Commentators, critics and opposition leaders missed the point in President Aquino’s second State of the Nation Address because they lack the intellectual and scholarly background in Philosophy, Political Sociology, Strategic Planning, and Current Issues in Political Economy. As a result, they failed to “mentally see” from the anecdotal anti-corruption “parables” of P-Noy that he has a grand vision, goal, strategy and plan of action, even as he avoided using grandiose words, unlike his predecessors.
P-Noy used inductive logic that required his listeners and analysts to analyze the relations among the seemingly disparate stories and to come up with an integrated synthesis. The synthesis contains his vision—reduction of poverty. He avoided using the idea of John Maynard Keynes about a “society without poverty,” which pundits can easily ridicule by quoting Jesus Christ out of context when he said “the poor will always be with us.”
To realize this vision, the synthesis will show that his mission is to stamp out corruption. His strategy is changing the “wangwang mindset” which impels those in power to commit corruption and abuse government position and power as if these are their privilege. This kind of mindset is feudalistic and authoritarian.
P-Noy’s goal is to establish a “democratic and egalitarian mindset” befitting citizens in a liberal, democratic and republican state.” (Read Sec. 1, Article II of the Philippine Constitution.) A deeper understanding of his Sona will tell you that he is waging “a quiet revolution” (in contrast to the noisy political theatrics of previous reformists) as his attacks against the “wangwang mindset” is a prelude to social, economic, political and cultural transformation of our government, economy and society.
Transparency International states the correlation between corruption and poverty thus: “Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It hurts everyone whose life, livelihood or happiness depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority.
“Corruption has dire global consequences, trapping millions in poverty and misery and breeding social, economic and political unrest.”
—EMMANUEL TIU SANTOS, PhD,
chair, Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS),
International Academy of Management and Economics (IAME),
1061 Metropolitan Avenue, Makati City