Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, July 17 criticized President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration for prioritizing the creation of a new “brand of governance” instead of enforcing real reforms in government.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB Photo)
Hontiveros is referring to the President’s launching of “Bagong Pilipinas” –the current administration’s new governance slogan which was the subject of Memorandum Circular No. 24 dated July 3.
The administration’s new slogan espouses a new campaign that is characterized “by a principled, accountable and dependable government.”
But the new “Bagong Pilipinas” slogan is reminiscent of the “Bagong Lipunan (New Society)” envisioned by his father, the ousted dictator, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.
“Talagang nauna pa lumabas yung logo ng Bagong Pilipinas kaysa sa totoong pagbabago (The New Pilipinas logo really came out before there was any real change),” Hontiveros said during a Kapihan sa Senado forum.
“Sana naman huwag puro branding at pagmamalinis ang atupagin ng administrasyon (I hope the administration will not just focus its job on branding and cleaning),” she said.
“Before the President characterizes his administration as one that is ‘principled, accountable, and dependable,’ he should first ensure that we have a genuinely honest and effective government.
Whether or not the administration uses “unity” or “Bagong Pilipinas” as its new governance program, Hontiveros said enforcing real reforms in governance to ensure the country’s true progress is still paramount.
“No amount of branding can substitute for systems and institutions that truly level the playing field; no amount of branding can guarantee the end of economic inequality; no amount of branding can ensure that the wealth and progress of our country is felt by all, not only by a few,” the deputy minority leader pointed out.
Hontiveros also said that even when Marcos ran for president, together with now Vice President Sara Duterte under a “Unity” platform, this was hardly felt as Filipinos continue to grapple with inflation, lack of employment opportunities in the Philippines, among others.
“Unity is nothing but a hollow facade. Ito lang ang napatunayan ni Presidente sa unang taon nila sa Palasyo. Napakabango ng salitang unity noong eleksyon – para bang ipinasasantabi sa mga Pilipino ang lalim at lawak ng mga problemang kailangan tugunan, para lang masabing magiging maayos ang lahat basta’t may pagkakaisa (This was all the President proved in their first year at the Palace. The word unity smelled very good during the election – as if the Filipinos were putting aside the depth and breadth of the problems that need to be addressed, just to say that everything will be fine as long as there is unity),” she pointed out.
“Matapos ang isang taon, nabunyag ang totoong anyo ng ‘unity’. Maliwanag na ginamit lang ito para ipagkaisa ang mga makapangyarihan at manalo. Sino ba naman daw ang makakatalo sa tambalang Presidente at Duterte
(After a year, the true form of ‘unity’ was revealed. Apparently it was only used to unite the powerful and win. Who can beat the combination of President and Duterte)?” Hontiveros pointed out.
As far as she is concerned, the senator said all that the administration continues to do is mask the very real, valid problems of the Filipino people and repackage them into messages of false positivity.
“Tila sila-sila lang ang nakaramdam ng resulta ng pagkakaisang yan. Ang “unity,” para sa karaniwang mamamayang Pilipino, ay hindi nakababa ng presyo ng bilihin. Hindi nakapagparami ng trabaho. Hindi naahon mula sa resesyon at pandemya ang pamilyang Pilipino (They seem to be the only ones who felt the result of that unity. That unity for the common Filipino citizen failed to lower the price of goods, failed to generate more jobs. The Filipino family did not recover from the recession and pandemic),” she lamented.
“Hindi narin nakakagulat bilang ‘best in historical revisionism’ naman ang legasiya ng liderato (It’s not surprising that the leadership's legacy is to be the best in historical revisionism),” Hontiveros emphasized.