POLI”TICK”S: The Country’s Time Bomb
Tick-tock, Tick-tock, Tick-Tock. It was a ticking time bomb the government was eager to drop among its constituents, despite the ongoing health crisis that was upon them. Conflict was rampant, deals were made, and money had to be borrowed. The people had little knowledge of what was going on, which seemed that the whole scheme was a back-door attack. Actions were administered, but the end does not justify the means as national officials focused on short-term solutions for this pandemic that has been going on for at least a year now. Let’s take a look of what ignited the time bomb to tick-tock in this current situation. Thinking it’s just as simple as reducing the platforms of debate for senators and congressmen to online conferences and the emptiness of Malacañan Palace for the safety of the president, we often take for granted the bigger picture, and how it affects us, for better or for worse.
With the conflict between Alan Peter Cayetano and Lord Allan Velasco ignited towards the speakership, President Rodrigo Duterte was willing to leave the tussle against the two, however a Cayetano motive that threatened the 2021 national budget enraged the president enough for him to step in. The budget was essential to fund the necessary projects to usher in a recovery from the pandemic, which made the whole extravaganza much more public and dramatic in comparison to any other budget. Not only did Cayetano and Velasco clash in the pandemic, but Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo’s bad blood had also boiled in the health crisis. Everyone was aware of how the two most influential politicians of the country had different ideologies and means of leadership. Robredo stepped in at times that help was needed since Duterte had no experience in dealing with a pandemic and lacked proper grip on the situation. As netizens claimed that she was “filling a gap” in the government with her quick mobilization in attending to the needs of healthcare workers and her bullet-point suggestions, her aid towards the victims of back-to-back typhoons then triggered Duterte to insult her in public.
For transparency purposes, it is crucial for the public to be informed of what the President is up to, especially with the current situation of our country. Duterte has been secretive, as reporters never get the president’s daily schedule, only that of the weekly meeting with COVID-19 task force officials. The frequency of Cabinet meetings has also been affected as Duterte won’t do the meetings virtually, personally preferring an in-person setup. Needless to say, Filipinos know very little of what the president is doing and on what are is his plans to alleviate the health crisis that we are facing today.
Outraged with the cancellation of Senator Ronald dela Rosa’s US visa at the start of 2020, Duterte was all set in trashing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States. However, due to the pandemic, Duterte halted the VFA abrogation with hopes that an alliance with the superpower would be of more help than harm in this global health crisis. Through this act, it is clear that Duterte wishes to strengthen the administration’s relationship with that of the United States in spite of prior grudges.
With all the recent affairs and events, the time left on the country’s ticking time bomb is uncertain. As the government is trying to identify which wire to cut in order to stop the countdown in our country’s destruction in this time where everyone is deemed vulnerable, it is imperative for the people to be aware and informed of the current situation.
