THE more President Marcos Jr. tries to downplay the fact that some of his recent policy pronouncements are very similar to positions taken by the late former president Benigno Aquino III, the clearer the picture becomes: It looks like Bongbong is following President Noynoy’s template.
Pressed by reporters who were covering his working visit in Washington D.C. to comment on notions that he and Aquino have the same policies on key subjects, the President said he does not find any similarity.
But we do. A case in point is the President’s foreign policy which is a complete pivot towards the United States, ditching China despite this northern neighbor’s being the most extensive trading partner of the Philippines. This is all because of the country’s claim to some rocks and shoals in the South China Sea, which PNoy renamed as West Philippine Sea, a nomenclature only used in the Philippines.
‘Marcos correctly observed there is growing public concern over the proliferation of protocol plates which grant vehicles special privileges on the road…’
Marcos and Aquino’s fascination with the US resulted in these two president’s committing the nation to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which opened military camps, ports and airports in the country to American military use, starting from five under Aquino and later increased to nine under Marcos. The concentration of the additional bases being in Central and Northern Luzon even led presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos to comment that these facilities are positioned to help the United States military in defending Taiwan from any possible attacks by the Chinese military. The Philippines is not a party to the two contending camps in the Taiwan Strait but the enhanced EDCA under Marcos easily would push the country to join the fray.
Of late, Bongbong was perceived to be aping Noynoy with the issuance of Executive Order No. 56 which is about vehicular traffic and use of official sirens and protocol car plates.
In his inaugural address then, President Aquino riled at some officials’ deep sense of entitlement by using sirens and starting a line of vehicles in a traffic counterflow whenever they encounter heavy traffic on the road. “Walang wang-wang” has become PNoy’s popular slogan, and Bongbong with his EO 56 is reviving it.
To be fair, President Marcos said his directive is not just about sirens. He said it is really about reducing the number of low-numbered or protocol license plates being used by VIPs on the road, mostly Cabinet members, senators, congressmen and members of the Supreme Court.
The President said the “executive order aims to promote a more transparent and accountable system for the issuance of protocol license plates. It ensures these privileges are used appropriately by a designated group of officials for legitimate purposes.”
Marcos correctly observed there is growing public concern over the proliferation of protocol plates which grant vehicles special privileges on the road, including the exemption from the number coding scheme. He wants to tighten regulations on the issuance of the special license plates used by top government officials.
It is really ironic that days after a traffic summit during which President Marcos called for discipline in the use of the roads especially by government employees, high-profile officials such as Luis “Chavit” Singson of Ilocos Norte and Sen. Francis Escudero’s driver were caught violating the EDSA busway traffic rules to get ahead of the others in the usually congested thoroughfare. These incidents prompted the two officials to issue a public apology and pay the fines.
To have disciplined drivers on the road, President Marcos said Filipinos serving in the government should first set themselves as good examples. Apropos this rule, traffic authorities should also apply all relevant rules and regulations to everybody, without regard to position or influence, if we are to restore order in the streets.
