A Pinoy Blog About Nothing

“Imoral ang walang sawang pagtatamasa ng mayaman at makapangyarihan habang paunti nang paunti ang itinitira sa dukha. Imoral ang pagkamanhid at katiwalian ng pamahalaan samantalang kinakapos ang mahirap sa gamot, paaralan, tirahan at tubig. Imoral na pabayaan ang mga kaaway ng ating demokrasya na takutin ang ating mga anak, paralisahin ang ekonomiya at ipahamak ang ating kinabukasan dahil ang pinaka nahihirapan sa lahat ng ito ay ang mga maralita. Kaya narito ako ngayon taglay ang takda ng taumbayan upang pagbuklurin ang sambayanan at makibaka para sa bagong bukas para sa ating lahat.”

from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Inaugural Speech, 30 June 2004

The Live8 extravaganza is already being hailed as one of the greatest concerts of all time. The first song alone - Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by U2 and Sir Paul McCartney was worth it. No-brainer on that one. Not to sound so much like a cynic but only the most soulless of individuals would want suffering for other people.

For me though, Africa’s problems are more deeply rooted than just debt-relief. In more ways than one, the Philippines is similar to any one of the countries in Africa: saddled by enormous foreign debt and a national budget dedicated to heavily servicing it, ubiquitous poverty, ranked 59th in the population growth rate in the world, warlords and armed-militia dotting the countryside, and all this abetted by a corrupt government. And yet despite aid coming in from other countries the Philippines hasn’t really climbed out of the hole it has found itself in since the 1970s.

I may be sympathetic to the Live8 cause, enough to sign the petition, but before we get star-struck with Bono and Brad Pitt, Filipinos need some house-cleaning to do. Starting with the issue concerning PGMA.

Not being subjected 24/7 to the barrage of spin-meisters and PR experts in the payroll of politicos has its advantages. If I was back in Manila, I think I would get a headache just listening to the allegations and second-guessing by pundits, some media personnel, people claiming to be in the know, not to mention the politicos which would have vested interests at stake outside of that of the welfare of Filipinos.

When I first heard of the tapes alleging PGMA of election irregularities, I paid it no mind. That’s just politics as usual in the Philippines. The usual cycle is that of accusations, denial, counter-accusations, protests, token action to assuage the public and then waiting for the issue to die down or at least for the next one to come up. However when she admitted that she was indeed on that tape and the conversation between her and Commissioner Garcillano, I was just floored and every bit disappointed. Disappointed that it indeed happened, that the President would stoop that low, and further, she and her counsel say she did not do anything wrong and it was a “lapse of judgement.”

While she was hoping that coming clean to the public would serve to defuse the political tension, to me it only showed how little morality and doing what’s right figures in government these days. When she took the oath to be the President, she was to take the moral high-ground. That was the reason why Erap was kicked out of government in the first place - civil society was tired of the brazen corruption perpetrated by Erap and his cohorts. To say it was a mere “lapse of judgement” is for a murderer to say “I didn’t exactly mean to kill him when I shot him, I just wanted to make him bleed a little. Oops.”

It’s wrong for any President to talk to a member of the Commission on Elections about his or her votes. Period. In a hotly contested election, any mere suggestion of impropriety would be enough to incite outrage. Admitting to suggesting protecting your electoral lead to a member of the body in charge of counting the votes is suicide. Even a high school student body government candidate would know that.

Who cares if it’s legal or not? It’s inappropriate. The mandate of her presidency becomes suspect. Further, how many “lapses of judgment” were there? In what areas? Areas like illegal gambling investigations where her husband and son are allegedly involved? Whatever she denies now will be harder to accept. Further, whatever sacrifices she asks from the people would be harder to swallow.

With the e-VAT put on hold, I sincerely doubt PGMA would push for its implementation in order not to risk further ire from the public. If she does that, it would underscore how little she cares for the economy of the country. It would show she’d rather save her political career than doing what’s good for the country. The e-VAT may not be a popular measure but she pushed for it. And because she is the President of the Philippines one would hope she is doing what’s right for the country. The suspension of the measure already affected the market. If she turns around on the issue just to calm the public, it would only further erode what’s little left of her credibility.

PGMA has lost whatever moral impetus she has to lead the country. If she indeed cares for the country, then she should resign as some sectors have suggested. History might be kinder to her. Impeachment proceedings would be protracted and divisive. A military junta is not an option. No to another EDSA. For the Philippines to move out of the hole, then there should be some political maturity - a respect for the democratic processes. The Filipinos must demand accountability from its leaders. At least some members of her cabinet have their hearts in the right place.

Why do I care what happens in the Philippines despite being thousands of miles away? My family and friends are there. My idea of home would always be tied to where I was born and to where I grew up. Most important of all, I want to keep being proud when I say that I’m a Filipino. That Pinoys can clean up their own mess even without the help of rock ‘n roll.