The State of Philippine Democracy
RONNIE C. CLARION
February|2009
On her way to guillotine on November 8, 1793, Madame Roland uttered what has now become a classic line: “Oh liberty! What crimes are committed in thy name!”
(Excerpt from Florentino H. Hornedo’s The Power to be)
The above passage reflects the dire conditions of the country Philippines. Indeed, her people suffer from being deprived of freedom in almost all aspects or phases of their lives. Situations in our land portray the exact opposite of what we are supposed to enjoy as an independent country
considering that we practice a democratic system of government.
One observance in a democratic setting is the conduct of elections through popular will. It is clearly emphasized that the people’s will is the sole decisive force by which elections could be processed. And in the same way it is through elections that the masses find a venue for a better change. But there has never been an exemplary election.
The May 2004 election is just the same with that of past elections where subversion of the people’s will is prevalent. Election periods have become big-time jobfairs where there is a nationwide employment for dirty jobs. Candidates hire people to work and campaign for them to secure votes by whatever means –– bribery, job offers, and other favors.
And since Philippine elections are characterized by massive cheating, the hegemony of money over honesty serves as the basis for electing bogus government officials rather than honest public servants. Many of the candidates would not tell of the uncertainties faced by the Filipino people under their administration, or of the grim future that awaits the nation should they be elected to position. Nearly all of them would always set sugarcoated promises and visions.
The present precarious Macapagal-Arroyo administration is the result of cunning and unlawful election process of May 2004. If we are to portray the state of the nation under the ruling regime, it is characterized by a high record of human rights violations which seem to have become the trademark of her rule. The spate of political killings and abductions of political activists have alarmed both national and international human rights organizations. Mass leaders and supporters of partylist groups that are critical to the government’s inability to operate democratically have been the prime targets of harassments, killings, and enforced disappearances.
Deprivation could not only be observed at home but outside the country as well where displaced OFWs are sent to war-torn countries. Forced by circumstances due to high unemployment rate in the Philippines, poor Filipinos take risks for opportunities abroad. Though temporarily residing outside of the country, dollar remittances of these workers have not been spared of corruption. Their remittances keep the indebted Philippine economy afloat yet the government has always been lukewarm in providing total assistance to our overseas workers who pay billions of pesos for their supposed welfare and protection.
Though presented with piles of proofs, the Batasan, the Office of the Ombudsman, and even the Supreme Court have not done any decisive action regarding these matters. This only demonstrates the supremacy of the Executive branch over the other two branches of the government, a blatant abuse of power. One can form a judgment of the complicity among officials in different agencies and departments. With all her cronies and underlings, Arroyo has been able to wash herself clean of all the responsibilities on the matters at bar. These make it easy for the ruling clique to crush dissents from below.
So long as we are headed by a bogus government and not by honest public officials, we can never fully enjoy our freedom to which we are entitled and we are bound to live in an autocracyobsessed society. Hence, we are restricted to act according to there own rules and not on how they ought to rule in accordance with the Constitution. Military-instigated killings under the present administration which dispenses Marcosian authoritarianism will continue as long as the bureaucrats who serve as puppets to American and foreign dictates stay in power. Democracy can never grow on such a toxic soil.
RONNIE C. CLARION
February|2009
On her way to guillotine on November 8, 1793, Madame Roland uttered what has now become a classic line: “Oh liberty! What crimes are committed in thy name!”
(Excerpt from Florentino H. Hornedo’s The Power to be)
The above passage reflects the dire conditions of the country Philippines. Indeed, her people suffer from being deprived of freedom in almost all aspects or phases of their lives. Situations in our land portray the exact opposite of what we are supposed to enjoy as an independent country
considering that we practice a democratic system of government.
One observance in a democratic setting is the conduct of elections through popular will. It is clearly emphasized that the people’s will is the sole decisive force by which elections could be processed. And in the same way it is through elections that the masses find a venue for a better change. But there has never been an exemplary election.
The May 2004 election is just the same with that of past elections where subversion of the people’s will is prevalent. Election periods have become big-time jobfairs where there is a nationwide employment for dirty jobs. Candidates hire people to work and campaign for them to secure votes by whatever means –– bribery, job offers, and other favors.
And since Philippine elections are characterized by massive cheating, the hegemony of money over honesty serves as the basis for electing bogus government officials rather than honest public servants. Many of the candidates would not tell of the uncertainties faced by the Filipino people under their administration, or of the grim future that awaits the nation should they be elected to position. Nearly all of them would always set sugarcoated promises and visions.
The present precarious Macapagal-Arroyo administration is the result of cunning and unlawful election process of May 2004. If we are to portray the state of the nation under the ruling regime, it is characterized by a high record of human rights violations which seem to have become the trademark of her rule. The spate of political killings and abductions of political activists have alarmed both national and international human rights organizations. Mass leaders and supporters of partylist groups that are critical to the government’s inability to operate democratically have been the prime targets of harassments, killings, and enforced disappearances.
Deprivation could not only be observed at home but outside the country as well where displaced OFWs are sent to war-torn countries. Forced by circumstances due to high unemployment rate in the Philippines, poor Filipinos take risks for opportunities abroad. Though temporarily residing outside of the country, dollar remittances of these workers have not been spared of corruption. Their remittances keep the indebted Philippine economy afloat yet the government has always been lukewarm in providing total assistance to our overseas workers who pay billions of pesos for their supposed welfare and protection.
Though presented with piles of proofs, the Batasan, the Office of the Ombudsman, and even the Supreme Court have not done any decisive action regarding these matters. This only demonstrates the supremacy of the Executive branch over the other two branches of the government, a blatant abuse of power. One can form a judgment of the complicity among officials in different agencies and departments. With all her cronies and underlings, Arroyo has been able to wash herself clean of all the responsibilities on the matters at bar. These make it easy for the ruling clique to crush dissents from below.
So long as we are headed by a bogus government and not by honest public officials, we can never fully enjoy our freedom to which we are entitled and we are bound to live in an autocracyobsessed society. Hence, we are restricted to act according to there own rules and not on how they ought to rule in accordance with the Constitution. Military-instigated killings under the present administration which dispenses Marcosian authoritarianism will continue as long as the bureaucrats who serve as puppets to American and foreign dictates stay in power. Democracy can never grow on such a toxic soil.
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