breaking the status quo
Our national life is marred by a perpetual loop to remain antiquated and in the past. some supporters of Marcos, in private discussions would think back to those times, better times they said. some supporters of EDSA would look back to 1986 and recall the vibrant hope that prevailed, that finally, we have freedom. some supporters of Erap look back to EDSA 2 and say, they remain legitimate. some supporters of FPJ cry out, he won. some of our people look at the exchange rate as a barometer of how life is getting better. some of our people remain hungry, and uneducated (if you call knowing how to count, read and write "education") as the inflation rate remain above 7%, while unemployment, underemployment remain double digit and while many of us drink US$1.20 a cup of coffee. the latter, according to the Banko Sentral and the law of one price is a good thing, while the former is being reduced per year by more jobs and an improving GDP. In the daily course of business, compromises are said to be made in every level of government so that the middle-class and the elite can buy their US$1.20 a cup coffee. And we remain locked in political uncertainty. Such is our status quo.
In many ways, we all agree that this country is a beautiful place--- enchanting mountain ranges, wonderful beaches, a people with a captivating smile. why can't we improve on it?
visit our farm lands, and our people remain antiquated in techniques used before the modern age. we pride ourselves with developing new rice, yet why can't this be exploited by our people? why do we almost year-on-year require an importation of rice? And why do most of our farmers dry rice on the roadside?
our mangos without doubt is the sweetest and most perfect in the world. every foreigner who has had a taste of it is an unpaid testimonial. Yet we can not capitalize on it. simply because we have failed to build irradiation facilities, expand production to more than a million metric tons a year or discover new ways to remove fruit fly infestation to allow them entry into new markets.
ours is a nation thankfully free of birdflu. yet we are not capitalizing on it fast enough. chicken remains very expensive even in the local fast food stores, even in the wet markets.
our nation is marred by corruption. it is, we all agree the cancer that strikes deep into our national life. yet, elite, middle-class in the daily course of business, we can not but make compromises in how we do business. we make it possible. we, are to blame. And this moral degeneration is eloquently discussed by MLQ3.
a. the issue of credibility and legitimacy in the last election
In many ways, we all agree that this country is a beautiful place--- enchanting mountain ranges, wonderful beaches, a people with a captivating smile. why can't we improve on it?
visit our farm lands, and our people remain antiquated in techniques used before the modern age. we pride ourselves with developing new rice, yet why can't this be exploited by our people? why do we almost year-on-year require an importation of rice? And why do most of our farmers dry rice on the roadside?
our mangos without doubt is the sweetest and most perfect in the world. every foreigner who has had a taste of it is an unpaid testimonial. Yet we can not capitalize on it. simply because we have failed to build irradiation facilities, expand production to more than a million metric tons a year or discover new ways to remove fruit fly infestation to allow them entry into new markets.
ours is a nation thankfully free of birdflu. yet we are not capitalizing on it fast enough. chicken remains very expensive even in the local fast food stores, even in the wet markets.
our nation is marred by corruption. it is, we all agree the cancer that strikes deep into our national life. yet, elite, middle-class in the daily course of business, we can not but make compromises in how we do business. we make it possible. we, are to blame. And this moral degeneration is eloquently discussed by MLQ3.
a. the issue of credibility and legitimacy in the last election
we have tried all the recourses for an impeachment. it has failed.
we can not simply ask for a snap election--- there is no framework for it other than the resignation of both president and vice president. we can ask them to resign, they will not. no person in their place would do.
we can not usurp power by another EDSA, people will not support such a move without just cause and that "cause" must really be of extreme circumstance that our people will rally to the streets.
answer:
1. factions against Arroyo must form ranks. and raise their credibility rating by offering an alternative to Mrs. Arroyo and the first sign if they shall succeed will be in the mid-term elections. if more Arroyo supporters win, then the opposition has failed.
2. we must begin forming a new constitution, one that is representative of what we want to happen and not that garbage of a constitution Arroyo and her ilk are proposing. Their proposed consitution means making government bigger, making patronage politics the center piece of governance.
A Constitution that best represents our people must mean empowering Local Government--- make government small, as opposed to the Big Government Arroyo and her ilk are proposing. We must encourage investments by giving reponsibility of their destiny to the people in the boondocks. we emancipate them from poverty by giving them the tools to do so. if it takes five years to do so, let it be. yet we too must move in Internet time--- because the world is in hypermode.
we can not usurp power by another EDSA, people will not support such a move without just cause and that "cause" must really be of extreme circumstance that our people will rally to the streets.
answer:
1. factions against Arroyo must form ranks. and raise their credibility rating by offering an alternative to Mrs. Arroyo and the first sign if they shall succeed will be in the mid-term elections. if more Arroyo supporters win, then the opposition has failed.
2. we must begin forming a new constitution, one that is representative of what we want to happen and not that garbage of a constitution Arroyo and her ilk are proposing. Their proposed consitution means making government bigger, making patronage politics the center piece of governance.
A Constitution that best represents our people must mean empowering Local Government--- make government small, as opposed to the Big Government Arroyo and her ilk are proposing. We must encourage investments by giving reponsibility of their destiny to the people in the boondocks. we emancipate them from poverty by giving them the tools to do so. if it takes five years to do so, let it be. yet we too must move in Internet time--- because the world is in hypermode.
b. nation building
This quote from MLQ3 is very representative of our people: "The trouble with you is that you take this game of politics too seriously. You look far behind you and too far ahead of you. Our people do not understand that. They do not want it. All they want is to have the present problem solved, and solved with the least pain. That is all." And as much as this is an accurate understanding of what our people is to this very day, it also exposes a weakness in us. Just because our people do not want it or understand the future and the past, it falls on us--- those who can to understand and chart for them. Thats what people elect officials to positions for--- to chart their destiny based on their present expectations. we lead not by following the people but telling them: this is where we ought to be, follow us. We need to expect the problems of the future and be mindful of it. we can not afford to live day by day anymore. it has just gotten us in trouble.
That said, to break the status quo this is what we must do three things.
we must first accept responsibility and our culpability in where our nation is today. And we must break how we do business with government, whether in the capacity as private citizens or as representatives of our businesses or employees of where we work. refuse to be part of the corrupting cycle, difficult most certainly, and we do it as best we can everyday.
Second, we must accept the limitations placed on us by our laws and work within those limitations to build a better democracy. if that means sending people to jail because of the debacle of the last election, so be it but within the framework of law. if it means sending rebels to jail, so be it as long as it is within the framework of law. and if we fail in either case because of lack of evidence or of a techinicality, it only means to say, we try harder, never usurping the law but doing things differently. to be honest, its not such a bad thing, considering where this country is at the moment. we can make it better.
Third, as we do all this, find innovative solutions to our problem within the framework of our existing laws. if it means making government smaller and empowering local government, so be it. just don't expect it to happen over night. we have to work for it. This is Truth and Justice and this is how we move forward.
we must first accept responsibility and our culpability in where our nation is today. And we must break how we do business with government, whether in the capacity as private citizens or as representatives of our businesses or employees of where we work. refuse to be part of the corrupting cycle, difficult most certainly, and we do it as best we can everyday.
Second, we must accept the limitations placed on us by our laws and work within those limitations to build a better democracy. if that means sending people to jail because of the debacle of the last election, so be it but within the framework of law. if it means sending rebels to jail, so be it as long as it is within the framework of law. and if we fail in either case because of lack of evidence or of a techinicality, it only means to say, we try harder, never usurping the law but doing things differently. to be honest, its not such a bad thing, considering where this country is at the moment. we can make it better.
Third, as we do all this, find innovative solutions to our problem within the framework of our existing laws. if it means making government smaller and empowering local government, so be it. just don't expect it to happen over night. we have to work for it. This is Truth and Justice and this is how we move forward.
Posts
2 comments:
I chanced your blog only yesterday. I like what I read.
thanks! :D
Post a Comment