The 12 Christmas wishes of Kiko to the country and our leader

By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, December 19, 2010-Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan who is known as ally of PNoy listed his 12 wishes for President Aquino and the country as the days wind down until Christmas.

First, the Senator wishes a peace talk to start an end to the armed conflict around the country could lead to the emergence of cities such as General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao city.

Second a new image for the country’s tourism industry. He said the government must attract tourists; not criticisms. The citizenry are by nature extremely friendly and hospitable. Kiko added that we are only doing/achieving some 3M tourist arrivals annually while our neighbors are doing four or five time more with 12 to 15 Million tourist visits annually. It has been said that the ASEAN countries are doing so much more with so little in terms of natural wonders and beautiful sites while we are doing so little with so much.

Third, he wanted that the conditional cash transfer (CCT) must be implemented as soon as possible. He shared that the President’s fervor in lifting fellow countrymen out of poverty should be achieved adding that he would like to see the CCT be implemented the soonest so we can assess right away its impact on our nation’s marginalized sector and tweak the system as necessary.

Fourth wish of Kiko is a girlfriend for President Aquino.  He is hoping all the best for the President, but more than that he wishes for him to finally find that special someone so that the media can focus their stories on the more substantive aspects of being the leader of a nation.

Fifth Christmas wish of Kiko is a united Malacañang. He would like to see a more disciplined and cohesive team working towards achieving progress in the country.

Sixth wish is stable gasoline prices. He makes an appeal to those controlling the prices of this very important commodity. Let us give our countrymen a chance to rise above subsistence. Let us find a compromise wherein your business can still thrive without the poor suffering at the end of the consumer chain.

Seventh wish is for Filipinos to start thinking of fishing as a viable industry. There is more to the country than agricultural farming. We have one of the longest coastlines in the world and a treasure trove of aquamarine resources. The Philippines can easily be the aquamarine resource powerhouse of the world.

Eight wish is to be rid of garbage. The tragedy of Ondoy should serve as a powerful lesson to us all. Cleaning up the environment also gives one a sense of pride and dignity, no matter what social class he or she belongs to.

Ninth wish is for families to be informed of their choices on family planning. The fact remains that unless we are able to address the issue of population management, we can never realize our true potential as a nation. An informed choice is what Filipinos need to manage the booming population.

Tenth wish is a more private-public participation in worthy projects. The Gawad Kalinga is an exemplary example of how the synergy of government and private sector partnerships can bring about sustainable reforms for our communities and indeed, the whole nation. He  hopes for a better nation and to realize these hopes only when more of us are willing to make a stand, take the risk, move out of our comfort zones and pledge to commit to doing our share in helping shape our communities and in helping move our nation towards a new direction.

Eleventh wish is for smugglers to go to jail. He said that smuggling affects the sustainability and profitability of the trade industry. It has been pervasive for far too long. He would like to see these unscrupulous traders finally put to jail. Smuggling is an indication of pervasive corruption in the country. He hopes to stamp out all forms of corruption in the country.

Twelve wish is for staple foods to have price stability. Rice has been the cultural staple of Filipinos. And yet not all of our countrymen are able to afford them on their tables. For us to have economic stability, we will need to have food security. Addressing the gaps that affect the prices of rice will greatly improve the lives of our impoverished people. One cannot dream of prosperity after all if one has an empty stomach. (Jason de Asis)