I stopped following the news several days ago, partly because of a tedious schedule, and partly out of disgust regarding the never-ending crisis about President Arroyo and the opposition.
Today, I happened to plop down in front of the TV, in time to catch a feature about the police breaking up a rally in Mendiola. I began thinking to myself "when will we ever learn?!"
I'd be among the first to admit that I did take to the streets years ago when Estrada was still the president. Then, it was apparent that there was a blatant obstruction to the judicial process. The trial had begun, and it wouldn't continue if the evidence wasn't shown. There was a cause then to rally. There was a travesty to be spoken against.
Today? What's the difference? For one, there's no trial going on YET. There is no process that was obstructed through deceptive means. So what if the impeachment complaint wasn't signed? There's no 'hidden evidence' in a court, there's no bribery or pay-off to influence justice in a courtroom or trial. The point is that our lawmakers, unlike those five years ago, simply did not take up the impeachment complaint. It just didn't happen. We can't complain about something that was never moving to begin with.
But really, I am more worried about what is happening outside the Senate and the Congress. Will all this bickering, debating and power-grabbing feed our countrymen? Will it ensure better education for our youth? Will tossing challenges and plots back and forth get our Armed Forces to work honestly and efficiently? Will all of this result in better elections?
No. The opposition may have a point. The administration may have agendas. Will these things though serve the best interests of the Filipino? Of the 'karaniwang tao'? The same banana of power-struggles has been growing, ripening, then spoiling over and over again throughout the past decades, but it has never served to enrich or nourish the nation.
So I propose that we forget all of this. There are more pressing problems ahead. We ought to be more worried about deforestation, about poverty, about the increasing crime rate, because these issues compromise the very existence and dignity of the Filipino. Why must the majority suffer because of the hungry interests of the few in power? Why must we contend with rising prices while our lawmakers fight for seats in all branches of the government? Why can we not hear of good news, or see good news, instead of being witness to this sordid saga?
What can we, long suffering voters, students, professionals, laborers, and citizens do? The times do not call for demonstrations and petitions. Such things, like People Power, are only quick-fixes to a long-rooted issue. It's like pulling weeds, but leaving the roots in the soil. The lawn will look clean for a little while, but the weeds will return with greater profusion.
Should we clamor for a parliamentary system? Maybe it would work, but if we have the same kinds of people in power, it will just be a rehash of what we have now. We refuse to stand for authoritarianism, yet our democratic system causes many problems. The problem isn't quite systematic, it's 'molecular'.
Why molecular? In Chemistry, students learn how atoms, ions, and molecules bond, change and react. These reactions account for changes in state, the creations of acids, bases, poisons, foods, solids, liquids, in short life as we know it. If a single atom or molecule necomes unstable or inert, and does not react or change as it should, an entire compound is doomed, causing a chain reaction throughout an organism or system. Nowadays, we act like inert, or on the opposite extreme, unstable ions and molecules. We think, act, choose, and speak not knowing that we influence our neighbors. If a single Filipino adopts an attitude of mediocrity and selfishness, he or she acts in such a way that this attitude rubs off on surrounding people. Therefore, if we as individuals choose to remain in blissful ignorance and be resigned to our sordid conditions, we may very well find after some time that our families, workplaces, schools, barangays and perhaps even entire cities have adopted our detrimental mindset.
We've forgotten that we have an impact on the world around us. How we respond to forces, how we interact with others, and how we behave can either make or break our personal spheres of influence, and our society as a whole. We choose leaders that somehow reflect our desire for 'the easy way out', or for money and power. Then we ask ourselves why everything isn't working.
No amount of slogans, or volunteer work will help our country. It all boils down to our personal mindsets, whether they are centered on self-fulfillment, or on something more altruistic and life-giving. It doesn't matter if we're politicians or non-voting citizens. This entire electoral crisis isn't because President Arroyo forgot her impact on the nation. Rather, it is because we have forgotten that our choice on the ballot, and also our obedience to the State, actually matter to the rest of the country. I cannot say that solving this crisis through a trial will be the permananet solution. I believe that to solve the issue once and for all, the Filipino should learn the value of connection.
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