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PGMA desperately seeking a gold medal


By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:22:00 02/10/2009

It’s not exactly an exercise in futility.

A meeting with Obama would surely boost GMA’s stock.

It also goes without saying that an Olympic gold medal would readily lift the spirits and hopes of Filipinos.




MANILA, Philippines—Pardon please, but there’s something in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s dogged drive to link up with US President Barack Obama that has started to oddly resemble RP’s campaign to bag its first Olympic gold medal.

Ms Arroyo’s daredevil diplomacy is sure to fail.

Why? Like the dream for our first Olympic gold, it’s anchored on desperation.

* * *

It’s no longer important how many times Ms Arroyo has failed to see Mr. Obama.

She has missed her target several times. She must now change her strategy.

For the Olympic gold medal try, RP has missed many times.

* * *

The Philippines first competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics, through track athlete David Nepomuceno.

Yes, it’s no longer easy keeping track of the ill-fated attempts, following a couple of near misses in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Games.

In Ms Arroyo’s case, they said she has been frustrated three times.

Others say she has fumbled four times already.

* * *

Whatever, here are at least three reasons why Mr. Obama could now feel like that very elusive Olympic gold medal:

1) The attempt is not backed by proper infrastructure.

2) So much has been left to chance.

3) There’s no clear and honest intention.

* * *

It’s not exactly an exercise in futility.

A meeting with Obama would surely boost GMA’s stock.

It also goes without saying that an Olympic gold medal would readily lift the spirits and hopes of Filipinos.

Of course, the gold-medal win would also help incompetent national sports managers save face.

* * *

Now, would winning our first Olympic gold medal serve as a cure-all for our very sick sports system?

Definitely not, sir.

With no systematic, centralized national talent discovery and development program, RP sports would remain stuck in primitivism and mediocrity, despite an Olympic gold.

* * *

In Ms Arroyo’s case, will an Obama audience be strong and sensational enough to cure an ever-growing national disdain?

Who knows?

Maybe President Obama turned to his computer upon hearing suggestions Mrs. Arroyo could spring a surprise in the Washington National Prayer Breakfast, where the American Chief Executive was to speak.

So what would’ve Mr. Obama seen when he checked on Ms Arroyo’s track record?

* * *

There would have been the strange Chinese characters ZTE.

Maybe the anomalous human rights record would not readily surface.

But turning to headlines in Manila, Obama must’ve been terribly amazed at why Ms Arroyo had changed routes and cut corners to be in Washington.

* * *

If she’s a good wife and President, she should be at the side of her sick and very beleaguered First Gentleman.

Has she, for example, taken pains to save her country from him?

Relax now, folks.

The best that could be said is that our President, this time, did her desperate best.

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