N.B. – Initially titled “Funny signs of the times,” this was published in Asian Correspondent (October 19, 10:40 a.m.) where I currently write a weekly column (Philippine Fantasy).
The verdict is in and the signs are there.
The latest survey from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) shows that 62 percent of Filipinos are dissatisfied with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s performance. She has consistently received a negative net satisfaction rating since the third quarter of 2004, making her the most unpopular President since 1986 based on SWS data.
Note: Past Presidents are Corazon Aquino (1986-1992; deceased), Fidel Ramos (1992-1998) and Joseph Estrada (1998-2001).
The powers-that-be can always argue that governance is not a popularity contest, since unpopular measures have to be implemented for the good of the people. Then again, the people’s wrath comes not from these so-called unpopular measures but the culture of impunity and shamelessness that goes with wielding political power.
What good, for example, does lavish dining last July of the President and her entourage in the United States give to poor Filipinos who could barely eat three meals a day? Is it really necessary for a government agency to ostentatiously celebrate its anniversary early this October at a time when 80 percent of Metro Manila was submerged in waters as high as six meters due to Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana)?
The worst of times indeed brings out the best in Filipinos. When Martial Law was imposed from 1972 to 1986, journalism and the arts flourished as writers and artists creatively expressed their dissent as they tried to help in the shaping of public opinion.
In the age of both Gloria and the Digital Media, Filipino artists have used the Internet (and, for that matter, image editing software) to freely share their works not only to elicit chuckles from the disillusioned but to also to remind people of the grim reality in the country. Carlo Barrameda, a young Filipino artist, gave me permission to feature some of his works that are already making the rounds of the Internet. His caricatures of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are not only funny. They also have deep political meaning.
In reference to a popular Wonder Girls song (Nobody), the artist attempts to make the President look “cute” but at the same time strip her of the power that goes with being the head of government. And why is there a growing perception that she should be removed from office?
She has joined the dark side, that’s why! One could argue that the reference to Yoda is by virtue of her intelligence (she has a PhD in Economics, among other credentials). Then again, it could just be due to her height. Now, what makes many Filipinos think that she has joined the dark side?
There was much controversy over the expensive dinners at Le Cirque ($20,000) and Bobby Van’s Steakhouse ($15,000) in the United States last July. Many Filipinos now wonder just how much food a (presidential) stomach can take before she bursts into a hulk of incredible greed.
As a result of this negative perception (as proven by surveys past and present from credible polling organizations in the Philippines), every little decision made by the administration becomes suspect. People have become jaded observers of reality, always skeptical of whatever decisions government makes.
Translation: THE STATE OF CALAMITY SHOULD BE…ONE YEAARRRRRR!!!
Yes, Gloria appears to be a green monster gone berserk, an obvious reference to the culture of impunity in Philippine society.
Under “normal” circumstances, Filipinos should have no objection to declaring a state of calamity in the wake of destructive typhoons that hit the country recently. In theory, this declaration is necessary for the expeditious release of funds for relief and rehabilitation of affected areas like Metro Manila. But for many Filipinos, a one-year state of calamity translates to a one-year opportunity for graft and corruption.
And so, one cannot be blamed if calls for her ouster have been made since 2002. She now has a few months left in office as national and local elections are scheduled in May 2010. But there are speculations that she might run as a representative of the second district of Pampanga to have a seat in the House of Representatives (HOR). If elected into office, she would run as House Speaker and ensure the change in the form of government from presidential to parliamentary by changing the Constitution. Once the parliamentary form of government is in place, guess who becomes the Prime Minister?
Is this a fantasy, a mere product of an imaginative mind or, worst, a conspiracy theorist? Not so, going by past attempts to change the 1987 Constitution, and the President’s countless visits to the second district of Pampanga where she is a registered voter.
In these trying times, we need such works of art to remind us of the need to stop the fantasy and to change the reality. How soon her reign ends depends not on her decisions but the people’s actions.