“The Unfulfilled Accomplishments”

I must admit I was once an avid supporter of Pres. Digong during his 2016 presidential run; there is no denying that. I wrote several sympathetic write-ups in this column profoundly expounding the virtue of electing a common tao like him for the highest position of the land for a change.

I was amazed by his great panache in delivering his straightforward one-of-a-kind macho speech with tongue twisting jargon at that, unique to any other presidential candidates or past presidents I have ever known. I looked up to him with high hopes to be our own Lee Kwan Yew—Singapore’s great leader—because I was so enraged then with the current administration’s negligence and failure to stop the infamous “laglag-bala” at the airport (who wouldn’t be?), then there’s the horrendous traffic in Metro Manila which took forever to reach your destination; the highly questionable P1.89 billion purchase of Mahindra Patrol Vehicles for PNP, the DOTr’s most depraved multi-million Peso acquisition of inoperable and out of spec Chinese-made Dalian trains for MRT; LTO’s anomalous award of vehicle plates fabrication to a favored supplier; the atrocious Mamasapano’s SAF 44 massacre; former VP Binay’s reported billions of Pesos of protected but unexplained assets, and the many more appalling shenanigans in the Aquino government. Like most of the disgruntled supporter of the much-ballyhooed “Daang Matuwid”, I and the 16 million people who supported him surmised at that time that he—Digong, is our last hope, the ultimate savior of the people who suffered enough from the hands of “the oligarchs and the elites”—words used today by the trolls to describe well-mannered oppositions?

I was dead wrong!

After almost five (5) years of President Digong’s reign, all it can show for are abysmal failures of promises—drugs and corruption gone in 3-6 months and Jet Ski to Spratly’s to personally plant the Philippine flag. Instead, drugs and corruption proliferated, and he now kisses the big butt of Xi Jinping who continuously grabs our territory. Many view Digong today as a growling terrified kitten whenever the beloved Xi flexes his muscles than as a roaring lion he wants to project himself.

He also accentuated the: “just a whiff of corruption and you are out” which has become ignominious—a laughing stock and a whale of a rip off as its opposite turned into norm nowadays—the recycling of his appointees reportedly involved in graft and corruption in billions of Pesos. We all know them—no need to list down their names here—“kanya-kanyang panahon lang” or “weather-weather lang” said their grinning followers. This is true even with past administrations, right? What else is new? They asked.

But, Digong categorically declared as a solemn pledge to the whole world that he would resign from office if he fails to fulfill these promises in 3-6 months. He emphasized this repeatedly and vigorously in his countless speeches before and after the election, but which he now cunningly acknowledges without batting an eye that they are gargantuan job, which he indifferently admits cannot be crushed and done during his watch.

So, what happens after these failed promises, what now? Remember, the fighting and frightening cry for a decisive change, the brave crusading words—“3-6 months a clean government and a society free from menacing drugs” are precisely the reasons he got elected to the presidency in the first place. Joke only?—it’s up to you to discern.

It is logical to infer today that all those fearless display of bravado were just pure propaganda done with dubious and ambiguous intent; a publicity gimmick carried out successfully.

Sorry, we have been had.

Indeed, it is easier for a man without a word of honor to lick his spit, but for a principled one, losing it is like losing one’s existence on earth—more than his life literally. Japanese are known for their hara-kiri when their honor is questioned and tarnished. Filipinos, however, are known to be “kapal Moks” who veil under twisted reasoning and absurd pedagogical discourses to muddle the issue. The term used to describe this demeanor is “palusot”—a farcical act to evade a clear-cut accountability perfected by no less than the “Foxy” mouthpiece of Malacanang.

Many great leaders in history are remembered for their indelible phrase, and when you hear or read them, you are instantly reminded of the person—“Filipinos are worth dying for”; “The youth is the hope of our future”; “They come to me with one cry”; “Consummatum est”; “I have a dream”; “Give me liberty or give me death”; “Bataan has fallen”, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger”, and “I shall return.”

It is very unfortunate that the phrase that will be recalled in history from President Digong is a far cry and contrast from the great personages’ message of hope and bravery, but solely for his notorious words; “P’tang ina, patay kayo.”