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Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Carvajal: Leading change
By Orlando P. Carvajal
Philippine Society needs an overhaul, a re-volution if you like.
There are no quick fixes for deep-seated social problems coming from centuries of programming of the Filipino psyche.
We are now in the grip of a culture that legitimizes an essentially elitist approach to governance, business and religion.
Ours is a country not of laws but of men and women. Thus, cha-cha, parliamentarism and federalism will not solve all but some of our governance problems. Neither will PGMA’s ouster via impeachment or otherwise since none of the main actors (read, possible replacements) in the ongoing national drama show any sign of promise. It is, indeed, a pretty depressing and hopeless situation.
Fortunately, however, macro or national problems can be solved at the local level. Any local group, therefore, can lead in the overhaul of Philippine politics, business and culture. Why not us in Cebu, we who do not like the way Manila runs things? We complain against how an obstructionist opposition run projects to the ground just to prevent the administration party from getting credit. Well, Cebu City Mayor Osmeña and the City Council have no such opposition. They have a monopoly of City Hall. So is it too much to ask them to abandon traditional political behavior and use this opportunity to legislate for the good of all Cebuanos and provide a model of good governance to the rest of the country?
Over at the Provincial Capitol, can good Cebuanos not challenge the administration? Can the administration and the opposition work out their differences for the sake of Cebu and refrain from sacrificing the province on the altar of partisan politics? And, instead of storming the Malacañang of the South to protest how things are run in Manila, why can’t concerned Cebuanos protest and demand that our local political, business and civic leaders perform for the good of Cebu?
Mao Tse Tung, said “a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.” Cebu can be that first step in the journey towards the transformation of Philippine society. Others will definitely follow.
While Manila debates cha-cha, jueteng and impeachment endlessly, we, in Cebu, can start reprogramming our psyche.
We can take lead in the transformation of Philippine society by dumping elitism in the nearest trash bin.
(August 16, 2005 issue)
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