Homecoming
 11 March 2008

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IT was another homecoming weekend for me, this time with the National Chapter Leaders of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) in their annual conference at the Oxford Hotel in Pampanga.

Detained by the usual last-minute meetings in Manila and the predictably heavy Friday traffic, I missed my call time by a couple of hours.

But the KBP top honchos – Lulu Ilustre from Palawan, Leo Lastimosa from Cebu, Gus Tolentino from Aklan, Flor Colina from Davao, to name just a few – did not seem to mind the wait, as Manny Luzon, National Vice President for Radio, and Maloli Espinosa, KBP National President, reeled off the show without me, while Perry Pangan, Central Luzon Chairman, kept them entertained, mostly at my expense, as he introduced me to old friends and comrades.

Not that I minded Perry’s rapier-sharp wit, especially when I could dish it back to him in kind, but those verbal jousts started me thinking what Perry could do if he were on our side, explaining, promoting, and "laymanizing" the government programs.

I was actually invited to that meeting to bring to KBP the government side on the issues of the day.

My presentation spoke to the raging issues. My theme was: "Moving as One Nation towards the 21st Century Philippines."

President Arroyo has set out her vision and plan in clear and unequivocal terms: "A common agenda of growth, hope, and opportunity that lifts up rather than tears down our nation."

We showed them the numbers: Growth rates unmatched over the past 30 years; headline lows in inflation rate; balanced budget; fiscal reforms; pump-priming through infrastructure spending; employment generation in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME); social and health services; education; housing; etc.

In the open forum, the questions gravitated to the National Broadband Network (NBN) project, the credibility of this administration, and the integrity of the government institutions.

As I am part of the KBP family myself, it was an open and honest sharing of views and concerns and I was glad to match the candid questions with equal candor.

To some, the NBN project, especially its broad applications, was a revelation. Others said they knew many positive things were going on, we just needed to bring it to them in non-technical terms.

There was agreement that we had to work together as one undivided nation.

Clearly, there is bright hope if we only let our passion generate light, instead of heat.

A case in point was the question from Gus Tolentino, on where to go for the MSME programs. Here was a guy who thought we could do more for MSME, and was seeking the numbers to connect him to the programs. He could have denounced the "shortcoming," but he was asking for the solution instead.

The thing I like about these meetings with KBP and similar groups, is that while I could get scathing questions, I would surely get help in seeking out solutions. That is what makes for moving as one nation.

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