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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February 26th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
People Power is not a HABIT !
February 26th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I am for PEACE!!!
The truth is the opposition ar the so called “evil” and its not the hardworking President the Philippines could ever have. She has lots of achievements especially in our economy check this site http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2794.htm
Yah , I agree there a lot of politicians who are practicing crab mentality for they are overly hungry for power. They will do everything just to impeach PGMA.
Excuse me ni isa sa inyo mga taga oposisyon ay walang karapatan maging presidente ng Pilipinas puro kayo mga destabilizers at makasarili ……well daig pa ang pacquiao vs morales ang giyera ng mga taga oposisyon para mag agawan para maging presidente..hahahahaha……KAHIYA naman!!!Wala kayong “K”
At sa mga Religious diyan pwera lang yong naintindihan ang mga tungkulin nila sa panginoon I salute you! Sa mga nagpapaka showbiz na akala mo mga malinis magkulong kaya kayo sa Simbahan at nga mahimasmasan kayo. Mga attention seeker at KSP.
PEACE…PEACE…PEACE…..
February 26th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Also in the news ‘Chinese don’t understand NBN row…’ If the chinese had already doled out ‘Cash Gifts’, well, it served them right!
Suwerte ng nakatanggap and bad gambling by the Chinese. Good for the interest of the Nation too. at least we educated them how to deal business with Filipinos… Parang amoy PIA-AMARI aborted deal din, haha
February 26th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
NOT AGAIN!!
ano na naman ito?? i can’t hide the fact that i am really sick and tired on the way our politicians lash on each other, will this kind of attitude ever going to end?? honestly come on!!? two EDSA revolutions and then what?? i was only in grade school during the first and i was an unemployed newly college graduate during the second, and then now here i am working in a foriegn land trying to make a mark in life and to help my family back home. what im trying to say is that as one of the millions of Filipinos working abroad and contributing to turn the wheels of our economy i think i have the right to say… “GET THE HELL OUT OF THE STREETS AND FOCUS ON WHATS MATTERS MOST FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! nothing really came out good after the 2 EDSA revolutions, our country still lags behind other 3rd world countries, poverty is still present, inflation is still on the rise, peace and order is still a problem, corruption is still in the system… need i go on?? we are aware that the list continues and these over due problems will never end until there is a solid solution to these headaches, and its is unmistakeable and undeniable that the solution is not on the streets.
why dont we just open our eyes and look at the big picture here for once!! ok lets say the opposition will succeed to oust the President? and then what? who will lead us? i mean its back to square one di ba? come on seriously enough of these bull of crap s**t!! nakakasawa na talaga at nakakasuka na! lets leave it to the right due process and uphold the constitution to handle this.
all of these are just an awful waste of time and energy kasi wala din naman nangyayaring pagbabago, gnun pa rin! so please, kung lahat kayo ay tunay na makabayan sana magkaron ng kabuluhan ang salitang “pagkakaisa” para sa kapakanan ng ating bayan bago pa mahuli ang lahat! ^v^
February 26th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I don’t know much about whats going on with our country right now…..I’m a Filipino/American….I went to school there in the philippines during 1/3 of highschool and 5 years of college so i lived the days of erap…..all i can say is STOP……………….stop the blaiming…..no matter who the pressident is…..their gonna get trashed by people who crave power……stop it….people should unite…..people should start thinking about what is best for the country…….all you guys do is crabmentality….if you notice this happens to everyone…..you pull each other down when someone is doing a good job…….work together people…..you leaders are suppose to be role models for our children….but what they see on tv is not setting a good example for the future leaders of our country….just stop it already….