Quo Vadis, Pilipinas?

 

Where The Hell Are We?

We are at the tail-end of the current six-year cycle. And, thankfully so. The past five years have been nothing but pure disaster. A calamitous train wreck that could have been prevented. To say that we are now wading in a cesspit full of every disgusting substance imaginable, is to blindly understate the facts. So many lives have been lost. The local economy is in tatters. The pandemic response is the worst among nations. The barefaced corruption of the blundering halfwits in government has been mind-boggling. Yes, I dare say, halfwits. The plundering knuckleheads who cheekily ransacked the national coffers under our noses. Thankfully, because of their stupidity - or maybe its just their brazen callousness - their vile deeds are slowly being revealed

So much has transpired since May 9, 2016. Now is the perfect time to realize that we all have been scammed! President Rodrigo Duterte is nothing but a con-man who duped the entire nation into believing that he is the savior of the land, and that he is a patriot. Never in his entire term has he exhibited that genuine desire to serve and protect the interest of the Filipino people. Only the interests of his lackeys and cohorts consistently grabbed his absolute attention. Yes, his sphincter-licking friends who rapidly increased their undeclared net-worth during his presidency. Not the poor fisher folks who constantly face harassment from foreign navy vessels. Not the health care workers who continue to combat the deadly coronavirus. Not the small businesses who were forced to shut their operations because of the government's ineptitude. Not the disadvantaged lot who persistently struggle financially because of the world's longest, uninterrupted quarantine restrictions. Not even the the majority of the 16 million hare-brained individuals who voted for him.

This is the pornographic situation we find ourselves in! A pathetic state caused by a mere few years of incompetence and greed. How we move forward from this abhorrent condition depends on how we vote in Halalan 2022.

The Battle Lines Have Been Drawn...

Never have the lines between the malevolent agents and the warriors of light been drawn so clearly. Well, not since the snap elections of 1986. The difference is so striking, only a cerebrally-deficient person won't be able to distinguish right from wrong. There will be attempts to blur-out the markings with misdirections and half-truths. Candidates who will proclaim themselves as independent and non-aligned will attempt to muddle and divert our focus. Smoke-screens and mirrors. The usual tricks that were previously employed will once again be used to deceive the gullible. But, we should hold-on to what is true and not fall prey to their trap. The truth is: There is no middle-ground! There is only the Duterte-anointed candidate; who will carry-on the legacy of degradation. And, the one, true opposition candidate.

In a 2017 blog, I declared that Duterte is a blessing to the Philippines; with some qualifications. I wrote that he could be the real-deal who can deliver the Philippines to the glory land. Or, he could drive us down so low, the people will finally see who he truly is. The CoViD-19 pandemic exposed his immense incompetence, and that of his overly-extended cabinet. Their initial actions, or lack of any, in early 2020 was an indication of what would now be considered as the worst response to the pandemic. With billions of pesos to burn, the government was unable to come-up with a coherent program that would address the spread of the dreaded virus. Basic protocols like mass, free CoViD-19 testing, and dependable contact tracing were never implemented. Instead, non-medical and non-sensical billion-peso projects were put forward. The best example would be the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach. And, allegations of corruption that favored close friends in the supply of essential medical equipment have been unearthed in both houses of Congress.

On the other. and more blissful side of the fence, you have the true heroes who quietly and effectively organized programs to help those in dire need. Programs that were put to work with meager finances and resources. The humble response captured, not just the imagination of the nation, but that of other countries. Community pantries sprouted all over. It displayed a modern version of bayanihan. A communal response to a crippling crisis. Unlike most government relief operations, community pantries did not ask for IDs, did not turn anyone away, and was blind to the political affiliations of the receipients.  It again exposed how inadequate the government was in addressing the true need of the people. And, not long after they started, pantry organizers were harassed by state and local government agents. Some of them were red-tagged and threatened with arrest orders. In April 2020, government stooges also badgered the Office of the Vice President for "competing" with the government's CoViD-19 response. They were clearly jealous of OVP's highly praised actions during the initial statges of the pandemic. The Vice President, Leni Robredo, received positive marks from all sectors of society because ot her proactivity.

The contrast between the two sides is apparent. The mistake of 2016 cannot, and should not be repeated. A victory for any candidate affiliated with the current administration is a continuation of the status quo. An affirmation of the Duterte legacy. An extension of kakistocracy. Six more years of misery! Is that the road we wish to tread? Hell, no! There is a better alternative.

Decision Time, Pilipinas!

The Philippine elections of 2022 will be a crucial chapter in our collective search for our national soul. It gives us this golden opportunity to slowly recover from the catastrophic consequences of our follies in 2016. A chance to finally exorcise and banish the demons who have tormented us the past few years. This is a million-dollar shot to haul every single liar, crook, and murderer in the government to jail. It is time to finally deliver justice to all those who have been murdered, persecuted, robbed, harassed, neglected, slandered, and shamed.

More importantly, our children and grandchildren don't deserve a scorched future. It is our duty to ensure that we leave them with a Philippines they can be proud of. It all starts now! The road is still far, and there is still much to do. And, I shall meet you at the finish line.