A New Day will dawn

On July 5, a very significant event will happen to each and every one of us. In this day, the planet Uranus will have its retrogade. It will affect all the movements of the planets. It will also usher in a new way of thinking, newer perspectives and new relationships. Some say, it will be totally revolutionary.

Two days from now, expect to witness another revolutionary event--with the inauguration of president-elect Senator Benigno Aquino III. As the 16th president of the Philippines, many expect Aquino to perform far better than his predecessor, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Two things why this event is revolutionary: first, Aquino's "lean and mean" team of Cabinet members is composed of young and old faces. His Executive secretary, Atty. Ochoa, is a young and highly efficient man. He represents the incoming successor generation, composed of people in their early forties and fifties. Ochoa is expected to perform better than his predecessors, and I will say it forthrightly, he deserves to be called a better version of Eduardo Ermita, who served for three administrations.

Ermita, to the minds of many, represent stability and continuity of whatever is good in this republic. Ochoa, to my mind, deserves to give us a service better than what Ermita did in three generations.

Second, people expect relevant changes in their lives. People expect prices of basic commodities lower or at least reflecting their true values. People expect at least a lowered electricity bill in the coming month of July and probably, even lower water rates. Of course, who would not want lower gasoline and diesel prices?

For this to happen, Aquino should marshall his energy secretary to hammer out a respectable compromise with these giant oil companies. Or, better, ask Congress to totally scarp the Oil deregulation law and replace it with a better version. Order his trade secretary to ask unscrupulous companies under pain of punishment, to give the correct prices of their goods and not resort to cartelism or other harmful trade practices. Order the security forces to go after smugglers, slap charges against them, and put them behind bars. Or, even better, revive the death penalty and make examples of these economic saboteurs.

The minimum that the people expect Aquino to do is simply give them a chance to live respectably and with dignity. And what do I mean by this?

If there is a clamour to improve the business environment, more than this, improve the quality of life of the people. What many of our people demand of government is simply give them the chance to eat at least three times a day, make their salaries enough for their kids to study, have some money for transportation and at least a few pesos in their savings account. Filipinos are easy to please. Just make them enjoy the finer things in life and all is well.

Revolutionary this will be if Aquino sticks to his campaign promises---eradicate graft to improve the economic life of the people. The people is sick and tired of promises of change especially coming from politicos. They want concrete solutions to their problems. They expect government to do its part and make life easier for everyone.

Now, if the incoming administration will just be hoopla or just act like its doing something good or what people say "paporma lang" or " gaya-gaya kay Obama", then, nothing will happen. Even if , say the entire people support Aquino and do the "12 Little Things Every Filipino Can do to help our Country" (the "rule book" written by Atty. Alex Lacson), but government is unresponsive and adamant against change, then, nothing really will happen. This will justify the earlier models for change advocated by genuine revolutionaries.

This successor generation, as represented by Aquino, Ochoa and Escudero should do its best to prove that they are not the same old dogs with new collars. They are scions of traditional political families. They should do the opposite of what their fathers did. Or, improve what their ancestors did.

I am giving this administration the benefit of the doubt, and people should do the same. Its too early to comment against this administration.