Grace Poe's Luck, Their Project Serendipity & My Caveat

MANILA: What's in a good name?

My wife Ampy has just handed me one page of notes written with a sign pen about Project Serendipity. She has been listening to a radio interview by Ka Silver over DWIZ whose guest was Oscar Orbos, Executive Secretary of Cory Aquino when she was President, as well as former Governor of Pangasinan. He is from Bani; I am from Asingan. (The image above shows Orbos and Bishop Bastes of Sorsogon, from the news item I shall report more of later.)

The Orbos radio interview was in Tagalog, and my wife translated for me (she is Tagala and I am Ilocano, and she knows I love the English language over and above Tagalog):

Orbos talked extensively on citizen/people empowerment thru a unified and expanded social security program for all Filipinos, to include:

1. Education
   
2. Health
   
3. Crop insurance protection
   
4. Retirement plan (pension)
   
5. Entrepreneurial/business
   
6. Recreation (sports/travel etc)
   
   

To finance all that is what Orbos calls the Serendipity Fund, in nature similar to Singapore's social security program called Central Provident Fund.

That's all from my wife's notes; note the phrase "citizen/people empowerment" – it reflects a mentality or leaning of the Hilarios. When I surfed the Web for more information, I found that it was the Diocese of Sorsogon who launched early this year Project Serendipity (Felix "Boy" Espineda Jr, 12 January 2016, Bicol Today, bicoltoday.com); that means it has taken a Roman Catholic personality, via Sorsogon Bishop Arturo M Bastes. In fact, Oscar Orbos was there, but the name of the fund is different and it is a mouthful: "Social Security, Human Development and Welfare Protection Fund." I now quote from the report (with a little editing):

The primer of Project Serendipity of the Diocese of Sorsogon (says the Project) will try to seek (answers) to the many questions in quest of a better quality of life (of the people). Pointing to the socio-political, economic and cultural problems the religious community here aims to introduce transformation that is wanting in our country’s society.

It says that this is a Project of, by, from, and for the people to directly, sustainably and institutionally empower themselves through an “Effective Social Security, Human Development and Welfare Program” to become “active participants in the production and provisions of such that are required for the common good.”

To enshrine its ideals for social welfare, Project Serendipity is calling for the amendment of the Philippine Constitution by direct peoples' initiative, not by constitutional convention or constituent assembly. This is to bypass vested interests that will stand in the way of the goals of the Project.

On 09 April 2016, Grace Poe (for President) and Chiz Escudero (for Vice President) signed the Covenant of Support for Project Serendipity hosted by the Diocese of Sorsogon at the Parish Church of Bacon District in Sorsogon City, witnessed by thousands of laity who were attending the annual Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) assembly, according to ANN (author not named, 11 April 2016, Manila Standard Today, manilastandardtoday.com). ANN says:

Important events in the life of presidential frontrunner Grace Poe appear to be intertwined with the serendipitous role of the Catholic Church in her colorful and inspiring narrative.

ANN says Grace Poe was abandoned at the altar of the Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo; she launched her presidential bid on 08 February in front of the Quiapo Church, noted for its miraculous Black Nazarene. And on that same day of the signing of the covenant, the Supreme Court decided with finality her eligibility to run this coming May for the presidential election.

Project Serendipity calls for the creation of a sovereign fund set aside by automatic and yearly allocation of 20% of the country's resources to address citizens' needs (newsninja, blogspot.in):

The government resources, that are in fact owned by the sovereign people, are identified as: Revenues, Receipts, Receivables, Royalties, Reserves, Resources, Recoveries, Returns (R8), and any and all that refer to monies, funds, incomes, assets, properties, resources of the government, all its offices, branches and corporations.

I know a little about someone who is fond of iterations like those 8 Rs: Fidel Valdez Ramos and his slogan, Caring & Daring. In fact, FVR is, along with Oscar Orbos, directly & publicly supporting the candidacy of Grace Poe and Chiz Escudero (Melandrew T Velasco, 15 February 2016, Asian Journal, asianjournal.com). The adoptive father of Grace is Fernando Poe Jr, who was from San Carlos City in Pangasinan. FVR is from Asingan. Velasco is also from Pangasinan.

I'm writing about Project Serendipity not only because I want to please my wife who seldom asks me to write about something but, really because I like the idea now that I have learned about it: for meeting the social security and welfare needs for our people.

But truth to tell, I have 2 problems with Project Serendipity:

One, the name Serendipity bothers me because the word has something to do with creativity, not welfare. Serendipity is, says the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident." What's in a good name? What we call a rose by any other name would not smell as sweet. The copywriter in me says this is not happy marketing.

Two, writing this essay bothers me because I am not supporting the candidacy of Grace Poe, neither that of her running mate Chiz Escudero.

While I salute those who brainstormed Project Serendipity, I have a problem with the American and Filipino loyalties of Grace Poe and the rest of her family who are American citizens up to this minute. And I have a problem with her not having articulated a Vision for her country and her Mission, her role in achieving that dream. Project Serendipity is excellent, but it is not Vision. If you don't have a Vision for your people, you will perish.

Neither has Miriam Defensor-Santiago any Vision and Mission; not Jejomar Binay either.

Surprisingly, Rodrigo Duterte has both. His Vision is that of a Crime-Less Philippines (in my own words); his Mission is to exterminate all the criminals. I don't like Duterte and I don't agree with his Vision and Mission, but they are excellent examples of what I'm driving at.

(I have already discussed Mar Roxas' Vision and Mission; see my essay, "Considering Mar Roxas," 12 March 2016, Vices, Presidents, blogspot.com.)

The Vision is your destination; the Mission is what drives you in order to reach your Vision. If your Vision is only to Occupy Malacañang and your Mission is to win in the coming election, I'm out of here!