Winning the soul of this nation can be liken to epics of old or stories that leave you breathlessly inspired, enough for you to get up from your lethargic self and convince you to help alter the course of the universe. This nation’s story has the semblance of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Biag ni Lam-ang, War and Peace, and to be nationalistically sentimental about it, Noli and El Fili in its moral essence. The thick story is there.
The score board is set. The obligatory dramatis personae, bidas and kontrabidas, have positioned themselves. Some are subtle and busying themselves in the background. Some are brazenly open and creating so much noise. Like a moving engine, the context and socio-political momentum are ever-so widening, becoming more complicated each day and ripening before our very eyes. Although, the issue remains as universal as you can get: good versus evil.
Already, evil is at the very gates, if it has not poisoned our loins and marrows. This evil has penetrated our everyday existence blurring in unimaginable proportions our concepts of decency and delicadeza. In exchange of the common good, personal and family interests became the rule of the game. The public coffer has been transformed into a milking cow of the greedy. The more talented you are in concealing and mangling truths, the better the rewards in terms of the juiciest contracts and positions in government.
For almost a decade, this evil has called lies for truth, twisted every imaginable law to get the upper hand. Corruptions gained an ever-deepening foothold, infecting both the high and low, that some say several generations will take to undo them. Moreover, this evil has been very successful in concealing its true nature by playing the number games, bribing the greedy for powers, and throwing shallow I-am-sorry before a camera to win and deceive the populace even more. It promises or says one thing and does another. In short, this evil has poisoned the moral fabric of this nation.
In the long run, evil forgot to smile that no matter how it tries to fake sunshine, its ominous composure gives way, increasingly wary of the verdict of the people. Greed and the desire to protect its amassed wealth and power is this evil’s compelling and driving energy. Of course, it will claim otherwise, using the very name of good, such as service to the people or that its DNA houses the genetic codes of goodness to justify its acts. Without shame, this evil announces that “ramdam na ang pag-unlad”. Littered on the street corners are fancy proclamations of its supposed accomplishments while women and children beg for food on the same streets. This evil kills and massacres people in broad day light. Worse, it has robbed many school children not only of education, but the future itself. Worst still, it has snatched our sense of right and wrong.
This evil has suffered defeat yes, but not for long. It is not finished in its evil design yet. This evil has gathered force for a decade. Its allies are entrenched in the pork barrel-infested Congress. Like its allies, this evil uses the smell of pork it knew so well to summon devilry. Expect, despite its constant denial that this evil will do everything to be the head of the swine smelling law-making house, with one mission in mind, protect its obscene interests.
The courts of (in)justice, including most importantly the highest one, will not be spared. Evil will make sure that it can summon (in)justice, or the lack of it, to its side, by simply using the age-old values of “utang na loob”, at least as far as our moral radar can detect. Whatever exchanges between the debts of gratitude with the courts, only our crystal balls can tell.
Is there hope still in our story? Can Noynoy, the newly crowned king of our surrealistic war story in real time, ever muster enough force to counter the venom of this evil? From the beginning in our search to address the nation’s crisis of leadership, Noynoy did not have any bearing of a king. And from all initial observations, Noynoy, indeed, was content to play second role to his power house family. Some simply explain that Noynoy must have inherited his mother’s calm temperament.
He has not been “atat na atat” for power. This we know. When the nation was searching for a leader-replacement to formally dislodge evil from seat, Noynoy was not even considered. Not by this nation, not by his political party, and for pity’s sake, not even by himself. It took the death of democracy’s icon, Noynoy’s mother, to bring home the message: “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” With divine guidance, or so he claims, Noynoy took the treacherous campaign roads for the leadership of this nation. His youngest sister, the ultimate show off of the clan, if not the nation, disclosed that most of Noynoy’s previous campaign funds were raised by their mother if not by the show-off sister herself.
Noynoy has a good education. This we also know. He spent most if not all of his formal learning time with the Jesuits, similar to many leaders of our time. However, his biggest education, as most of us will note, is his own family. Like most of us, Noynoy is no stranger to abuses of power as his family, especially his father, has tasted its bitter taste. If rumours are to be believed, Noynoy almost lost his mind, sometime in his younger days. But, who would not? You literally grew up visiting a father in prison, not because your father is a criminal but because he told the truth. And then, you witness the harrowing murder of your father. Noynoy and his family were not the only ones horrified. A whole nation was.
And when your mother finally decided to set thing right in the ways of governing this nation, planned and executed death threats were your staple reality. Noynoy, to this day carries the left over scar of shrapnel that almost took his life defending his mother. Some say, If Noynoy did not lose his mind at one point or another, something is very “crazy” with him.
Can Noynoy save this nation? asks Time magazine. Yes. If and only when this Frodo-like knight in shining armour be true to the path he has set to do from the beginning of his campaign period, that is, ridding this nation of corrupt malpractices.
But no. This evil, that we speak of, is not one but tentacles of evil. This evil is beyond Noynoy to bear and undo, not in the next six years. We need the likes of Sam the Wise, Gandalf, Arwen, Galadriel and the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring, with all the intentions of ridding this nation of selfish evils. Winston Churchill, at the threshold of WW II cautioned his nation: “This is not the time for doubt or weakness. This is the supreme hour to which we are called. Arm yourselves and be men (and women) of valour, and be ready for the conflict”. This, too, rings true to us.
Winning the soul of this nation requires vigilance. Already voices of evil-compromises are heard in the air. The winds bring us news of fouler evils with fouler plans, not the least of their many intentions is bringing Noynoy’s leadership down to a constitutional halt. Yet still, Noynoy is not and should not be spared from scrutiny, for evil is tricky, even heroes are tempted and fooled by its wiles and disguises. For now, the tentacles of evil are moving and restless. However, there is hope still. This we know.
Make no mistake: winning the soul of this nation is not Noynoy’s war alone. It is ours, too.
The score board is set. The obligatory dramatis personae, bidas and kontrabidas, have positioned themselves. Some are subtle and busying themselves in the background. Some are brazenly open and creating so much noise. Like a moving engine, the context and socio-political momentum are ever-so widening, becoming more complicated each day and ripening before our very eyes. Although, the issue remains as universal as you can get: good versus evil.
Already, evil is at the very gates, if it has not poisoned our loins and marrows. This evil has penetrated our everyday existence blurring in unimaginable proportions our concepts of decency and delicadeza. In exchange of the common good, personal and family interests became the rule of the game. The public coffer has been transformed into a milking cow of the greedy. The more talented you are in concealing and mangling truths, the better the rewards in terms of the juiciest contracts and positions in government.
For almost a decade, this evil has called lies for truth, twisted every imaginable law to get the upper hand. Corruptions gained an ever-deepening foothold, infecting both the high and low, that some say several generations will take to undo them. Moreover, this evil has been very successful in concealing its true nature by playing the number games, bribing the greedy for powers, and throwing shallow I-am-sorry before a camera to win and deceive the populace even more. It promises or says one thing and does another. In short, this evil has poisoned the moral fabric of this nation.
In the long run, evil forgot to smile that no matter how it tries to fake sunshine, its ominous composure gives way, increasingly wary of the verdict of the people. Greed and the desire to protect its amassed wealth and power is this evil’s compelling and driving energy. Of course, it will claim otherwise, using the very name of good, such as service to the people or that its DNA houses the genetic codes of goodness to justify its acts. Without shame, this evil announces that “ramdam na ang pag-unlad”. Littered on the street corners are fancy proclamations of its supposed accomplishments while women and children beg for food on the same streets. This evil kills and massacres people in broad day light. Worse, it has robbed many school children not only of education, but the future itself. Worst still, it has snatched our sense of right and wrong.
This evil has suffered defeat yes, but not for long. It is not finished in its evil design yet. This evil has gathered force for a decade. Its allies are entrenched in the pork barrel-infested Congress. Like its allies, this evil uses the smell of pork it knew so well to summon devilry. Expect, despite its constant denial that this evil will do everything to be the head of the swine smelling law-making house, with one mission in mind, protect its obscene interests.
The courts of (in)justice, including most importantly the highest one, will not be spared. Evil will make sure that it can summon (in)justice, or the lack of it, to its side, by simply using the age-old values of “utang na loob”, at least as far as our moral radar can detect. Whatever exchanges between the debts of gratitude with the courts, only our crystal balls can tell.
Is there hope still in our story? Can Noynoy, the newly crowned king of our surrealistic war story in real time, ever muster enough force to counter the venom of this evil? From the beginning in our search to address the nation’s crisis of leadership, Noynoy did not have any bearing of a king. And from all initial observations, Noynoy, indeed, was content to play second role to his power house family. Some simply explain that Noynoy must have inherited his mother’s calm temperament.
He has not been “atat na atat” for power. This we know. When the nation was searching for a leader-replacement to formally dislodge evil from seat, Noynoy was not even considered. Not by this nation, not by his political party, and for pity’s sake, not even by himself. It took the death of democracy’s icon, Noynoy’s mother, to bring home the message: “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” With divine guidance, or so he claims, Noynoy took the treacherous campaign roads for the leadership of this nation. His youngest sister, the ultimate show off of the clan, if not the nation, disclosed that most of Noynoy’s previous campaign funds were raised by their mother if not by the show-off sister herself.
Noynoy has a good education. This we also know. He spent most if not all of his formal learning time with the Jesuits, similar to many leaders of our time. However, his biggest education, as most of us will note, is his own family. Like most of us, Noynoy is no stranger to abuses of power as his family, especially his father, has tasted its bitter taste. If rumours are to be believed, Noynoy almost lost his mind, sometime in his younger days. But, who would not? You literally grew up visiting a father in prison, not because your father is a criminal but because he told the truth. And then, you witness the harrowing murder of your father. Noynoy and his family were not the only ones horrified. A whole nation was.
And when your mother finally decided to set thing right in the ways of governing this nation, planned and executed death threats were your staple reality. Noynoy, to this day carries the left over scar of shrapnel that almost took his life defending his mother. Some say, If Noynoy did not lose his mind at one point or another, something is very “crazy” with him.
Can Noynoy save this nation? asks Time magazine. Yes. If and only when this Frodo-like knight in shining armour be true to the path he has set to do from the beginning of his campaign period, that is, ridding this nation of corrupt malpractices.
But no. This evil, that we speak of, is not one but tentacles of evil. This evil is beyond Noynoy to bear and undo, not in the next six years. We need the likes of Sam the Wise, Gandalf, Arwen, Galadriel and the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring, with all the intentions of ridding this nation of selfish evils. Winston Churchill, at the threshold of WW II cautioned his nation: “This is not the time for doubt or weakness. This is the supreme hour to which we are called. Arm yourselves and be men (and women) of valour, and be ready for the conflict”. This, too, rings true to us.
Winning the soul of this nation requires vigilance. Already voices of evil-compromises are heard in the air. The winds bring us news of fouler evils with fouler plans, not the least of their many intentions is bringing Noynoy’s leadership down to a constitutional halt. Yet still, Noynoy is not and should not be spared from scrutiny, for evil is tricky, even heroes are tempted and fooled by its wiles and disguises. For now, the tentacles of evil are moving and restless. However, there is hope still. This we know.
Make no mistake: winning the soul of this nation is not Noynoy’s war alone. It is ours, too.
tobe_wtdpoor@yahoo.com
