Ed Javier • May 18, 2020
The President needs a 'Good One' in his cabinet
Whoever says that the decision to gradually lift restrictions under the community quarantine system is “Solomonic” may be shortchanging President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
This kind of decision is not just wise, this is heroic. After all, the decision is enveloped with terrifying risks. A decision not to take this action would have been full of similar risks.
In making this move, the President had to balance the interests of life and livelihood.
On the surface, it would seem that the President may be in a no-win situation.
Had he not approved the proposal of the Interagency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, he would have allowed the economy to get to a point where a revival in the short-term may be difficult to achieve.
By approving the IATF proposal to put most of the country on general community quarantine (GCQ) status, the President may have put too much trust on the public’s ability to protect themselves from being contaminated and trigger a dreaded second wave of infection.
We hope the public would prove the President right in reposing such trust in them. The President is no stranger to making hard decisions.
We presume that such ability is partly due to his astronomical approval rating. Leaders work hard at gaining public approval. They know that public support becomes crucial when controversial decisions are made.
Such decisions by leaders expend or even exhaust political goodwill.
Not so with this President. Making the hard decisions seem to have a positive effect on his rating. In his case, the exercise of political will boosts goodwill rather than exhaust it.
Before the mid-term elections last year, President Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11201, creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
He also called for the urgent creation of a department that would oversee the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers.
With the present invasion by the COVID 19 virus, the President may also wish to consider the creation of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Health Affairs that would oversee how the government is responding to the pandemic.
On several occasions, the President expressed his desire for former Senator Joseph Victor 'JV' Ejercito to be appointed in his cabinet.
Observers believe that this may be a wise move by the President.
Media coverage of the many skirmishes between law enforcers and barangay residents in Metro Manila highlighted the sorry state of our urban areas.
The absence of decent dwelling for many and the lack of coherent planning that will aid and regulate urban growth are obvious and are evidently the root cause of misery of a huge portion of our population.
The onslaught of COVID 19 also served as a retelling of the suffering and sad plight of our overseas workers.
Hundreds went through an ordeal trying to return home to be with their loved ones during the lockdown period.Thousands are going through a similar harrowing experience trying to survive the quarantine in the countries where they were locked down.
The next challenge will be the redeployment of our overseas workers when the economies of their respective host countries restart.
The processing of their documents and their departure to their employment destinations will have to be expedited to make sure they recover lost revenue opportunities and to get the most out of an expected economic recovery.
This is crucial since this sector contributes significantly to the national coffers. Yes, there is a need for one single department that will take full responsibility for our overseas workers.
President Duterte has openly expressed his preference for former Senator JV to join his Cabinet.
That his preference immediately got a lot of nod was expected. Senator JV has a solid track record in the Senate as a “public welfare” legislator.
He proved that he is one lawmaker who understands what the less-privileged sectors need and how to properly use public funds to meet those needs.
It will be recalled that Senator Ejercito, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, was the main proponent of the Universal Healthcare Law which expanded the access of underprivileged citizens to benefits.
He was also the principal author of the law creating the DHSUD.
Health, housing and mass transportation had been his main advocacies since he was a member of the House of Representatives.
We recall that while in Congress, then San Juan Representative JV Ejercito championed the Kasambahay Bill which became the landmark Domestic Workers Act of 2012. He also authored the bill which became the Local Housing Boards Act.
The built-in advantage of Senator Ejercito is that he has experience in both the legislature and in the executive branches of government.
Having served as mayor of San Juan city for three terms, he has first-hand experience in dealing with real-life problems of grassroots communities.
Many believe that the wisdom he got from his local government experience was partly the reason why he was one of the senators who came up with the most number of bills related to grassroots concerns in the 16th Congress.
If President Duterte decides to put Senator Ejercito in his Cabinet, he would be leveraging on the Senator’s experience as a veteran legislator and his local government leadership.
Many lamented the loss of Senator Ejercito in the last senatorial elections. That loss may after all be a gain for the executive branch of government.
After all, it looks like the former senator is more of a man of action even if he excelled at legislation.
The President needs someone who has both strengths in his Cabinet.
