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 5th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
The government is corrupt because the society that put her there is more corrupt. And a corrupt society represented by Pogito deserves a Gloria. Learn from the mistakes your kind have committed and not blame it on others who are setting things back to normalcy.
Thank you Pogito for your very emotional thoughts. the healing process is progressing as expected. But you have to remember I am your doctor. If your doctor is a “brain dead moron” and a product of “lobotomy and poverty”, what are you then? Surely, you must belong to the animal kingdom, a monkey? perhaps. Dont worry its normal for monkeys to experience the passion you said you have. thats the true example of “evolution gone haywire” The “missing link” is no longer missing, thank you Pogito for revealing yourself, Im headed for a Novel prize for this discovery. Anyway, I must admit your a smart monkey though. in-breeding definitely a factor.
March 5th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Mr. Lozada is not a hero
Mr. Jun Lozada perjured himself many times in the past. This so-called media “darling” and opposition sector generated “hero” lied even as he said that he was like a jedi and for the light. He admitted wrongdoing in admitting corrupt acts while in public office. His actions were motivated by the desire to save his soul…. as he stated. I say that all his actions were self-serving and not intended for the general welfare of the Filipino people.
The greatest lie was re-enforced when he stated that he would turn his back on the Catholic faith. This threat was made in public and was a reaction to the collective stand of the CBCP in upholding peace and the rule of law. Our Catholic bible warns us of false prophets who pretend to be for God, the precepts, morals and dogma of the church.
This man who intends to save his soul cannot hope for redemption in turning his back on the Christian Catholic Church. Every Christian is bound to obey the elders of the church especially when the choice is between peace and anarchic violence. His defiance of the CBCP speaks volumes of what he is. A man whose swollen pride and ego has blinded him to reject the faith and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The truth shall set us free…. Yet the many faces of Mr. Lozada shows one truth…. falsity. That truth is to embrace the deception of the workers of inequity and their leader the anti-Christ in rejecting outright the faith of his baptism; in embracing the way of anarchy and rejecting peace; in ignoring the rule of law and trampling on others rights; in rejecting the commandments of God and the leaders and teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.
I say peace to the Catholic members of the opposition. Do not be led astray by this false prophet who sets the example of rejecting his religion in favor of political expediency. Beware of those who lead only to bring us to the snares of the dark one. Those who investigate without proof, those who slander and those who are willing to sacrifice freedom and our people to the slavers of darkness.
Maltese Cross
nonongbl@yahoo.com
March 5th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
For everyone who cares to know, ALLAN is a RETARD who fancies himself a doctor. A product of lobotomy and a poverty that stares us in the face, brought about by a corrupt government stretching as far back from the time of Diosdado Macapagal to the self-proclaimed queen (of the damned) GMA-Pidal currently occupying Malacanang. Call it evolution gone haywire but dwell no further on Allan, a hopeless case.
I take it a duty though to remind ALLAN of he’s rightful place, a brain dead moron to show everyone what it would be like if we don’t take action against corruption the moment it rears its ugly head. The more reason to kick GMA out!
And so, to ALLAN: No need to patronize other people who are out of your league and far better equip to defend their stand and themselves. Keep yourself off from topics outside the cerebral realm.
March 5th, 2008 at 10:17 am
read christine herrera’s column in mla standard re lacson’s sting and how the govt men fell into the trap…
i think i am now inclined to believe joey(blogger) who wrote about some sectors “orchestrating” a scenario to create havoc.
now, do we really need another people power? look at the americans…they hate bush, his ratings are sadsad too like gma, but do they go out in the streets to bring him down, no, they wait for the elections to boot him out…bush has committed a lot of sins, the immoral irag war, the bumbling of the econ., the trillion $ deficits, joblessness of the people, the still unexplained connection of halleburton contract to people near him, and so on….but the americans are patient, because they know the problems won’t go away w/ just the removal of bush.
you will tell me gma is corrupt while bush is not….but what is more damning than making a mess of the economy, and from w/c americans are now suffering?
just imagine, the arabs and the chinese have come to save the american banks from bankruptcy due to the recent losses. but still, they are not out into the streets…perhaps, its our culture, we are an emotional lot, while the amer. are a rational and practical people. don’t you think?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Yah,.. change, change , change..you want everything around you to change for our your convenience..but have you ever thougth that its you who needs to change!
Lester, I apologise for Pogito’s behaviour, he missed his medication again. Dont worry, on his next visit to the clinic we will install a “time taser” to remind him of his medication.