The Construct by Alex Maximo

Death of EDSA

Alex @ February 26, 2007 | | News, Politics and Society |

Anyway, it’s a Monday and back to the real world. And what a way to start it by reading such a headline on the Inquirer - “Arroyo: No more EDSA revolts.”

Sure, the PDI is not some two-bit tabloid who’d print classics like “Katulong nireyp ng ninja” (”Maid raped by ninja”) but to me, it’s the same thing. Same old story, same old characters, new actors to play out the parts. It’s like James Bond prior to Casino Royale.

Okay, so it’s all in the context of remembering the first EDSA circa 1986. People Power. A Revolution. But after three EDSAs*, what has changed? We revolted but have we revolved?

And here’s what the president has to say:

“The world will not, however, forgive another EDSA but would instead condemn the Philippines as a country whose political system is hopelessly unstable and the Filipinos as among the finest people in the world but who always shoot themselves in the foot.”

Such grand word play. Kudos to her speech writers for that. For one, they’re paid grand money to mix such brews of intoxicating pun, and in the prosody of it, people take it as fact.

We are a democracy. Doesn’t “No more EDSA” mean that we shouldn’t exercise our rights anymore. We are the Filipino people, and we are the democracy. It’s quite apparent that officials (whether they hold posts by valid vote, or through their of mafioso ways) forget this fact. Sure, we have the constitution, but aren’t we supposed to defend everything it stands for. Who’s a president to tell the people and its Constitution otherwise? (Oh yeah, that’s why they’re raring to Cha-Cha.)

One more thing. Statesmanship is different from politics. We have very good politicians. They’re really good in handling power. But count if there are any statesmen at all. What’s good for our country anyway?

If there’s one thing I find in the president’s words, it’s apparent that the image we show the international community is far more important than what the nearly 90 million Filipinos are experiencing. “Oh got nothing to eat? Don’t revolt, the international media is watching. Just smile for the cameras, hijo!)

No one applauds self-criticism and introspection anymore. Yes, now in the days of the Web 2.0, you’ve got your friends to tell you who you are. And it’s either you have very kind friends or you paid them to give you a nice Friendster testimonial. But self-criticism? Don’t bother, people will only think you crave attention.

It’s a madman thing, this world.

I hope the headline read “No more traffic in EDSA” instead. Now that’s good news.

*While most spin doctors would say there’s only two, there’s three. When the middle class are there, it’s an EDSA. When the jologs take EDSA, it doesn’t count. Bah.

***

VINCENT: You honor your agreements. But these people you’re dealing with are crooks; they have no honor.

MICHAEL: My word is final. Politics and crime. They’re the same thing…

Still having some bouts of The Godfather aftershocks. And I have to give it to Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola for writing such a great screenplay.

Tags: EDSA, News, Opinion, Politics and Society