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Fidel of the Philippines
That former President Fidel Valdez-Ramos will still play a vital
role in Philippine Politics in the years to come is hard to deny.
In fact it is now becoming clear that the ‘Ramos Factor’ is indeed
going to be an integral part of Government, if and when we decide
to shift into a Parliamentary form sooner than later. Uncle Sam,
the Great Global Planner just won’t have it any other way. Come to
think about it I myself would agree that having a totally
different form of Government not only needs a new Constitution
but, also, most especially, a guy at the helm who knows his
marbles and how to play them well, with all the experience,
expertise, and international acceptance that the job will require!
I said it a while back and I’m saying it again: F.V.R. is the Lee
Kuan Yew that we can still have, IF we only give him a chance! A
no nonsense leadership with a lot of Political Will is what former
Pres. Ramos can offer. During his term the Economy shot up without
having to resort to any added V.A.T. and our G.N.P. rose to record
highs. The bureaucracy was relatively tame and Coup Talk was not
heard, perhaps, because it would’ve been foolish to think of
staging a Coup against the great ‘Coup General’ himself!
The International Community accorded him the respect befitting a
true Officer and Gentleman and, naturally we couldn’t help but
bask in his glory!
No doubt F.V.R. could’ve chosen to lie low and just write a memoir
of his Military and Political skirmishes which have kept his
beloved Philippines and the ‘National Interest’ on top of
everything. He could’ve rested on his laurels and just allowed us
to go to the dogs—but, perhaps the patriot in him just wouldn’t
let him. He just had to go another mile to, maybe, lead us out of
the socio-political mess and unrest that we have been having ever
since Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sat in Axed Pres. Joseph
‘Erap’ Estrada’s Hot Seat and He has been trying to get it back
through whatever means!
The first step towards a possible Prime Ministership for F.V.R. is
now being taken via his ‘man-to-man’ talks with all leaders from
the Opposition, Civic, Charismatic, and Religious Groups in order,
perhaps, to be able to galvanize them into a potent force that can
be easily assembled at a moment’s notice, to push for the holding
of the scheduled 2007 elections vs. the NoEl move that has also
been creeping up the corridors of power, and slithering in like
the strong and determined arms of an Octopus! In conjunction with
the holding of the 2007 elections, F.V.R. has revealed part of his
‘hand’ by SUGGESTING ‘heavily’ that P.G.M.A. cut short her term in
2007, paving the way towards a political free-for-all with the
FIRST Prime Ministership in the Post Dictatorship era at stake! By
going methodically and hearing everyone’s side, perhaps, on the
impending Charter Change, Mr. Ramos could be, indirectly,
‘campaigning’ this early for the Prime Minister’s seat which he
will, of course, have to QUALIFY FOR first by running for a
Congressional Seat in 2007, which he will win hands down, in
Makati, or even in Pangasinan, his home province!
So now we can ‘see’ where all these clandestine ‘talks’ could be
leading to! Sosmaryosep! We have to give the guy an A+ for being
the astute political chess ‘mover’ and strategist that he is!
Political ‘horse trading’ could also be resorted to like, for
example, maybe allowing ‘Erap’ to go on ‘self-exile’ anywhere
outside the Philippines, thereby pacifying and winning over his
‘Masa’ majority! Franklin Drilon, Joe De Venecia, or maybe even
ex-Presidentiable Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson could run for the
ceremonial Presidential seat in a Parliamentary Government. The
rest will, of course, get some juicy seats in the Ramos
Parliament, if and when it blooms forth.
All these could be part of a terrific but acceptable ‘master plan’
mapped out by the Great Global Planner himself, and once he puts
his finger on it, the grand plan is good as done. So Gentlemen and
Ladies, seat back and relax while a great plan unfolds before your
very eyes, and the future Lee Kuan Yew of the Philippines takes a
bow and starts the long and arduous task of rebuilding this
country almost from scratch!
