From Tuwid na Daan to Tuwad na Daan just for 2016

Dirty politics is messing up the President's administration. Since last February, no one among the President's men, even his spokespersons, are mentioning the term "tuwid na daan". Does it mean that the President already abandoned the tuwid na daan and among themselves, admit, that they are now treading a "tuwad na daan" just to satisfy the presidential ambitions of someone close to the President?

Is Noynoy ready to break ties with groups which worked together for him to get the presidency? It seems like it. Even those very close to him are now being targetted by groups whose proximity to the Power Center are their close links with the Liberals.

Take the case of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). The President is set to appoint former Cavite governor Ayong Malicsi to the post. Malicsi, in previous intel reports on jueteng, was identified to be one of the friendliest local executives with jueteng lords in Southern Luzon. With Malicsi at the helm of one of the country's "cash cow",  expect a more favorable treatment with jueteng operators and expect of course, politics-related activities filling the schedules of the PCSO.

With a funds budget of 16 billion pesos, that is more than enough gravy for local executives everywhere. Funds as big as these are juicy carrots for even the most rabid oppositors of Malicsi's benefactor, which is, of course, Liberal presidential bet Mar Roxas.

Of course, analysts are thinking that Malicsi's closeness with DOTC secretary Emilio Joseph Abaya and Abaya's dogged allegiance not to the flag but to Secretary Mar Roxas, caused the appointment. Some say the reason is obvious--Malicsi is out to destroy Senator Bong Revilla's vaulted grassroots network in Cavite, the province with the most number of voters.

Curious why these Liberals need tons of money just to elect their head in 2016. Experience shows that a presidential candidate only needs around 1-2 billion pesos for a decent campaign. With the rate these Liberals are doing, expect them to raise more than this amount. Why billions? Are they preparing for something sinister, like, say, massive cheating come election time?

Malicsi's appointment is just one of many changes in the Cabinet being proposed by rabid and power-hungry Liberals among the President's circle. These men are out to outpace and outgun several allies of Vice President Jejomar Binay who are now in power too. These pro-Binay people serving government with honesty are now preparing for the most extreme outcome. 

These political maneuverings are counter-productive. With politicians at the helm of government agencies, especially those involved in revenue collection, expect all the gains of the three year old "Tuwid na Daan" administration to turn tuwad. 

We already have experiences where agencies manned or managed by politicians or political operators went back to their rent-seeking ways, the minute these men enter the scene. Incidence of graft increases and criminal syndicates again sprout and went their merry way. 

The most obvious victim of all these is, of course, us, the Filipino People. With politicians replacing at the very last minute those who worked for clean governance, what gains do we expect from them? Nothing. These politicians will just do some fund-raising activities while in power and expect corruption to increase as Pnoy prepares to leave Bahay Pangarap for another bachelor pad.