Home > Op-ed | To bottom

In search of an alternative

The severity of the economic and political crisis that the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration has dragged this country into remains unparalleled in recent history. As if the ineptness and failure to address the chronic crisis were not enough, cases of corruption and bribery, jueteng pay-offs and the current controversial wiretapping exposés of electoral fraud are stirring the country into another political conjuncture.

The recent pronouncements by GMA’s loyalists about her innocence in several scandals and exposés are just so insensitive, defensive and shameless that it appears they regard the entire nation as brainless as they are. We bristled when her spokesperson Ignacio Bunye said that Filipinos will just have to wait it out until the end of GMA’s term because there is no possible alternative right now. His namedropping of controversial people as replacement for GMA was intended to threaten the nation with more political instability and uncertainty and muddle the issue of a bogus presidency.

Bayan Muna is right. It is a condescending remark coming from the Malacañang mouthpiece. It is a narrow and self-serving view to think that this country has a dearth of sensible alternatives. But what do we expect from an administration that is guilty of illegitimacy and fraud? It will defend itself come people power or impeachment procedures.

For a country habituated and conditioned by the American political system characterized by a government dominated by elitist political parties with a president as central figure, not to mention the anomalous and fraud-prone electoral system by which these politicians get into power, the idea of change and political overhaul may be daunting, even farfetched. But the people have the basic right to an alternative system, especially if the existing government has lost its credibility and the people’s trust.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan’s (BAYAN) proposal for a national coalition government may just resolve the immediate problem of transition. As there are various political forces and groups with a clear agenda for governance and reforms, all these programs have to be studied and taken into consideration with the majority of the people’s interest in mind. There are genuine nationalists and progressive statesmen who are sincere in their agenda or program for change. Economist and nationalist Alejandro Lichauco previously proposed a people’s congress that shall convene all progressive and nationalist representatives from various sectors to map out a program of government. He explicitly excluded the economic and political elites from this type of congress, knowing their basic tendency for economic and political monopoly. On the other hand, there is a proposal that if and when GMA’s presidency is nullified, the Senate president will sit as interim head of state while preparations are underway for snap elections.

Those in her administration and other political groups with vested interests who say the people will just have to settle for GMA until her term expires are so blinded and intoxicated by power and political favors they cannot anymore discern truth from lies. This traditional political system has engendered political mutants and cretins who have inflicted so much damage to our economy and political system and national psyche. The question must no be reduced to WHO is the best qualified to replace an illegitimate leader. We must ask, WHAT is an alternative system that will address decades of national malaise?

We must not be defeated by cynicism or people power fatigue. Some citizens have the option to abandon ship, change citizenship and forget this nightmare called Philippine politics. But the majority who have the option to believe in change must persist. At the end of the day, we only get the government that we deserve. #

Home > Op-ed | Back to top