Photo source: pbbm.com.ph
Random interviews with ordinary people resulted in mixed views
Two months before President Bongbong Marcos’s one- year anniversary as the 17th president of the Republic of the Philippines, a few critics aired their concerns on what is happening in the country and added to this, many ordinary Pinoys, some had voted for BBM as president, have been voicing out that BBM promised for lower commodity price on the basic needs of the people seemed to be just an empty promise, just to get their votes. BBM failed them and considered another circus at the executive level.
Is it true that the group of men close to him, who helped him to win the presidential election, for those who voted for him in block voting are people who have tied BBM’s arms to run the country as if these human forces are running the presidency? And this popular adage, “utang ng loob” is so strong to hamper his effective and efficient management of the country’s affairs? To some critics in a quiet mode, these people are puppeteers, holding the strings of a puppet to perform.
President Bongbong Marcos needs advisers, consultants and confidant to run the presidency, and being so young to be the 17th President, he needs people to help and aid him to run the presidency effectively and efficiently.
Then came the horrendous price of onion which skyrocketed to PH800 per kilo due to the shortage of local supplies. And then the illegal importation and smuggling of sugar, both are basic needs of the people.
These increasing prices of onions and shortage of sugar brought suspicious concerns that tied up when President BBM had chosen to be the interim Secretary of Agriculture. The high prices of agricultural products inside Malacanang undertakings?
Agriculture has not progressed so fast as the government has intended, giving a glowing picture of problems due to the marketing of agricultural products, like no syncronationzation of planting of vegetables, poor warehousing, and the presence of middlemen, and to top it all off, some natural disasters like typhoons which are the greatest enemy of the fishermen and farmers. BBM had chosen to be the Secretary of Agriculture to give him a closer look at the perennial problems facing the farmers and fishermen, and to implement initiatives to increase production.
“Why does BBM travel a lot to foreign countries? According to some I interviewed, they said that BBM must stay in the Philippines to solve the problems of the people.
“Travel nang travel, dapat tutukan niya ang mga problema ng bayan.”
Many have noticed the many travels of BBM to foreign countries for the purpose of inviting investors to establish businesess in the Philippines which would lead to more jobs for the Filipinos; and to contrast former President Duterte who had never traveled, BBM wants to re-establish friendships and economic cooperation.
“Wala ding nangyayari, katulad ng mga smuggling ng mga sibuyas at asukal, eh bakit nangyayari ito. Ibinoto ko siya dahil sa pangako niya,” parang wala nang pag-asa ang bayan natin, marami pa din mahirap,” my taxi driver told me while cruising along Aurora Blvd, at 11 pm, after I attended a function at the Manila Hotel.
My last interview is subject to debate. Carlos, lugaw vendor said: ” Nothing is being done to help the poor, but for the sake of my support to BBM, I am happy that a man is the president of the Philippines. You cannot expect good government from a woman president.”
Are these rumblings creating some cracks in BBM administration?
One guy said: “Wait for three years, if nothing happened, start shaking the BBM foundation.”
Patience is a political game.