By Lester Cavestany, Contributor
INQUIRER.net
IT would always be the same crooks, the same money interests who would take fullest advantage of democracy or any kind of government in the Philippines, while the poor and the brave would always lose out. The batters change in the game of Philippine politics, but the baseball team remains the same and the game remains fixed.
– Ninoy Aquino[1]
As we celebrate the 22nd8th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, it would be good to look back on the wisdom of the man who inspired us to unite as a people and to defend our country against a corrupt government. We are more aware of Ninoy’s oft-quoted, “The Filipino is worth dying for,” but I chose the one above because it is more suitable to our present times.
To fight again another day
After two weeks of excitement about Jun Lozada’s testimony, the opposition has yet to come up with more witnesses and more evidence that will prove the corruption in the Arroyo administration. Even after the show of support that the public has done to encourage more people to come out and testify, no new witness or evidence has appeared.
To be honest, I am a bit confused as to how other leaders can continue to demand for President Arroyo’s resignation when we haven’t even proven anything yet. We are being led to believe that having another People Power Revolution (EDSA III) will solve the problems and issues that our country is facing today. But if we listen to what our great hero Ninoy Aquino said, I hope you will also realize that many of the problems we face today are systemic ones and they can’t be changed by having another EDSA.[2]
Systemic problems need systemic changes
Last week’s Inquirer Opinion-Talk of the Town article, “Poverty reduction: What we know and don’t know,” gives us a concrete example of a systemic problem: the lack of rural development in the Philippines.[3] Nothing much has changed since 1781 when Gov. José de Basco y Vargas introduced commercial farming in the Philippines[4]. Moreover, no authentic land reform has been implemented in our country since the feudal Spanish times. The Americans tried in 1903 when Gov. Gen Howard Taft bought the friar lands in the Philippines from Pope Leo XIII with the intention of reselling it to Filipino peasant-tenants. The good intention never materialized of course, as wealthy Filipino businessmen and politicians (whose descendants still have clout in Philippine society today) stepped in and bought the land and converted them into their private haciendas.[5] And as they say, the rest is history.*
In a country where 70 percent of the population live in rural areas and where 2/3 of the people get their livelihood from agriculture, we must make sure that we have programs that promote genuine rural development. This is just one example, but it is a major one. Other systemic problems include public education, economic development, good governance, population control, environmental sustainability, peace and order, and many others. Other bloggers have also written their issues in Janette Toral’s Important Issues on Philippines 2010.
Of course somewhere in the wish list for political reform, you will also find fighting graft and corruption. But I hope we can all see that it is a small piece of the puzzle. In my personal opinion, we cannot call for President Arroyo’s resignation unless we have court-admissible evidence against her. Just because some opposition leaders are trying to convince us that President Arroyo is corrupt doesn’t mean we all have to believe it. The opposition leaders bear the burden of evidence. I say to them, Show us proof! Stop using us as your pawns! Stop using the court of public opinion to gain the upper hand. Take your accusations to the court of law and let your evidence, if you have any, speak for itself. And speaking of evidence, what proof or track records have you got to show the public that if you replace the present administration, you will do a far better job than President Arroyo’s government in addressing our systemic problems.[6]
Happy 22nd8th People Power anniversary!
In light of the lack of evidence plus the personal and social troubles that this J-Lo fiasco has caused, I believe that it might be best to set aside our calls for a change in the government and perhaps we should concentrate more on asking for changes in the government and in our country. Unless we are presented with new witnesses or new evidence in the ongoing political raucity, we, the Filipino people, should join the rallies and demonstrations with more focus on the the public outcry for truth and social reforms. I, for one, would love to join in!
And so from here in Hanoi, I would like say “Happy 22nd8th People Power Anniversary!” to all my kababayans in the Philippines and around the world.
Mabuhay po tayong lahat! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
=== Notes:[1] The Martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino Revisited, Joker P Arroyo
[2] Systemic problems have been with us even before the presidency of Pres Arroyo; even before 1565 when Spaniards who left from Mexico led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in Cebu; and even before 1521 when Magellan claimed our archipelagic country for Spain and called it Las Islas de San Lazaro. [3] “Poverty reduction: What we know and don’t know,” By Arsenio M. Balisacan
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 16 Feb 2008
[4] In Search of Southeast Asia: A Modern History. David P. Chandler, William R. Roff, John R. W. Smail, David Joel Steinberg Robert H. Taylor, Alexander Woodside, David K. Wyatt, David Joel Steinberg. Allen & Unwin. Sydney, N.S.W. 1971 [5] The US Congress passed the Cooper, or Organic, Act of 1902, which authorized the American commission to sell Philippine government bonds to finance purchase of the friar lands in the Philippines from the Vatican — Bound to Empire: The United States and the Philippines. H. W. Brands. Oxford University Press, New York. 1992. * Atty. Ma. Gracia Rinoza Plazo has recently started an online forum to discuss agrarian reform issues. Please join the discussion and share your inputs. [6] Mom knows best! My Mama wrote a comment in my post, Sundin ang Utos ni Supremo. Also posted in www.lestercavestany.com
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March 3rd, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Allan….i like the quotes you share, they are very relevant nowadays…keep it coming!
If anyone is interested in reading about great men in politics, try The Political Genius of Abe Lincoln, by Goodwin, # 1 NY times Bestseller….good read. I wish the politicians will take time to read this, makakuha man lang sana nang kahit kaunting inspirasyon…
Re local politics, just how do you solve a problem like GMA and all the past presidents being corrupt?
remember the Older Macapagal firing Diokno bec. he deported Stonehill? there were allegations that bribery reached the presidency…Quirino, Marcos, everyone knows what he did, Cory? what about the kamag-anak inc? she created a new set of cronies(peninsulares and insulares), Ramos? centennial, amari, the notorious generals, etc., Erap, this space is not enough to enumerate his misdeeds, and now Gma and ZTE, etc.
I think some bloggers made the right observations when they wrote about how our elections are conducted, and the monstrous amount, (in billions) these politicians spend just to be elected. then, when payback time comes, these lobbyists, vested interests come collecting via projects, contracts, deals, etc.
No end in sight, unless we change the electoral system, and remove the system of political patronage..
I am sure Villar, Roxas, Ping or Loren will need to repay their supporters if they win the presidency(they won’t spend their own of course) Where will they get that money?
Do you think Noli is, in his own words, “prepared” to become president?
This is a good blog to react to….
I for one has no answer to that for the moment…
If anyone knows anything about Noli, you can enlighten us, or give us an assurance, in case GMA is ousted..
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:34 am
Miss Betty Lu ang alam kolang na napipikon pag iba ang pananaw nya ay yung mga talunan. Hindi siguro nangyayari yung mga pananaw nya kaya na hi-highblood. Kita muna ginagawa ng mga pulitiko na ito, iniinis kana, pina-iinit pa ulo mo. Ang talunan ay pikon.
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
why can’t some people accept the fact that we are entitled to our own opinion? why do they get mad at you and call you names if your ideas do not jibe w/ theirs? why do they call you a “bayaran” if your ideas are not compatible w/ what they consider as “truth”? i can’t believe that there are still bigots in this free world of ours!
akala ko noong panahon lang ni elias at crispin sa aklat ni jose rizal namumuhay ang mga bigots, hindi pala.
i wish this people i am referring to would be more fair, circumspect, and respectful.
remember what Voltaire said about the right to have own opinions?
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
To Lester Cavestany, Contributor,
It’s either “you have it right in the beginning, but you falter in the end” or “the devil cites the scripture to suit his purposes”.
What damning proof do you require? If “hello GARCI” is not enough proof for you, then no proof will suffice. Your President has lost all moral ground to lead. That is all there is to it.
Who are the other witnesses you require? EO464 gagged them all. The rest are just as evil to the bones!
You said you “…believe that it might be best to set aside our calls for a change in the government and perhaps we should concentrate more on asking for changes in the government and in our country…” What mediocrity or hypocrisy is that?
I say “the heart that feels not now is dead!”
WELL PAID might be a bit harsh I must admit. But if you were not paid for it, the more I couldn’t think well of what you did.
You have the right to express yourself I give you that. And so though I. I just couldn’t let the poison that you speak contaminate the rest of the people who want genuine justice and a chance to better their lives and themselves.
March 1st, 2008 at 2:19 pm
kayana2 sends
cbcp’s should stay behind the wall. is the separation of church and state rings a bell? if the cbcp’s (members) wants to get involve in politics, they must get off their pulpit and lead the way down to mendiola bridge. we have too many padre damaso and few crisostomo.
kayana2
lasvegasnv