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Monday, January 23, 2006
Peñaflorida: Bastardizing Edsa
By Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida
ON THE SPOT!!
LAST weekend was the 5th anniversary of Edsa 2. It was just an ordinary day for many Filipinos. Malacanang did not even bother to make any noise about it. Instead, the national attention was on the four Oakwood mutineers who allegedly escaped from detention and on the alleged coup attempt revealed by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.
Why the lack of fanfare? Why the lack of celebration no matter how simple and austere? Perhaps, because there is no reason to celebrate in the first place.
President Cory Aquino, who was among those who rallied the people to EDSA in both 1986 and 2001, said it all: she regretted having supported Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. I am sure that this is the same sentiment of the many other concerned Filipinos who flocked to EDSA in January 2001, not so much because they love Gloria, but because they love their country.
Edsa 2 was one glorious opportunity to redeem our lost dreams, to institute reforms and to unify our fragmented people. 15 years after the miraculous and phenomenal People Power Revolution that drove Marcos out of Malacanang and out of the country, we were blessed with a rare second chance to do things right this time. The Filipino people staged an EDSA 2 to express their utter disgust against an inept and corrupt president and to strongly protest the failure to open the controversial envelope in the impeachment trial of Erap Estrada. As in Edsa 1, it was a spontaneous outpouring and a genuine _expression of the Filipino spirit.
But was it worth it? Were we indeed better off under Gloria than under Erap? Or was it, after all, a case of jumping from the frying pan to the fire?
Today, for most Filipinos, the sins of Erap appear to be juvenile, even venial, when compared to the blunders of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. So what if Erap and his son Jinggoy were involved in jueteng? The father and son tandem of Mike and Mikey Arroyo are accused of greater involvement in the same illegal numbers game by, of all people, an incumbent archbishop in the person of Oscar Cruz. Erap's rabid supporters are now saying that their idol may be inept, irresponsible and even immoral and corrupt, but he never cheated an election or stole the presidency.
Indeed, what went wrong? Unlike Cory who was a political neophyte and who assumed power in extraordinary circumstances, Gloria has all it takes to make a real and tangible difference. She has the brains, the experience, the popularity and even the mandate. Her academic qualifications are exemplary - valedictorian, magna cum laude, doctor in economics and a university professor. Her experience and performance in both her appointive and elective positions as DTI undersecretary, senator and vice president can be considered as excellent. Her popularity and mandate are unquestionable having topped the 1995 senatorial elections and winning the vice presidency with more votes than Erap as president.
Moreover, the Arroyos are among the old rich and landed families in this country - there is no need for Gloria and her relatives to be salivating for more money. Gloria, who was educated by the conservative nuns at the Assumption Convent and by the Jesuit priests at Georgetown University and the Ateneo, was expected to uphold the most important religious values that will not keep the Presidency above corrupt, dirty and traditional politics, but will also bring it to a higher moral ground.
But 5 years after Edsa 2, what have we become both as a people and as a country? We continue to suffer in poverty. Our economy remains fragile and lackluster. Our political situation is chaotic. Corruption continues to thrive and has even flourished. We have a severely damaged presidency. We have become a deeply divided country and a heavily fragmented people. To say it bluntly, most Filipinos feel that we are worst today under Gloria than under Erap.
No wonder Filipinos have turned a deaf ear to any call for another Edsa. What for? Insofar as our suffering people are concerned, what assurance do they have that from Gloria to Noli, things would turn out for the better? If somebody with the impeccable credentials of Gloria has failed miserably to uphold the spirit and dreams of Edsa, what more with an untried vice president without any significant credentials? Even the call for charter change has become irrelevant.
Tragic, but true. We have squandered the gains of Edsa and have bastardized its lofty ideals. I hope the President realizes this soonest. For only in redeeming herself can she help redeem the spirit of Edsa. /For comments and reactions, email at attyjobertpenaflorida@yahoo.com.
(January 23, 2006 issue)
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