Let the young takeover

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
1/20/2006



January 20 should be remembered as the day democracy in the Philippines died in the year 2001, and maybe it can become the day that democracy is resurrected as the FREEDOM (Free and Restore Erap Estrada for Democracy and Order Movement) group would wish by promulgating a resolution in its first congress to be convened on this day calling for the exoneration and consequent liberation of President Joseph E. Estrada from his imprisonment and restoration of the people’s sovereign will as expressed in the 1998 elections. It may be symbolism at this time but the realization is closer than ever before.

Yesterday, Congressman Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin was reported as saying the Gloria’s own allies in Congress are blackmailing her to continue with the Cha-cha and No-el lest they turnaround and support the impeachment drive expected to be revived by the traditional opposition. So, the pun many people invoke about ours’ being a “demon-crazy” government and society can be taken seriously: it is a society ruled by blackmail and blackmailers. Everyone in power is blackmailing the other, like Gloria blackmailing the Lopezes and vice versa, all to keep their power - and damn the people!

By the young I mean the generation that has come after ours, that is my age minus twenty-five years. I’m fifty-five my October of this year, that’ll make the next generation start at age thirty – which is about the age of my eldest who’s now taking over the family business and the young men of Oakwood who are at the forefront today to forge a new regime – if we help them succeed in their bold, new effort at reforming society in accordance with the issues they first raised at Oakwood I; i.e. corruption in the military and government, and “the endless war, the dying society”.

While the latter quote comes from Maestrecampos who has apparently turned back on the stand of the majority of the Oakwood young officers, they remain true and descriptions of main the crises of Philippine society. Corruption is the most visible manifestation of the cancer that is decaying the core of Philippine society, and although it is the most obvious evil in Philippine society its roots are more complex that simply attempting to “clean up government” because the greater corruption, as the local Transparency Int’l represent had to admit, is “policy corruption”.

“Policy corruption” is the distortion of public policy, particularly economic policy, to favor the few against what great social philosophers call “the greater good for the greater number” or “the general welfare”. The policies of government guaranteeing the profit levels of private companies as in the Independent Power Producer (IPP) contracts or the North Luzon Expressway toll agreement and the Elevated Rail Transport system (MRT and the Megatren) and other BOT projects are examples of how the public is being exploited to subsidize giant transnational companies in cahoots with local dummies.

Policy corruption in contrast to just plain old government corruption explains why some societies rated “more corrupt” than the Philippines in the traditional terms, such as Vietnam, China or India, can have phenomenal economic growth rates and dramatic reduction of poverty and hunger in a single historical generation compared to the Philippines which has instead been going in reverse, from not-so-bad to among the worse. The Philippines is even worse than a “pariah” like Cuba, which suffer U.S. economic embargo yet have one of the best standard-of-living for its people.

I dwell on these issues as unsolicited but well meaning advice to the young officers whom I hope will soon takeover the reins of Philippine society with, hopefully, an equally reform-oriented and genuine pro-people civilian partners. The civilians will be a buffer against the inevitable reactionary assaults from oligarchs and corrupt factions in society who’ll resent the loss of power and privilege. Indeed, public utilities now fleecing the people must be restored to public ownership if the costs are to be brought down to fair and just levels.

There is no substitute to idealism and the fervor of youth in achieving the great goal of reforming society. Although the older generation has the experience, knowledge and wisdom indeed – but the energy needed to fight the long fight against the forces of reaction which can pay many mercenaries to do the fighting for them – that may be too much for those even not too old yet but in advanced middle age. The Oakwood officers are ideal because they have met their first failure already, and failure is the workshop of great successes that invariably follows.

I am donating P 1,000.00 to produce the first batch of Faeldon “half-mast” flags and stickers, and I will register it with the Oakwood counsel Atty. Roel Pulido. I will start soliciting from others hereon and help organize the distribution of the paraphernalia. May I ask our readers to start helping out by making their own stickers or posters from ordinary bond paper and drawing Faeldon’s “half-mast” flag and posting the rear windshields of their vehicles. Can our university and high school students start pulling down their school flags to half-mast?

Captain Trillanes said “the people must make a stand”, I think that stand has been made and the people just have to show it. So bring out the half-mast flags!

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