Originally posted on http://jedeva.multiply.com on July 11, 2005.
Last Friday was supposed to be, according to some quarters, the last day of the Arroyo presidency.
After several members of her cabinet, composed primarily of her economic team, resigned and publicly called on GMA to step down, Sen. Franklin Drilon held his own press conference to announce that the Liberal Party (LP) had decided to urge the president to resign. A few hours later, former President Cory Aquino went on air to announce that she, too, would support calls for GMA's resignation. The Makati Business Club (MBC) and Financial Executives of the Philippines, Incorporated (FINEX) also called on GMA to step down. That afternoon, a mass of people converged at the Ninoy Aquino monument, where opposition leaders led by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay led chants of "GMA BABA" (GMA step down).
It seemed that GMA's end was near.
What more could she say? What more could she do?
It turns out, it it wasn't so much what she said that day-- or what she did-- that turned the tide.
Several things worked in her favor last Friday.
First, former President Fidel V. Ramos reiterated his support for the beleaguered president. Bolstered by their Chairman Emeritus' show of support, the rest of LAKAS fell in line, assuring the president of at least one large, united political base steadfastly behind her. FVR's statement neutralized Cory's, and LAKAS' united front stood in stark contrast to the Liberal Party's. (After Drilon announced that the LP was joining calls for GMA's resignation, other elements in the LP came out to question his statements. LP Party Chairman and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza-- a staunch supporter of GMA, and a party stalwart-- immediately denied that the LP's members had come up with a consolidated position regarding the matter.)
Second, other business groups-- particularly the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Employers' Confederation of the Philippines-- released statements contrary to that of the MBC and FINEX.
Third, the Catholic Bishops Congress of the Philippines (CBCP) failed to come up with a consolidated position on GMA. (The CBCP came out with a position yesterday, and-- to the dismay of the opposition-- rejected calls for GMA's resignation.) The opposition was counting on the CBCP to help gather more support from the predominantly Catholic middle-class which was instrumental in toppling former President Joseph Estrada four years before.
The conflicting positions of politicians and big business, plus the silence of the Church, did nothing to encourage people to take a stand on the issue of GMA's resignation. In the same vein, the military-- which had already issued a statement reiterating their neutrality in the ongoing conflict-- was given little reason to believe that GMA had lost all authority to govern.
Thank God it's Friday
Another factor working in GMA's favor was that all of the maneuvers being engineered to remove her from Malacañang were done on the last day of the working week-- Friday. Had the opposition succeeded in gathering enough popular support that day, the Administration would have been caught trying to mobilize a response during the weekend, a two-day lull that would have hampered any attempt to organize their forces.
The gamble didn't pay off. Instead of working for the opposition, the weekend has benefited GMA.
It allowed people to re-evaluate the events of the preceding day. Opinion makers and analysts were therefore given a two-day window with which to share their views on the cabinet resignations, the LP's apparent defection, and Cory's statement. It provided an opportunity for the public to look deeper into the motivations of the individuals who had withdrawn their support the previous day.
It allowed passions to cool, and subsequently, for reason to take over.
In the end, it was politics as usual, and it left a bitter taste in the mouths of those who had expected heroes, not heels; principled positions, not political trade-offs; statesmen, not opportunists.
Today, GMA is still president. She still hasn't regained the trust of a people tired of the political muckraking that has dragged down the peso, and the economy down with it. Now, however, she is not alone. Today she is joined by those who seek to oust her, who-- like her-- have lost their credibility.
Last Friday was supposed to be, according to some quarters, the last day of the Arroyo presidency.
After several members of her cabinet, composed primarily of her economic team, resigned and publicly called on GMA to step down, Sen. Franklin Drilon held his own press conference to announce that the Liberal Party (LP) had decided to urge the president to resign. A few hours later, former President Cory Aquino went on air to announce that she, too, would support calls for GMA's resignation. The Makati Business Club (MBC) and Financial Executives of the Philippines, Incorporated (FINEX) also called on GMA to step down. That afternoon, a mass of people converged at the Ninoy Aquino monument, where opposition leaders led by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay led chants of "GMA BABA" (GMA step down).
It seemed that GMA's end was near.
What more could she say? What more could she do?
It turns out, it it wasn't so much what she said that day-- or what she did-- that turned the tide.
Several things worked in her favor last Friday.
First, former President Fidel V. Ramos reiterated his support for the beleaguered president. Bolstered by their Chairman Emeritus' show of support, the rest of LAKAS fell in line, assuring the president of at least one large, united political base steadfastly behind her. FVR's statement neutralized Cory's, and LAKAS' united front stood in stark contrast to the Liberal Party's. (After Drilon announced that the LP was joining calls for GMA's resignation, other elements in the LP came out to question his statements. LP Party Chairman and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza-- a staunch supporter of GMA, and a party stalwart-- immediately denied that the LP's members had come up with a consolidated position regarding the matter.)
Second, other business groups-- particularly the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Employers' Confederation of the Philippines-- released statements contrary to that of the MBC and FINEX.
Third, the Catholic Bishops Congress of the Philippines (CBCP) failed to come up with a consolidated position on GMA. (The CBCP came out with a position yesterday, and-- to the dismay of the opposition-- rejected calls for GMA's resignation.) The opposition was counting on the CBCP to help gather more support from the predominantly Catholic middle-class which was instrumental in toppling former President Joseph Estrada four years before.
The conflicting positions of politicians and big business, plus the silence of the Church, did nothing to encourage people to take a stand on the issue of GMA's resignation. In the same vein, the military-- which had already issued a statement reiterating their neutrality in the ongoing conflict-- was given little reason to believe that GMA had lost all authority to govern.
Thank God it's Friday
Another factor working in GMA's favor was that all of the maneuvers being engineered to remove her from Malacañang were done on the last day of the working week-- Friday. Had the opposition succeeded in gathering enough popular support that day, the Administration would have been caught trying to mobilize a response during the weekend, a two-day lull that would have hampered any attempt to organize their forces.
The gamble didn't pay off. Instead of working for the opposition, the weekend has benefited GMA.
It allowed people to re-evaluate the events of the preceding day. Opinion makers and analysts were therefore given a two-day window with which to share their views on the cabinet resignations, the LP's apparent defection, and Cory's statement. It provided an opportunity for the public to look deeper into the motivations of the individuals who had withdrawn their support the previous day.
It allowed passions to cool, and subsequently, for reason to take over.
In the end, it was politics as usual, and it left a bitter taste in the mouths of those who had expected heroes, not heels; principled positions, not political trade-offs; statesmen, not opportunists.
Today, GMA is still president. She still hasn't regained the trust of a people tired of the political muckraking that has dragged down the peso, and the economy down with it. Now, however, she is not alone. Today she is joined by those who seek to oust her, who-- like her-- have lost their credibility.
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