.
* * *
I am elated that the search for truth about the results of the 2004 election has started to unravel the real events behind.
Some actors and witnesses in the alleged cheating are coming out to reveal what transpired. I hope we will finally know what happened and hold accountable the people involved in the fraud.
What will happen to the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I honestly don’t know but for sure the culprits in the cheating will be made to answer for it.
These revelations are surfacing because we now have an administration that is honest and does not resort to cheating.
It’s important for the Aquino administration to impress upon our people, especially government officials, that shenanigans will not be tolerated.
A return to order should also be given premium. Everyone seems to want to have his way regardless of government rules.
People should internalize the basic message of President Aquino’s Sona. Even among the poor, there are those who keep a wangwang mind-set more so among the rich and powerful.
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Tags: Benigno Aquino III , Election , election fraud , Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo , governance , Sona , SONA 2011
