Corona, China and Hungry Filipinos

GLIMPSES

By Jose Ma. Montelibano

There is no debate that the Ombudsman’s entry into the Impeachment Trial of Chief Justice Rene Corona has become the hottest news in town. And the expected presence of Rene Corona as the main witness of the Defense next week is keeping the suspense high. Although the Chief Justice has already been judged by most of the people, the big majority concluding him guilty and the small minority still holding out on his innocence, the drama of seeing him being questioned and answering both accusers and senator judges is keenly awaited. Even the delicate situation confronting us in Scarborough Shoal has never taken front and center stage because the Corona trial and the Ombudsman’s revelations of dollar accounts grabbed the public attention.

I cannot blame the people for being riveted to the Corona trial. It has been a long, long time since a big fish has stood trial. The last impeachment trial was against a sitting president, Joseph Estrada. In that trial which also focused on corruption, banks also figured powerfully, especially bank officer Clarissa Ocampo and the Jose Velarde account. During Gloria Arroyo’s presidency, there was an aborted investigation about her husband, Mike Arroyo, and a Jose Pidal account. When Rene Corona takes the stand, takes a last stand to save himself and the reputation that will live after him, he should be ready to open everything – which he can do by authorizing all banks to open his accounts and transactions. Anything less will not negate the verdict of guilty that is already in people’s minds.

The Scarborough issue has brought to the surface the dynamics of two superpowers, America and China. I believe that China made a gambit to deliver a message to the Philippines, that being submissive or pliant to US interests in the region using our country is unacceptable. I believe that it was always unacceptable but China bided its time before making a direct move to disrupt the configuration of US-Philippine relations. Today, China may believe that it has reached parity in the arms race and actually moving more strongly in the economic field. Today, China sends that message to the United States through the Philippines, or through what it is doing to the Philippines.

Of course, the United States, while saying it is not taking sides in a dispute over Scarborough Shoal, conducts military exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and allows a most modern submarine to surface and be photographed. America recognizes the growing strategic importance of Asia and it knows it does not have enough influence in a region dominated by China and Muslims. Where can America go after its bases in Japan are being dismantled? It still has South Korea but understands that these are not enough. The Muslim region is closer to the Philippines, the only other country where the possibility of hosting US bases or a revolving armed presence via the Visiting Forces Agreement.

China wanted us to negotiate directly with them through bilateral diplomacy talks. We had no need to so it created an issue, a delicate issue. That is why I term it a gambit. How else can China send us, and the United States, a clear message in indirect terms? But it is still a gambit because it pushes Filipinos nearer to America than farther away. Perhaps, China though we would react in fear and quickly negotiate. Instead, China is triggering patriotism to become alive when it was largely asleep. That patriotism is not enough to stand up against China, but it can still be heated more if China ups the ante. China, though, is part of a global village, and it is also very careful about bullying because the ASEAN will feel bullied, too.

The Corona Impeachment Trail and the Scarborough Shoal conflict have covered an issue which to me is even more important. Unfortunately, it does not have enough importance to the Filipino people except those who are directly affected by it. I am referring to hunger, why so many continue to be plagued by it, and why administration after administration refuses to confront it. Why do we pit Catholics against Catholics in the RH Bill, pit the Executive against the Judiciary and draw the Legislative into the fray called impeachment, and even pit Filipinos against the Chinese but are afraid to confront the worst situation that can happen to a people, to a nation? Why can we not answer why millions of our people experience hunger, why can we not condemn hunger by feeding the hungry, why can we not ensure that hunger should not be the problem of Filipinos?

The CCT is useless against hunger, maybe because it is not hunger that it wishes to confront. Maybe it is education, maybe it is politics, but definitely, it is not hunger. Unless there will be serious changes in perspective and operational design. I don’t expect that, however. Hunger incidence does not bother Filipino enough unless they are among the twenty million that confronts the possibility of hunger everyday. It does not bother the Church enough, it does not bother the State enough. We get more bothered by other concerns as though the hunger of millions of our fellow Filipinos is not worth our time, talent and resources.

I have written about this same pain and fear of millions of our people several times in several years. But I must admit that I have not made a dent, that I have not convinced others to be concerned enough to act. There were a few who went on feeding missions because they were personal friends who wanted to show support, and I remain grateful. But millions experiencing hunger need millions to sympathize and respond.

Hunger incidence at levels Filipinos experience it is a national problem that has not merited national attention and sympathy. I can only weep for the hungry. More, though, I weep for a nation that cannot release the curse it calls on itself.