WELCOME 2010 with joy, that's what new years are all about. But approach May 10 elections with constant reminders to stay the course.
Remember 2009 and everything that preceded it: there was the ZTE broadband deal scam that made a hero of whistleblower Jun Lozada, the Legacy scam that ripped off the pension of hundreds of thousands of Filipino retirees, the rice crisis amid accusations and denials of corruption by those in power, followed by a global financial meltdown that saw our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sending less remittance thus despite the huge jump in their numbers out there, increase in remittance was just a pittance. This crescendoed into the months of disasters made worse by official neglect and inability to act and then the massacre, a grim reminder of the election year that was looming ahead.
All these had the handprints of a government mired in corruption, avarice, and arrogance.
Indeed, the past six years has been full of lessons on how government should not be run and who should not be running government. Let us all remember these and stay the course for better governance as we approach May 10.
Expectedly, even the most corrupt among the corrupt officials will try to paint a picture of benevolence, concern, and openheartedness. Let us not be fooled. We should always remember who stole from us our hard-earned pensions and dignity and who is depriving us of our well-deserved livelihood and life.
Just to remind us, here's a list of what we can remember:
- NBN ZTE scandal
- Bribe money to congressmen and governors in October 2007 where Pampanga Gov. Among Ed Panlilio revealed he got half a million pesos
- "Hello Garci" cheating in 2004 and may we add, the 12-0 win of administration senators in Maguindanao
- P728-million fertilizer scam used for the 2004 elections and which made a household name of Agriculture Secretary Jocjoc Bolante
- P200-million Jose Pidal bank account, the $2-million Nani Perez power plant deal
- Overpriced P532-million Macapagal Boulevard scam
- Unexplained wealth of Majo. Gen. Carlos Garcia in 2004
- The billion peso poll automation contract in 2007, which the Supreme Court ruled as disadvantageous to the government
- The $503-million Northrail Project
- The nationwide scam spawned by Legacy Group with the help of friends in government
- The November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre.
Let us all remember that all these are the very reason why there is this niggling feeling deep within our hearts demanding for change. Let us not make this desire for change mean just changing the frontliners while keeping the corrupt and arrogant in power.