Grace Poe, the candidate of our generation
I recently attended an economic briefing with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, where famed economist, Dr. Bernie Villegas, shared his views on the country’s economic prospects after 2016. In summary, Dr. Villegas predicted sustained growth of between six to seven percent regardless of who will emerge as the next President. His premise is based on the dual phenomenon of OFW remittance and the IT-BPO industry, both of which continue to grow in pace. Together, they keep consumer spending in high gear, which in turn fuels manufacturing, property and the services sectors.
Dr. Villegas went further to say that the economy can sustain growth at eight to 10 percent if the right president is elected. The “right president” was loosely defined as someone with the political savvy to get vital infrastructure projects done; someone open to amend the restrictive economic laws of the Constitution; and someone who can lead our industries towards fully leveraging the ASEAN Economic Community. In other words, someone who can facilitate the shift from the consumer-driven economy we are today to one that is investment-led. It also went without saying that the “right President” must be beyond reproach in terms of honesty, ability and track record.
With this, I asked Dr. Villegas the question on everyone’s mind: “Between VP Binay, Sen. Grace Poe and Sec. Mar Roxas, who would you be most comfortable with in Malacañang?”
The sagely economist gave a long, convoluted answer but managed not to name his real preference. He did, however, share interesting anecdotes about Sen. Grace Poe and her late father. Think of it as you might. As for me, I see Sen. Poe as having the qualities Dr. Villegas spoke about, not to mention the qualities I consider important.
MY ENCOUNTERS
I wrote about my impressions of Sen. Poe on two occasions last year. This followed successive meetings where I got to know more about the lady legislator, both as a person and public servant. In one of my columns, I urged her to run for President. Days later, she sent me a personal note, thanking me for the vote of confidence but also said that it was ill-timed given her lack of experience. Her humility was endearing. I never met a politician of her stature with such meekness of spirit. She is a rarity that way.
I have since been following her performance on the Senate floor. I observed her during the PDAF hearings and, recently, in her interrogation of PNP Chief Alan Purisima following the Maguindanao tragedy, among others. The Senator is clearly a woman whose sense of mission is matched by her “balls of steel.” It also helps that she is always well-researched for the discourse. So far, she has never disappointed.
Her assiduousness and pureness of intent makes her one of our more competent legislators today. I also appreciate that the Senator does not use her time in the limelight to grandstand as many Senators do. An epal, she is not.
I always tell my 16-year-old daughter that in real life, diligence and good intentions trumps experience and bravura every time. The Senator personifies that.
THE CANDIDATE FOR GENERATIONS X AND Y
My reasons for wanting Grace to run for President is personal. See, I, like our kababayans born in the ’60s and ’70s, paid the full price for a politically broken system.
It all started with Marcos’ crony-centered industrial policies and oppressive leadership. Over two decades, the dictator obliterated the foundations of our democratic system, along with nearly all our competitive advantages in the economic realm. We lost traction in manufacturing, trade, infrastructure, and even the technological aptitude of our workforce. This relegated us the sick man of Asia, a moniker that stings acerbically even today.
Our generation watched with trepidation as our neighbors grew from strength to strength. But more than the degradation of national morale, what made matters worse were the sacrifices we had to go through just to survive. Families had to be separated as our elders sought jobs abroad. We had to grapple with the power, water and financial crises in the ’90s. And as the new millennium rolled in, more rounds of political adversities inundated us, what with former President Joseph Estrada’s ousting and the spate of corruption scandals under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s baton. Even today, we pay the price for the past administration’s failure to adequately invest in infrastructure. All these had taken its toll on the economy and, consequently, on our quality of life.
Besieged, it was not uncommon for Filipinos of our generation to resign to a life of struggle. Many of us were convinced that we would not live to see the nation rise to its full potential.
WHY GRACE POE?
I never thought that the nation could achieve so much in such a short time. PNoy proved it was possible on the back of good governance. In just four years, we gained credibility among investors and the international community, and this has translated to a stronger economy. PNoy gave our generation its first taste of success and we will be damned to let it slip away again.
Grace Poe is the only winnable candidate with the moral footing to continue the fight against corruption and uphold the tenets of good governance.
There is a ground swelling of support for Grace and she should know that the critical mass comes from those belonging to our generation. For us, the specter of regressing to a reign of corruption, where traditional politicians of the most opportunistic kind are back in power, is like a knife at our throat. Grace is a part of our generation and I’m certain she knows exactly how that knife in the throat feels like.
I consider it a good thing that the Senator feels unprepared. It only shows that she is cognizant of the enormity of the job. But like I said to my daughter, diligence and good intentions trump experience every time.
Andrew is an economist, political analyst and businessman. He is a 20-year veteran in the hospitality and tourism industry. For comments and reactions, e-mail andrew_rs6@yahoo.com. More of his business updates are available via his Facebook page (Andrew J. Masigan). Follow Andrew on Twitter @aj_masigan.
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