Just a month ago, our television networks and radio stations relayed and broadcasted the yearly State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President of the Philippines. As it is in the years past, we heard reports of bountiful economic harvests and a list of new promises. In congress there was continued applause and clapping of hands from among the avid supporters of the President. But to the distressed and the weary outside of congress, the SONA remained to be like, “a crashing cymbal or a booming drum which deafens the ears and does not soothe the soul” (Theodore M. Burton, “If I Have Not Love—,” Instructor, June 1970, 201).
Time and again we heard the same cries once howled and bawled by street parliamentarians of long ago. The echo of the roaring shouts of yesteryears in the open parliaments along the streets of EDSA, Mendiola and Makati Avenue in Metro Manila seemed to have left a continuing sound of a delightful music yet unheard by those to whom it is dedicated. The bands performing in concerts for political reformations consist of children, youth, and adults. Among each group are religious leaders, neophytes in the political arena, seasoned political veterans, and many thus far are from the most respected groups of the academe. It is surprising, however, that in our continued march, ostensibly to call for political and economic reforms, our national life continued to be bothered by the poverty of our people. By our most popular world class brand of “people power”, we somehow successfully installed and ousted our highest political leaders, only to realize that in each shift of leadership, we find ourselves again in the streets shouting the same chorus of disapproval.
In years past and even recently we are bothered by the proposition to amend our fundamental law. We raise our voices high in continued noise barrages in different areas to show our greatest opposition for a constituent assembly to change our charter. No matter how hard we blow our whistles and horns, and how hard we beat our drums, our opposition continued to settle into the deaf ears of its selfish proponents. We once have our fundamental law amended through a constitutional convention. Yet, since then and now, it seemed to hardly contribute to a change in our national economic status, and national sovereignty.
Years back, one of the President of our republic was sent on exile until he died. Then another President was impeached and imprisoned, and his successor of nine years presidency is now also in prison. It is even so sad for me to imagine that again we wanted our current and duly elected President to be impeached. Recently we have three of our duly elected Senators of the Republic---the architects of our laws, being incarcerated in jail for alleged corruptions, and still more are facing the same charges for graft and corrupt practices. Yet these men and women are gifted with intellectual brilliance, educated in law, experts in economics and public policy, prominent and popular.
In years past and even recently we are bothered by the proposition to amend our fundamental law. We raise our voices high in continued noise barrages in different areas to show our greatest opposition for a constituent assembly to change our charter. No matter how hard we blow our whistles and horns, and how hard we beat our drums, our opposition continued to settle into the deaf ears of its selfish proponents. We once have our fundamental law amended through a constitutional convention. Yet, since then and now, it seemed to hardly contribute to a change in our national economic status, and national sovereignty.
Years back, one of the President of our republic was sent on exile until he died. Then another President was impeached and imprisoned, and his successor of nine years presidency is now also in prison. It is even so sad for me to imagine that again we wanted our current and duly elected President to be impeached. Recently we have three of our duly elected Senators of the Republic---the architects of our laws, being incarcerated in jail for alleged corruptions, and still more are facing the same charges for graft and corrupt practices. Yet these men and women are gifted with intellectual brilliance, educated in law, experts in economics and public policy, prominent and popular.
When these men entered the political amphitheater they carry with them the honors of their wisdom and brilliance; the respect of their prominence; and the applause of their popularity. They are no fools. They are men of sound understanding. We even believe that they are honest men worthy of our trust. For such we penned and clearly write their honored names in the sacred ballots during elections. In a year or two after elections, we again start marching on the streets, wearing clowns and burning effigies, branding these once honored, respected and applauded men and women as crooks. What kind of a fool is our political system? How corrupt a government and public administrators do we have? What kind of fools of the governed are we? Perhaps we could not find a perfect answer to these questions. We can only guess that we have a politics of the fools; a government of corrupts; and perhaps a mislead band of the governed. Our sad experiences of many years were proofs beyond reasonable doubt. The only sure and lasting hope for national progress, prosperity and peace lies in the change of the inner man; the continued serious consideration and deep research and investigation on the very roots of our national problems; the return to the basics, the restoration of the fundamental moral values.
