My Turf

This rant was published in the "Comments" section of Newsbreak last year, though the editors softened it just a wee bit

________________________________________________________

September 27, 2005

To the Newsbreak Editor:

My salutations to you and the rest of the Newsbreak staff!

I subscribe to your magazine because I love how you present your investigative reports in such simple yet direct and straightforward manner. I wish to share my thoughts regarding the calls for the President’s resignation and the establishment of a transition government—and why I am not buying it.

Transition Government? Who will lead that? Escudero, who has always been vocal about wanting to be President one day? Lacson, who has sleekly gotten away with charges on countless human rights violations? Ronaldo Zamora? We all know whose crony he was. Susan Roces? Well, how on earth does she hope to run an entire country? Oh, please…

Moreover, who will make up that new administration and who will select them? For sure, each and every group who took part in the call for the President’s resignation would want a representative in that so-called transition government. I think it won’t be too farfetched an assessment if I say that these groups do not exactly share the same ideals or values—one need not be a genius or some clairvoyant to be able to predict that a more ridiculous circus would undoubtedly ensue. This arduous cycle of putting such enormous responsibilities into the hands of either a nincompoop or a totally clueless, or unbelievably ambitious person would result in bad governance, increased poverty, greater frustration…Before we know it, the same people who have called for the resignation of countless people over countless reasons will be, guess what? Yes, back on the streets, complaining about the same problems but not having a single feasible and achievable alternative to what they want to change

While the people who want oh-so-dearly to topple and replace this government remain unable to provide a sincere answer to the “What next?” and the “If not her, then who?” questions, they cannot make me take a leave from work and join their rallies calling for the President’s resignation/ creation of a transition government.

While the anti-Gloria movement reeks of vested interests and (not so) hidden agenda, while no concrete and doable alternative to the current system could be proposed, and while its proponents continue to further hassle and impose what they want on people who do not even share the same stand by staging rallies in major avenues (EDSA and Ayala during rush hour, no less! Grrrrr!), I do not think the opposition’s effort could hope to achieve anything. I just wish they open their eyes to the reality that what they want may not be what the rest of the Filipinos want. Sometimes, unwillingness to participate stems not from apathy, but from total non-belief or distrust in the idea being pushed for. Or in the people pushing for it. 

 

I am no Gloria fan. We all know she cheated and that it shouldn’t be condoned. Of course it is no secret that a lot of those who won in the elections did too, though that is beside the point. But if only for her position on federalism, of making governance work from the bottom-up and empowering people in the grassroots…if only for the possibility, no matter how minute, of a concrete change finally taking place, I’d rather that GMA stays if the opposition cannot provide a better offer.

All the bickering is tiring. The ambition and hidden agenda of the few are sickening.

I wonder how these people, some of them so young and promising, can sleep peacefully at night without being hounded by shame. I would feel ashamed to the core of my bones if I know I am using my education, my brains, the name and wealth I inherited from my parents to fool other people so I can attain my own goals. It is all at the same time pathetic, embarrassing, extremely infuriating, and pitiful.

To those Congressmen who refuse to do their jobs and spend more time grandstanding

and making fools of themselves on the stand: for Pete’s sake, use the fat checks you

get from the pork barrel to clean your own backyards and do something for the people

who put you where you are right now because you promised to make their lives better.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Bautista Ingles