Politics, culture at the root of country’s problems

I am glad the Advocates for National Interest is now giving importance to what is truly causing the problems of our country, instead of the relatively minor difficulties we now face in the military. We keep on electing the wrong people to government positions and we are tolerant of the wrong things they commit while in the service.

While our recent and minor concerns are also important, it will not maximize the benefits we should be getting until we solve the root causes of our difficulties as a nation.

Many Filipinos regard culture as the cause of our problems as a nation. However, solving our cultural problems won’t bring us to the solutions that give us the right direction. Discussing our historical past and the fact that our present generation has lost appreciation of this part of our history may have some rewards but I think that will not give us the lasting benefits to improve as a nation. We must target the specific problems that divide our people and drive us off the cliff. What are these problems?

First, we elect the wrong people to lead us. Our people lack an appreciation of the value of good leadership in our life as a nation. We choose our political leaders based on what they can do for us as individuals rather than the whole population. We are easily swayed to elect our leaders by the amount of money or favor they give us as individuals. We don’t elect the right kind of leaders, those that are not swayed by their personal interests but by the interests that will bring benefits to the majority. We should solve the basic problems that encourage us to elect the wrong sets of leaders.

Second, we are too forgiving of the wrongs that our political and other government leaders commit. We know when our leaders commit corruption and we bring them up to the media but we don’t file the necessary process to hold them accountable to face justice. No one is really held accountable. If we start by analyzing these two weaknesses and come out with a political structure to eliminate them, we will most probably bring the appropriate solutions to our basic problems as a nation.

We should sit down together to study these two weaknesses and come out with a comprehensive solution. We must also find the best political structure and the right way to implement the right solutions to our country’s problems.

Col. Guillermo G. Cunanan,

Philippine Air Force (Ret.)