Twenty five years after the 1986 People Power or EDSA revolution, the country is still mired in multifarious problems, such as: massive graft and corruption, rampant crimes and unstable peace and order particularly in Mindanao, deeply rooted poverty and marginalized economic existence of majority poor Filipinos right in the heart of Metro Manila, weak governance direction, lack of educational opportunities in the countryside, and the most pernicious practice of political debt and accommodation of who helped me financially, who are my friends, classmates and family members being the priority of selection into the mantle and clout of power. The people are again taken for granted even those who did something to help.
Yes, we have removed a perceived dictator. We have regained back democracy though its strength and popular support was tested when certain elements in the Armed Forces tried to seize power but failed; then our adherence to the Constitutional process of compliance using an impeachment on a former President accused of abusing power and authority had resulted in his removal backed up by a second wave of people power and withdrawal of military support on his leadership; and the ascendancy of another President who every Filipino taught would be the savior but turned out as the master tactician that even bled the country dry under nine years of corruption unprecedented in the country's history.
Then Benigno'Noynoy' Simeon Aquino III was elected last May 2010 elections as the President popularly supported by the people because he is the son of a fallen hero Ninoy Aquino and former president Cory, an acknowledged icon of the People Power revolt against a dictator that catapulted her to power. Noynoy's ascendancy was more of sympathy for her mother's death from colon cancer and the anger and protest of the people over massive corruption during Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's nine years in office more than anything else. The people thought Noynoy then was a better alternative than his opponents who were known allies of Macapagal-Arroyo and a former president who have already been tried and tested. His political entry came at the right time because Filipinos were hungry for one leader whom they could identify with in their aspiration for clean, honest and all encompassing and embracing leadership.
Senator Mar Roxas was then the looming candidate for President of the Liberal Party before Noynoy even had the inkling of running for the presidency. Mar had long prepared and planned for the presidential race, in fact, had already executed his plan through massive media exposure and propaganda blitz as 'Mr. Palengke' and other attention getting means to win hearts of the people. Noynoy's luck came because Mar was a good friend and partyman when he yielded the official candidacy for president to him. In effect, Mar made him president because of one singular act of giving way and instead settled to be Noynoy's running mate as Vice President but unlucky did not make it. Too bad Noynoy won but Mar lost, so there were many stories to this as we have learned.
Now as president, Benigno Simeon C. Aquino in today's celebration has rekindled to the Filipino nation the spirit of EDSA talking about responsible leadership in his speech marking the 25th Anniversary of EDSA People Power celebration. He is asking for UNITY so the country can move forward. He has again emphasized that his government will erase graft and corruption and make people responsible be held accountable and that his governance would always recognize the people's sentiments and aspirations asking them to join him and achieve his 'ang daan matuwid' and 'kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.' On face value what he's been saying is good, and cannot be argued upon. Yet is it true?
On the contrary, are we seeing something truthful and credible on the things he has been saying like for example on unity and transparency? I don't think so, because on the issue alone of the ARMM election, there's no transparency to what he says
because what he wants done to postpone the election denying the people the right to exercise their free will in an honest, clean and credible elections is undemocratic. And his desire to just appoint officials of ARMM disregarding the mandate and legal intent of RA 6734 as amended by RA 9054 providing for democratic elections smacks of a leadership that wants to dictate and be followed instead of him following the law.
And on unity, how can he unite the country when he cannot even show respect to the ARMM constituents by disregarding their sentiments because they were not heard and given the chance to be consulted since Malacanang already certified a bill as 'urgent' calling for the ARMM election postponement without the benefit of any public consultation on the matter? And Congress already approved that the ARMM election shall be postponed because Malacanang wanted it that way.
Shouldn't unity start from the action of the President by listening and respecting the wishes of the people rather than the people following his wishes even if its against their will? Shouldn't transparency be shown by actions of Malacanang allowing democratic processes to flourish and prosper not curtailing people' rights since those are among the values and principles that we all fought during the EDSA People Power Revolution to restore back freedom and democracy?
UNITY and TRANSPARENCY, Where Is It?
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