Babe's Eye View article

There seem to be similarities between Barack Obama and president-apparent Noynoy Aquino. Like Obama, Noynoy will ascend into power because of an unpopular president. In the case of Obama, George Bush had become unpopular due to the rising unemployment, the unpopular war in Iraq and the global recession that drove Americans to repudiate the eight-year Republican rule.

Obama came from way behind to grab the momentum from Hillary Clinton, while Noynoy was not even in the radar screen because Mar had already been anointed as the Liberal Party standard bearer. But the overwhelming public sympathy for the death of his mother catapulted Noynoy into the limelight. Similar to Obama who capitalized on anti-Bush sentiment, Noynoy rode on the crest of a growing anti-GMA sentiment that swept the Filipino people, adopting the same Obama theme for his campaign, promising “change.”

Both Obama and Noynoy made history by being the “first”—Obama became the first black president of the United States, and Noynoy will become the first bachelor president as well as the first to be elected president in the first automated elections in the Philippines. Just like Obama, Noynoy is also a smoker, supposedly able to finish one pack a day. (Perhaps it would be advisable for the president-apparent to quit smoking since 50 is an age that’s vulnerable to heart attacks especially if aggravated by stress which a job like the presidency will surely bring, aside from the fact that cancer tends to run in his family.)

Obama is stuck today, swallowed by the system and unable to transform the political structure in Washington that breeds partisanship and political gridlock. The people have become impatient for the “change” that he had promised, alienating the American public with the political compromises he had to make on critical issues like healthcare reform, the stimulus package, oil drilling and others.

The US unemployment rate continues to stand at 10 percent, and the American president is unable to convince his people that the US economy has actually improved because individual Americans have not felt it. The bottom line: the goodwill for Barack Obama is fast running out and Americans are telling him so by rejecting his handpicked candidates in the recent Senate and House primaries prior to the midterm elections.

From this perspective, one might ask: Will Noynoy be able to deliver on his promises? The incoming administration started out on a negative footing when he refused to be sworn-in by Chief Justice Renato Corona, and he also indicated that he wants to remove Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. However, the position of both the Chief Justice and Ombudsman are constitutionally mandated and have fixed terms. Gutierrez’s term will end in 2012, while Corona will stay on until 2018.

Noynoy’s own ally Chiz Escudero had warned that the only solution is impeachment—and even then, an impeachable offense must first be committed. UP Law dean Marvic Leonen, who criticized the Supreme Court for allowing GMA to appoint a Chief Justice, urged Aquino to “respect the office,” advising him to “act the part of the President” by taking his oath before the Chief Justice whoever he may be. Eminent Constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas said the new Chief Justice satisfied the qualifications under the Constitution and implored Noynoy to set aside his opposition to avoid a constitutional crisis.

The Constitution has so many ambiguities that many times in the past, the Supreme Court had to be called upon to interpret unclear provisions on many issues including economic provisions. Good thing Noynoy has come around, now amenable to take his oath before an SC Associate Justice and is prepared to dialogue with the Ombudsman.

Ironically, Noynoy is stuck on so many things because the inherent loopholes imbedded within the 1987 “Cory” Constitution are precisely the reasons why it might be difficult for him to fulfill the promise he made for change. Take for instance Article II, Section 26 that says “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” Congress has yet to pass an enabling law to effect this prohibition—which is why political dynasties continue to flourish and lord it over the entire country.

In the first place, the system was already disrupted by EDSA II, which in turn allowed GMA to rule for nine years and enabled her to appoint all the 15 justices of the Supreme Court. Ironically, the people now surrounding Noynoy are the very same ones responsible for disrupting that system.

No one can argue that Noynoy comes filled with good intentions, sincerely desiring to eradicate corruption in more ways than one and deserves a lot of support. He correctly believes that raising the salary of employees especially in Customs and the BIR would lessen the temptation for corruption. Obviously, Filipinos have placed such high expectations on him—and his untainted record gives him the moral authority to take on the mantle of incorruptibility.

Right now, Obama is stuck with Washingtonian politics, and the system is now threatening to swallow him. Obama’s popularity and approval ratings continue to spiral downwards with Americans getting more and more impatient for the changes he had promised. This is where the similarity with Obama ends, because Noynoy now has the unique opportunity to change the system and consider amending or changing the Charter in order to effect the real changes that he envisions. This is a great opportunity for him to take such an initiative since Filipinos are prepared to accept it because of the trust and goodwill he generated, as displayed by the large mandate he received from the electorate.