A way to stop the highjacking of Edsa 1

On its 31st anniversary, it has become clear that the much-praised Edsa 1 has lost its way. For one, Edsa 2 installed Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a cure worse than the Erap illness; then Cory’s death led to a “Daang Matuwid” that spawned the Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal. Three decades after the 1986 People Power, political dynasties have managed to carve out family fiefdoms, entrenching an insatiable oligarchy that may soon be institutionalized by federalism.

How could such a horror metamorphose from something as a noble and relatively peaceful, bloodless uprising against a conjugal dictatorship? Why does 2017 feel so much like a déjà vu of 1986?

It’s as if the trapos (traditional politicians), realizing the Marcosian rule’s effectiveness, have proceeded to perfect the many ways of fooling the people, of enslaving the people and of convincing the people that survival is man’s highest aspiration. In other words, our ruling class has stolen our capability to dream of life becoming better.  It has robbed us of our right to progress.

Before all of us are lulled into accepting that hunger and poverty are our lot, we Filipinos must wake up.

Let’s not depend on government.  Let’s not just pray to the God (or gods) of our choice. Let’s shake the cobwebs of inertia from our heads and hands.

The Philippines is a land blessed aplenty such that Filipinos don’t know what to focus on to achieve inclusive growth. Our countryside entrepreneurship advocacy,

BalikProbinsiya, started with only four priority programs: Coconut Revitalization, Bamboo Sunrise, Natural Farming, Integrative Clusters. But we are proving that there are many Filipinos who are able and willing to help their less fortunate brethren improve their lives with sustainable livelihoods coming from the natural bounty of our land and the work of our hands.

BalikProbinsiya has demonstrated this in our projects in La Union, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Quezon and Marinduque. We hope to bring this hope and dream to every province soon—to your province, if you are willing to be an “Enterprise Champion.”

Let’s stop the hijacking of Edsa 1!  Let’s make the Philippine Dream into something that can be shared by all.

JOSE Z. OSIAS, convenor, BalikProbinsiya, zosias@gmail.com