EDSA Dos
This is my winning piece ... I forgot which year. I must have grown a lot older... yet nothing much have changed in the Philippines.. We still havent learned anything.
Lessons from People Power II
EDSA II have given many of us many things to be proud of yet many things to be ashamed of as well. We felt proud because we have once again ousted the highest official of our land who have recklessly and flagrantly/shamelessly depicted how a man of power can do almost anything he wants to do at the expense of the massive population which he has vowed to serve. Well, almost.
But how was it when the very same leader was proclaimed the winner after the election? Did we not have a feast and did we not rejoice with him in his victory? Did we not laugh at his stupid jokes and the jokes about him? How many of them were really there with him during his winning moments acting in pretense or for real? Were there plenty of them who proclaimed that “their boss” was not guilty, is a good man and that they would stay with him, defend and protect him but have left him the moment he was almost helpless and wanting?
What have we learned of the People Power II then? Was it really a people power at all? Is the EDSA Dos something that we should be proud of or be ashamed of, or both feel equivocally? How was it with the first People Power? Why was there a second? Will there be a third?
EDSA II have become a scary symbol of how unstable our system of government is for all of us. The constitution was supposedly the basis of how a public servant is to be put in place and replaced. But it seems that the people, considerably not the majority though, have a better way of ending and starting the terms of our leaders. Proven twice. The supremacy of the people is said to be the very existence of the state, the general welfare is said to be the main basis of laws. And this is what the People Power is all about, that is why it works every time. What is the constitution for then if we resort to People Power every time a leader cannot prove his worth in a short span of time during his reign? Does this not pose a threat to the book of laws itself? Are we not becoming a country of mob rule? An anarchic
system of moving on to the utopia? These are the questionable sides of the People Power.
EDSA II however, has obviously become a strong factor which would and could put our leaders on their toes and move them to act according to the principle and essence of their being in the public service. The historical event would flash in their minds and give them a solid reminder of how strong and united most of the Filipino people are and this knowledge will make them think twice before acting on a diversion of their original function. The ripples of the People Power will motivate them to do better in their line of duty lest they become the next hero to be held for inquisition, the next who would make a sad wave of goodbye to the very same people who carried him to the palace. All leaders want a good place in history and EDSA II provides them the most solid pillar to hold on to in case they become hesitant and lost in their roles as the Biggest Filipino Symbol. It would be foolishness if they ever falter in being reminded of the soul of the People Power.
It is often said that if there is a beginning there is an end. In People Power II I think the saying does not apply. The event started with I and now it has a II and I believe it will go on to three, four and so on. The question is how many EDSA Revolution or People Power would it take to make us feel secure about our bureaucracy and in the stability of our nation? Must we always then take our protests to the streets in order to overthrow the very person we voted for? The very person whom the masses loved and elected in the position we thought he deserved to be in?
When will we achieve a government that we believe “shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good”? Did we ever have a government as such? Did we ever have leaders who knew what the “common good” was? How many administration have said that they are against graft and corruption, that they are for the betterment of the society, upliftment if not eradication of poverty, but have never made any visible change in all these aspects? How many of them have said that the poorest of the community deserve the most priority in their agenda, but have actually forgotten that there are indeed poor people in the provinces, in the urban areas and even in rural communities. Was there ever one of them who actually remembered the poor they have made several empty promises to in exchange for their votes as they bask in the grandeur of their authority and bathed in the power we have crowned them?
Will there come a time when the Filipino people would actually feel relieved that the most eligible candidates of the society were elected in the right places and the guilty officials locked in jails? When will that day be? Will the Filipino people ever learn to take a risk in voting for a radical choice instead of clinging on to a cancer? Will we as a whole ever be mature enough to know the difference between the bill that our leaders are supposed to make and the bills that they long for?
As long as our masses believe that the role of our leaders is to give them medicine and bags of food we will never move on from the shadow of EDSA II. As long as the masses believe that election is the best time for them to earn plenty of money, we will often be a land of distress. As long as the less educated continue to sell their votes for a hundred peso bill every election our country will continue to become a circus of protests and rallies led if not influenced by the ecclesiastical leaders of our community.
As long as the educated few refuse to recognize the fact that each of us has a responsibility in the betterment of our society we will linger in this dreadful disease of longing. We the new generation must accept the fact that we too must hurdle in our everyday struggle to take time and talk to every man who listens and we, in turn listen to how the less privileged feel about the reflection of our society. We must feel blessed in the wisdom we have gained and as a way of thanking, we share this to others who have not been given the blessing of such important commodity. Only in this least manner can we feel grateful for what we have. And only in this will we able to repay what we owe. In this small token we will feel contentment and only in the lack of this will we forever miss the days given for us to fill in the gaps and in the omission of this will we always feel remorse every time another leader is placed. We would have made a great difference in all these
then. It is not to o late but if we forget to do something about it now, it might be too late tomorrow.
It will go on as long as the Filipino people do not learn how to choose their leaders wisely. Every election we put persons to be our leaders but we in the later years of their service condemn them and regret the very reason we voted for them, the very reason we imposed on others who refuse to believe that the person we chose is indeed worthy.
There must be something wrong in this. This has been going on for a long time. We must have found the cure already. What is it then? When will we find out and what do we have to do about it? And why are we not doing something about it now?
The struggle is a long one and it does not take a day to exert a principle. It takes longer than a moment to make a person know what something means. It takes more than half or less than that to elect a president. It takes not only one person to make a revolution. If it takes myriad of people to make a People Power I want us to know that it only takes only you and me to talk to one another and move others to do the same to others. In this manner we will find the change we long for and the consolation is a gift we do not receive alone but will be savored by the next generations as well. We live by a dream, we work by a standard, we vote by a background and a promise but we talk by the heart. This can move anything. Well, almost maybe.
Lessons from People Power II
EDSA II have given many of us many things to be proud of yet many things to be ashamed of as well. We felt proud because we have once again ousted the highest official of our land who have recklessly and flagrantly/shamelessly depicted how a man of power can do almost anything he wants to do at the expense of the massive population which he has vowed to serve. Well, almost.
But how was it when the very same leader was proclaimed the winner after the election? Did we not have a feast and did we not rejoice with him in his victory? Did we not laugh at his stupid jokes and the jokes about him? How many of them were really there with him during his winning moments acting in pretense or for real? Were there plenty of them who proclaimed that “their boss” was not guilty, is a good man and that they would stay with him, defend and protect him but have left him the moment he was almost helpless and wanting?
What have we learned of the People Power II then? Was it really a people power at all? Is the EDSA Dos something that we should be proud of or be ashamed of, or both feel equivocally? How was it with the first People Power? Why was there a second? Will there be a third?
EDSA II have become a scary symbol of how unstable our system of government is for all of us. The constitution was supposedly the basis of how a public servant is to be put in place and replaced. But it seems that the people, considerably not the majority though, have a better way of ending and starting the terms of our leaders. Proven twice. The supremacy of the people is said to be the very existence of the state, the general welfare is said to be the main basis of laws. And this is what the People Power is all about, that is why it works every time. What is the constitution for then if we resort to People Power every time a leader cannot prove his worth in a short span of time during his reign? Does this not pose a threat to the book of laws itself? Are we not becoming a country of mob rule? An anarchic
system of moving on to the utopia? These are the questionable sides of the People Power.
EDSA II however, has obviously become a strong factor which would and could put our leaders on their toes and move them to act according to the principle and essence of their being in the public service. The historical event would flash in their minds and give them a solid reminder of how strong and united most of the Filipino people are and this knowledge will make them think twice before acting on a diversion of their original function. The ripples of the People Power will motivate them to do better in their line of duty lest they become the next hero to be held for inquisition, the next who would make a sad wave of goodbye to the very same people who carried him to the palace. All leaders want a good place in history and EDSA II provides them the most solid pillar to hold on to in case they become hesitant and lost in their roles as the Biggest Filipino Symbol. It would be foolishness if they ever falter in being reminded of the soul of the People Power.
It is often said that if there is a beginning there is an end. In People Power II I think the saying does not apply. The event started with I and now it has a II and I believe it will go on to three, four and so on. The question is how many EDSA Revolution or People Power would it take to make us feel secure about our bureaucracy and in the stability of our nation? Must we always then take our protests to the streets in order to overthrow the very person we voted for? The very person whom the masses loved and elected in the position we thought he deserved to be in?
When will we achieve a government that we believe “shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good”? Did we ever have a government as such? Did we ever have leaders who knew what the “common good” was? How many administration have said that they are against graft and corruption, that they are for the betterment of the society, upliftment if not eradication of poverty, but have never made any visible change in all these aspects? How many of them have said that the poorest of the community deserve the most priority in their agenda, but have actually forgotten that there are indeed poor people in the provinces, in the urban areas and even in rural communities. Was there ever one of them who actually remembered the poor they have made several empty promises to in exchange for their votes as they bask in the grandeur of their authority and bathed in the power we have crowned them?
Will there come a time when the Filipino people would actually feel relieved that the most eligible candidates of the society were elected in the right places and the guilty officials locked in jails? When will that day be? Will the Filipino people ever learn to take a risk in voting for a radical choice instead of clinging on to a cancer? Will we as a whole ever be mature enough to know the difference between the bill that our leaders are supposed to make and the bills that they long for?
As long as our masses believe that the role of our leaders is to give them medicine and bags of food we will never move on from the shadow of EDSA II. As long as the masses believe that election is the best time for them to earn plenty of money, we will often be a land of distress. As long as the less educated continue to sell their votes for a hundred peso bill every election our country will continue to become a circus of protests and rallies led if not influenced by the ecclesiastical leaders of our community.
As long as the educated few refuse to recognize the fact that each of us has a responsibility in the betterment of our society we will linger in this dreadful disease of longing. We the new generation must accept the fact that we too must hurdle in our everyday struggle to take time and talk to every man who listens and we, in turn listen to how the less privileged feel about the reflection of our society. We must feel blessed in the wisdom we have gained and as a way of thanking, we share this to others who have not been given the blessing of such important commodity. Only in this least manner can we feel grateful for what we have. And only in this will we able to repay what we owe. In this small token we will feel contentment and only in the lack of this will we forever miss the days given for us to fill in the gaps and in the omission of this will we always feel remorse every time another leader is placed. We would have made a great difference in all these
then. It is not to o late but if we forget to do something about it now, it might be too late tomorrow.
It will go on as long as the Filipino people do not learn how to choose their leaders wisely. Every election we put persons to be our leaders but we in the later years of their service condemn them and regret the very reason we voted for them, the very reason we imposed on others who refuse to believe that the person we chose is indeed worthy.
There must be something wrong in this. This has been going on for a long time. We must have found the cure already. What is it then? When will we find out and what do we have to do about it? And why are we not doing something about it now?
The struggle is a long one and it does not take a day to exert a principle. It takes longer than a moment to make a person know what something means. It takes more than half or less than that to elect a president. It takes not only one person to make a revolution. If it takes myriad of people to make a People Power I want us to know that it only takes only you and me to talk to one another and move others to do the same to others. In this manner we will find the change we long for and the consolation is a gift we do not receive alone but will be savored by the next generations as well. We live by a dream, we work by a standard, we vote by a background and a promise but we talk by the heart. This can move anything. Well, almost maybe.
posted by alfieping at 5:51 AM
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