Nothing is ever clear cut in the Philippines. The people elected a President who promises to rid the country of the unwanteds, the unwashed politicians whose hands retain the stench of unholy alliances with the corrupt, the drug lords, the jueteng lords, the murderous elements in the country's recent inglorious past.
The Maguindanao massacre, for instance, could not have happened without the culture of corruption and blatant disregard for people's welfare on the part of many in the Arroyo administration.
It was a decisive victory for the new president-elect, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. Unfortunately, he has no coat-tails. He couldn't get his running mate - Mar Roxas - elected. The two of them had promised to clean up the mess that the two previous administrations left and are leaving. The people seemingly rejected the idea.
Instead, Filipinos hedged their bets. They elected a President who is long on vision and heart but short on experience and expertise. They made sure that the second in command has a proven record of executive accomplishments and expertise. They turned to Jejomar Binay, the Mayor who transformed Makati into not only a gleaming metropolis but also a shining example of how a big city can take care of business and also take care of its citizens. The way Binay takes care of the city's retirees and senior citizens is generations ahead of other city mayors.
Never mind that there are rumors that Binay is not the person to turn to if one is looking for a corruption fighter.
The voters sent mixed signals with their choices for twelve senators who will join the holdover twelve senators to form the new Senate.
If the country really wants Noynoy to clean up the government - and survey after survey indicates that this is what the country wants - their senatorial choices are mystifying.
Noynoy clearly needs a supporting cast in the Senate that will introduce legislation that will make it easier for Noynoy to pursue his good governance and accountability agenda. He is not getting one, based on the top twelve finishers in the senatorial contest.
There are the usual suspects: Ramon Revilla, Miriam Santiago, Johnny Enrile, Vic Sotto, Sergio Osmena and Lito Lapid. There are the senators who seem to be on track to eventually becoming statesmen/stateswomen: Franklin Drilon, Pia Cayetao, Ralph Recto and Teofisto Guingona but who are short on charisma.
And then there are the blatantly ambitious, whose ultimate goal is to either win or buy the Presidency someday: Ferdinand (Bongbong) Marcos, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada.
Thirteenth placer Risa Hontiveros is poised to sneak in, being the replacement for Noynoy Aquino, who is ascending to the Presidency.
The top twelve finishers and Risa Hontiveros will join the eleven holdover senators whose terms end in 2013. Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo, Alan Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes, Manny Villar and Juan Miguel Zubiri are eagerly awaiting their new and re-elected comrades for a celebration of pork barrel riches once the complete results of the recent elections are certified.
It will be happy days are here again, or happy days once more, or happy days forever for these folks.
The composition of the Senate and the unexpected presidential Trojan Horse "gift" - Jejomar Binay - will make it very difficult for Noynoy Aquino to pursue his corruption-fighting agenda, thanks to the voters of the Philippines.
With Marcos, Estrada, Enrile, Lacson (has he come out of hiding yet?), Escudero, Pangilinan, Legarda, Villar and Honasan second-guessing him, Noynoy will find it difficult to get anything through the Senate. These folks - once and future presidentiables - are interested in burnishing their images. If they opt to go for the good of the country it will be like St. Paul embracing Jesus.
They lie in wait, anticipating that moment when they can break from the pack and put themselves on a trajectory towards the presidency in 2016.
The greatest evil in Philippine governance is the 24 senators. Most of them, sitting in their senate offices, dream of someday becoming President. Some, like Lapid, Trillanes, Honasan and Osmena probably know that the presidency is not within their grasp - not now, not ever.
But most of these senators think that maybe someday, when the stars align, they could go for the biggest office in the land.
These ambitious senators, on day one, set up a savings account - a sinking fund - for their eventual run for the roses. You know what that means. It means for some stealing the country blind. They all do it under cover of night, away from the glare of public scrutiny, with fictitious names and hidden bank accounts.
The Senate is the greatest evil in Philippine governance. It is an invention crafted in hell. And it's one reason people concerned for the welfare of the country want to abolish the Senate. They want a unicameral legislature under a parliamentary system of government.
In a parliamentary system, all members of parliament are on notice that if they screw up they can be replaced at a moment's notice. Even the Prime Minister is on notice that if there is a no-confidence vote in the Parliament, new elections will have to be called. The people will decide which MP's (members of parliament) to fire or to keep, which political party to entrust the government to, which political party shall elect the country's Prime Minister.
There will be no shadow governments consisting of senators whose primary mission is to see that the President fails in his attempt to clean up the government and drain the swamp where the jueteng lords, drug lords, 20-percenters live and propagate. These senators do not want to close down the political brothels that are their sources of funds for their eventual run for the Presidency.
In a perfect world, there will be no senatorial shadow governments because there no longer will be a Presidency to aspire for. There won't even be a Senate.
Meanwhile, Noynoy Aquino need not play the hand that he is dealt with. He must gather the country's top talents who with their record of integrity and unusual accomplishments, will lend an air of expertise and inspired leadership to his administration. He must look not only at the people in the Philippines, but also at Filipinos in the Diaspora.
Aquino's transition team must identify and entice people whose stature will lend credibility to his claim that he is a new kind of leader and corruption fighter. Number one on my list of potential cabinet members for Noynoy is Loida Nicolas Lewis. She would be an excellent choice as Trade and Industry Secretary.
Bobby de Ocampo should be cajoled out of retirement and made Secretary of Finance a second time. Secretary Romulo deserves to be retained in Foreign Affairs.
Bayani Fernando is a natural in Interior and Local Government. Richard Gordon was born to head the National Economic and Development Authority. There is ringing endorsement of Among Ed Panlilio as the next Bureau of Internal Revenue Commisioner. If that position is not open to him, the Dept. of Public Works and Highways is a good fit, considering his experience and narrative in Pampanga.
Grace Padaca's exemplary record on preserving the environment in the Cagayan Valley makes her an obvious choice for Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources.
The bulk of Noynoy's appointments must of course consist of people he absolutely trusts and who are eminently qualified.
It is important, however, that Noynoy seek out the people he defeated in the polls and others who were not in his intimate circle during the campaign to impress upon the Filipino people that he is a different kind of President. That he will strive to assemble a team based on proven records of competence and honesty.
None of the people I have recommended are perfect men and women, but that's because there are no perfect men or women in the Philippines or anywhere.
Each of his appointments, however, must strive towards perfection. Especially in the area of personal honesty and integrity. The country cannot suffer another Kamaganak, Inc. Cory Aquino presidency. It will no longer be enough that Noynoy prove to be un-corrupt and incorruptible. All the people he appoints to cabinet positions must be pro-active corruption fighters. If any of his appointees fails in this area, he must ask for their resignation. Immediately.
A lot of my friends are cynical about the country's prospects. I don't blame them. Nor do I blame the Filipino people, who have time and again been shafted by their leaders.
As long as there is a new beginning, there's always hope that things will be dramatically different around these parts.
Everyone will be watching Noynoy. His every move. His every voice inflection. To sense sincerity and honesty.
The people expect much more from Noynoy than anyone in the Philippines. They love dynasties, but they absolutely adore the Aquino dynasty because they have made the judgment that the Aquino clan are thoroughbreds.
