Ninoy Aquino was elected into the Senate 40 years ago, the lone Liberal afloat in a sea of Nacionalistas. His son and namesake, Benigno Aquino III, celebrated his own entry into the Senate yesterday with a fitting act: He used his first-ever speech on the Senate floor to honor his father’s memory, by nominating “a man who shares my father’s history.”
Noynoy Aquino was the second to nominate Aquilino Pimentel Jr., after repeat Senate topnotcher Loren Legarda. While Loren spoke of Pimentel’s “towering virtues” and described his struggles during martial law as “the stuff of legend,” Noynoy invoked his sainted father’s own high regard for Pimentel. The young Aquino said Pimentel was the right man to lead an opposition-dominated Senate, and called him “the true face of the opposition.”
Only one senator nominated Pimentel’s rival for the Senate presidency: Pia Cayetano, who spoke warmly of her “distinguished colleague” Manny Villar and his “sterling performance” as Senate President. She described Villar as a statesman who was “respected as a senator, admired as a Speaker of the House of Representatives, and recognized as a titan in business.”
After the Senate voted 15-7 in favor of Villar, five senators took turns explaining their vote. Jinggoy Estrada said his vote for Villar was “a vote for continuity of what this chamber” had done against “a de facto dictatorship.” (He also implored his colleagues to “look beyond narrow divisions of administration and opposition.”) Ping Lacson, who does not seem given to making small talk with his seatmates Jamby Madrigal and Loren, spoke next: He said he voted for Pimentel out of principle and “not because of political attachment, because we have none.” Kiko Pangilinan (Villar) came next, followed by an intense Madrigal (Pimentel) who lashed out at her candidate’s rival in stinging terms: “statesmen are willing to be jailed, businessmen are not made of the same mettle.”
Then came Chiz Escudero. The new senator used his first-ever speech to assert what amounted to a new political principle: He said no one had the right to judge him.
Hence today’s column: “So young, and so disappointing.”
August 16th, 2007 at 10:00 am
emerald,
True enough its hard to find the right qualifications for being a responsible statesman.
Actually, supposedly being an opposition or in the ruling majority should not be the issue here. The actual issue is finding Good and Responsible Statesmen, the anti-thesis of a Trapo or Traditional Politician.
The old and even newer politicians have ossified view on politics such that the basic purpose of being in office should be pure SERVICE to the people, unfortunately the bad eggs in power have ways of tempting and changing the new idealistic politicos.
For example, given this threats/ temptations:
“If you do not cooperate with us, you will not receive your budget (i.e. surprisingly being done to our Justices right now), will not have any juicy committee positions, would not be introduced to COMELEC fixers, approval and paperworks on your projects will be “delayed”, will be harassed by the police and secret agents, will not get any influence at all. BUT if you agree to cooperate with our syndicate, you will have it all!”
How’s that for Mephistopheles?
So given these facts, where would we go? Who would be the ultimate anti-Trapo statesman? Maybe emerald the answer is closer than you think. The answer may be YOU and the rest of the youth who would rail against this disgusting system of compromise in the name of “Money the New god”.
You and the rest of like-minded people will just have to bind together to put up an organized front against these fallen corrupt principles. Do not expect victory over them to be achieved in years or even tens of years; what needs to be formed is a movement that would stand the test of time, never ceasing to fight what is obviously wrong even though if the fallen ones are already hailing that “Money is God, hence Ill gotten gains is good!”
Why wait for the leader? The leader is You, the responsible Filipinos, your like-minded friends, and the rest of the decent folks out there who finally says “Enough is enough!”
Perhaps we’ve been doing it all wrong, the decent leader is not Out There, but actually inside Each and Every One of Us who would not allow injustice, fraud, corruption and vice to prevail.
The question is, emerald, are you ready for the long haul?
August 16th, 2007 at 9:33 am
gapan,
Yes, this is indeed something to think and reflect deeply about.
This would partially explain why Trillanes won a seat in the Senate. Sometimes I wonder why those in power only start moving to clean up their act only when an aggressive group like Magdalo and officers like Trillanes and many others start making waves. Or maybe I’m just too optimistic and those in power are just biding their time until they cut off Trillanes completely from effectively functioning as a Senator.
It is a sad fact that instead of fixing their abusive attitudes, the Executive simply slinks in a corner when they get flak but return like a naughty child to their wayward ways when things quiet down even if they know what they’re doing is wrong.
The Senate vote for Trillanes is actually a silent shout from the Filipinos saying: “Okay, Trapos enough is enough, perhaps when we put in Trillanes SOMETHING positive would happen up there instead of the usual lounging around with your Pork Barrel and thinking of ways to extend your terms”
The administration response is stonewalling Trillanes instead, so as to prevent him from performing his Senate functions. What then would be left of the will of the people when they do this to Trillanes? Are we left with the old Congress Trapos and their old wayward ways as most of them are happy to bed with the Executive in exchange for Pork barrel money and political backscratching?
Indeed gapan, who fits the bill of being anti-Trapo. We might just have to figure this out the hard way.
August 16th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Gapan’s question who fits the bill is intriguing. Do we need an opposition? Yes, definitely we do. Because only a good and honest opposition can provide check and balance in government. One does not have to run for public office just to be in the opposition. Opposition takes a form when there is a reason to oppose something. A good and sound leadership will not be opposed for the wrong reasons. However, to aspire only for God-fearing honest and sincere people and disregard other qualities of a good leader is not enough and unrealistic. If we really want change for the better the change should start with us .. the people. We, the people, are supposed to be the masters who decide who should rule over us. It is our choice to choose the best people to lead us, but are we really choosing the best ones for the right job? Are we selective enough to make sure that a prospective leader has the educational qualification, intelligence, experience, moral integrity and leadership to be a leader? If people will only do away with their iconic idolatry of celebrities who are clueless on running a public office; if people will only ignore dynastic politicians many of whom get elected simply on the strength of political dominance and wealth and nothing else; if people will only use their heads and not be naive to believe everything politicians say or promise; and if people will only try to learn from their sad experience never to vote again those politicians that failed them, then you can imagine that the people have chosen well that only the good and reliable people will be left to govern this country.
August 15th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
I strongly agree on the train of thoughts of Kabayan regarding the True Opposition.A pricipled opposition based on jsutice ,equally and care for the nation. The question is who fits the bill? or do we still need to an opposition?My guess is, none at the moment,all the opposition members and some of current member of Ruling Party falls on the same segment of “Trapos”, wala ng pag-ibig sa bayan , wala pang katalinuhan.
August 13th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
kabayan, i very much agree with you. you have eloquently put into words what i have in mind on what i hoped for our country.
there is just one drawback though, we cannot find a leader with your description today (or we’ll have a hard time finding one and putting him/her into office with the kind of elite democracy we’re having). maybe in a later generation?
we can start doing something though (aside from just voicing our opinion in this blog which i think our younger generation won’t have time to read….of course, i’m supposing you’re already in your 50’s.. just kidding :0)maybe we have to start educating our youth today. when i say educating, not just teach them the necessary “survival facts/stuffs of life” but the essential things in life like “love for country”. they will only learn to love this country if we teach them history the proper way (not just memorize people and dates, mind you) and perhaps they will be able to view our present with more understanding eyes. this will therefore help them make the right decision in choosing their future. i’ll wait for your comment. maybe we can make a joint effort in putting up a sort of “awareness for the youth” or something. not every college graduate really cares for what’s happening around them or are knowledgeable enough to assess what’s happening. of course, i have myself as an example (which is a very fallacious conclusion, i know). it’s only recently that i have the time to care. but had i been informed during my early years, i would have chosen a different path in my life.
if your interested in my suggestion, please e mail me at emz_81@yahoo.com. perhaps, i will be more coherent then.