MANILA, Philippines - Honesty is not enough. The nation expects progress, and the Filipino people want action and fast which do not seem to be happening.
Thus far, when the ordinary man in the street is asked whether he is happy with the presidency of President Benigno ''Noynoy'' Aquino III, the response has been overwhelming positive.
The people continue to trust the President for his perceived personal honesty and conceptual sincerity.
When queried further for the reasons for his happiness, and the accomplishments of the administration towards enhancing his well-being, the ordinary folk is hard put to cite examples, and specific accomplishments.
Truth to tell, President Benigno Aquino appears to have gotten away with it all with minimum fuss and noisy demonstrations, such as the Luneta hostage-taking fiasco with eight Hong Kong tourists dead; the amnesty of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and the Oakwood mutineers; the surge in criminality and killings; the purchase of a luxury sports car amidst the appeal for austerity and simple living; the flashfloods in the Visayas and Mindanao; and the steady increases in prices of food and fuels.
Is President Aquino lucky, and for how long? So far, there have not been violent protests as in other countries.
The economy is sustaining its positive momentum and recovery with a big help from OFW inward remittances, despite President Aquino's apparent apathy and nonchalance.
Be that as it may, the business community, like the rest of the country, is sanguine, optimistic, and in praise of the President's honesty and outlook.
However, the growing perception is that honesty is not enough if it is not accompanied by decisive actions and quick decisions.
The Aquino administration is perceived to be slow to act and indecisive.
The accomplishments are mainly paper achievements, and resurrected old issues rather than novel breakthroughs.
When all is said and done, President Benigno Aquino cannot forever capitalize on his perceived honesty.
The business community wants action, decisiveness, presidential initiatives, and greater transparency.
Honesty is a great virtue, but it is no substitute for jobs, food security, and law and order.
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow admonished, ''Things are never what they seem.''
You be the judge.
