TWO thousand seven hundred forty jobs for our people daily for the next 2,190 days, the goal envisioned by President Arroyo, which her administration will seek to accomplish, is not impossible. But Congress should review the present labor laws to amend provisions which employers consider as excessive burden being imposed on them. Particularly, provisions regarding labor unionism.
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In fact, the "ten-point Legacy" announced on a television program by President Arroyo which she intended to leave the country at the end of her term in 2010, would have a greater probability of attainment if the existing laws having some negative effects on those points of legacy are revisited by Congress to amend them.
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Perhaps, if and when the Charter change as proposed by most of the lawmakers materializes provisions that would support the implementation of those ten points of legacy may be included in the Constitution. With majority of the senators and representatives are pro-administration, there should be no problem in providing the necessary legal instruments either via statutes or the new Constitution.
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Even if President Arroyo offers her life, wealth, and work during her incumbency as President in the next years, still those are not yet enough for her to attain the goal of the ten-point legacy without the cooperation of all sectors of the society. The anti-administration elements among our people need not take positive action to help her run the government. All they need to do is simply refrain from creating obstacles to her governance.
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By staying out of the limelight, in an indirect way, FPJ may be telegraphing his willingness and readiness to forge a conciliation between him and the President. Being a popular movie actor, whom his supporters and admirers call "Da King," his effort at not stealing the limelight away from the President, at least among the masses, is a laudable showing of sportsmanship on his part, although belatedly manifested. By this gesture, whatever unsavory reactions he publicly displayed toward Gloria’s proclamation have already been offset many-fold.
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The sooner the plunder case against Erap is concluded, the better for him. He may be acquitted; and if that happens, he can be freed from detention earlier. By this time, the defense must have gathered and systematized the evidence they have been able to secure for bolstering their defense. The Sandiganbayan has ordered Erap’s defense lawyers to start presenting evidence beginning July 12 and 14 and every Mondays and Wednesdays and thereafter. But this does not mean that the defense cannot ask for postponement if justified, and the ground is meritorious.
