POLITICS in the Philippines has been a disaster. Perhaps this is a better title. Let us give justice, though, to those who have been affected. Let's talk instead about politics and disasters.
This commentary is a reaction to many postings I have been seeing in social media. From critiques on the romanticization of "resiliency" to the demand for "accountability" -- we need to put things in perspective and move forward. The problem with us is that we are emotionally strong only when we see things in hindsight. Unfortunately, our convictions are not as proportionate when we are asked to fight for things moving forward. I am not criticizing the advocacy but the intention and style of standing for it. Except perhaps for a few consistent cause-oriented groups, the so many pockets of initiatives are but immediate reactions to something that has been done, damaged, and devastated.
There is no country that is disaster free. Nature is nature. And because nature is one indivisible book of which we are only part of, as Benedict XVI says, then disasters remind us of the kind of life we have lived in relation to nature. The goal is to look for ways on how we can position ourselves more properly when disasters come. This way the frequency of asking for donations would lessen and the extent of our relief operations would be manageable. It is not that donations and relief operations are bad, however, if they become part of our lifestyle then there is something wrong if not lacking in our planning.
This is where politics gets into the picture. Legitimate authority when exercised or used properly can create structural changes. It can make people think and rethink. It can also make them realize that much can be done in order to improve their lives. Sadly, this cannot be done overnight. Precisely why dictators fail right on that day when they believe that "change" can come merely through midnight announcements. Part of change is the cumulative process of learning from experience. Politicians have not made use of people's experiences with disasters to convince them that much more can be done in terms of planning and risk reduction. Some of us are either stubborn or lacking in memory space.
If the end of politics is human flourishing or the common good, then it must be exercised and applied on individuals keeping in mind their relationship with nature. In the immediate human experience we encounter nature in our environment. The problem with some politicians is that they think that their role is to bring investments that would translate to infrastructures and thus income. I remember one governor who in the 90s commented: "if you want trees, you live in the jungle." This kind of mindset speaks of how low the bar has been with our developmental framework. To date, we are managed and governed by people who understand their political role only in terms of piecemeal functions.
Let's be fair though in our assessment and also include the people who voted for these politicians. It is ironic that we see all the devastations with so much pity. We are united in our front when it comes to helping each other. Still we remain divided when it comes to our view on the kind of leadership this country has. Of the many people affected by all these typhoons that ravaged our country, how many continue to support that kind of politics that has little regard for the environment? We are not asking that all people in this country would become experts in climate change. We are only asking for the minimum: "when we choose politicians" we should also ask what "agenda" are on their plate other than their populist appeal.
I agree to what has been said that we should not capitalize on resiliency but also demand accountability. I believe however that although the government is primarily accountable, the people who voted for whoever created this mess are to some degree also accountable. Voters are rational agents. With the 2022 elections getting closer, we should also ask ourselves why we got all these garbage back from nature. How come we continue to vote for politicians of this kind? It is not enough to demand for accountability. We should not put in power those who would like to exercise authority without it.