Events have transpired before my eyes and I willfully allowed myself to simply watch as they took shape and threw damaging effects to our nation as a whole. It’s not that I was unperturbed by the ZTE-NBN bribery and what came off of it. It's not that I chose to be unaffected by this latest scandal by the Arroyo leadership. Neither have I grown numb. I knew that I, everyone, must take a stand and make the move when the very subjects of the controversy still refuse to own up, shape up or move (out of office.) I just thought that after numerous mass actions have demonstrated themselves to be mere venue for the maintenance of the powers-that-be, I hastened to join “the bandwagon”. I resolved never again to allow myself to be taken for another ride, offer my hands for another cuffs of socio-political slavery, and behold another brand of scandals unfold before my eyes.
Lo, I was making myself apathetic at this stage of our social-political history. I thought inaction was a wiser action than an inchoate hasty one in the absence of viable alternatives.
Here, I wish to give clarity on my previous assumptions (called fears). First, collective mass actions are one of the pillars that make democracy the better if not the best option among all the forms of the present society. Collective mass action, as a reflection of the solid unity of stratified interests and ideologies, is a veritable avenue by which to engage genuine and lasting solutions to our pragmatic problems. We have tested this efficacy in The People Power Revolution. It doesn’t matter what transpired years and years after the fateful EDSA, but what’s essential is that a Nation consciousness emerged. We embraced with pride our country as one culture, one heritage. We learned that we are capable of defining our common perspectives. We followed our conscience as a people bound by the common good. We can choose the type of leadership that we want; topple the one that doesn’t deserve our trust. Following this argument, would the powers-that-be also stay had we not allowed them to? For the sake of argument, collective mass action could also be a potent means to extricate the powers-that-be from the map of our political geography. It takes militant vigilance to prevent another corrupt government to stay in power.
Second, I hate to see the civil mass actions as a bandwagon that peddles brands of cheap politics. Rather, this forms part of our continuing efforts toward a genuine moral revolution in the realm of governance and social interaction. Yes, we laud the likes of Governors Panlilio and Padaca in launching the moral revolution in their respective provinces for the rest of the country to emulate. But as correctly stated by Jun Lozada, it is saddening, and to some degree insulting, that men and women of valor and values are a rarity in our government. We are more than eighty-four million able Filipinos who can lead. We have this inherent quality as sons and daughters of God, be us Christians, Muslims or of other religions. Have most of us succumbed to the devil so as to espouse corruption and sire greed, dishonesty, and obsession? Isn’t it about time that moral turpitude and moral decency be a decisive requirement for all elective and appointive officials in the government? Funny how a lowly janitor applicant or ordinary employee be required of a certificate of good moral character to land the job, while let the moneyed politicians bask in the bed of arrogance and power.
Third, there are viable alternatives. I gave in for a while to the fear that perhaps, should we call for Macapagal-Arroyo to resign, no one would be qualified to take the presidency. This inference is taken from the long look at the Vice President. One thing is to diminish the value of trust that favored De Catro during the elections, and the other to put the stake at a stark future. I don’t buy the rather cheap idea that De Castro’s mantle has not been put to the test. The Senate was a test and majority has bought his mediocrity. The Vice Presidency is another test where he displays leadership by convenience. Here, would limiting the alternatives to De Castro be a myopic irrelevance? We do not simply pick a leader and let him trample upon the people’s and the country’s welfare. As repeatedly stated, we as a people must continue to let the flame of militant vigilance burning. Again, there are millions of brilliant and conscientious Filipinos who could rightfully take the leadership.
I thought for a while that inaction on our part would give further legitimacy to a rather illegitimate, corrupt leadership. I cannot continue being mute to all these controversies. It is time that we heed our conscience. Hence, I join the “bandwagon” with caution. I choose to push for a sound moral revolution. It begins with getting rid of the weeds that bring the government and the nation into certain collapse.
