Think before you Leap, Sen. Ping!

Sen. Ping Lacson is putting his neck in the chopping block by accepting the task of being “Yolanda” rehab czar. If you ask me, the work is herculean in that by the end of the Aquino administration the rehab efforts will not be done by then. And for sure, there will be those who will endlessly complain and blame government — rightly or wrongly.

(I hope events will not overtake what I am saying here.) If I were Sen. Ping, I’d look first before I leap. I’d like to see first what powers I will have before assuming the post. The bureaucracy, for one, is full of institutional obstacles. He must short circuit them for quick substantial results. But Cabinet members are protective and jealous of their turfs. Then there are political rivals and carpet baggers lurking by the wayside who will pounce on any mistake or shortcomings. A few incorrigible whiners regularly facing TV cameras will overshadow whatever good deeds and accomplishments done. It’s so easy to destroy one’s career this way. Look at what’s happening to Sec. Mar Roxas today!
Believe me, it’s a no- win situation for Ping if his eyes are still moistened by the reported plans of running for the presidency. Unless he decides at some strategic time later to resign with flair and conveniently shake off blame from him.
Another point: a rehab czar must be one who is ideally non- political or at least will remain “non-aligned” who can span administrations because the work will be carried over to the next president beyond Pres. Aquino’s time. Sen. Ping does not fit this bill “ to a tee.”
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SORRY, MAR ROXAS — A glaring example of a casualty by force of circumstance is DILG Sec. Mar Roxas. Unfortunately for him, he was thrust by reason of office and function to be in the forefront of calamities, both natural and man-made to include “Sendong”, “Pablo”, Zamboanga siege, Bohol earthquake, “Yolanda”. He had no choice but to plunge himself into the calamities that were so daunting that even the best of him could not cope. Not anyone else, as a matter of fact, could handle better just by the sheer magnitude of the situation. Too bad for him, his challenges were beyond handling. What is tragic is that his public performance is being juxtaposed with his perceived presidential ambitions. He is the favorite object of public bashing today — for lack of other scapegoats to lash at. I sincerely believe he does not deserve all this. But there’s no one else who could absorb all this shock. I know him differently from what he is being portrayed today — a haughty, fumbling political blunderer!
Unfortunately, his supposed run for the presidency is also suffering from this beating. Whether he would be able to shake off those barnacles, only time and future events will tell, I think he deserves a better assessment than what he is getting today. Failing in reversing this trend, I guess it’s time for him to kiss his presidential ambitions goodbye this early.
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DISARMAMENT? — Even before the ink dried in the new agreement on power-sharing with the MILF, everyone is now talking about the “disarmament” of rebels as the last hurdle. This will need creative handling because, one, the MILF will never give up their firearms at the signing of the agreement and two, the general public is now wary about allowing rebels to keep their firearms with a final agreement sealed, taking a cue from what is happening with MNLF and other violent incidents due to the presence of heavy weaponry in the hands of non-government forces.
Let’s see what happens!