Heaven Forbid

The present political turmoil besetting my country does deserve to be commented on. Even by the most jaded of citizens. Just how jaded am I?

I was born during the Martial Law years (see http://www.mojolaw.com/defs/la034), when you’re thrust into something to which you don’t have any control whatsoever makes it your own. For me, that was the norm. It wasn’t dreadful and scary as written. They said there was curfew, funny I haven’t felt it that time. They said the whole country was ruled by the military, yet growing up I did not witness anything extraordinary to make me develop a sense if trepidation in the presence of men in uniform.

At school we were made to memorize the names of Ministers, such as Minister of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Minister of Labor Blas Ople, Misnister of Information Francisco Tatad among others. Those were some of the people that ran the country and of course, who can forget Ferdinand E. Marcos? Television, Radio and other forms of information medium were regulated. No wonder the 70s was one of the most “free” years of my life.

But, of course it wasn’t the perfect world I thought it to be. Stories of demonstrations, social unrest, bombings, and the suspension of habeas corpus in 1971, arrest and detention of known political opposition (Benigno Aquino being one of them), students, labor activists, (see http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/marcos.html). The Snap Elections of 1986 opened the Pandora’s Box for me and the truth that was hidden for years spewed like hot molten lava. And my childhood, was forever taken from me. The aftermath of the Marcos dictatorship spews chilling stories of violation of human rights and the complete usurpation of democracy and freedom.

After Marcos fled on February 25, 1986 at the urging of the United States government to Hawaii, Corazon Aquino while a Justice of the Supreme Court swore Corazon Aquino as President of the Republic. What did we as Filipinos have to show for the six years if the new government? Let me see… Marcos left a foreign debt so humungous that even our children’s children are destined to be paying it for the rest of their lives. That’s US$26 billion baby. Land Reform was so ineffectual under Cory mainly for the reason that her family owns a 6,000-hectare hacienda named Luisita. The situation after Marcos fled was so polarized that Cory would have to take risk in further aggravating. That question was, was she prepared to take the risk? Feel free to google the answer. She survived two (2) coup attempts but was afraid ever since. There was constant threat of political instability. Fueled by the desires of a lot of people to take on where Marcos left off.

Fidel V. Ramos, Marco’s former Vice Chief of Staff took over in 1992. The GDP grew to .3% in 1992 up to 5.2 in 1997 Ramos’ last term but was marred by Ramos supporters pursuing a campaign for lifting a ban on 2nd term for the president. Of course it was said to have been fueled by the elitist dread of the likelihood of the then Vice-President Joseph Estrada becoming president. Of course Estrada did become President to the utter consternation of the elitist block. Of course the rest can be read here (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=antonioAbaya_jan17_2008).

After “democracy” was restored what do we have to show for it? That we Filipinos cannot handle freedom and self-governance, yet. One has only to watch the daily television news, newspaper reports, radio reports and commentaries and our immaturity in the political arena is evident. Constant bickering of our elected officials. Scandals left and right both true and fabricated, but mostly fabricated. And the sad part is, the media is always a willing victim by these clowns. Day in and day out. Are we really better off having another president at this time? I think not. Who would replace Gloria? De Venecia? Erap again? Or heaven forbid Lozada?

Come on my dear beloved countrymen, don’t you think it’s time to use another way out of this rut? We tried people power, the imperialists from Manila did it twice, Erap's minions did it once, and called it Edsa 3, we hold the patent already. Yet, are we better politically than say, twenty years ago? Have we eradicated the morally bankrupt, are we free from the clutches of the oligarchs? We haven’t, just watch the news. But, who says, growing up is an easy process? This is a long arduous task. One that needs years and lots of heartbreak as a nation to achieve.

But, my father used to say. There is in fact a way out. That is by terminating generations and starting anew. New breed of citizens born of morally unsoiled parents, espousing utopian philosophies if that exists.