On September 21, 1972, a power-hungry dictator placed the country under a state of Martial Law to stay in power in what became the worst corruption spree in Philippine history.
And then, 53 years later, the Filipino people went to Luneta and EDSA in what was called the Trillion Peso March to protest yet again against corruption under the leadership of the dictator’s son.
From a date remembered as the start of one of the darkest periods in our country, it became a symbol of hope for a people raped and murdered by the government for decades… that is, if we PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
Familiar message
During the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, Filipinos made the mistake of trusting the likes of Enrile.
Now, however, they are cautious. They booed Chavit Singson and snubbed Phillip Salvador, Ferdinand Topacio, and Rowena Guanzon.
Yet they forgot to be cautious about who to listen to. They should not let people with a different message step up to the podium, hold the mic, and scream profanities.
Among all those who went up on stage to deliver a speech, Vice Ganda got the most attention. His speech garnered millions of views across various videos, while those with proper messages, such as those of Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Cielo Magno, and Heidi Mendoza, received significantly less attention.
Directed to corrupt officials, “P***ng ina ninyo!” was the highlight of his speech, turning it into a chant.
Vice Ganda screamed profanities too many times during his speech:“Tapos na ang panahon ng mababait at mga resilient! Ang mga mababait ginago! Ang mga resilient tinarantado! Hindi na uubra sa atin yung bait-baitan, kimi-kimian, tahimik-tahimikan, patawad pero hindi po.”
“Hindi natin kayang maging mabait sa kanila dahil mga walanghiya sila. Hindi pwede. Hindi pwede yung mabait ka lang, mabuting asal ka. Hindi uubra sa kanila ang mabuting asal at mabait lang kasi nga mga demonyo sila!”
“Kaya tama yan. Sumigaw lahat ng galit! Lahat ng galit na galit! Ang hindi matatapos ang galit bukas! Ang iparirinig ang galit hanggang hindi makulong ang mga putang inang magnanakaw!”
After his speech, a woman remarked, “Ramdam niyo po ba yung galit niya? Hindi halata pero alam niyo po ba sa ating simbahan may tinatawag na righteous indignation.”
Vice Ganda also called for the reinstatement of the death penalty.
“Dapat patayin ang mga korap na magnanakaw! Ibalik ang death penalty para sa mga korap! Para patayin ang mga magnanakaw. Ikulong pati pamilya nila!” he said.
He also called corrupt officials worse than murderers and terrorists.
While understandable, these kinds of statements, whether rhetorical or bugso ng damdamin, should not be praised nor allowed.
This style is all too familiar to be appealing to the Filipino people. It is the same voice and style of someone who won the presidency by instilling hate towards drug addicts and killing them on the streets.
We should no longer live by hate, killings, and profanities. Instead, we should listen to people with long résumés of fighting the good fight and those with actual plans.
Take, for example, the speech of Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, a known critic of the violent war on drugs.
Hindi ito isang pulitika. Ito ay isang moral na paninindigan. Isang pagkilos ng pananampalataya at pagkakaisa laban sa kultura ng katiwalian na patuloy na nagnanakaw sa dangal ng tao, nagpapalubog sa mga mahihirap, at sumisira sa kinabukasan ng ating bansa,” said Cardinal David.
People’s initiative and reform
Meanwhile, Economist Cielo Magno and former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza laid down reforms to be introduced through a People’s Initiative.These reforms are beautifully explained by Nutribun Republic:
- Political and Electoral ReformsBatas laban sa political dynasties. Kung walang batas laban sa dinastiya, habambuhay tayong talo at sila lang ang panalo.Diskwalipikasyon ng mga pulitikong may hindi na-liquidate na pondo. Kanina sa EDSA, malinaw: dapat tanggal agad ang pulitikong hindi kayang ipaliwanag ang paggamit sa pera ng bayan.
- People’s ParticipationParticipatory audit. Dapat sama-samang nagbabantay ang mamamayan at eksperto sa paggastos ng gobyerno.Open infra. Lahat ng proyekto dapat lantad mula plano hanggang presyo.
- Access to InformationFreedom of Information. Para makita ng mamamayan kung paano ginagastos ang mga buwis na galing sa atin.Publikong access sa SALN. Parang resibo ng yaman ng opisyal, kung saan makikita kung biglang nagkaroon ng mansyon, luxury car, o negosyo habang nasa puwesto.Beneficial ownership. Para malaman kung sino talaga ang kumikita sa malalaking kontrata at hindi natatago sa dummy companies.Procurement monitoring na may standard costing. Para wala nang overpriced na semento, yero, o pako na parang simpleng itlog na ginawang presyong ginto.
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