Too Much Power Corrupts

Once, my friend jokingly said that for the Philippines to really rise up from the ashes it has to burn down first. Then he continued by insisting that for a fresh start, all existing politicians should be wiped out from every nook and corner of the Philippine island and those who will declare in public that they are aspiring to be mayors, congressmen, senators, etc., should immediately be exterminated. Thus, he argued, when we reach a state wherein we force our friends to run for public office, or say, beg those we admire and respect the most to run for president but still they refuse to accept either for fear of their lives or scared of the sacrifices that is required of a public servant, only then he said, can we safely say that our country is indeed on the road to recovery.

Of course, these are just wishful thinking because we know for a fact that our country is abundant of power-hungry leaders who would do everything in their means to remain in power. These are people who believe that to remain “there” is not everything – it is the only thing. I have consistently spoken in the past that the most effective reformers and ideal voice of change our country badly needs will not come from the breed of politicians or military personnel or even celebrities we have today, but rather, it will come from the ranks of the OFWs because of the unique traits we have acquired through all the years we spent overseas. Below are just some of the qualities I am referring to and the reasons why:

1. Good Governance -- Our temporary stay on the host country where we work, give us the opportunity to witness that good governance leads to efficient public utility services such as water & electric supplies, affordable but dependable transport system, transparent government bureaucracy, etc. These amenities eventually results to a stable, orderly and progressive society. Majority of our people back home are unaware that these “luxuries” -- as migrants like us call it – are not impossible to achieve because these are products of a government run by ordinary folks like us.

2. Self-sufficient -- Our society should be appreciating real heroes (the OFWs) - people who sacrifice their own interests for the good of others - and not self-centered, grandstanding politicians. As workers, we have learned to look after the welfare of our own family and have lived with the fact that our government cannot be depended upon in times of need.

3. Honest Labor -– We know the value of every dollar that we earn. We pride ourselves with the thought that what we feed our family comes from honest work - galing sa pawis at luha nating mga manggagawa. If only our leaders will have the same principle in their conduct of running the affairs of our government… but again, that is also wishful thinking.

4. Visionaries -– Against daunting odds, we were able to provide food, clothing, shelter and education to our loved ones. On top of that, to combat homesickness, boredom and other negative vibes that is commonly associated with being an OFW, we learned to manage our limited free time positively. Many among us have developed skills in organizing events, honed our entrepreneurship skills and appreciate charity work.

The qualities that I mentioned above are just but a few of what we have become. I just hope that we can finally unite into one strong body in order for us to fight the ills of our society. Few weeks ago, I was invited to attend in what is now known as a very private and selective gathering with President GMA and FG Mike Arroyo in a restaurant in Central. I was ushered on a table few feet away from where the President, the First Gentleman and their entourage where sitting and I couldn’t help but wonder how these two seemingly harmless individuals inflicted so much harm to our country. Instantly, the scandals wherein they have strongly been linked came flashing in my mind – the Garci tapes, NBN-ZTE scandal, Joc-Joc Bolante Fertilizer scam and the most recent issue regarding Charter Change. Although there are numerous anomalies and countless questionable transactions our current administration is accused of, these 4 incidents are perhaps the most unrivaled in terms of ruthlessness, figuratively speaking. Garci tapes scandal points to the tampering of the results of the 2004 election –- an indication that there were concerted efforts to undermine the will of the people. The NBN-ZTE deal shocked the people by the sheer amount of the bribe –- alleged to be somewhere around 130 million US dollars. Whew! The Fertilizer scam, although smaller in amount compared to the NBN-ZTE scam, was supposedly intended for the farmers – meaning, it was meant for the very disadvantaged sector of our society, ninakaw pa nila (ang lupit talaga!). And now most recently are the efforts, obviously, by this administration to modify our Constitution to suit their insatiable thirst for more and endless power.

As an editor and a concerned citizen, I normally get excited in the presence of VIPs especially when the VIPs I am referring to are no less than the most powerful and influential figures in our country. No disrespect to those who invited me, but the truth is I felt no trace of admiration to the President and her husband especially when she triumphantly proclaimed that she was able to secure numerous job-placements from various countries in the middle east and Japan. While she received a vibrant applause from the selected guests over her announcement, I cannot help but be dismayed to hear from our President, who boasted herself as an economist, that she was able to secure more deployment for our people as contract workers overseas. How can a true leader rejoice by the thought of sending your people away? I have spent two thirds of my life as an overseas worker and I stand proud of what I have accomplished – no thanks to the government. I strongly believe that I share the same sentiments of most of the OFWs. We know that our government has consistently failed us. We feel it when we go home for our regular vacation, the hassles at the airport, the red tapes in every government offices we are required to visit, even all the people seem to be in an extortion mode when they find out who we are.

For now, while I longed for a leader who will stand before us and speak of decent jobs to be created in our own country, of realistic plans to lure honest businessmen to invest, to give us hope that corruption can finally be contained and peace and order can be restored in our land, I will remain vigilant and hopeful until that day will come!

Author: Tony Bartolome