I once listened to a speech by one local politician, not a traditional one though, talking about the current political situation in the Philippines. He enumerated what the current administration has done and is doing at the moment. He reminded us about the scams the present government has, like the “fertilizer scam, textbook scam, the 2004 electoral fraud popularly known as the Hello Garci Scam , the malacanang bribery and others I could not remember, including of course the famous ZTE-NBN Scandal that is currently being investigated by the Senate, Department of Justice and the Ombudsman. The scandal proved to be a really huge one after the star-witness Jun Lozada named some prominent and influential people that including the first couple as part of this multi-bilion ZTE- NBN Deal.
Anyway, that is not what I am writing about now. Well maybe I’ll write about it later on. I was particularly moved by what this local politician said about the Filipinos today. I don’t know where he got it but it’s something that bothers me. Well, from his speech he said that today there are 3 kinds of Filipinos and they are:
1. The News Junkies- which is about 15% of the population
2. The News Ignorant - which is again 15%
3. The News Junkies turned News Ignorant- which describes the 70% of the population.
I’d like to change number 3 though. A friend of mine indirectly suggested that it should be “News Junkies turned Apathetic.” Sad to say but it is true. Most Filipinos seem to have become numb and unconcerned about the country now. It seems that they couldn’t care less now whether those in position right now are robbing the people through anomalous government projects, constantly lying and fooling its citizens and abusing its power. It is alarming that most of the population fell on category 3 who seem to lost interest on what’s going on their homeland.
Somehow I’d like to think that it is because of what seems to be“failed” People Power Revolutions that happened twice (or thrice) in the past. Yes we (I was part of EDSA People Power 2) successfully ousted the immoral president in 2001, and evicted the most hated dictator in 1986 (ESDA People Power 1). Call me bias but I’d rather not mention the 3rd EDSA. I once read an article, I forgot where but it says that probably the reason why the people particularly the middle class or the working class seem to lose their interest now is because the Marcoses who were ousted from the position through People Power 1 are still free and were not really charged for their wrongdoings and that some of their family members are again in the position now. Then Joseph Estrada who was also ejected from presidency through People Power 2, and though was charged for plunder and other cases and was under “house arrest” for a few years and was charged guilty with his plunder case last year by the Sandigan Bayan and was sentenced for a Reclusión Perpetua, which could have been a proof that justice exists in the Philippines and it does not favor the rich and those in power, turned out to be completely the opposite when he was pardoned by no other than Gloria herself which makes him a free man now. Ironically too, he is one of those calling the one who pardoned him to resign now because of the controversies surrounding the GMA government. Isn’t that funny?
These probably are the reasons why people seems to have not grown interest in joining the street protests against GMA. Those who were ousted are still free now, enjoying their wealth. Some of their family members are again in power, they were not jailed in the truest sense of the word, yes because ERAP was just under “house arrest”. He still could eat all the food that he wanted, experience luxury except to go out of his house. But still he didn’t experience what the other prisoners have in National Bilibid Prison. People might have a thought that if GMA will be ejected from Malacanang, she and her “cohorts” will not be charged as well or that justice will not be served.
Somehow I don’t want to blame them for thinking that way but I do hope that the patriotism and nationalism will spark once more in their hearts and minds and that they will open up their eyes with what is going on in our beloved country and start to stand up and fight for truth, righteousness and morality to reign in this country.
