A SECOND CHANCE

All her life, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lived in the midst of politics. She was barely two when her father, the late Diosdado Macapagal, won as Congressman to represent his constituents of the First District of Pampanga. Gloria entered high school as the daughter of the country’s ninth president, certainly enough reason to make her a celebrity at the exclusive Assumption Convent where she would eventually graduate valedictorian.

By the time the Macapagals moved out of Malacanang, Gloria was already a strong-willed young lady who had fallen in love with the tall, dashing Jose Miguel Arroyo, son to parents belonging to old-rich political families. Gloria’s roots are well known – promdi (or from the barrios) courtesy of her poor but brilliant father who supported himself through college. But it is from her husband Mike, the true-blue Atenean, and his family that the aristocratic airs would be learned.

After graduating with a degree in AB Economics magna cum laude from Assumption College, Gloria married Mike and would in the next five years largely devote her time to raising a family – three children, two boys (Mikey and Dado) and Luli.

Gloria would spend ten years in various positions in the academe before starting her civil service career, first as assistant secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry, then as executive director of the Garment and Textile Export Board, and rising to the rank of Undersecretary at the Department of Trade and Industry. She is remembered as a giggly bureaucrat who had a warm greeting for anyone who approached her.

In 1992, at the prodding of so many people, Gloria ran for a Senate position. This was not really her baptism into politics; it simply provided for her the perfect setting to practice all that she had learned from her father, husband, bureaucrats, and politicians around her. Gloria became, in that very short time, an eager trapo (or traditional politician) who would quickly master the art of compromise, horse-trading, cunning with extreme patience, and yes, even dagdag-bawas.

CONJUGAL TRAPO

Notwithstanding all the stories about the shakiness of Gloria and Mike’s marital relationship, I am assured by those in the know that they continue to work together – she, at keeping herself firmly in the fulcrum of power, and he, by providing the legal and financial advice and support needed to sustain both their conjugal and individual goals. Even as he has left the country to diffuse tensions arising from the jueteng and Garci tape controversies, the partnership remains strong.

No doubt, Gloria’s curriculum vitae is packed with the essential ingredients that make for a good bureaucrat. If she had been in the Singapore government when Lee Kuan Yew was looking for his successor, she could have been considered a likely candidate. But the reality is that she is a child of the Philippine political system – regarded as one of the most corrupt in the world, where the dividing line between right or wrong has been fudged to a barely recognizable line.

She had really not deemed it improper to call a Comelec Commissioner and inquire about details of the election canvass. As admitted, she was trying to protect her votes, and the best way she knew was the same way that most everyone who had successfully run in an election had been doing since time immemorial. Sadly, I can almost hear her say: If I had not done it, I would have lost the elections, and lost it to someone who would have cheated me.

EARNING TRUST

She has given her apology, hopefully for the right reason, and with the firm resolve to walk the upright and moral path. Gloria should be firmly warned that not to do so would only cripple her already tenuous leadership and pave the way for an uprising by extremist elements.

The country has emerged relatively unscathed after two People Power revolts. Tens to hundreds of thousands of people had marched to the streets and successfully influenced a peaceful change in government. Twice we were lucky, but the third time may not be so.

Gloria’s best bet is now to buy time and demonstrate her sincerity in helping the country to truly rise above its burden of problems. All the business models, think tanks, and pedigreed economic advisers employed to reform the economy will be meaningless if she continues to serve without a strong ethical backbone.

At this point in time, Gloria has no recourse but to shape up – or ship out.