She would be among a big batch of professional politicians and freshmen. Many have difficulty remembering names and often greet each other with “Hoy,” “Hello there” and “Kumusta na”?
She may have to compete for a suitable room that she would share with her staff, entertain guests and give her constituents a shoulder to cry on.
A number 8 license plate is a big descent from No. 1. Parking will not be a problem but premium space may not be available.
Occasionally, especially when she is in the session hall, she may have to share the ladies room with fellow congresswomen.
She will discover that she cannot speak on the floor unless she is recognized by the presiding officer.
She will no longer be called “Your Excellency” or “Commander in Chief” but “Your honor” or “the Gentlelady from the Second District of Pampanga.” News headlines will refer to her as “solon.”
Rep. Macapagal-Arroyo will miss delivering the State of the Nation Address, presiding over the Ledac (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council) and signing major bills at the Palace with fawning lawmakers looking on.
But she will soon discover new perks, privileges and benefits that make membership in the House worthwhile.
Since she has not taken a vacation in her nine years in office, she will welcome the frequent recess and no-working days for lack of quorum.
The pork barrel money (countrywide development fund) will help her build, repair or renovate infrastructure in her district.
She can run for reelection twice, each term lasting three years.
A privileged speech, membership in the Commission on Appointments and participation in a congressional probe are some weapons to use against Malacañang/Cabinet abuses.
Would she like to attend this or that world conference? Junkets (foreign travel) are popular among congressmen.
She could have the satisfaction of initiating an impeachment case against a president, one of the exclusive powers of the House.
Of course she could push her bills or advocacies, such as the national ID system for Filipinos. Or a bill subjecting journalists to government test and licensing.
Dropping from president to representative isn’t really that bad. GMA could make a difference. She could be the only solon to mark her first 100 days.
And here’s a thought: If she is elected Speaker, she would have a shot at Malacañang. The Speaker is fourth in the line of presidential succession.
* * * *
BFO in the Pantheon
The family and friends of the late statesman Blas F. Ople will gather tomorrow morning at his gravesite at the Libingan ng mga Bayani to honor his memory on his sixth death anniversary.
Ople was on a flight from Japan to Bahrain on December 14, 2003, when he was seized by a heart attack. The plane made an emergency landing in Taiwan in a heroic attempt to save his life, but he died upon arrival at a Taiwan hospital.
His body, frail from a stroke many years earlier, had been taxed by frequent foreign travels to represent his country in world conferences and to meet with foreign leaders.
He was nursing a fever when he attended one such conference in Japan but he set out for Bahrain for another important meeting.
Ople was the exemplar of the self-made man. From his humble roots in Hagonoy, Bulacan, he rose to national eminence through hard work and perpetual self study. He had worked as a pier hand when the times were hard. He became an editor at the Daily Mirror, sister publication of The Manila Times, after passing a rewrite test with ease.
His erudition, nurtured by his passion for books, brought him high positions in government. In succession, he became labor secretary, member of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution, senator, Senate president and foreign secretary.
Trustful of his counsel, President Gloria Arroyo held weekly one-on-one meetings with him at the Palace.
Ople was not the first to scale the heights from relative obscurity but he was different from the others in that he endeavored to live a life of simplicity, combined with a strong humanity and moral responsibility. He remained poor despite his power and influence.
From the labor department, the Senate, to the foreign ministry, he consistently championed the protection of workers, the upliftment of the poor, and the advancement of social justice, democracy and human rights.
His epitaph, written in gold on his grave, summarizes his life and work:
“And now, looking at the sun tilted to the west, I am confident that I have lived up to the public trust and to the demands of my own conscience.”
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