Philippine politics

Of heroes and losers
I do not understand if some people are born evil or perhaps for some unknown reasons chose to be just like that. Sore losers abound everywhere but natural heroes are seemingly nowhere to be found. In this land where poverty is pretty much obvious modern-day heroes are badly needed. Necessity is the mother of invention is an aged maxim, but with the scenes I see with my lenses, things appear otherwise. Take for example Philippine, a country that boasted itself as the oldest democracy in
Asiahas the highest rate of political killings and media oppression. Are we living in a post-Marcos era or are we still into it – ruled by a ferocious beast under the disguise of a harmless cat? Check out Malacanang – the haven of all evil and I guess a soon-to-be-grave of another sets of bitter politicians (this can be possible may be through another coup attempt or another over justified people power). I once thought that Gloria deserves one more chance, but I was wrong. Things are becoming worse – just look at the politically-maligned appointments of various departments, the political use of pork barrel as the hands of La Gloria, the con-as or the cha-cha, the parliamentary system. Hey, the economist is no simple economist at all; a terrible dictator in the making or should I say – a full-grown dragon ready to devour power and eternal control. The ever-apathetic House of Representatives are full of bunches of sore losers as well. Look at what they done: making every single move just to pursue the constitutional assembly they wanted at all means possible even despising the rules, ethics, morality and good taste. They wanted to abolish the Senate. I must say they should abolish the Congress instead. 200 of them get the big bite in the people treasury compare to the Senate. I am no political analyst, but a simple addition to a group of yet unemployed, but what makes the difference is that I do care. If we have leaders who in the first place choose to be losers at the start, then where will
Philippinesgo? History will again remain as it is that the
Philippinesare still in no progress at all. Sad stories of losers will unfold to the next generation. Truly, pathetic.
The wheel is round and so life says it’s not all about failures and stupidity but thankfully, some individuals turn out to be real heroes worth emulating. We have Judge Benjamin Pozon who made me feel that there is still justice in this world. His ruling regarding the “Nicole” case proved sovereignty in our country. His verdict on Smith guilty of rape favored the interest of the land. It was sure tough decision but then twas the right thing to do. I can only remember Nora Aunor’s famous line “My brother is not a pig” – gone indeed were the days that American soldiers’ abuses are never brought to court. We still have our heroes to celebrate and that is in Mr. Panganiban. Second but never lower than Pozon is the former Supreme Court chief justice Artemio Panganiban who despite being appointed by Gloria proved that the Supreme Court is still one big tooth that serves as the vanguard of democracy just like the decisions against the unconstitutional people’s initiative, the bogus “state of national emergency”, and the “calibrated preemptive response” of the Arroyo administration. It once proved that the Supreme Court is the country’s premiere balance in times when democracy is at stake and when decisions are very crucial for national survival. Just like Davide, Panganiban did not succumb into the traditional political “utang na loob”. And I commend him for that.
And yes, who can never notice Time Magazine’s declaration of Efren “Bata” Reyes as one of Asian Heroes. I took pride in Mr. Reyes’ achievement. He is a simple hero in his own right. Once asked about his comment by being one of
Asia’s greats (Aquino, Apostol, etc) he can only mutter words of pure humility - “I have not done anything that made any impact on Asian life. I am just a simple man making a living in what I do best: playing billiards.” He may be one ordinary man but his “magic” proved worth the credit. Not like most athletes, every time he misses a shot or did a foul play, he can only flash a toothless grin and make his trademark scratch on his head. In addition, Bata shows great sportsmanship in both the pool hall and the real life. He shows exceptional talent in billiards, but then never failed to extend that to life’s realities. Success, after all, is never measured in the winnings you get from the competition but the way life has been lived up.
Just as I am illusional you may say, but I wish the world would have more of Davide, Bata, Panganiban, Pozon and less of Gloria, of the big-bellied politicians that infest the House of Congress and Malacanang, of cheats and of oppressors.