“We can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real prospect of a new world order.” <br> – George Bush, circa 1991.

IN a manner of speaking, this American – and European – triggered global economic recession, a wake-up call of sorts, will usher in a chastened world order that will bring in sobering changes in financial engineering, tastes, outlook towards global poverty and hunger, governmental regulations, and migration, for better or for worse.

In the meantime, as the international slowdown unravels throughout 2009, the Filipino people need to close ranks shoulder-to-shoulder, and the leaders must lead the way to unite the nation.

The Asian financial crisis of 1997, triggered by Thailand, first broke out in July, 1997, Asian nations did not feel the impact on their economies until 1998-1999.

By the same token, while this recession was already festering in the United States with the collapse of the subprime real estate bubble in 2008 and earlier, the collapse of the banking financial systems in the West will only be fully felt in 2009 and beyond, depending on the effects and success of various "stimulus" schemes being transfused into the main financial bloodstream.

First, having said all that, it is disheartening to observe the ambivalence of congressional leaders towards the global economic crisis. Their singleminded obsession to advance their 2010 presidential ambitions, regardless of the means of getting there by belaboring issues, such as, the ZTE-NBN fiasco, Joc-joc Bolante fertilizer caper, alleged riggings of World Bank-funded projects through public bidding, and allegations of widespread corruption, are instigated either to embarrass or undermine the Arroyo administration, or advance their political agenda.

Therefore, it follows that the Filipino voters must demand from the presidential candidates their post-2010 economic recovery program or agenda where President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has left off.

As in 1998, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has the solitary task and responsibility to face the whirlwind in 2009, and lead the nation to safe harbor in 2010.

We dispassionately believe that after 2010, when the passions, acrimonies, hurts, and disappointments will have subsided, partly forgotten, and forgiven, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will be vindicated, and her infrastructure and social and economic reforms and accomplishments will speak for themselves.

Even the stigma of corruption will have to be re-assessed with impartiality as no administration in 100 years has governed without being accused of bureaucratic corruption in greater or lesser degree.

Before or after 2010, the Philippines needs not only to revise and upgrade the Constitution but it has also to introduce the parliamentary form of government as the universally accepted mode of governance without claiming it to be failproof or foolproof.

The next President will be hard put to govern until he becomes the Prime Minister.

When all is said and done, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will see us through the turbulence in 2009, and so far, so good.

The bigger challenges for the new leaders will be 2010 and beyond which calls for statesmanship and leadership of the highest caliber.

The next President must be exceptional and scrupulously honest to be credible, or as Ludwig van Beethoven mused, "Must it be? It must be."

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)