President Noynoy Aquino has already made it halfway through his first hundred days in office, but he has yet to speak conclusively on many issues that still hold the country hostage. He already had two big chances to do so: his Inaugural Address, and second, in his State of the Nation Address. For both occasions, however, there was not even a single mention of land reform, the Freedom of Information Bill, or the Reproductive Health Bill. This silence amounts to nothing less than an obscene squander of the chances he is given to commence fixing Philippine society’s many ills.
It is not hard to see the possible reasons behind the silence. The land reform issue has always been a thorny one for him, especially now that he is the most prominent Cojuangco in Philippine politics. His stand on reproductive health has also softened considerably, due of course to the bishops’ vocal opposition. His silence on the Freedom of Information Bill is much more puzzling, though; the people expected him—as the perennial poster boy for the fight against corruption—to push for the immediate passage of the bill.
Still, regardless of whatever reasons he might have, it is an extremely disconcerting sight: a president who preaches about transparency and honesty yet who, at the same time, leaves his people fumbling for answers in the dark. He staunchly insists on evoking memories of the nation’s grim past under Arroyo, but while he has every right to do so, that will never compensate for the initial gaps in his government.
At the end of the day, regardless of whatever position Noynoy has on agrarian justice, government transparency, and reproductive health, he must at least let the people know where he stands. The people cannot be expected to engage their leader if they don’t even have a clue about his opinions. For this reason, Noynoy’s silence ends up being completely counterproductive to the Filipino people’s war against the bleak conditions that afflict the nation.
The president must therefore realize that only when he has spoken his mind on the issues that matter will the government be able lay down an agenda for governance without appearing unsure. Only then will the people be able to react, respond, and engage the government in fruitful dialogue. This is a presidential obligation Noynoy must carry out, unless he believes reneging on his campaign promises is the way to go.
As the nation’s relationship with Noynoy deepens, it will be impossible to forget his bold declaration to the people during his inauguration: “Kayo ang boss ko, kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo.” He will forever be bound by this promise, but the people have yet to see him making good on it. It is disturbing that while his ‘boss’—the Filipino people—is practically screaming for land reform and other basic state obligations, he has found it fit to avoid talking about such issues altogether. Needless to say, this approach will never work; no one gets to treat his or her ‘boss’ with such insensitivity and irreverence yet expect to remain unscathed. Noynoy must start talking, because right now—to use his own analogy—he can get fired for insubordination.
