From the depths of divisiveness and confusion will arise, not a solution, but an eruption. From the depths, that is, not the surface. The surface has more than enough turmoil at present, but there is not yet enough from the depth. There are provocations, of course, but there are also established behavioral patterns that act like fortresses difficult to breach.
The dominant political forces are locked in deadly battle. Their principles are not opposed; after all, they came from the same mold. But power, once tasted, is a temptation that few can resist. Even more when it is accompanied by greed, another temptation that few have managed to moderate, much less turn their back on. Well, there may be no opposing principles, there are always opposing personalities – each after the same control of power and money.
Is there no other force aside from the Marcos and Duterte camps? Of course, there is. It is not even a small force, not a by-the-way alternative. It has the numbers, it has the principles, but it has no leadership. There was Leni, of course, and she could not have done better considering her situation in the 2022 presidential elections. She had no resources, and that was the only thing she lacked. ###
But if the TNTrio Movement is to be believed, even the unlimited wealth of the Uniteam was not enough, the massive vote-buying was not enough, and the Comelec had to manipulate results to engineer the victory of Marcos and Duterte. The TNTrio has technical capability that I do not have, but I always believed that the massive vote-buying was more than enough to disqualify Marcos and Duterte. Only the deaf, blind, and dumb could not notice that the most viral topic the days after the elections was how much voters were paid to vote for the winning tandem
For the past two years, Leni has decided to stay away from partisan politics. That made one big political force leaderless, and it has stayed that way. I would be the last one to criticize Leni for stepping aside as the Joan of Arc of the Philippines. Each citizen has a responsibility to nation, and Leni has more than done her part. In other words, in contributing more than her share (ambag), Leni has excelled. Moreover, her public performance was transparent, outstanding, and measurable (resibo).
But how sad a state for Filipinos if, without Leni, we cannot manage to steer our nation away from corruption and poverty. Our established behavior is one of resignation, most probably a strong carry-over from both our datu system and the centuries of colonization. We demand to be thrilled by a charismatic leader because leadership qualities alone are not enough for us. We want the bling-bling, it seems, more than the gold.
A democracy needs the people to be the main driver of everything major – governance and politics, economics, education and health. If we cannot raise our standards, then we will tolerate poverty and corruption indefinitely. People cannot connect how corruption thrives on poverty, and how poverty is perpetuated by corruption. That being so, our political leadership will not confront these two dragons, except by necessary and hypocritical lip service.
Instead, political leadership will camouflage their hidden agenda by pushing for constitutional change (Cha Cha), purportedly affecting only economic provisions. Obliquely, it seems to be an anti-poverty plan, but they cannot be more definitive. Making amendments primarily to solve poverty will demand measurable targets and accountability. And they will be afraid to do that.
All the more, the pushers for Cha Cha will avoid confronting corruption even though it is the number one cause for all economic and social ills. On a micro level, it is like the POGO issue. Knowing how it has corrupted every level of authority that has any related control over it, POGO will be re-named and dressed differently to allow it to continue and keep the dirty money flowing.
The energy of change, however, is undeniable. It does not promise to be smooth, either, and veers more towards the erratic and radical. Unaffordable food prices and living costs for the majority will eat away at the already shallow layers of trust by the people for institutions, government mostly. Global disruptions continue and will intensify, shaking even more the insecurities afflicting a population shamefully reliant on others.
Direct ayuda and subsidies of all sorts will keep domestic eruptions for a while, but these do not address the kind of development that poverty needs to be dismantled. Neither will present circumstances arrest corruption; from all indications, including constitutional amendments, the guilty players will get more playing opportunities to grow their exploitative wealth.
Still and all, Filipinos must look for new pathways to climb out of a dark pit promising to be darker. Ordinary folks cannot do anything about a deteriorating exchange rate, frightening cost increases of essential goods and services, and the incessant march of an oligarchy impatient to be freed from laws that restrict its abuses and elitist privileges. The people, no matter how challenged, must not feed their own despair.
Whatever the rosy but false promises from those in control, the harsh truth remains just as true. Hard work, a fighting spirit, faith in the goodness of man, and the understanding that life is about circumstances and how we respond to them. Bad times cannot run indefinitely; at some point, the human spirit will rebel. And good times will not come down from parachutes except as natural but unanticipated rewards for doing the right thing, for doing the good thing.
Life is not just about our small selves. It is more about the big everything that is around us. We do our duty, we make our contribution, we build our capacity and productivity, then we hold on to the truth and the goodness in our hearts. There are no solutions except that which start from ourselves. Then, one day, the big answer will come.