Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Political travesty and other musings...

After a month long hiatus from reading Philippine news, I decided to bring up the Philippine Star webpage. Being an alumnus of O.B. Montessori, it has become a habit of mine to read this particular newspaper since I was in high school. It was required of us to buy the paper everyday (because the school president is married to the paper's editor-in-chief :p). I thought it was a total bore and a complete waste of time and money. Now that I'm older, I appreciate that the Philippine Star has a bevy of intelligent and reputable journalists that I enjoy reading. I especially enjoy reading the opinion columns because it's thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.

As I was going through the opinion columns, one thing struck me. Teodoro Benigno's column "Here's the Score" is not there. It completely slipped my mind that he passed away not so long ago. His column happens to be the one that I enjoy most. Mr. Benigno has a flare for language that one cannot easily find anymore. He came from a generation wherein patriots are people who really love their country and would do things for the greater good, not for their own personal gain. He came from a generation of gentlemen who are well-read, well-spoken, and well-educated. He came from a generation of free-thinkers and hardworkers. He came from a generation who, unfortunately, are down to their last numbers.

I respect the man. He was a journalist through and through. He epitomised the very essence of what a journalist should be: brave, in constant search for the truth, cannot be bought, and most especially, a defender of freedom.

I miss his wit, his candor, his humour. Max Soliven could never replace him, for there can never be another Teddy Benigno.

*****

So, GMA is being called to resign from office. Does this mean that there will be another insurgency calling people out into the streets to force her out of office like what they did to Estrada? Does this mean that the constitutional process will be shoved away in a bin again?

How convenient.

The Philippines often prides itself of being a democratic country. Where is the democracy in this hoopla? Kick a president out if you're sick of them? In GMA's case, she has been accused of cheating during the previous elections. Fair enough, there is a reason as to why the people are angry. But, can't the Philippines for once try to solve this in the most democratic and legal way possible? Aren't the people in the government concerned as to how foolish the country looks like to the rest of the world?

Confused, apathetic, ang jaded.

With the way things are going back home, I cannot really blame the educated people trying desperately to leave the country. It just seems so hopeless.

*****

Speaking of jaded, a huge percentile of the educated class in the Philippines are in a state of apathy. This is a huge concern. In my opinion, it's this group that make a huge difference in how the country is governed. If you have the intelligent people just living their own lives and just don't give a crap, then it's the uneducated masa that is going to take control. Gasp!

I don't mean to sound elitist or anything. From the way I see it, the masa are as jaded and apathetic as the educated class. In their point of view, whomever offers the most money to buy their vote will get the vote. Because of poverty, unemployment, and massive reproduction especially by the poor, the people in government feel that they could make a mockery out of the system that the country's forefathers has fought so hard for.

It is definitely a sick, sad world.

7 comments:

jactinglim said...

Yeah, life sucks. The government sucks. So what CAN we do? What can WE do? :) We would just have to be sure that whenever we have to make an decision, we have to be willing to make the right one, even if it happens to be the hardest.

PS Thanks for visiting my blog by the way! I uploaded another strip! Pilya Tuesday again ;)

Jennie said...

I just hope that whatever the decision is, it'll be for the greater good.

Thanks for dropping by. Pilya rocks!

Urban Warrior said...

..which is exactly why only tax-payers should be able to vote. The poor can't contribute because they're lazy.

Seriously.. we are so fucked back here.. =D

Jayce Cortez Jacinto said...

07/13/05 -Massive rally over at Ayala last night shouting and clamoring for PGMA's ouster.More woe and tears for the country's barely breathing economy.sigh.

Anonymous said...

Like every Filipino living in the motherland, we lap-up information about the recent developments of this whole travesty treating it like a horrible train accident: extremely curious but in no way want to be a part of it. I myself belong to the silent majority (you know the 80 million of us) who wants to maintain the status quo because there is no viable alternative in sight.

Historically we Filipino's love dramatic action over cool headed and rational action and this made as make, in my humble opinion, a lot of historical mistakes and not just electing unfit people for office and letting them control us, no I'm talking about not going in a revolution whenever we are dissatisfied with our government. No, I’m talking about our ancestors not listening to Dr. Jose Rizal when he asked the revolutionaries a century or so ago that the best way for us to become a nation that is capable of governing ourselves is to first become a province (not colony) of Spain. Because I believe that Rizal somehow knew that if we do get to eat the cake of self-rule too prematurely we will act like we are acting like we are acting today. I mean look at the bickering between Aguinaldo and Bonifacio. The former ordered the death of the latter (who was at that time already disabled anyway) by bolo! There was already dirty politics during that time of our nation's founding!

To be fair, we are, as a people is still a young republic. How long have we been ruling our own? Around a hundred years? That's not much. We try to achieve something what other of our Asian neighbors have been struggling and perfecting for hundreds and possibly thousands of years (with several bloody wars and revolutions thrown in). In terms of self-governance and as a republic we are like that little pimply faced teen who says “I don't know" when asked how does he feel.

Although it is not really the fault of the Filipino as we have been ruled by the Spanish, Japanese and Americans for centuries. So the result it the 100 and so measly years we are giving the chance to rule ourselves, we have no idea was the hell we are doing.

Anonymous said...

whops that was me Cabbie on who posted the last reply!

Jennie said...

Well said, Cabbie! Filipinos indeed don't know what the hell they're doing. I guess everybody has their own view of how to solve the problem but when the problem is too complex and mixed in with so many issues other than poor governing of the people, where do you start?