01 April 2010
The Holy Week is the most important period in the Christian liturgical calendar, the climax of the Lenten Season that starts with Ash Wednesday. On each day, Christians reenact the drama of Jesus’ last days starting with Palm Sunday or Jesus Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem then Maundy Thursday wherein Jesus held his last (Passover) supper with the twelve disciples and finally Good Friday which is Jesus’ crucifixion. It is central to belief of Christians that in this earthly drama of Jesus’ passion and death, God in heaven caused the redemption of the world from its captivity to sin. The Holy Week is the story of a redeemer and how he accomplished redemption.
The Christian story of redemption, however, is not unique. At the core of every religion, past or living, is the quest for redemption. Buddhism seeks redemption from the compulsion of human passions; Hinduism in its various forms seeks redemption from the endless cycle of reincarnation, Judaism from a state of guilt and condemnation before a righteous God; Islam seeks to redeem a world that is opposed to God’s holiness and justice. These great living religions of the world are able to draw the adherence and command the obedience of the peoples of the world across the ages because in the final analysis redemption is the quest that burns in the heart of every person. If it is not about redemption, then it is not religion.
But religions don’t have monopoly on the answers to the universal and endless quest for redemption. Ideologies, including those that militantly deny the reality of God, also offer paths of redemption. An ideology may offer redemption to a race of people, such as the Black Power in the civil rights movement in the U.S. Other ideologies may seek the redemption of the working class, such as communism, or the redemption of the female gender by the feminists. Whatever, people who feel oppressed, abused or whose survival is threatened embrace a religion or ideology in order to obtain redemption. Consequently, some individual personalities stand out as heroes or iconic figures owing to their total identification to people’s longing for redemption – Martin Luther King, Jr. for Americans, Steve Biko for South Africans, Simon Bolivar and Che Guevara among Latin Americans, Bonifacio and Ninoy Aquino for Filipinos.
It’s sad to say that the present crop of politicians who are running for national offices give us no inspiration to achieve national redemption for the Filipino people. Their propaganda messages over radio and TV are basically about themselves, nothing to do with the Filipino people’s quest for redemption. For example, Enrile’s ad, “Gusto ko happy ka” sung and danced by young pretty girls trivializes the whole electoral process. The others are not as outrageously insulting to our intelligence but they are all of the same genre. For all the hundreds of millions spent for their campaigns, not a single candidate is able to fire up our quest for redemption. For these candidates, it’s all a matter of packaging and campaign lines and strategies. It’s all personal ambitions or perhaps delusions but no passion. And for the people, it’s nothing more than a circus.
Is Philippine politics, that is, traditional electoral politics beyond redemption? In its present form, I’m inclined to believe so – as a vehicle for national liberation it’s beyond redemption. If there is no such thing as a liberating traditional politics, why participate in the process at all? I continue to ask this question to myself. But despite its seeming hopelessness there is something there in the arena and noise of the electoral campaign that seems struggling to break out in its own time, something that sooner or later will turn politics into an act of the people for redemption. It’s like being able to smell the coming of the rains even when treading on parched land.
Traditional politics is a desert land where hopes don’t grow wild. And yet, we dare to break the ground so that the earth would be ready when the rains come. We look at the dried up ground of summer and imagine green shoots coming out when a new season begins.
Happy Easter!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Uncanny Foresight or Paranoia?
24 March 2010
There is a very worrisome distraction that is drawing our attention away from the electoral campaigns and preparations for the coming polls. This is the fear that unseen hands are manipulating the political environment to cause a failure of election leading to the operation of extra-constitutional processes aimed at keeping President Arroyo in power. Some say this is no more than a media creation meant to add excitement to an already hyped-up electoral season. But media cannot be accused of indulging in idle speculation when we consider the following facts.
One, there has been a slew of new appointments in the military command that all point to PMA Class 78 which has adopted President Arroyo as a member – Army Chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit to the highest command as AFP chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu taking over the position as commanding general of the Army, Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena earlier designated as chief of the Philippine Air Force, Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban as Marine Corps commandant, and Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza as chief of the Intelligence Service of AFP or Isafp. It may be simply coincidental that they all come from the same batch of PMA graduates but it is no coincidence that each of them is known to be close to the President. They are put in strategic positions of command that could make a military cum Malacaňang take-over possible.
Two, the President is poised to appoint a new chief justice of the Supreme Court that would make all of the members, Arroyo appointees. The chief justice may only be one of the 15 members but the recent 9-1 decision in favor of President Arroyo’s right to appoint a chief justice before her term ends bodes ill for an independent Court. The widely expected appointment of Justice Corona appears to be the last piece for the completion of an Arroyo Supreme Court. The grim scenario is that this Court would rule the legitimacy of a Palace-led coup just like the Marcos Supreme Court of Enrique Fernando.
Three, the intended fully automated election is loaded with imponderables. Full automation has never been tried before. The time for preparation is frighteningly short. Even some school teachers who will supervise the polls failed in the dry-run. Most of the private armies maintained by warlord-politicians remain outside the reach of police and military authorities. A failure of election is not far-fetched even with an unlikely convergence of these imponderables.
The Queen is already positioning her forces in order to be ready to exploit her opponents’ mistakes or when an opportune development takes place. Some pundits, though, say that this most feared scenario is the least likely to happen, which is most reassuring. GMA’s intentions are evident but she may not have what it takes to make it happen. Her fate and that of her family is the least of the nation’s concern, although it is a matter of justice that she is made to answer for her misdeeds. But what is truly disheartening is that the nation’s institutions have suffered so much degradation that renders them unable to protect the Republic from the ambitions of a few men and a woman.
Whatever, this nation won’t be the same again after May the 10th. The change may not be as radical and dramatic as expected, certainly not. But I have no doubt that it’s going to be a turning point to something that lies hidden still over the horizon. Uncanny foresight or paranoia?
There is a very worrisome distraction that is drawing our attention away from the electoral campaigns and preparations for the coming polls. This is the fear that unseen hands are manipulating the political environment to cause a failure of election leading to the operation of extra-constitutional processes aimed at keeping President Arroyo in power. Some say this is no more than a media creation meant to add excitement to an already hyped-up electoral season. But media cannot be accused of indulging in idle speculation when we consider the following facts.
One, there has been a slew of new appointments in the military command that all point to PMA Class 78 which has adopted President Arroyo as a member – Army Chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit to the highest command as AFP chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu taking over the position as commanding general of the Army, Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena earlier designated as chief of the Philippine Air Force, Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban as Marine Corps commandant, and Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza as chief of the Intelligence Service of AFP or Isafp. It may be simply coincidental that they all come from the same batch of PMA graduates but it is no coincidence that each of them is known to be close to the President. They are put in strategic positions of command that could make a military cum Malacaňang take-over possible.
Two, the President is poised to appoint a new chief justice of the Supreme Court that would make all of the members, Arroyo appointees. The chief justice may only be one of the 15 members but the recent 9-1 decision in favor of President Arroyo’s right to appoint a chief justice before her term ends bodes ill for an independent Court. The widely expected appointment of Justice Corona appears to be the last piece for the completion of an Arroyo Supreme Court. The grim scenario is that this Court would rule the legitimacy of a Palace-led coup just like the Marcos Supreme Court of Enrique Fernando.
Three, the intended fully automated election is loaded with imponderables. Full automation has never been tried before. The time for preparation is frighteningly short. Even some school teachers who will supervise the polls failed in the dry-run. Most of the private armies maintained by warlord-politicians remain outside the reach of police and military authorities. A failure of election is not far-fetched even with an unlikely convergence of these imponderables.
The Queen is already positioning her forces in order to be ready to exploit her opponents’ mistakes or when an opportune development takes place. Some pundits, though, say that this most feared scenario is the least likely to happen, which is most reassuring. GMA’s intentions are evident but she may not have what it takes to make it happen. Her fate and that of her family is the least of the nation’s concern, although it is a matter of justice that she is made to answer for her misdeeds. But what is truly disheartening is that the nation’s institutions have suffered so much degradation that renders them unable to protect the Republic from the ambitions of a few men and a woman.
Whatever, this nation won’t be the same again after May the 10th. The change may not be as radical and dramatic as expected, certainly not. But I have no doubt that it’s going to be a turning point to something that lies hidden still over the horizon. Uncanny foresight or paranoia?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
About Noynoy: A Father's Letter to His Son
07 March 2010
Dear Paul,
I think my whole family, including your mother and your sisters are definitely NOT voting for Villar, most likely for Noynoy Aquino. I'm sure you found Winnie Monsod's piece very reasonable and convincing.
Kindly read my last week’s post. But I'll add a few more lines.
Nonoy could very well be a more honest leader, less prone to corrupt practices although to what extent he can control his government down below is another question. Cory was perhaps incorruptible but her government was rife with corruption up to her cabinet. I had first hand information about how a small businessman was sent away by Joker Arroyo, her executive secretary that time, for being unable to cough up with the right amount to get through an above-the-board request for an import permit.
My main point is that corruption only abets the country's backwardness and mass poverty of the people but is not the cause of it. It is the nature of our economic system that makes our country unable to provide employment opportunities for its people. Behind this economic system is our captivity and/or adherence to a global economic order. Unless our country breaks out of this global economic stranglehold, the economy will remain backward and the people poor. A clean and honest-to-goodness presidency would not change the situation a bit if it pursued the same economic policies. Winnie Monsod is one who is quite comfortable with the present economic system for one reason or another.
We in Makabayan have no illusions about Villar. But our alliance effort with Noynoy’s camp did not prosper. I believe the feeling of distrust was mutual. We know the people surrounding him, not to mention the organizations of big business. Some of them come from the so-called civil society who would not touch us with a ten-foot pole. All they want is a clean government where they can continue to dominate the economy and control the levers of power. Perhaps, their hearts bleed for the poor but they don’t want to rock the boat that would put to risk their share of the fruit of exploitation. Noynoy would be their perfect horse for among the candidates he alone can continue the illusion that there’s no need to make fundamental changes to society to lift the people from poverty.
I believe that the insertion of Makabayan, a progressive political party, in government both at the national and local levels is the one factor that can make a difference. Satur and Liza - against 22 other senators - would give the senate a hell of a fight for a nationalist and progressive economy. The fight will continue in the lower house of congress through our party-list representatives. And perhaps, a Villar presidency may be enticed to break foreign domination of the nation's economy firstly because he didn’t owe the Makati Business Club a bit and secondly, that would give Filipino entrepreneurs, including himself, a chance at rising to the top of the economy. That's how South Korea became an economic superpower in Asia - the ascendancy of national entrepreneurs, despite corruption at the very top of government. The fight against corruption should and will continue under a Villar presidency or someone else’s. That will be a constant.
I have reasons to suspect that what Noynoy’s handlers and supporters fear more than a corrupt Villar administration is his flirtation with the Left. Should the Left succeed in establishing an anchorage on government, Villar’s regime might turn into something like Hugo Chavez’ of Venezuela. Unlike Nonoy, Villar is a character they haven’t tried to control. The gods of Makati may be thinking that Villar is too big, too proud and independent-minded to dictate on. They didn’t want another Erap who listened more to his drinking and gambling buddies than them. In the final analysis, for them it’s not really about Noynoy or his parent’s legacy – whatever that is – but them and their business empires. That’s why they love Winnie and Christian Monsod.
Dear Paul,
I think my whole family, including your mother and your sisters are definitely NOT voting for Villar, most likely for Noynoy Aquino. I'm sure you found Winnie Monsod's piece very reasonable and convincing.
Kindly read my last week’s post. But I'll add a few more lines.
Nonoy could very well be a more honest leader, less prone to corrupt practices although to what extent he can control his government down below is another question. Cory was perhaps incorruptible but her government was rife with corruption up to her cabinet. I had first hand information about how a small businessman was sent away by Joker Arroyo, her executive secretary that time, for being unable to cough up with the right amount to get through an above-the-board request for an import permit.
My main point is that corruption only abets the country's backwardness and mass poverty of the people but is not the cause of it. It is the nature of our economic system that makes our country unable to provide employment opportunities for its people. Behind this economic system is our captivity and/or adherence to a global economic order. Unless our country breaks out of this global economic stranglehold, the economy will remain backward and the people poor. A clean and honest-to-goodness presidency would not change the situation a bit if it pursued the same economic policies. Winnie Monsod is one who is quite comfortable with the present economic system for one reason or another.
We in Makabayan have no illusions about Villar. But our alliance effort with Noynoy’s camp did not prosper. I believe the feeling of distrust was mutual. We know the people surrounding him, not to mention the organizations of big business. Some of them come from the so-called civil society who would not touch us with a ten-foot pole. All they want is a clean government where they can continue to dominate the economy and control the levers of power. Perhaps, their hearts bleed for the poor but they don’t want to rock the boat that would put to risk their share of the fruit of exploitation. Noynoy would be their perfect horse for among the candidates he alone can continue the illusion that there’s no need to make fundamental changes to society to lift the people from poverty.
I believe that the insertion of Makabayan, a progressive political party, in government both at the national and local levels is the one factor that can make a difference. Satur and Liza - against 22 other senators - would give the senate a hell of a fight for a nationalist and progressive economy. The fight will continue in the lower house of congress through our party-list representatives. And perhaps, a Villar presidency may be enticed to break foreign domination of the nation's economy firstly because he didn’t owe the Makati Business Club a bit and secondly, that would give Filipino entrepreneurs, including himself, a chance at rising to the top of the economy. That's how South Korea became an economic superpower in Asia - the ascendancy of national entrepreneurs, despite corruption at the very top of government. The fight against corruption should and will continue under a Villar presidency or someone else’s. That will be a constant.
I have reasons to suspect that what Noynoy’s handlers and supporters fear more than a corrupt Villar administration is his flirtation with the Left. Should the Left succeed in establishing an anchorage on government, Villar’s regime might turn into something like Hugo Chavez’ of Venezuela. Unlike Nonoy, Villar is a character they haven’t tried to control. The gods of Makati may be thinking that Villar is too big, too proud and independent-minded to dictate on. They didn’t want another Erap who listened more to his drinking and gambling buddies than them. In the final analysis, for them it’s not really about Noynoy or his parent’s legacy – whatever that is – but them and their business empires. That’s why they love Winnie and Christian Monsod.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
New Politics or Political Opportunism?
4 March 2010
Some months ago, Makabayan, a political party composed of progressive party lists such as Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anak Pawis and Kabataan, entered into an alliance with Nacionalista Party presidential bet Manny Villar and running mate Loren Legarda. Makabayan also got two slots in the NP senatorial lineup for Satur Ocampo and Lisa Masa as guest candidates. Since then, the two Makabayan candidates have been romping off the campaign trail with Villar’s party.
Not a few eyebrows – progressive eyebrows – were raised at what some consider as an unlikely team up. Why didn’t Makabayan partner with Noynoy, heir of people power icons Ninoy and Cory Aquino? If not Noynoy, why Villar – the quintessence of big-spending trapos? Whatever happened to the idea of principled alliance? Doesn’t it smack of political opportunism on the part of a group that has won the respect of both friend and foe for consistently taking the higher moral ground in an otherwise sordid arena of politics?
Without doubt, those who agonize with questions like that have hoped that the upcoming elections would yield not a little gain for a new kind of politics. Progressive party-lists representatives in the Lower House have accomplished much more in proportion to their minuscule number through their advocacies based on idealism. They are leading the people in a direction away from traditional politics. Isn’t Makabayan moving backwards when it forged a tactical alliance with Villar?
These apprehensions may be genuine but sadly misplaced. New politics is not about personalities. That is, it’s not about Manny Villar, Noynoy Aquino. Bro. Eddie or about Erap Estrada. It’s all about the people, the great masses of people whose voting election after election has never translated into a better life for them and their children. In the final analysis, it would not really matter if it’s Villar or Gordon or Teodoro that wins the contest. Life for the people would remain unchanged – in the politics of personalities. When people who call themselves progressive say that Villar is a wrong choice by Makabayan – still they continue to be held under the sway of traditional personality-oriented politics.
If this election is going to make a difference at all, it would be Makabayan’s transition from the periphery to mainstream politics. Should Makabayan’s alliances with mainstream parties and traditional candidates from the national down to the local level succeed, it would be unprecedented. For the first time in the nation’s history the really marginalized would be represented, albeit very thinly, in all levels of government. For, no one can doubt who Makabayan represents. Liberals and progressives need to realize that the marginalization of radical politics is the “peaceful” and “democratic” way of preserving the status quo. The other and more effective way is, of course, the physical elimination of progressive individuals and groups.
Makabayan and the Villar camp have agreed on five advocacy points both in the campaign and in a Villar presidency: (1) a reconsideration of economic liberalization and globalization in favor of a self-reliant and sustainable economic development; (2) an effective land redistribution program that condones the beneficiaries’ indebtedness; (3) justice and compensation to victims of human rights abuses from the time of Marcos to the present; (4) holding officials of the Arroyo government accountable for charges of corruption, electoral fraud and human rights violations; and (5) renegotiation of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement and other unequal foreign treaties. If this is not principled alliance, I don’t know what is. It should be noted that none of the other presidential wannabes has gone beyond motherhood statements for their platform of government.
The same kind of alliance work is being done at the congressional, provincial and municipal/city levels. The main consideration is which candidate or political group is open to collaboration with Makabayan both in the campaign and in governance. Of course, Makabayan would never negotiate with individual candidates whose moral behavior cannot stand public scrutiny and of proven incompetence in public service. In other words, what matters more than the individual qualities of candidates is Makabayan’s introduction into the political mainstream via alliances with traditional politicians. On those alliances will be propagated the seeds of new politics.
Some months ago, Makabayan, a political party composed of progressive party lists such as Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anak Pawis and Kabataan, entered into an alliance with Nacionalista Party presidential bet Manny Villar and running mate Loren Legarda. Makabayan also got two slots in the NP senatorial lineup for Satur Ocampo and Lisa Masa as guest candidates. Since then, the two Makabayan candidates have been romping off the campaign trail with Villar’s party.
Not a few eyebrows – progressive eyebrows – were raised at what some consider as an unlikely team up. Why didn’t Makabayan partner with Noynoy, heir of people power icons Ninoy and Cory Aquino? If not Noynoy, why Villar – the quintessence of big-spending trapos? Whatever happened to the idea of principled alliance? Doesn’t it smack of political opportunism on the part of a group that has won the respect of both friend and foe for consistently taking the higher moral ground in an otherwise sordid arena of politics?
Without doubt, those who agonize with questions like that have hoped that the upcoming elections would yield not a little gain for a new kind of politics. Progressive party-lists representatives in the Lower House have accomplished much more in proportion to their minuscule number through their advocacies based on idealism. They are leading the people in a direction away from traditional politics. Isn’t Makabayan moving backwards when it forged a tactical alliance with Villar?
These apprehensions may be genuine but sadly misplaced. New politics is not about personalities. That is, it’s not about Manny Villar, Noynoy Aquino. Bro. Eddie or about Erap Estrada. It’s all about the people, the great masses of people whose voting election after election has never translated into a better life for them and their children. In the final analysis, it would not really matter if it’s Villar or Gordon or Teodoro that wins the contest. Life for the people would remain unchanged – in the politics of personalities. When people who call themselves progressive say that Villar is a wrong choice by Makabayan – still they continue to be held under the sway of traditional personality-oriented politics.
If this election is going to make a difference at all, it would be Makabayan’s transition from the periphery to mainstream politics. Should Makabayan’s alliances with mainstream parties and traditional candidates from the national down to the local level succeed, it would be unprecedented. For the first time in the nation’s history the really marginalized would be represented, albeit very thinly, in all levels of government. For, no one can doubt who Makabayan represents. Liberals and progressives need to realize that the marginalization of radical politics is the “peaceful” and “democratic” way of preserving the status quo. The other and more effective way is, of course, the physical elimination of progressive individuals and groups.
Makabayan and the Villar camp have agreed on five advocacy points both in the campaign and in a Villar presidency: (1) a reconsideration of economic liberalization and globalization in favor of a self-reliant and sustainable economic development; (2) an effective land redistribution program that condones the beneficiaries’ indebtedness; (3) justice and compensation to victims of human rights abuses from the time of Marcos to the present; (4) holding officials of the Arroyo government accountable for charges of corruption, electoral fraud and human rights violations; and (5) renegotiation of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement and other unequal foreign treaties. If this is not principled alliance, I don’t know what is. It should be noted that none of the other presidential wannabes has gone beyond motherhood statements for their platform of government.
The same kind of alliance work is being done at the congressional, provincial and municipal/city levels. The main consideration is which candidate or political group is open to collaboration with Makabayan both in the campaign and in governance. Of course, Makabayan would never negotiate with individual candidates whose moral behavior cannot stand public scrutiny and of proven incompetence in public service. In other words, what matters more than the individual qualities of candidates is Makabayan’s introduction into the political mainstream via alliances with traditional politicians. On those alliances will be propagated the seeds of new politics.
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