I read the recent PCIJ Article “A Different EDSA Story”.
It’s funny how EDSA vets claim that they “restored” democracy. I find that hard to believe because for all its crass pomp and pageantry EDSA wouldn’t have been around were it not for the naturally progressing expansion of the open mass mobilizations.
HAVE FILIPINO LIVES IMPROVED AFTER EDSA?
The thing is – Joma’s Reds dropped the ball. A vacuum was created when Joma’s hardliners got too drunk in their own fart, opted out of the Snap Elections, and pushed for a Boycott – much to the frustration of the open mass movement. This move marked the eventual political isolation of Joma’s boycotters from the mainstream – and the CPP/NPA was reduced to tail-ism, extortion, killing its own. Still, the Reds can thank the Yellows for allowing the proliferation of Party List reps – and by extension dipping into tax coffers and pork barrel to fund Joma’s fantasies of turning the Philippines into another North Korea.
Though at the rate Aquino’s yellowtards are buying the Tongressmen, bullying the judiciary, and having Dinky Soliman circle the wagons with hakot crowds who love the CCT, the Reds may as well be cheering Aquino as he consolidates power – under the tutelage of his Sith masters. Maybe, the Philippines under Aquino, wants to do a China – without having to call itself a “People’s Democratic Republic”. Which kinda reminds me that anytime someone says Cory restored “democracy”, it’s like saying yeah – the People’s Democratic Republic of China is “democratic”.
Now before someone says I have “short memories” of EDSA. Let me set things straight.
As former LFS-Davao City Secretary General in ’85 – and if I agreed (Mindanao Chair of KADENA – Kabataan Para Demokrasya at Nasyonalismo and Davao Chair of League of Moro Students, I’d say EDSA was just icing on the cake. The cake having been baked two years prior to EDSA ’86.
After all what was EDSA really? It was an expanded general strike.
How were the organizers able to pull it off? It took some time to perfect the organizational pizazz to mobilize a large number of people in such a short time – without Twitter or Facebook – but it was done. How exactly? By starting small in the countrysides. By constant community organizing among the youth – whose role was to “spread the gospel”. And from that mass of people who are receptive to the message, cobble an organization, establish a core group which can provide coordination, command, and control. Then repeat the process until you get to the tipping point. It’s a process which has been tested, replicated – from the streets of Davao, to EDSA, and Cairo – the international solidarity network has a way of passing on these methods you know.
That was *the process* – but obviously it’s not enough because for all the colorful “”people’s struggle” – where are the outcomes?
Where am I coming from? Here’s where I am coming from.
I was part of the Davao leadership team that rolled out the very first Transport Strike that soon was replicated all over the Philippines as “Welgang Bayan”. As among the leading personalities in the open mass movement at that time – I was in the middle of shall we say – “making things happen”. Remember that Davao was the laboratory for urban guerilla tactics and urban agit-prop. That was while I was in college, the Berlin Wall was still in place.
Going back further, I wasn’t really into the political stuff. I was just another high school kid dealing with his hormones and chasing the girls – or in some instances, being chased for doing a Lothario… lol.
Then, a series of unfortunate events that popped my teenage bubble that revolved around Bagets, Duran Duran, the “funky funky” Tiger dancers of Octoarts, and the occassional gang wars between Batang City Jail, Anak ni Satanas, Anak sa Pobreng Otin, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Apo ni Judas – and the DeMoLay.
On one end, my relatives in Mlang, South Cotabato were caught in the proverbial battle for the hearts and minds of the populace. My cousin Minoy was picked up by the “sididip” or CHDF – Civilian Home Defense Forces, who asked his help in getting directions. To make a long story short, Minoy was found dead in a creek the following day. I wondered how such barbarity could happen – and of all people in the world, to my cousin, a very gentle fella.
On the other side, an uncle who happened to serve in the Scout Rangers was trapped somewhere in the boonies of Davao del Sur. Their patrol was ambushed and we thought he was a goner. Turns out – he survived the ambush, and to survive he had to do what he had to do to keep nourished – it wasn’t on the scale of silence of the lambs but he winds up under Lademora’s Charlie’s Angels aka “the Lost Command”.
Then, there’s another half-uncle who was with the KBL. I wondered why he kept on running despite not winning. Later on I learned that it was a common scam among politicans. The modus operandi was they would run for office, KBL provides them money, they lose, the candidates keep the campaign money.
These things seemed still far from me, until one day it hit home. My dad was slapped with an ASSO/PDA during Marcos time for economic sabotage. His crime, he lent startup money to a friend who wanted to set up a record bar – the nearest thing we had to a napster in those days. This friend of his had an extensive collection of vinyl records – and he made copies on tape of music selected by his parokyanos. Luckily, my father was in San Francisco for a one year training program in Reconstructive Surgery at the San Francisco Bothins Burn Center. Due to the ASSO, however, instead of seeing my dad after a year, it had to take longer because we told him to stay in the US until we get his ASSO/PDA resolved.
On the day my dad was served the ASSO, I quickly learned who our friends were. A lot of people who we thought were our friends – distanced themselves from us. They were afraid that they too might be served with an ASSO and go to jail. It’s when you find out that the so-called “opposition” politicians like Nograles were just for show – and where in fact Marcos’ sycophants. But tough times like that teach you to learn to rely on yourself if you want to enjoy your personal liberty.
As a CAT (Citizens Army Training) toy soldier officer – if memory serves me right, we had a 1500 man contingent made up of 6 battalions, each battalion had two ranger-size companies, eight man frontage of four squads – and I was the brigade planning officer – then assumed command of the HQ Battalion to manage the “special forces” – medics, special platoon, exempted unit, the marching band, and the military police. Oh and I remember our commandant, retired Philippine Army Scout Ranger – Captain Francisco Consolacion also known as “Conso”. Well, guess what, he was the first casualty of the up and coming “sparrow units”. The commandant who replaces him – Captain Dacuycuy, formerly with Army Intelligence was also gunned down.
Another uncle with the then PC-INP, Major Odilon de Asis, was newly reassigned to Davao. Part of his job was to clamp down on prostitution and illegal gambling. Well, seems the protectors of these activities weren’t happy that Uncle Odi was doing a great job ridding the city of hookers and illegal cockpits – on top of making sure that my dad’s partner, Isoy who was already in jail was comfortable. Tough luck for Isoy, Uncle Odi did not last long as the crime protectors had Odi shot down and laid the blame on the sparrow units.
Here you are, a high school student, growing up in a world that was falling apart. You have friends and relatives on both side of the fence. At the end of the day, I made a choice that was closer to home and focused my attention on the guy who messed with my old man.
After reading the piece, “Give me liberty or Give me death” by Patrick Henry, I decided I had to do something. But what could a wet in the ears high school grad do, to get rid off the Marcos regime. It was hope against hope – but I figured that the worst thing I can do – was to do nothing.
So, despite my libertarian leanings – I engaged the progressives in a tactical alliance – and gave them access to my network of contacts and resources.
Dad was able to come home when the PDA/ASSO was rescinded and martial law was over but Marcos was still in power. To make a long story short – I joined the progressives to oust Marcos – but I was very uncomfortable with their collectivist leanings. I was in for the shock of my life when the “movement” insisted it had a say on who can be my friends, who shouldn’t be my friends, who I should date, and how I should woo them – it was RIDICULOUS. I knew it was just a matter of time before I’d say you guys aren’t paying my bills, why the hell are you dictating my choices.
Worse, I was unabashedly mouthing the socialist crap of free education, nationalisation of key industries, jobs for life – it was going to be one happy Soviet republic . I had an excuse – I was young and stupid (well… today I could still be stupid… but no longer young… LOL). Thus when I see those same lines being mouthed by college students – I just shrug my shoulder and say, I was like that too once, but no longer. As bible thumpers put it – “for I have seen the error of my ways” – socialism is CRAP, collectivism is CRAP. If one aspires to be free from interference of the state – there’s no other way but laissez-faire capitalism – not the LOUSY corporatism practiced today in the Philippines, the US, and Europe .
Am saying – not only do my memories run deep… but they also were part of the process that created memories that got the snowball rolling… until the open mass movement was hijacked by Aquino’s operatives.
Moving forward – we have seen many reruns of EDSA People Power. EDSA I, EDSA II, EDSA III. In all of these social upheavals – we simply changed the political operators, but we never changed the rules around which the economy revolves.
It did not matter whether it was the Marcos 1973 constitution or the 1987 constitution – both constitutions PROTECTED a select group of people. In Marcos time, it was the Marcos cronies. In the post-Marcos era, it’s the oligarchs racking up points in the global fortune 500 while the remaining 99.95% of Pinoys settle for crumbs.
And so today, Pinoys are still stuck with the same meme of corruption. And of course, even if they wage revolution every year – it will not produce outcomes if the same economic policies that keep people poor are in the constitution.
The Corruption Issue in a Nutshell
These noy-pi blokes are too dense to figure out that corruption results from POOR ECONOMICS.
As pointed out by Johnston and Klitgaard – – the intense competition for EXTREMELY scarce resources.. or resources artificially made scarce due to regulations leads to a breakdown in social mores because choices become more guttural. In a survival state of mind – people are FORCED BY CIRCUMSTANCES to be corrupt or die from hunger and want.
Therefore corruption – is not the root cause, but a symptom of an economic illness – in this case – protectionism – with secondary complication brought by welfare state oriented public spending.
Corruption thrives when there is a lot of regulation. The parties being: a) the regulator (the payee); and b) the vested interest (the payor).
When you remove the regulations – you remove the need for enforcement – and there’s no one to corrupt anymore and the potential vested interest is stripped of his political leverage in open markets. This forces folks like ABS-CBN to shape up with better programming – compete or get shipped out. As it stands today, Filipinos don’t have much of a choice because stooges of the Makati Business Club ensured that only Filipinos can own media companies. As if being Filipino owned makes a media company exemplary and looking at ABS-CBN>? PWEEEEEE, YUCK! BADUY! KADIRI! KAGUNGGONGAN.
For all the talk of Marcos human rights violations – we gloss over the fact that the 60/40 restriction is a blatant and wholesale violation of Filipinos economic freedom – a basic human right.
We complain about Marcos – and miss out on the bigger haze that has been put before us. Lots point out that Marcos violated human rights then and I agree. However, Marcos is already gone – yet the gross violation of human rights continues unabated. You see human rights is not just about meeting a violent death. It is also about your right to make your own personal choices to pursue your happiness.
When the constitution restricts our economic choices – our natural human rights (as opposed to socialist entitlements presented as “rights to free lunch”) are violated – we lose out on jobs, our families get separated, our uncles and aunts become drug mules and prostitutes. At day’s end, it has always been about the economy -whether the government is run by a politburo, congress, parliament, or a junta.
EDSA removed a political eyesore – but retained the same rotten economic policies that protect the lousy oligarchy from foreign competition.
We need to ask ourselves for what purposes do we exercise people power? If it’s only to change the political personalities – there’s already a mechanism for that – it’s called elections. Vote for people of proven competence and vision – and we’ll never have to resort to “people power” to take em down – that’s the real power to make a positive difference sans the emo bullsyet of yellow fliptards.
About the Author
I believe that: Political change and Cultural change; will trigger an economic change. We have a Culture of Corruption, entwined with a Culture of Political Patronage. We don’t have much industries as developed nations have; to give jobs to people. So, people have to Patronize politicians, who give them, government jobs; if a Politician wins an election. The people who supported this Politician ; will never control these people , who had supported him; and are in office. So, these people will surely enrich themselves, while in office: ” What are we in Power for?’; ” Weather-Weather lang” or ” Panahon-Panahon lang” cries and justifications, that resonate in every administration…It is the Culture of Political Patronage, that is stagnating our country…our political system is messed-up, and we seemed , we cannot do anything about it…it’s like a bunion in your feet…it’s hurting you…and you just have to live with it…
I have no answers to these problems. They need a SuperHuman Brain to solve them…
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Vote for people of proven competence and vision – and we’ll never have to resort to “people power” to take em down – that’s the real power to make a positive difference sans the emo bullsyet of yellow fliptards.
(Very well said…)
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I’m from India, We have more than 10,000 years of history behind us and we have seen it all, India is more poorer, more corrupt than PH….You have to take a higher spiritual ground to understand what is happening to the PH…The earth is a school for soul development, we are all here to learn our lessons.
The good news is, we are entering into a golden age of unlimited prosperity and abundance with higher spiritual and moral values ….Humanity is been given a break to enjoy, You will see things changing around you in a rapid pace, everyone will be happy and rich and no poverty and misery for PH or for the world….Be positive and happy…you will soon see the changes in couple of years time…its not a new age thing…you will see concrete changes all around you….
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You noticed how the mainstream media glorify EDSA 1, they don’t have any opposing views. I call the EDSA 1 as Peoples Weaklings because these Filipino peoples let their president kidnapped by another country. In conspiracy with the mainstream media, they demonized Pres. Marcos to the point where they don’t want to bury him to his privileged burial. Pres. Quezon emphasized the importance of independent Filipinos. Please, don’t be a stupid creatures?Until now I still laughed out loud whenever I see the Filipino Independence Day parade, (“The Plastic Parade Ha Ha Ha” bill_c).
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Yeah well… woe to us. Just my bad luck I was born as a Filipino. Anyways, the fight is not over yet till we ourselves clean up the mess that EDSA revo started. I know it will be hard work indeed, I don’t want to give up on my people and the country just yet. Maybe for a lot of them I gave up on (hopeless cases who never really learn nor want to listen).
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bah. Local channels = electronic billboards. 5min shows then 5+min ads. Rinse. Repeat.
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tell that to the Bangsa Moro.. who whacked spaniard ass for 300 years
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The true revolution? Warsaw.
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