---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: DD Coronel <[email protected]
> *MANILA OBSERVER* > *100 days silly* > *Leandro V. Coronel* > > MANILA > The practice of grading a nation's President after 100 days in office is a > silly idea. To ask for "concrete" results in that short time is loony. > But this practice continues here. President Aquino has just finished his > first 100 days in office. And everyone and his uncle have graded him, many > of them giving the Chief Executive a failing mark. > But how could any executive or leader produce results in three months? > That is why this practice is silly which, by the way, we adopted from the > Americans. It was originally a "honeymoon" period to give a new officeholder > breathing room to get settled in his or her new job. > PNoy's (his pop-culture name) critics have gone to town declaring him to > be a failure after three months. From the Left and from the Right have > come criticism. He hasn't done this, he hasn't done that. He hasn't made any > reforms. > Can anyone "make" reforms in 100 days? Reforms aren't "made," they take > time, years, to take form and to transform anything, this time a government > and a nation. > So, is it unfair for critics to flagellate PNoy for "failing" after 100 > days? > I think it's too soon to judge a leader, or anyone for that matter, for > being on the job for three months. In the real world, new employees are > given at least six months to show their worth. One year is probably more > reasonable a time to give someone who's new on the job. > Your "Observer" thinks it's more reasonable to look for policy > directions rather than concrete results after 100 days. > So, has Noynoy set policy directions that would take the country to a > new way of doing things, to a new mode of governing, to a new ethic in > leadership? > The answer is yes. PNoy has been able to put in place initiatives aimed > at demolishing institutional and individual structures of corruption that > had flourished in the immediate past. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the > Bureau of Customs have joined hands in going after big-time tax evaders. > Aquino has gone after government-related corporations whose managers > have been lavishing themselves with obscene perks and privileges, to the > detriment of the lowly rank and file. The President has abolished government > units that haven't been functioning well or have no legitimate claim to > existence in the first place. > The new government has stopoped or is reviewing financially questionable > projects or deals consummated during the previous administration. > Aquino has invited the private sector to take a partnership role with > the government in pushing broader economic development. > These are policy directions that set the tone of the new government's > pledge to bring down entrenched bulwarks of official corruption and set the > tone for a new way of doing public business. > There have been major setbacks that marred the government's public > image. The hostage-taking in August has given the Aquino government > a damaging black-eye around the world. The Hong Kong tourists died > tragically and unnecessarily, something more expert hands could probably > have prevented. > A general aura of ineptness and incompetence has pervaded the Aquino > administration. This requires immediate and decisive action by the > President to get his and his people's acts together to right the unsteady > ship of State. The public perception is that PNoy hasn't been firm and > decisive enough in making his subordinates toe his official line. There is > rumored infighting among Cabinet members this early in the Aquino > administration. > Mr. Aquino has to take a reality check about what's going on in his > inner circle if he wants to get his government really going. Failing to curb > the squabbling and crack the whip to spur action and performance among his > men will spell doom for him. It would be a long six years if he doesn't act > with dispatch and with determination. > PNoy came to office on the crest of massive popular acceptance and > well-wishing. He cannot afford to dissipate this unquantifiable goodwill and > still succeed. > Noynoy's great asset is his honesty, personal incorruptibility, humility > and simple lifestyle. This is what keeps him popular and trusted among the > people. > Despite his critics' vociferousness, the people in general have given > the President high marks for his performance in his first 100 days. This is > in contrast to his critics' failing grade. Who is right and who is wrong? > One is inclined to believe that the people are correct this time. > They're willing to give PNoy time before they hand down their verdict on his > performance, which is the reasonable tack to take. > Grading someone after three months is plain silly. Setting a performance > bar at 100 days is an artificial and unreasonable benchmark. The people are > being more generous and commonsensical. > Is it possible PNoy has spoiled the people with his accessibility and > willingness to engage in dialogue with them and the media? Aquino is a > welcome relief from his predecessor who was often aloof and elusive. Is it > possible his simple style and good-naturedness have emboldened his critics > to be more vocal? > Mr. Aquino's first 100 days have been blustery, if not yet stormy. He > has his work cut out for him. Let's hope, for the sake of the nation, he > knows this and makes the necessary changes while it's still early. > *** > > > > > > > -- PJ C. Reyes -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gimik" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gimik?hl=en.
