THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

By Jose Alejandrino

Since my return from Europe on Oct. 25 I have been receiving multiple reports of groups and coalitions coming together to give Rodrigo Duterte provisional extraordinary powers to effect meaningful change in our country.

Thanks be to God! What we are seeing is a Duterte Revolution in the making. It has gained momentum and nothing can stop it. I see it as a flood that will sweep this country and allow us to rebuild a new nation under God.

Our military has demonstrated its bravery and professionalism in retaking Marawi from ISIS-supported terrorists, over a thousand of whom have been killed, including its top leaders and financier.

The benefits of the president's independent foreign policy are finally beginning to appear. Aside from trade and investment inflows, friends like the US, China, Russia and Australia have donated military equipment. Japan has increased its assistance. Our country now commands the respect of other nations.

Crime rate has decreased. The police is undergoing a cleansing process to weed out its undesirables. In time we will also have a better PNP.

I'm confident the president will win his war on drugs. I believe it can be won because unlike countries like Mexico and Colombia where their market for drugs lies outside their border, the market here is within our borders and can be reduced and contained. And despite all the exaggerated claims of EJKs by the Opposition, the death toll of drug-related victims is a small fraction of those in Mexico and Colombia.

Our economy continues to grow. It is likely to be in the 6 percent plus this year and could even reach 6.5 to 6.8 percent next year, surpassing the Chinese growth rate, once the infra projects take off in a big way.

Much more needs to be done so the benefits of growth trickle down to the lower masses. The reorientation of our development banks in providing soft loans to them and bigger education, healthcare and housing benefits together with tax reform that make the lower incomes pay less and the higher incomes pay more can lay the basis for the growth of a middle class that is the main pillar of democracy.

We need to mend our broken institutions. We need to replace incompetent officials and jail the corrupt ones. We need to improve our system of justice that is slow and cumbersome.

With the grant of provisional extraordinary powers by the people to the president, big changes can be done. The power of the oligarchy must be curtailed once and for all. Political dynasties must be limited. Meritocracy must be the basis for a new nation.

With extraordinary powers, the president can eliminate the influence of politicians and vested interests when drawing up a new Constitution. The flawed Cory Constitution can be abrogated and replaced by a much better one drawn up by experts and jurists with public hearings towards a new form of government that is parliamentary and federal. Tax exemptions for the already rich Catholic Church can be eliminated. The death penalty can be imposed for heinous crimes. By mere executive order, the president can introduce far-ranging social and economic reforms.

With extraordinary powers, the president can restore the sanctity of the ballot and ensure clean elections, purge the Ombudsman and CHR of obstructionists and politically-motivated officials, clean the high and low courts of corruption.

So much still to be done. They can only be done if the president has the tools to effect meaningful change. By tools, I mean extraordinary powers. A Rodrigo Duterte does not come a dime a dozen. He is a rare bird like the Philippine Eagle. If the people miss this chance, it won't come again. That is the real significance of the Duterte Revolution. But for it to succeed, we must put aside our petty interests and petty differences. We must rise above ourselves like the Philippine Eagle. The cause is much bigger than any of us. That cause is our own salvation. We are part of the Book of Revelation. If we cannot cleanse our nation, God will do it for us. The price is we perish as a nation.

#RevGov #RevPower now na!