The Philippine Online Chronicles

Ten days to March, 30 days to April, 31 days to May, and 30 days to June =100 days total from tomorrow till June 30, 2010, the date she is supposed to step down from office. A hundred remaining days for her to live in Malacanang, a hundred remaining days to act as a president should, a hundred remaining days for appointments, and many more. A hundred remaining days to cook up something--what's cooking? Tell me, tell me!

Not much number of days compared to the 9 years she has spent in office. You know who I am talking about--PGMA (that is CGMA or Congressman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June 2010).

Nine years have been a long long time! Yet, she wants to cling to her power--wants to carry on, to the extent of stooping down from the pinnacle of power being the Presidency to Congress. In the corporate world, she is compared to a company CEO (chief executive officer) applying for the post of department supervisor. That is not the normal scheme of things--that is considered a backward step. And she says this is only for love of Pampanga.

All through the 9 years we have seen her performance, the controversies and scandals, beginning with the legitimacy of her government (hello Garci, Garci! get me 1 million votes), the ZTE deal, the case of the Ampatuans and killings in Maguindanao, her failed attempt to switch to a parliamentary form of government from the presidential.  In fairness, she has accomplished a lot (these are all over the major newspaper spreads—a president’s information campaign of what she has accomplished—ON PAPER!)

All through the 9 years, we have seen how her popularity declined, from the positive numbers to zero to the negative. Now, even if she were telling the truth, even if the accusations against her were not true, even if she were to do better things, no one will believe her. Nobody nobody nobody but a few--her minions! Not that they will believe her--they will cling to her like leeches--them people who together with her bled our coffers dry! All these corruption brouhaha, which they deny, which presidential aspirant Gibo Teodoro calls "leakages", though glaringly and clearly cases of corruption. Well, these are allegations—let time judge (will we?).

Now there are speculations of extending those 100 days to more! To gain more momentum perhaps in her desire to stay in power longer. Knowing PGMA, we can never tell. She has denied so many things in the past, denied her intention to run for presidency after her first term in office. She has denied running for congressman. She has said,  “I am sorry” after the Hello Garci fiasco.

How to do it? What to do? Tick…tock…tick..tock…time flies so fast for people who are in despair, and too slow for many of us who want change!

Much like we have watched any president's First 100 Days in Office (the sweetheart days with the media, with the people), we have to be more vigilant this time--with her LAST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE. The first 100 days are indication of what she has to offer—in the same way, the last 100 days should be indications of what she wants to accomplish, what she wants to be her fait accompli for her gain, I presume.

The COUNTDOWN starts tomorrow, 100…99…98…97…such a long long wait! Pretty much like a woman giving birth--the last few weeks are the most crucial, the last few days are the most awaited…the last few days hold a lot of suspense.

Tick…tock…tick…tock…

Photo: “Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo” by Mike V., c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved