Politics in the Philippines is a moral hazard. Everything about Philippine politics is old, except for the emergence of young, well-educated and intelligent voters who still hold to their ideals. An examination of one’s conscience might reveal that the same brand of idealism had a firm grip on the hearts and minds of those who fought hard against the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Filipinos have since won back their freedom, and yet it is the same freedom that might condemn us to repeat history all over again.
Perhaps we can only think of what we have. We cannot romanticize those things that we do not possess. The Philippines as a nation has a long way to go in terms of being a mature democracy. For this reason, thousands, if not millions, are using their “freedom of conscience” to justify their choice. The good thing about this phenomenon is that the young generation of today is making a stand on crucial political issues, and in so doing, they hope to fulfill their duty as citizens of the republic.
But are we, if one may ask, in the right direction? Our politicians speak of realizing the good life for all, as if people mattered to them. In truth, nothing replaces individual talent in terms of achieving the good life. Politics is a different animal. But it is precisely because millions are born into disadvantaged situations that we have to come into an agreement with respect to the meaning of the common good. The ability of one individual, his or her genius, or even his or her power, should one take the throne, is never enough to catapult people into lives that they will have reason to value. Only our sense of solidarity can propel us into that. You cannot change the fortune of one region by taking from another something that it believes it also deserves.
Most of those who are vying for public office, if not all, possess something undesirable, a moral hazard, so to speak. It is for this reason that when people choose a candidate, they fall into some common ground—patronage, regionalism, and sometimes, an unconscionable idolatry. People should not forget that the greed for power is always there. It changes people, including the most qualified among us. The moment the same person is into that hallowed ground, he or she is confronted with two options. First, he or she realizes how difficult things are and so therefore, one has to make compromises with those who have vested interests. Second, he or she will hold on to his or her promises and work against the normal ways of doing things, only to realize later that one will not be able to do it alone.
Principles, in this regard, will always matter. People change, but moral principles don’t. What characterizes a true leader then is that he or she does not only see things differently, he or she also sees the bigger picture. Whereas someone who has a weak character thinks of every difficulty as an obstacle, one who has the attributes of true virtue embraces each obstacle as an opportunity to be of service to others—and more importantly, to do good things where others sow divisiveness. A true leader has to be a person of virtue. The practical aspect of politics can expedite things and the very process necessary to achieve certain ends. But if people truly matter, then our leaders will have to strictly abide by the rule of law and the very spirit of social justice—the preferential option for the poor. A leader who does not suffer with his or her people has no right to claim a place in history.
Things become clearer for us each single day. We have heard the candidates on what they intend to do in order to change the destiny of this nation, and experts have analyzed for us who is lying and who is not. The hard questions have been asked, and they have given us their answers—Grace Poe on her residency and citizenship, Mar Roxas on his handling of “Yolanda” and the MRT, Rodrigo Duterte on his alleged links to the Davao Death Squad, Jejomar Binay on corruption, and Miriam Defensor Santiago on her health. What remains is the casting of ballots on Election Day.
The wisdom of Ernest Hemingway is always helpful for us politically: “It’s silly not to hope,” he said, adding: “Luck is a thing that comes in many forms…”
History, of course, is replete with the many and proven examples of true emancipation from the bondage of social misfortune. Scandinavia, being the happiest region in the world, did not achieve its very high standard of living by chance. Institutions need to function well in order to complement the hard work of people. Eliminating the moral hazard in Philippine society requires, in a huge way, an understanding of the configuration of power and how the same can be used in order to advance the interest, not just of one, but
of all.
Christopher Ryan Maboloc is assistant professor of philosophy at Ateneo de Davao University. He holds a master’s degree in applied ethics from Linkoping University in Sweden and has trained in political party building in Germany under Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.