Waiting for Results from Jesse Robredo

We extend our congratulations to former Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo for his appointment-"promised" earlier by then Senator Benigno Aquino III during his campaign sortie in Naga-to the post of Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). According to the news reports based on the statement of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Robredo was chosen from a short list of three because of the latter's "experiences on local government and credentials."  Apart from that, there was no mention that the post had been "promised" to Robredo prior to the elections, a fact well-circulated in Naga and Bikol, and perhaps even encouraged by Robredo and his supporters.

Be that as it may, it remains clear that between Vice-President elect Jejomar Binay and Robredo, the latter is indeed more suited and capable for the gargantuan task that the post requires.

Like everyone else in the Aquino cabinet, the DILG and its new chief had been given its marching orders: stop jueteng. Unequivocal, direct, and quite possibly, to be definitive of Robredo's success (or failure) as DILG Secretary, the mandate to stop the illegal numbers game is burdened with the considerations that jueteng operations are well-organized, well-connected, and well, widespread. Robredo will have his hands full and would need the support of everyone against this illegal and immoral business.

During his time as Mayor, particularly during the last of his six terms, jueteng operations in Naga had waned; the raffles or "gugo" were not anymore held in the City but in its neighboring towns. Nonetheless, bet-takers continued to prowl Naga even then; in the remoter barangays nearing Mt. Isarog, for instance, they went about their daily business of taking the bets of residents unaffected by the campaign against the numbers game. Despite this, Mayor Robredo's avowals that there was no jueteng in Naga made good publicity for his administration.

It is one thing to remove jueteng operations from Naga, and completely another thing to stamp them out across the whole nation, most especially in areas in which local executives have a huge stake on them. Sec. Robredo's statements regarding his agency's general strategy are thus safe and appropriate: verify the extent of jueteng operations, untangle them from the legal (but dubiously moral) STL enterprises, and be constant in addressing it.

Sec. Robredo's appointment has been praised and hailed by many sectors, among them the media; like them, we expect results on this very clear marching order from the new President. For while congratulations are truly in order to Sec. Robredo for this new high-profile post, the new Administration carries with it the aspiration of a nation thirsting for true reforms that are urgently palpable to the lives of the people. One such reform would be the elimination of jueteng which preys on people's poverty. Ultimately, this is the DILG Secretary's task and the post he holds is not simply another item to be added to a litany of past awards received.

We will be waiting for Robredo's results.