OUR COUNTRY'S POLITICAL CHRONICLES ARE FILLED WITH DELUSION AND FRUSTRATION THAT WE TEND TO FAIL TO FULLY APPRECIATE A GENUINE VISION WHEN IT COMES ALONG.
We tend to disregard the real deal and consider it as just another one of them, a political wolf in sheep's clothing. Can we really blame ourselves? Probably not…
Decades of mistrust have resulted in the callousness of some and blindness of others. The indifferent has turned into a skeptic bystander, satisfied in simply watching the world go by. The blind, on the other hand, has turned to worship false prophets or even those who go as far as claiming themselves to be the messiah.
However, this time is different from any other era in our history. We are truly in a critical juncture.
Our country has been in a whirlwind ride for almost a quarter of a century since the dictatorship fell. We experienced darkness in the early 90s followed by a build up in our growth momentum in the mid 90s. We saw Asian markets tumble in the late 90s and we suffered a huge drop in investor confidence as we entered the new millennium. We looked at what most thought to be an inevitable national financial meltdown in early 2000s and barely escaped it through the sacrifices we have institutionalized. We had three impeachment complaints and several failed coup attempts in mid 2000s and yet we were able to squeeze out the highest GDP growth rate in the region in 2007. We have been widely considered as a Newly Industrialized Country and yet our people experience extreme hunger. We have pockets of modern urban landscapes but have a largely impoverished rural country side. If there is only one thing we can make out of all these, let it be that we are a nation in dire need of stability because unnecessary political noise weighs down on the upward force provided by a developing economy.
After a quarter of a century of mixed celebrations and mourning, we find ourselves again in a cross road, where we have to decide which of the several paths we will take. We cannot blindly walk towards just any path. We must not just follow a mere gut feel. We certainly cannot just tag along or simply swim with the current. Our move must be based on a carefully analyzed and reviewed decision because we can no longer prolong this tumultuous cycle. Doing so, would expunge whatever accomplishments we have achieved in the last 24 years and hurl us in an endless pit of degradation and stagnation. Now, more than ever, we need a captain to chart our course towards modernization and prosperity.
And hence, we must review the capabilities of each and every candidate aspiring to be President. And so, I humbly ask of you to take a good hard look at Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro.
His is a realistic vision:
He does not promise the heavens and the stars nor does he say he can move mountains and turn water into wine. He does not claim to be the political messiah because after all, do we really need one? And to whom do we really need salvation from? His vision is to simply be the lead instrument, among many, which would work towards genuine and sustainable economic development of the country.
If you think about it, when was the last time a candidate restrained himself from assuring the public that he will eradicate corruption and poverty? When was the last time a candidate refused to claim that his election would virtually mean an end to all our problems? I have never heard such a political animal exists in the Philippines prior to Gibo.
His is a positive vision:
While other candidates turn to insults to get the public’s attention, he focuses on his detailed platform of governance.
In our pseudo-democracy, it is a time-tested and proven technique that negativity can win one a seat in the government. As such, most candidates continue to use this tool despite the fact that it leaves the country more divided, more blood thirsty, and its citizens, more unwilling to cooperate with one another.
Gibo’s campaign, on the contrary, focuses on his positive vision. A vision founded on him being a statesman of the highest caliber. One who thrives on criticisms. One who is willing to sit down with his opponents. This characteristic of him leaves no doubt in my mind that his administration would be genuinely inclusive and approachable without undermining command responsibility and accountability.
In fact, Gibo has stated that the first thing he would do if elected president is to reach out to all his political opponents in an effort to unite the country and move it forward. At long last, we have a leader who sees and understands the urgent need to unite our deeply fragmented country. This goes to show that Gibo fully appreciates the fact that it is only in a stable society that genuine development can be reached.
His is the comprehensive vision:
His vision is a solid and detailed roadmap towards growth. He focuses in equipping our students with the skills needed to meet the demands of the global economy. The young population must be given incentives to veer towards what is in demand in order not to over-supply one or several sectors in the job market and hence causing salary prices to drop and leaving many unemployed.
He intends to continue the massive infrastructure projects of our country. A sudden halt to the pipeline of infrastructure projects would surely make potential investors look towards our more stable neighbors. It is not rocket science that Foreign Direct Investment is a key factor in solving the poverty problem. The spill over effect of FDIs would create a virtuous cycle which would grow bigger to effectively and positively impact the poor.
He knows that in our quest for sustainable growth, a leader must not simply have a dream. Rather, he must have a complete set of skills built upon his experience and competence to put his comprehensive plan into action and actually propel this country towards full economic development.
His is the genuine reformist vision:
He has declared his advocacies no matter how unpopular they may be. He has long announced his intention to push for charter change in order to introduce reforms in its economic restrictions. While most candidates use euphemisms in addressing the issue of taxation, Gibo never shirked from putting forward his thoughts on this sensitive and unpopular matter. And while others are neither here nor there on most issues, Gibo has provided his solid stand on all matters.
He knows that genuine reform can only be achieved through the leadership of men who do not fear flying against strong popular political winds.
While others choose to take the safest route to win an election, which is to say what everybody is thinking in the loudest voice, Gibo prefers to say what we need to hear and what we need to know.
It is up to us to listen. It is up to us to believe.
What you get from Gibo is real straight talk with clarity and conviction from a real man and not simply randomly selected populist political jargon any loud-mouth guy with a microphone can declare.
It is not very often that we have a chance to elect a leader who knows, understands, and prioritizes what we need now. It is actually very rare for us to have a leader who appreciates reality and who intends to build solutions by working with it, not by ignoring it and most certainly not by going against it. This is of prime importance because only those who see reality as clearly as possible have the ability to actually redress its wrongs and reform its ills.
This election is about our future and our future will not be secured by locking ourselves up within the sins of our past. Our future cannot be built by a leader who fails to fully grasp the reality of what we need now. Our future will certainly not be bright if we elect a leader who, intentionally or not, sows and promotes a culture of hate and vengeance.
On the contrary, what we need is a leader who intends to extend the hand of reconciliation. What we need is a leader who promotes stability as the foundation of genuine progress. What we need now is a real leader who can break down barriers, who can inspire, who can unite.
He is Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, Jr.: a young, vibrant, firm, inclusive, real leader of men.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
What We Need Now: Modern Voters & Modern Leaders
A basic pre-requisite for a successful pursuit of economic development in any society is the rise of a modern leader. No matter what political system is in place and whatever the social environment, a modern leader's ascend to power brings upon much needed reformist policies, which would enable any society to move forward.
However, in a pseudo democratic system, which we have, it is quite harder to give rise to modern leaders. Like any working democracy, we choose our leaders through a popular vote done during elections but unlike working democratic systems, ours is flawed in more ways than one.
Our pseudo democratic system operates under an environment wherein voters are ill-informed and where political maturity is only nascent or in some areas, actually non-existent. To further worsen the problem, we have a no-party system where voters cannot differentiate one candidate from another except in terms of looks, dance moves, and celebrity endorsers. We have martial law/Cory babies who cannot get over the glory of EDSA 1, not to disparage the memories of our brave countrymen who defied tyranny in the face of death but it is an undemanding dictate of sheer common sense that we cannot topple or try to topple each and every succeeding administration. By doing so, we preclude our society from attaining stability and maintain it, in what seems to be, a perpetually precarious state. We have deeply entrenched populist traditional politicians, whose only goal in office is personal gain. And to top it all, we have separatists and communists, supporting and funding their respective armed movements, within our supposedly democratic government.
Given this convoluted democratic space, where merit, a solid platform, and capability to lead do not directly translate to a landslide election victory, most modern leaders are left marginalized, leaving our society in the hands of traditional politicians. These traditional politicians, whose strongest credential is the blessing of being born into a political family, thrive in this pseudo democratic environment because we, voters, allow them to. And this is why we have been left behind by our Asian neighbors.
With so many candidates reciting the exact same laundry list of campaign promises, many of us have found it difficult to choose the fresh from the rotten. However, it is quite simple to distinguish their differences if one tries to carefully discern and not allow the TV blitz and emotional appeal to distort one’s cerebral faculty to see through a veneer of slick talk and make correct rational decisions.
One must not misconstrue youth, new faces, and new names as straight away stalwarts of modern leadership. On the contrary, we have quite a lot of young backward thinking officials in this country.
A modern leader is a disciplinarian yet he is flexible, one who promotes an inclusive government but at the same time, he stands his ground and asserts his overall role as the sole and final decision maker. He does not shirk from accepting responsibility and accountability. He does not partake nor tolerate activities which are disguised as noble and righteous but are, in reality, plain and simple politicking aimed to benefit a select few.
He understands that to graduate from a pseudo democracy to a working/consolidated democratic system, our society must succeed in growing a sizable middle class and in developing a strong party system. Hence, the modern leader aims to institutionalize policies to strengthen both.
He is forward-looking. He accepts the lessons learned from the past but he will not permit its horrors and hatred to continue to traumatize and further divide an already deeply fragmented nation.
He understands that only through correct, mostly unpopular, reformist policies can we modernize and truly achieve growth that can have significant positive effects to those in the lowest levels of the social stratum. He knows that sustainable economic growth is not achieved thru a rehash of universal vows and campaign slogans played over and over again but through specific and realistic policies aimed towards industrialization. These policies cover mainly the areas of peace and order, education, and infrastructure investments.
His policies are founded in his recognition of the fact that foreign direct investments and export oriented production/industrialization, reinforced by domestic demand stimulation are the tri-engines of economic growth, which will eventually, if not inevitably, empower the poor. He is aware of the correlation of stability and growth and believes that only a politically stable society can usher an era of unprecedented and sustainable economic growth, which for the Philippines should be an over 7% GDP growth per annum and a GDP per capita of at least $4,000.
He breaks down barriers, he inspires, and he unites.
He makes solutions, not enemies.
Modern leaders, however, have largely remained on the sidelines and not in the positions of power because they depend on modern voters to elect them. Sadly, modern voters in our country, like modern leaders, are few and far in between and this can be confirmed by the results of recent pre-elections polls.
One needs to be neither affluent nor intellectual to be a modern voter. In fact, one only needs to put into use his common sense and open his mind to clearly see and understand what we need now.
Rather than voting based on unsubstantiated rhetoric, modern voters will choose real, honest, solid, and detailed platform of governance. Rather than voting based on winnability, modern voters will choose competence and positive leadership. Rather than voting to relive the torture of our painful past, modern voters will choose to take flight to the future, to modernity, and the benefits we stand to gain.
Now, more than ever, our country needs more modern voters to elect modern leaders.
However, in a pseudo democratic system, which we have, it is quite harder to give rise to modern leaders. Like any working democracy, we choose our leaders through a popular vote done during elections but unlike working democratic systems, ours is flawed in more ways than one.
Our pseudo democratic system operates under an environment wherein voters are ill-informed and where political maturity is only nascent or in some areas, actually non-existent. To further worsen the problem, we have a no-party system where voters cannot differentiate one candidate from another except in terms of looks, dance moves, and celebrity endorsers. We have martial law/Cory babies who cannot get over the glory of EDSA 1, not to disparage the memories of our brave countrymen who defied tyranny in the face of death but it is an undemanding dictate of sheer common sense that we cannot topple or try to topple each and every succeeding administration. By doing so, we preclude our society from attaining stability and maintain it, in what seems to be, a perpetually precarious state. We have deeply entrenched populist traditional politicians, whose only goal in office is personal gain. And to top it all, we have separatists and communists, supporting and funding their respective armed movements, within our supposedly democratic government.
Given this convoluted democratic space, where merit, a solid platform, and capability to lead do not directly translate to a landslide election victory, most modern leaders are left marginalized, leaving our society in the hands of traditional politicians. These traditional politicians, whose strongest credential is the blessing of being born into a political family, thrive in this pseudo democratic environment because we, voters, allow them to. And this is why we have been left behind by our Asian neighbors.
With so many candidates reciting the exact same laundry list of campaign promises, many of us have found it difficult to choose the fresh from the rotten. However, it is quite simple to distinguish their differences if one tries to carefully discern and not allow the TV blitz and emotional appeal to distort one’s cerebral faculty to see through a veneer of slick talk and make correct rational decisions.
One must not misconstrue youth, new faces, and new names as straight away stalwarts of modern leadership. On the contrary, we have quite a lot of young backward thinking officials in this country.
A modern leader is a disciplinarian yet he is flexible, one who promotes an inclusive government but at the same time, he stands his ground and asserts his overall role as the sole and final decision maker. He does not shirk from accepting responsibility and accountability. He does not partake nor tolerate activities which are disguised as noble and righteous but are, in reality, plain and simple politicking aimed to benefit a select few.
He understands that to graduate from a pseudo democracy to a working/consolidated democratic system, our society must succeed in growing a sizable middle class and in developing a strong party system. Hence, the modern leader aims to institutionalize policies to strengthen both.
He is forward-looking. He accepts the lessons learned from the past but he will not permit its horrors and hatred to continue to traumatize and further divide an already deeply fragmented nation.
He understands that only through correct, mostly unpopular, reformist policies can we modernize and truly achieve growth that can have significant positive effects to those in the lowest levels of the social stratum. He knows that sustainable economic growth is not achieved thru a rehash of universal vows and campaign slogans played over and over again but through specific and realistic policies aimed towards industrialization. These policies cover mainly the areas of peace and order, education, and infrastructure investments.
His policies are founded in his recognition of the fact that foreign direct investments and export oriented production/industrialization, reinforced by domestic demand stimulation are the tri-engines of economic growth, which will eventually, if not inevitably, empower the poor. He is aware of the correlation of stability and growth and believes that only a politically stable society can usher an era of unprecedented and sustainable economic growth, which for the Philippines should be an over 7% GDP growth per annum and a GDP per capita of at least $4,000.
He breaks down barriers, he inspires, and he unites.
He makes solutions, not enemies.
Modern leaders, however, have largely remained on the sidelines and not in the positions of power because they depend on modern voters to elect them. Sadly, modern voters in our country, like modern leaders, are few and far in between and this can be confirmed by the results of recent pre-elections polls.
One needs to be neither affluent nor intellectual to be a modern voter. In fact, one only needs to put into use his common sense and open his mind to clearly see and understand what we need now.
Rather than voting based on unsubstantiated rhetoric, modern voters will choose real, honest, solid, and detailed platform of governance. Rather than voting based on winnability, modern voters will choose competence and positive leadership. Rather than voting to relive the torture of our painful past, modern voters will choose to take flight to the future, to modernity, and the benefits we stand to gain.
Now, more than ever, our country needs more modern voters to elect modern leaders.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Get Real!
Welcome to the real world - a line thrown around far too many times particularly during college graduation ceremonies. In these hyped up and glamorous rituals, filled with moving speeches and glitters of silver and gold, young adults bid goodbye to the warm embrace of college life. Not that my college life was trouble-free, it was actually far from that. I, in fact, used to question this notion of the real world outside the University. Because, as far as I was concerned back then, the headaches, stress, and heart palpitations I suffered due to the never ending exams, midterm papers, final essays, graded recitations, report presentations and the tons and tons of reading assignments, were all too real to be considered fake. But a few years inside the “real world” made me understand the difference. The nuances between campus life and working life became very apparent as its fine distinctions turned solid and more pronounced.
When we were in college, all we had to do was study as hard as we can, get good grades, and we could already take comfort that we were on the right track. After graduation, we get employed, and then we ask ourselves, is this a job worth keeping? We ask again, will this work give me the financial security that I had when I was living under the comfort of my parents’ weekly allowance? We ask deeper, do we have a clear career path ahead? And after that, we ask again and then we answer. Yet no amount of thinking and no length of time wasted on pondering would deliver an answer that would satisfy us and make our minds stop. That is when we suddenly feel the pressures of life and the hardships of real decision making.
And that is why I have come to the conclusion, that you are not yet an adult until you earn your own money and pay for, at least, your gas, your power & water, your cable TV, and your wireless internet connection. As such, with all the real life burden on your shoulder, your perspectives change. Then we come to understand the meaning of that line-- Welcome to the Real World.
I think all of us 20-somethings would agree that the dreams we have as children have been resized, reassessed, while some have completely faded away. When we were kids, we wanted to become astronauts, to explore the heavens and the stars and discover a galaxy far, far away. We dreamt of being revolutionary soldiers to defeat the enemies of light and fight for freedom to liberate people from the bondage of slavery and poverty. Some of us wanted to become priests in order to save souls and spread the good news of the Lord.
During my junior year in the university, I became part of a group who sat down in a coffee shop to discuss and debate about the ills of the Philippine society. The discussion slowly became focused on our dream to start a political party. We analyzed it to its smallest detail. We discussed its guiding principles and its ideology. We argued about its strategies and goals, its mission and vision, and the message that would differentiate it from all the other political parties, or at least from those who claim to be one, in this country. We even conversed about how we can purge the society of all its negative forces and create a new order where democracy shall be considered consolidated and where economic development shall be shared by all. We discussed all possible issues in developing The Philippines and how we were all going to be in the forefront of this movement.
A week ago, while I was having a cup of coffee with a friend, we found ourselves discussing and debating about opening up a taxi business. We analyzed it to its smallest detail. We discussed how car maintenance would be the biggest problem. We argued about what kind of automobile would be best suited to be used as a taxi. We even conversed about the franchise fees, the return of investment, and how to pick a good driver from a long list of applicants. We discussed all possible issues in starting a taxi business and how we can earn money from this venture.
We still talk about politics and society, with the same intensity and passion. We still debate as if we were in Batasan Pambansa. We are still very much aware of current events and issues. But today, we have more to think about than just politics. We think about our careers and our lives, ten, fifteen, twenty years down the road. We analyze how every action we take can affect the realization of our short, mid, and long term goals.
So, what do we make out of this? Are we nothing but victims of the physical and material world? Have we lost our dreams and become too apathetic to even care? Have we become too selfish and too self centered? Have we lost all sense of citizenship that we should hide our heads in the sand, in shame, for the persons that we have become?
I think not. I think this is simply the natural tendency of the mind to veer away from childhood fantasies and concentrate all energy and effort towards developing one’s self, clearly understanding that to be able to help others one must first and foremost help himself. I think this is simply our minds telling us to grow up and get real.
I have nothing against dreams and dreaming big. But dreams are just ideas floating without form and substance. It is up to us to nurture these dreams until they are actually realized, because dreams, precisely, exist to be achieved. However, one must always bear in mind that the achievement of these dreams is a function of one’s ability to see reality, as clearly as possible. One must not only know where he wants to go, but where he is currently located, what type of path he is supposed to take, what kind of steps he must make and the possible consequences of each and every move he makes. One must understand all possible factors, one must see through all possible angles, and to actually achieve something, one must be open to fine-tune and adjust his goals and dreams.
It is true that we cannot be afraid of reality, but we also cannot ignore the obstacles it places in our paths and our inability as humans, even for a brief moment, to overcome them.
Without the clearness and openness of mind, one will be stuck in perpetuity in a futile quest no different from trying to place the seven seas on the palm of his hand.
I still remember the day, more than a decade ago, when I told a Salesian priest that I will leave a mark in this world. I will leave a name when I die. Until today, I still dream of leaving a name, but it no longer involves exploring the heavens.
If I ever achieve anything in this life, it would be because I decided to live in the real world.
If I ever get to leave a name, it would be because I prudently chose my battles.
Originally written in April 2008. Edited February 23, 2010.
When we were in college, all we had to do was study as hard as we can, get good grades, and we could already take comfort that we were on the right track. After graduation, we get employed, and then we ask ourselves, is this a job worth keeping? We ask again, will this work give me the financial security that I had when I was living under the comfort of my parents’ weekly allowance? We ask deeper, do we have a clear career path ahead? And after that, we ask again and then we answer. Yet no amount of thinking and no length of time wasted on pondering would deliver an answer that would satisfy us and make our minds stop. That is when we suddenly feel the pressures of life and the hardships of real decision making.
And that is why I have come to the conclusion, that you are not yet an adult until you earn your own money and pay for, at least, your gas, your power & water, your cable TV, and your wireless internet connection. As such, with all the real life burden on your shoulder, your perspectives change. Then we come to understand the meaning of that line-- Welcome to the Real World.
I think all of us 20-somethings would agree that the dreams we have as children have been resized, reassessed, while some have completely faded away. When we were kids, we wanted to become astronauts, to explore the heavens and the stars and discover a galaxy far, far away. We dreamt of being revolutionary soldiers to defeat the enemies of light and fight for freedom to liberate people from the bondage of slavery and poverty. Some of us wanted to become priests in order to save souls and spread the good news of the Lord.
During my junior year in the university, I became part of a group who sat down in a coffee shop to discuss and debate about the ills of the Philippine society. The discussion slowly became focused on our dream to start a political party. We analyzed it to its smallest detail. We discussed its guiding principles and its ideology. We argued about its strategies and goals, its mission and vision, and the message that would differentiate it from all the other political parties, or at least from those who claim to be one, in this country. We even conversed about how we can purge the society of all its negative forces and create a new order where democracy shall be considered consolidated and where economic development shall be shared by all. We discussed all possible issues in developing The Philippines and how we were all going to be in the forefront of this movement.
A week ago, while I was having a cup of coffee with a friend, we found ourselves discussing and debating about opening up a taxi business. We analyzed it to its smallest detail. We discussed how car maintenance would be the biggest problem. We argued about what kind of automobile would be best suited to be used as a taxi. We even conversed about the franchise fees, the return of investment, and how to pick a good driver from a long list of applicants. We discussed all possible issues in starting a taxi business and how we can earn money from this venture.
We still talk about politics and society, with the same intensity and passion. We still debate as if we were in Batasan Pambansa. We are still very much aware of current events and issues. But today, we have more to think about than just politics. We think about our careers and our lives, ten, fifteen, twenty years down the road. We analyze how every action we take can affect the realization of our short, mid, and long term goals.
So, what do we make out of this? Are we nothing but victims of the physical and material world? Have we lost our dreams and become too apathetic to even care? Have we become too selfish and too self centered? Have we lost all sense of citizenship that we should hide our heads in the sand, in shame, for the persons that we have become?
I think not. I think this is simply the natural tendency of the mind to veer away from childhood fantasies and concentrate all energy and effort towards developing one’s self, clearly understanding that to be able to help others one must first and foremost help himself. I think this is simply our minds telling us to grow up and get real.
I have nothing against dreams and dreaming big. But dreams are just ideas floating without form and substance. It is up to us to nurture these dreams until they are actually realized, because dreams, precisely, exist to be achieved. However, one must always bear in mind that the achievement of these dreams is a function of one’s ability to see reality, as clearly as possible. One must not only know where he wants to go, but where he is currently located, what type of path he is supposed to take, what kind of steps he must make and the possible consequences of each and every move he makes. One must understand all possible factors, one must see through all possible angles, and to actually achieve something, one must be open to fine-tune and adjust his goals and dreams.
It is true that we cannot be afraid of reality, but we also cannot ignore the obstacles it places in our paths and our inability as humans, even for a brief moment, to overcome them.
Without the clearness and openness of mind, one will be stuck in perpetuity in a futile quest no different from trying to place the seven seas on the palm of his hand.
I still remember the day, more than a decade ago, when I told a Salesian priest that I will leave a mark in this world. I will leave a name when I die. Until today, I still dream of leaving a name, but it no longer involves exploring the heavens.
If I ever achieve anything in this life, it would be because I decided to live in the real world.
If I ever get to leave a name, it would be because I prudently chose my battles.
Originally written in April 2008. Edited February 23, 2010.
A Dangerous Alliance
We are all being made witness to an amazing spectacle, and although this isn’t the first time that blindness and hypocrisy are seen holding hands, it is, nevertheless, an amazing sight.
Two forces have come together. Each already poses a lot of danger to any society, so just imagine what they can achieve together.
On one side of this alliance are the misguided idealists. These people never outgrew the martial law era. They believe that the only way to express patriotism and love for country is by screaming their lungs out in the streets while holding a placard with a defaced picture of the President. These misguided idealists have arrogance running through their veins as they believe that they have a monopoly on righteousness. Whatever they do, they do because it is in the best interest of the nation. Well, since when did spray-painting a U-turn sign on Commonwealth Avenue with bold black letters that read “OUST GMA” [“OUST GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO] become part of promoting the nation’s interest?
They have so much hate against the government that they have become allergic to rules. Their ideas push them to believe that the government and the people running it are perpetually bound to oppress the poor and enrich themselves. They make this eternal call for change, yet they don’t change—or better yet, they don’t want to change. These people waste resources, time and energy by burning effigy after effigy. They believe that only through noise, disorder, turbulence and confusion can a new society be born—descending slowly and graciously from the heavens, like the New Jerusalem, with angels singing in the background. Yes, that’s how blind they are.
In their minds, they are catalysts of change. In reality, they are plain and simple anarchists. They should start looking for jobs and become more productive.
On the other side of this alliance are the politically motivated personalities, hypocrites to the bone. They are using scandals and controversies to become more popular, and their end-goal is to get the highest political position possible. And they have been quite successful. Last year, we saw young congressmen rise to the Senate based, not on merit and achievements, but on controversies they had destructively stirred.
They are populists because it’s the only way they can climb the political ladder. They can’t enact strategic legislation, which will provide long-term benefits, such as developing the transportation system, increasing exports, improving revenue collection and assisting businesses, because all these entail short-term sacrifices, which might cost them their positions—a risk they are unwilling to take.
All they do is complain, and they complain with a fiery passion to make the people believe in the fantasies they are selling. They are polemicists, criticizing without presenting solutions and alternatives. They speak only words that are pleasing to the ears of the masses. When they face political dilemmas, their decisions are based on what would profit them politically, not what is right and just. They are slick talkers, and if you’re not careful enough, they can easily deceive you.
This is a dangerous alliance, as it seeks to plunge society into chaos. They want our society to lose any semblance of stability so that they can create a new order. But even they themselves have no idea how it will function.
But I am not afraid. They cannot achieve anything unless we let ourselves be used by these political clowns for their own blind and selfish goals. They can make as much noise as they want, but they need many more warm bodies to join their ranks before they succeed in destabilizing our society. I have already counted the many curious, naïve, gullible, ignorant and politically immature countrymen who are neither misguided idealists nor hypocrites but will take part in this political adventure, and they still won’t make it.
I can hear the noise, but I still can’t feel the heat. After each and every protest rally, the crowds would fizzle out, the streets would be left empty and dirty, and the leaders of the carnival would be eating a fancy dinner while most of the gullible people they drew into the activity would be walking home. Every demonstration sends a clear and strong message to the whole world that while countries across the globe are taking measures to strengthen their exports, develop their industries, attract new investors and ensure their competitiveness in a fast changing, globalized world, we are busy playing on the streets of our financial district.
Having taken this unpopular stand, I ask:
Why do we have to change the government, when we are all part of the problem? Imagine how much more we could have achieved if all the wasted time, resources and energy were utilized to enact good legislation, build more houses, establish more schools, help small and medium enterprises, and construct more roads.
Why do we waste time, resources and energy in asking the President to change or to change the President when we can, in our own little ways, bring about change? When will we realize that we have better things to do? When will we understand that regime change, right here and right now, will not solve anything?
In this day and age, genuine reform and revolution no longer necessitate the dramatic street episodes of the martial law era. Today, our society’s transformation depends on small, quiet, often undocumented steps toward political and economic stability.
I refuse to be part of this political circus of blind and selfish clowns.
Leondro R. Lojo, 23, has a master’s degree in political economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific and works as a research analyst in a risk-advising company.
Originally published in Philippine Daily Inquirer's Youngblood 3/31/2008
Two forces have come together. Each already poses a lot of danger to any society, so just imagine what they can achieve together.
On one side of this alliance are the misguided idealists. These people never outgrew the martial law era. They believe that the only way to express patriotism and love for country is by screaming their lungs out in the streets while holding a placard with a defaced picture of the President. These misguided idealists have arrogance running through their veins as they believe that they have a monopoly on righteousness. Whatever they do, they do because it is in the best interest of the nation. Well, since when did spray-painting a U-turn sign on Commonwealth Avenue with bold black letters that read “OUST GMA” [“OUST GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO] become part of promoting the nation’s interest?
They have so much hate against the government that they have become allergic to rules. Their ideas push them to believe that the government and the people running it are perpetually bound to oppress the poor and enrich themselves. They make this eternal call for change, yet they don’t change—or better yet, they don’t want to change. These people waste resources, time and energy by burning effigy after effigy. They believe that only through noise, disorder, turbulence and confusion can a new society be born—descending slowly and graciously from the heavens, like the New Jerusalem, with angels singing in the background. Yes, that’s how blind they are.
In their minds, they are catalysts of change. In reality, they are plain and simple anarchists. They should start looking for jobs and become more productive.
On the other side of this alliance are the politically motivated personalities, hypocrites to the bone. They are using scandals and controversies to become more popular, and their end-goal is to get the highest political position possible. And they have been quite successful. Last year, we saw young congressmen rise to the Senate based, not on merit and achievements, but on controversies they had destructively stirred.
They are populists because it’s the only way they can climb the political ladder. They can’t enact strategic legislation, which will provide long-term benefits, such as developing the transportation system, increasing exports, improving revenue collection and assisting businesses, because all these entail short-term sacrifices, which might cost them their positions—a risk they are unwilling to take.
All they do is complain, and they complain with a fiery passion to make the people believe in the fantasies they are selling. They are polemicists, criticizing without presenting solutions and alternatives. They speak only words that are pleasing to the ears of the masses. When they face political dilemmas, their decisions are based on what would profit them politically, not what is right and just. They are slick talkers, and if you’re not careful enough, they can easily deceive you.
This is a dangerous alliance, as it seeks to plunge society into chaos. They want our society to lose any semblance of stability so that they can create a new order. But even they themselves have no idea how it will function.
But I am not afraid. They cannot achieve anything unless we let ourselves be used by these political clowns for their own blind and selfish goals. They can make as much noise as they want, but they need many more warm bodies to join their ranks before they succeed in destabilizing our society. I have already counted the many curious, naïve, gullible, ignorant and politically immature countrymen who are neither misguided idealists nor hypocrites but will take part in this political adventure, and they still won’t make it.
I can hear the noise, but I still can’t feel the heat. After each and every protest rally, the crowds would fizzle out, the streets would be left empty and dirty, and the leaders of the carnival would be eating a fancy dinner while most of the gullible people they drew into the activity would be walking home. Every demonstration sends a clear and strong message to the whole world that while countries across the globe are taking measures to strengthen their exports, develop their industries, attract new investors and ensure their competitiveness in a fast changing, globalized world, we are busy playing on the streets of our financial district.
Having taken this unpopular stand, I ask:
Why do we have to change the government, when we are all part of the problem? Imagine how much more we could have achieved if all the wasted time, resources and energy were utilized to enact good legislation, build more houses, establish more schools, help small and medium enterprises, and construct more roads.
Why do we waste time, resources and energy in asking the President to change or to change the President when we can, in our own little ways, bring about change? When will we realize that we have better things to do? When will we understand that regime change, right here and right now, will not solve anything?
In this day and age, genuine reform and revolution no longer necessitate the dramatic street episodes of the martial law era. Today, our society’s transformation depends on small, quiet, often undocumented steps toward political and economic stability.
I refuse to be part of this political circus of blind and selfish clowns.
Leondro R. Lojo, 23, has a master’s degree in political economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific and works as a research analyst in a risk-advising company.
Originally published in Philippine Daily Inquirer's Youngblood 3/31/2008
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