To many Filipinos, especially his political enemies whose ambitions he might have derailed or suppressed, President Marcos was detestable.
But for all the misdeeds attributed to him Marcos had also left some legacies which his successors could not replicate much more surpass.
MARCOS LEGACIES
The rousing, almost continuous applause and ovation he received as he delivered his address at the United States Congress was one feat no Filipino leader before and after him had approximated. It is difficult to remember the US Congress giving as much appreciation as it did to Marcos, an honor that of course radiated on the Filipino people.
Martial Law was repugnant to many but Presidential Decrees issued during those years are still treasured part of the laws of the land, much more effective than some present-day legislations crudely crafted or passed in haste then amended and overhauled when found defective. Look at the law setting the barangay elections on October 29.
Because of some ulterior motives some Congress leaders want it jettisoned.
For me who worked for many years in the information arm of the government, becoming even President of the Bicol Association of Regional Information Officers (BARIO) in the 1980s, and National Chairman of the Provincial Communicators Association of the Philippines (PCAP), until my early retirement in 2005, Marcos was the only one among post-war Presidents of this country who recognized the need to make the people know and understand what the government is doing for them.
He had decreed that all government agencies including local government units should regularly report to the people on what they have done, what they are doing and what they are planning to do. He wanted that people must be able to frankly react on them in dialogues held down to the barangay level, in the process allowing the constituents to ventilate grievances and complaints and make recommendations. It was the essence of the so-called participatory approach in governance taking place incredibly at a time when freedom was deemed to have been stifled. It was, in fact, more authentic than the so-called people empowerment which here in Naga City is no more than deceptive rhetorics.
HUMAN SECURITY ACT
This particular Marcos legacy has become very relevant today as the government seems more inclined to hide from the people what it is doing.
The controversial Human Security Act or Anti-Terrorism Law, for instance, affecting as it does the civil liberties of the people must be widely and repeatedly disseminated in the tri-media and should even be discussed down to the barangay level for people to understand very well the implications of the law.
But publication was mysteriously limited to only a few places in the country and not even one province in Bicol is listed among areas where local publications should be tapped. Yet the government claims that the insurgency problem is serious in Bicol and there is understandably greater likelihood that terroristic acts could occur here and so the controversial law would inevitably be applied.
Php7B REHAB FUND
Also of grave and urgent concern also among Bicolano constituents is the rather secretive way government projects are being allocated and implemented.
President Arroyo has proudly announced that for the first time Bicol, especially Albay and Camarines Sur, received a windfall of Php.7 billion as rehabilitation fund because of the successive calamities last year. But the people are in the dark as to what projects such astronomical sum has been spent or will be spent. People have the right to know whether the projects identified are really necessary or are merely chosen to suit the purposes of those who want to pocket what President Arroyo intended for the benefit of the people.
Reports are rife that a big chunk of the huge outlay had been allocated to unnecessary desilting projects presumably to raise campaign funds. Some were allocated to road repair projects that never happened.
Desilting projects are conveniently preferred because they could not be easily quantified, the supposed work done being under water and every Bicolano who would want to know what had been done if any at all has to dive down murky, filthy river heds.
GMA IMAGE AT STAKE
What is so diffi cult for the government to come up even with simple press releases detailing what projects are covered by the Php 7B rehabilitation fund, how much each project cost, when projects are supposed to be implemented or completed, with some justifications on why such projects were chosen or identified?
Malacañang must know that Bicolanos are keenly observing government disposition of this huge fund which was just about the only thing for Bicol which President Arroyo mentioned during here last State of the Nation Address. The planned revival of the Bicol River Basin Development Program also mentioned in the SONA is still a hazy dream and even if it materializes it would be a long, long and diffi cult way before projects would be funded by the World bank and implemented. In the first place, LGUs are to put up counterpart funds of up to 30% of the project cost.
This means that towns that are already depressed and really need infrastructure build-up can hardly hope to benefit from World Bank assistance.
This Php7 billion rehab fund may make or unmake the Presidential image. If no sensible projects evolve from this gargantuan allocation the suspicion of many Bicolanos that it was part of the campaign kitty would be reenforced.
Malacañang should perhaps take the cue from former Albay Governor Fernando Gonzales who had openly criticized the type of projects much of the fund went into. This means that Gonzales himself who was still governor when the huge fund was allocated and released was not even consulted in the project identification stage.
It also meant he may not have shared in the SOP.
