May 2009 Archives

By Harvey S. Keh THE merger of the two major administration political parties, Lakas and KAMPI will definitely alter the political landscape in favor of whoever will become the administration standard bearer in the 2010 Elections. Although many political analysts continue to believe that a President Gloria Arroyo endorsement will be a kiss of death, an endorsement will also give the candidate a wide grassroots network of more than 1,000 local government leaders for the 2010 elections. Many people forget that when it comes to the national polls, it is not often the most popular who wins but rather the one which has the strongest political machinery on the ground. The candidacy of the late Fernando Poe, Jr. in the 2004 Presidential elections can easily attest to that. Although FPJ drew huge crowds wherever he went, he was still unable to translate these into votes that would be counted in his favor. This ground troops are needed not only to campaign and convince people to vote for the candidate but more importantly to ensure that the candidate’s votes are protected from the cheating machinery that usually happens in our elections. Thus, it is not surprising that while we continue to have a very unpopular President, many continue to court her support for the 2010 elections including MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. This merger will leave the opposition groups with no choice but to also find a way to merge together lest they find themselves in the same situation as the 2004 elections wherein the opposition vote was spread out between FPJ, Senator Ping Lacson and the late Senator Raul Roco. Currently, the Presidentialables that are not inclined to seek the administration’s blessings include former President Joseph Estrada, Senators Manny Villar, Mar Roxas, Loren Legarda, Ping Lacson, Francis Escudero, Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio, Makati City Mayor Jojo Binay and Jesus Is Lord Leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva. More important, the challenge for the opposition is to find a candidate that will espouse good governance and ethical leadership since these are values that seem to be lacking right now with many of our current national leaders. The opposition cannot just field any candidate based on his or her popularity because if the people see that there is not much difference between the administration and opposition candidates then the so-called kiss of death of President Arroyo may not be felt by the administration candidate. There is no doubt millions of Filipinos are longing for change and a better leader for our country in 2010 but this will only happen if our current opposition and reform leaders are able to set aside their own personal ambitions towards working together for a common reform Presidential candidate that can give Lakas-KAMPI a run for its money. For all the sins that this current administration has committed, all of us can rest assured that it will pull all the stops (both legal and illegal) just to be able to ensure that its candidate will win in 2010. Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG). Comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail.com

Joy Konstantine G. Agustin I BELIEVE former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada said it correctly that he and Kabayan Vice President Noli De Castro would be the toughest rivals in the 2010 elections. That is, of course, supposing the law acknowledges the legality of his being able to run again for the presidency. Coming from a similar background, with both having the much needed appeal of the masses, the two men are assured of getting a big chunk of support (converted into votes) from the poor, who, as what Erap claims, comprise of about 80 percent of the Filipino voters. Erap, though convicted with plunder but was swiftly granted pardon by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, continues to charm the masses during his provincial sorties. It is as if the Filipino has already forgotten that at one point in history, this man has been tried and convicted of stealing money from the people. And while the so-called opposition leaders, Villar, Roxas, Lacson, et al, continue to do their separate tactics to rank in the surveys, Erap's popularity easily moves his name on top of the list. Noli, on the other hand, has not dealt to stand on any major issue, nor contradict the unpopular Arroyo, making him still the Administration's best (and only) choice as the standard-bearer. His "clean image", plus the administration's machinery and power, makes Kabayan Noli a man to beat in the coming election. If the current situations will continue, we might see a race among Erap, Noli, Villar and Roxas, plus possibly the other hopefuls Villanueva and Panlilio. Logic will cast Villanueva and Panlilio out of contention (unless of course, God Himself performs a miracle and puts any of the two as the ruler). Villar and Roxas, I suppose, are a no-match in terms of masa appeal versus our two main proponents. So that leaves us to only two individuals fighting for the top post. Will it be the returning Erap, or the popular Noli? In either way, I believe it's about time we start praying that we will also be able to vote and choose for a very good Vice President. Oftentimes, the people focus their mind on the presidential hopefuls, disregarding the fact that we also need a very good Vice President in place. A VP position may have been, in the past, easily overshadowed by the President, but unknown to many, the VP post is an equally important position in the land. After all, if only we chose the best VP in 1998, history must have taken us into a different course after EDSA Dos . Now, more than ever, let us pray that we will choose a credible and righteous Vice. Joy Konstantine G. Agustin is employed as a Senior Accountant at TNS Philippines. He blogs at http://siyetehan.blogspot.com.

By Harvey S. Keh FOR the past few months, I have seen and listened to different infomercials from our political leaders who are now posturing as possible Presidentiables in the upcoming 2010 National Elections. In one infomercial we see a Senator showcasing his concern for the plight of Overseas Filipino Workers and at the same time brandishing the fact that like majority of Filipinos today, he came from very humble beginnings. Unfortunately, this same Senator is now the subject of corruption charges filed by his fellow senators on his alleged involvement in the C-5 double insertion road scam. I In another infomercial we see another Senator riding a "padyak," then asking two children from a depressed community on what their dreams are. After the two children answer him, he suddenly asks the boy who is driving the "padyak" to stop. Then in the next scene, it is now the Senator who is driving the "padyak," showing everyone that he is one with the poor in their fight against poverty. Given the sad reality that majority of our population still live on less than P100 a day, it is no longer surprising that our current crop of Presidentiables are all trying their best to show that they are the so-called "champions of the poor." Yet, I’ve always believed that actions speak louder than words. This coming two weeks, their so called Pro-Poor stance will be put to a test as the deadline for the Extension and Reform of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform (CARPER) law is fast approaching. If we will recall, this landmark piece of legislation that will provide millions of our hard working farmers an opportunity to finally own their piece of land elapsed last year. Our Congressmen and Senators extended it until June this year but since then they haven’t passed a law that would guarantee its existence beyond June 30. The House of Representatives will adjourn its session on June 5 and if by that time they fail to pass CARPER, then all efforts for a genuine land reform program will be put to a halt. Given that millions of Filipino families subsist on farming and continue to live in poverty due to the high rental expense that they pay their landlords, a genuine land reform program will go a long way towards uplifting their lives. Thus, I believe that the real challenge for our Presidentiables, some of whom come from landed families, is being able to go beyond lip service and lead the initiative to ensure that CARPER is passed before June 5. It is always easy to say that you pro-poor and that you understand their plight. But it is harder to stick up for your convictions when your own personal interest and that of your supporters are at stake. Many civil society groups including Kaya Natin’s local government leaders and the Catholic Church have already expressed their support for CARPER. My unsolicited advice to the Presidentiables? If you truly are for the poor then now is the time to show it, support and actively campaign for CARPER. The Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) is currently working with the Award-winning Director, Ditsi Carolino for a red carpet screening of her documentary entitled, Lupang Hinarang on May 28, 2009 at the Ateneo de Manila University. This by-invitation only event aims to gather different leaders from government, civil society, business, academe, media, youth and the Church in support for the passage of CARPER. For more information on this, please contact Cristyl Senajon at (02)426-5657. Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG). Comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail.com .

By Harvey S. Keh* FOR the past months, there have been many launching of different movements which are all working towards the 2010 National Elections. Last year, the Ateneo School of Government together with Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio, Isabela Governor Grace Padaca and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo launched Kaya Natin! which aims to promote good governance and ethical leadership to different institutions all over the country. Then we heard about the launching of the Movement for Good Governance (MGG) which has served as an umbrella organization of different civil society organizations that are all working towards electing the right set of leaders for our country. The MGG is also working with another umbrella organization of youth groups, Youth Vote Philippines, to ensure that many young Filipinos will be able to register and vote for the upcoming elections. Last week, we saw the rise of two new groups, one group is still nameless although they are spearheaded by credible leaders such as Senator Francis Pangilinan, Akbayan Representative Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel and well-known author Atty. Alex Lacson. This group plans to go school hopping all over the country in the hopes of encouraging young people to register. The other group is called Change Politics wherein they expect to gather different Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Peoples’ Organizations and other like-minded institutions to commit to a selection process that would come out with a common reform candidate for President as well as other elective positions. Change Politics is also led by known civil society leaders such as former DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman and PAKISAMA Executive Director, Soc Banzuela. The good thing about all of these efforts is that these are all starting more than a year before the elections. These civil society groups have realized that by preparing early they will be able to have enough time to ensure that they will be able to make a dent in the upcoming polls. Many of the leaders of these groups felt betrayed by this present administration given that it was through their collective efforts which led towards the ouster of then President Joseph Estrada in 2001 and the ascension into the Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the EDSA 2 People Power Revolution. I have talked with many political analysts who have told me that the sad reality is that many of these civil society groups are well-intentioned and offer good alternatives to the country however, they are often divided during the elections thus, unable to make a candidate in the national scene to win. One of the political analysts said civil society does not know how politics in the country work thus they are unable to help the candidates they support. The recent victory of US President Barack Obama has often been attributed to his use of Internet technology. But not many people realize that as strong as his virtual campaign was his ground campaign which he honed during his early days as a community organizer. Imagine if all the experienced community organizers from different NGOs in the Philippines will work hard to campaign for a common candidate, then the chances of this candidate will be greatly enhanced. In the local level, we have already seen the power of a united civil society in the recent electoral victories of Padaca and Panlilio. Could this be replicated on the national level or would the civil society again be divided and end up losing a critical election in 2010? I am one in hoping that this coming 2010, all these various efforts towards electing better leaders for our country will eventually bear fruit. This can only happen if all of us that aspire for a better Philippines will learn to set aside our own personal agendas, differences and ambitions so that we can all unite into a cohesive force that will shape our country’s history. If this truly happens then this coming 2010, let us all watch out for civil society’s revenge. Harvey S. Keh is the Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo School of Government and the Lead Convenor of Kaya Natin! Comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail.com.

By Harvey S. Keh* WHEN the Ateneo School of Government initially convened the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership last July 2008, we began with the belief that despite all the bad stories we hear about poor governance and rampant corruption in our government, there are still many government leaders who are doing good and genuinely serving the country. Kaya Natin! was started by three outstanding local government leaders, two of which are Ramon Magsaysay Awardees (known as Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize) then two more local government leaders (Mayor Sonia Lorenzo and Gov. Teddy Baguilat, Jr.) joined the movement and more recently, seven new Kaya Natin! leaders were formally inducted into the movement. By the end of the year, the movement aims to have at least 100 government leaders in its fold. Kaya Natin! selects its new set of champions based on the criteria of Effective, Empowering and Ethical Leadership. A leadership scorecard using these three main criteria is used to gauge whether a past or present government leader can be eligible to be part of this movement. What sets the movement apart from other similar good governance groups is that we also serve as a leadership sanctuary to government leaders who want to do what is right in their respective areas. The sad reality of our current government is that it is often those who do good that are marginalized and mistreated while those who choose to be corrupt are often the ones which are rewarded. Aside from being a sanctuary and an advocate of good governance, the movement also aims to become a learning circle where the likes of Mayor Jesse Robredo can share with his peers how he was able to transform Naga City from being a third class municipality into a first class city which is now the center of commerce in the Bicol Region. Kaya Natin! Champions can also learn from Gov. Ed Panlilio and Gov. Grace Padaca on how they were able to win against well-funded political dynasties in their respective areas despite having meager financial resources. Kaya Natin! champions recently signed a covenant of good governance wherein they all pledged to work towards the eradication of illegal gambling and illegal logging in their areas. They also agreed to work towards pushing for greater transparency and social accountability in their local government units. Aside from these, the movement also objects to any form of Charter Change before the 2010 elections while supportingpro-poor advocacies such as the extension and reform of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARPER). With the 2010 elections just a year away, the movement also called for genuine electoral reforms to ensure clean and honest elections. Since the movement began almost a year ago, it has already visited more than 60 colleges, universities, institutions and organizations all over the Philippines to share their inspiring stories on good governance. One of the main problems that our country faces today is that many Filipinos have become very cynical about our government leaders thus, the Kaya Natin! movement aims to show the Filipino people that we still have many leaders who are committed and are trying their best to deliver effective and efficient basic services to their constituents. By doing this, the movement aims to encourage more Filipinos to actively take part in electing and supporting better leaders for the country starting with their own municipality or city. Hopefully, when people ask if it is still possible to elect effective and ethical leaders in the Philippines, every Filipino can say with conviction, Yes! Kaya Natin! The new Kaya Natin! Champions and Leaders who were formally inducted last April 24,2009 are Mayor Fermin Mabulo of San Fernando, Camarines Sur, Mayor Roque Verzosa, Jr. of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, Mayor Florante Gerdan of Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, Mayor Marivic Belena of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, Vice-Mayor Valente Yap of Bindoy, Negros Oriental, former Mayor Mary Jane Ortega of San Fernando City, La Union and former Mayor Baby Congco of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. We invite every Filipino to be inspired by the stories of the new Kaya Natin! Leaders on May 18,2009 (Monday), 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Miriam College, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City. This event is free of charge but is limited to 100 slots only. For reservations to this Kaya Natin! Caravan of Good Governance, you can contact Ginny Villareal at (02)4265657 or you can send an email to kayanatin@yahoo.com . Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo De Manila University-School of Government (ASOG).

By Joy Konstantine G. Agustin THE past two or three years marked an emergence of teleseryes in Philippine television featuring various superheroes. Until today, Richard Guttierez's rendition of Zorro, and the remake of Darna starring Marian Rivera continue to create a big buzz in the television industry. While the format seems to be almost the same for all, people continue to watch with delight at how our superheroes fight the bad guys of the community. Thus giant networks GMA and ABS-CBN continue to produce such kinds of teleseryes in order to hit the watching populace. And what does this imply? Does this mean to show that we have so many bad guys roaming around the community, and that the only hope we have are heroes that could save us anytime and any place? We watch in awe at why and how the country still continue to struggle and fight for progress. We watch with sadness at how our political leaders don’t seem to perform their duties in our country. We watch clueless as to what the future brings upon us. And we wait and we wait and still wait and hope to have the right leader who can usher our nation to becoming great once again-but still to no avail. With the 2010 election almost at hand, we raise the question: Do we really need to choose a hero to become the next president?

Perhaps the call of the times is not so much that we wait for the hero to come along. Perhaps modern-day heroism is about each one of us doing our own bit, being our own heroes. -Eirene Aguila, Kaya Natin

Joy Konstantine G. Agustin is employed as a Senior Accountant at TNS Philippines. He blogs at http://siyetehan.blogspot.com.