A FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY
MANILA, FEBRUARY 25, 2010 (STAR) ROSES & THORNS By Alejandro R. Roces - In the opening chapter of his book, The Philippine Revolution, Apolinario Mabini wrote: “By political revolution I understand a people’s movement aimed at producing a violent change in the organization of the three public powers: the executive, the legislative and the judicial. If the movement is slow, gradual or progressive, it is called evolution. I say people’s movement because I consider it essential that the proposed change answer a need felt by the citizens in general. Any agitation promoted by a particular class for the benefit of its special interest does not deserve the name (of political revolution or evolution).”People Power was a movement that had the general acclaim and participation of the nation; it represented the will of the Filipinos. And it succeeded in breaking the power of the oligarchs; but only for four days. In the end, a conjugal dictatorship was removed, but the cronies remained. This is what the EDSA celebrations have become: Commemorating not the triumph of People Power, but the perpetuation of the existing oligarchy after the EDSA Revolution.
We have more to learn from our past national heroes, than from our current crop of so-called leaders. In a moment that passed with little mention, Noli mi Tangere celebrated the anniversary of its publication on February 21. We wonder, what Jose Rizal would say about the state of the Philippines today? What would he think about the Marcos dictatorship and years that came after? He was a doctor; what would you think of our nation’s health and well-being? Above all else, Jose Rizal was a believer in education. What would he say about the state of our education system? Jose Rizal’s worst fear was that the slaves of yesterday (the Filipinos) would become the tyrants of today. Martial Law was nothing but an era of colonization by our own countrymen. Twenty-four years after EDSA I, what would Rizal think of the Philippines?
Rizal believed that the destiny of the Filipino people was in the hands of the Filipinos. His words at the end of the 19th century remain relevant: “Our misfortunes are our own fault, let us blame nobody else for them…as long as the Filipino people do not have sufficient vigor to proclaim head held high and chest bared, their right to a life of their own in human society, and to guarantee it with their sacrifices, with their very blood…why give them independence? With or without Spain they would be the same, and perhaps, perhaps worse. What is the use of independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? And no doubt they will, because whoever submits to tyranny loves it!”
The tragedy of EDSA was that we needed one in the first place. It meant that our social and government structures had fallen apart. Elections during Martial Law were either suspended or subverted: They were a sham. People Power was at its core when the Filipinos peacefully came together to retake the power of guiding the future of the nation. They demanded the return of democracy — of their right to vote.
This year is an election year, a time when Filipinos are supposed to be heard and understood. And yet, we continue to see issues surrounding the upcoming elections and, sadly, even past elections. Martial Law elections are best described as mock elections. They were a mockery of the democratic process. A failure of elections or subversion of the election process reminds us of that era. The first step in proving we are no longer a camote republic is holding fair, honest and transparent elections. There can be no better commemoration of EDSA I than this.
We can learn from the heroes of the past who struggled for independence and freedom, not only from men like Mabini and Rizal, but also from the heroes and patriots of EDSA I, the Filipino people. What would the heroes of the past think of today?
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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