Adding a fine stone to nation-building

I recall the words of one of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s predecessors, the late former President Diosdado Macapagal. He said, “It is incorrect to say that we are out to solve all the problems of the nation. No president can do that… No president can build the whole edifice of a nation. All that he is called upon to do is to add a fine stone to that edifice, so that those who shall come after him may add other fine stones that will go for a strong and enduring structure.

”In a new podcast in his Youtube page, Marcos Jr. was candid about the first half of his six-year mandate from the Filipino people, which was recently assessed in this year’s midterm election. Everyone interested in current events should watch it.

“Nagsawa na ang Pilipino sa politika,” the President said. “Ang mensahe sa aming lahat… tama na ang pamomolitika ninyo at kami naman ang asikasuhin ninyo.” [Filipinos are fed up with politics. The message to all of us in government… stop with the politicking and be attentive to our needs.]

Marcos Jr. said that, since the start of his term, his intention was to already u-turn from the business-as-usual of government paralysis and focus on the large, difficult projects that have long-term impact like ones on transportation, tourism, and health, quipping “If not us, who? If not now, when?”

Indeed, big changes require big action at the national level, and the President was right to point out that it will require time, effort, persistence, and a lot less politicking. But he should also be the first to know that for things to get done in government, one needs political capital. He had it at the start of his term, with support from an overwhelming majority.

But by his own admission, by focusing on the big picture, things at the margins have seemingly been neglected. “Hindi natin nabigyan ng sapat na atensyon yung mas maliit na bagay; yung para maging maginhawa ang pang-araw-araw na buhay ng tao.

”[We haven’t given sufficient attention to the smaller things; the things that make the everyday lives of people convenient.]

“Part of the lesson of this election [is to] go back to the grassroots level,” he reflected.

During his time, Macapagal recognized the “short-range problems” of “sufficiency in the staple food of the people” and “more employment” as among the stones his administration was assigned to contribute. Ironically, the same is still asked of Marcos Jr.’s.

If the recent election is to be taken as a referendum on Marcos Jr., it saw mixed results. The admin-slate underperformed in the Senate by only having five of its candidates win a slot in the magic 12. This is compared to the nine admin-allied Senators who won in the 2013 and 2019 midterm elections, respectively. On the other hand, while allied Congressmen still hold a majority in the House of Representatives, it still lost several seats.

Moving past the midterm elections, it would seem like most are already posturing for 2028. But three years is still enough time to bypass partisanship and add more fine stones to the edifice of the nation. Marcos Jr.’s reflections of revisiting the grassroots at least holds some ground. So much is at stake for the country’s national development.

“Ang habol ko ay stability, peaceful para magawa namin ang trabaho namin,” Marcos Jr. said. [I am after stability and peace so that we can do our jobs.]

Objectively speaking, everyone must put aside their ideological leanings and collectively work towards real, concrete actions that will deliver the public good through both large scale improvements and system-wide changes. This is while not neglecting the grassroots issues that also need their due attention, thus extending benefits to the people in the margins of society.