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Monday, April 21, 2003
Kintanar: An ace up GMA’s sleeve
By JUNE KINTANAR
THE long Holy Week vacation is over.
Now back to work. Those who still have the inertia of the long weekend are bound to feel the usual Monday blues. But whether one likes it or not he has to face again the daily routine of making a living.
It is earnestly hoped, though, that the week proved to be a real cleansing period to all of us. It would be unfortunate if after all the sacrificial acts like the stations of the cross, the Visita Iglesia, the sleep-conducive three-hour seven last words and other penitential acts, one would stay unmoved from his usual bad habits. If he is unmoved, then no other period of the year could ever change him.
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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has shown once more her interest in getting a big chunk of the Iraq reconstruction and development bonanza. During the Holy Week, the President appointed a known pro-America Filipino Roberto “Bobby” Romulo as chairman of the “public-private sector task force” to coordinate the Philippines’ participation in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. Earlier, the President designated businessman Jose Ibaseta as the country’s ambassador to Iraq, even before Iraq could have a provisional government.
Needless to say, President Arroyo appears cocksure that she will get all that she wants from the bounty that will inevitably come from warn-torn Iraq’s rehabilitation. We are not sure if U.S. President George W. Bush has already made some commitment of this sort to Gloria. But one thing sure is that Arroyo already had a talk with Bush, and probably it was during this long telephone talk that Bush promised her a big share in Iraq’s reconstruction activities and perhaps even prodded her to lay the groundwork for the Philippines’ participation in the project.
It would, indeed, be manna from heaven if the Filipinos will get most of the infrastructure projects in Iraq. I’m sure the US will be funding these projects, and so the lack of funds, like Filipino contractors often experience in the Philippines, will not be a problem in Iraq.
It would not only be a business bonanza for Filipino contractors, but more importantly it would be one golden opportunity for Filipino skilled and unskilled laborers. Filipinos are basically fit for projects like these. I’m optimistic, indeed, that Filipinos will make good and come out with flying colors.
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It is noticeable that President Arroyo is quite secretive about this big prospect. But then for one who knows her style of governance this silent-water-runs-deep attitude of the President is not at all surprising. She just works and works without fanfare. Only when she obtains the objective will she tell the people about it. We will not be surprised, therefore, if one of these days the newspapers will announce job openings in Iraq.
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So, until now former president Joseph Estrada is still hitched to action star Fernando Poe Jr.’s decision to run for president. All the while, I thought FPJ is no longer a presidential timber to reckon with. But lately Estrada was quoted as saying he will wait until August this year for FPJ to make his final decision. When asked about the fate of Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Danding Cojuangco, Erap said he has no problem with the two because Ping is his protégé and Danding is his compadre. What did he mean by that? That he could easily brush the two aside despite the fact that the two, especially Lacson, have already made formal announcements of their candidacies? |
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