CHAFF FROM THE GRAIN

“These are the times that try men’s souls. In this crisis, he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women.” – Thomas Paine

The vicious, infectious, and invisible pandemic disease has caused widespread devastation, and irreversible lifestyle and cultural changes without the use of weapons of mass destruction or WMD.

The COVID 19 is the ultimate game changer in modern times.

Thus, now is the opportune time to restructure the economy, reform ethical standards and attitude of people, rather than just restoring a “new normal” status quo.

In 1987, the country reverted back to “new normal” pre-EDSA political system. We have not ceased to regret it ever since.

To establish a “new normal” will mean the emergence of new taipans and tycoons, inflation, structural unemployment, and deepening impoverishment of the Filipino masses.

To hastily push digitalization, on-line sophistication, and gadgetry is premature for a huge, and counting population that do not eat more than twice a day.

The fact of the matter is that this country is a low-tech wholly import-dependent economy that cannot even manufacture computer casings or cell phone holders or manufacture simple compressors or small engines.

First, hypothetically to achieve prosperity and leave a legacy behind, the leadership should revamp and replace some Cabinet secretaries and politically appointed undersecretaries, such as, Trade and Industry, Health, Justice, Agrarian Reform, Transport, Agriculture, and Public Works with new blood and novel ideas.

Replace them with Filipinos, here and abroad, as well as foreign experts with scientists, economists, architects, sociologists, scholars, engineers from various disciplines, academe, and law who will chart a new path for the Philippines.

Second, these experts and imports will be given firm contracts for a specific contractual period with comparable compensation with a negotiated proviso that they can always go back to their previous jobs upon the expiry of their contracts.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has to cast a wider net to snare the “best and brightest” into the government.

Third, after lionizing and praising frontliners, doctors, nurses, gurney pushers, paramedics, ambulance drivers, Army and Police for their heroic sacrifices, it is evident that LGUs and municipal hall employees lack the training, experience, funding, dedication, and professionalism for challenging jobs and emergencies.

Be that as it may, these intellectual “musings” are only food for thought and suggestions as their realization is highly improbable under this administration and environment.

That is, traditional politician President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is set in his ways and character.

But, as Alexander Pope once wrote, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast” and Filipino resilience is legendary.

You be the judge.

#Hector RR Villanueva

COVID-19, the game changer