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Saturday, October 22, 2005
Libre: Hunger for change
By Mel Libre
Seriously Now
As an economic crisis brought about by the rise in oil prices looms over the country, the current leadership has failed to unite the Filipino people to support measures that could lessen its impact upon the middle-income group and those living below poverty line.
Except perhaps in the case of the calls for the adoption of austerity measures that sound good on paper, government has not created a bandwagon mindset for the fight against hopelessness, if not apathy.
The scheduled implementation of the expanded value-added tax, despite promises that it would have little impact on the prices of basic commodities, will soon be seen in the cost of the items commonly bought by the common tao. Even now, hard-earned money slips easily from one’s hand with so few items brought back for the family.
And even with the dark clouds hovering in the Philippine economic landscape, the opposition continues staging protest actions and extra-legal activities to force President Arroyo’s resignation, if not ouster. Of course, we are not blind to the political opposition’s objective of regaining power and re-instituting its reign of corruption and cronyism that contributed to the moral decay and extreme poverty of many.
The legal Left, as usual, is initiating mass actions, but strangely side-by-side with leaders and supporters of the despised Marcos regime. Without fresh ideas on governance and still rooted on a nearly extinct ideology, the Left, both the legal and underground, has not given up its utopian dream of Neverland.
The changes that many hoped to see as a result of Edsa 1 and 2 have not been realized. Blaming the presidential form of government as the cause of all our woes, our politicians instead want to institute a federal system and a parliamentary form of government by revising the Constitution. Of course, they know, and we know, that the proposed changes are not cure-all moves.
We cannot, therefore, blame professionals and other middle-income earners if they leave behind the Motherland, though with a heavy heart. If nothing has happened in the past 20 years, what changes can we expect to occur in the next two decades?
When elective positions have become family heirlooms, how can we expect new politics to thrive? When the best minds and talented individuals are not tapped because repaying political favors is the norm in selecting technocrats, how can we expect public servants to contribute to development?
The Filipino people thirst for inspired leadership. The Filipino people want dedicated elective officials and public servants. The Filipino people hunger for change. Most importantly, the Filipino people need to change.
(October 22, 2005 issue)
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