FLIPSIDE
By Atty. Dodo Dulay

New Year’s Day is just a few nights away. And if the recent Pulse Asia survey is to be believed, ninety-two percent or nine in 10 Filipinos are facing the New Year with hope, the highest ever recorded since the survey on the yuletide season began in 2005. Not surprisingly, Presidential

Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda touted the survey results as proof that the people “have seen the progress in the manner of governance, in our fight against corruption and in our programs regarding poverty alleviation.” The Palace, however, shouldn’t be so quick to pat themselves on the back.

The survey result is not a vote of confidence in the Aquino administration. Hope is not the same thing as approval or affirmation. It is merely an expression of our countrymen’s fanciful desire that things would be better next year. That or more Filipinos are wishing next year wouldn’t be as bad as this year.

In our radio program “Karambola sa DWIZ”, we also did a survey of sorts. We asked our listeners what they wished (or hoped) President Aquino would do this coming year. Here’s what some of them texted:

+63917576****: Sana maging Pangulo sya ng lahat ng mga Pinoy. Alisin na nya yellow ribbon sa kanyang dibdib. Palitan nya ito ng bandera ng Pilipinas. Ipasa nya ang FOI bill para sa tunay na transparency. Ikulong ang mga smugglers, illegal loggers, tax evaders at cheaters. Alam naming na kung meron syang political will alam nya ang mga buwaya sa gobyerno na karamihan nakapaligid sa kanya. Unahin nya ang mga balimbing na sa 2016 ay babalimbing na naman at sya ang ididiin. Sana wag nag ibintang kay GMA ang mga problema. Pag nagawa ni PNoy ang mga ito ay giginhawa buhay natin sa 2013. [I hope he becomes a President for all Filipinos. Remove the yellow ribbon from his chest and replace it with the Philippine flag. Pass the FOI bill for true transparency. Jail the smugglers, illegal loggers, tax evaders and cheaters. We know that if he has the political will, he will know who the corrupt officials in government are, many of whom surround him. He should first go after the political turncoats who in 2016 will again change loyalties and pin him down. Don’t blame GMA for the (country’s) problems. If PNoy can do these, we will have a more prosperous life in 2013.]

+63917841****: Hiling ko kay PNoy i-certify as urgent ang FOI bill para maging batas. Bawasan kung hindi man matanggal ang PDAF na ugat ng graft. [My wish is for PNoy to certify the FOI bill as urgent so that it becomes a law.  If he cannot abolish the PDAF which is the root of graft, he should at least reduce it.]

+63919486****:  Wish ko ipatupad ni PNoy ang desisyon ng Supreme Court para sa magsasaka ng Hacienda Luisita. Linisin muna ang sariling bakuran. [I wish PNoy would enforce the Supreme Court’s decision for the farmers of Hacienda Luisita. He should clean up his own backyard first.]

+63916630****: President PNoy should give full attention to unemployment, corrupt government officials (jail them) and quit smoking while in office as President.

+63917412****: Wish ko sana gawin ni PNoy lahat ng ginawa ni Ferdinand Marcos gawin din niya. Minus kurakot, cronyism, nepotism. [I wish PNoy would do all that Ferdinand Marcos did minus the corruption, cronyism and nepotism.]

+63946474****: My wish is for PNoy is to stop being judge and jury as in the case of Padaca and all his KKK, to stop Mar from running in 2016 to spare him from expenses and sure loss, to talk to CJ Sereno not to act irresponsibly for she will be sitting for 19 years.

+1647717****: Wish ko po na isapubliko ni PNoy ang SALN niya pagpasok ng 2013 at himukin nya seriously ang mga goverment and elected officials to do the same. [I wish PNoy would publicly disclose his SALN and seriously persuade government and elected officials to do the same.]

+63908593****: Sana tigilan na ni PNoy ang paghahanap ng kamailian nung nakaraang administrsayon at bansa na lang ang asikasuhin nya. Ang daming problema. [I hope PNoy would stop finding fault with the past administration and just attend to the country’s many problems.]

+63905716****:  Wish ko po kay PNoy tigilan na nya ang pag-iimpluwensiya sa senado, kongreso at hudikatura. Huwag nyang balakin maging diktador. [I wish PNoy would stop influencing the Senate, Congress and the judiciary. He shouldn’t plan on being a dictator.]
For our part, we wish (and hope) PNoy would be less annoyed by critical voices. He’s got too many sycophants around him in Malacañang that’s he’s probably out of touch with the true sentiment of ordinary folks.