No to another President Marcos

Philippine Daily Inquirer              
First Posted 22:58:00 04/15/2011

Filed Under: Heroism, Opinion surveys

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I THANK Vice President Jojo Binay for the positive things he has been doing for our country, as confirmed by his high approval rating in a recent Pulse Asia survey.

On the burial of President Ferdinand Marcos’ remains in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, I implore him to listen to the voice of a Filipino with nothing to gain either politically or personally—apart from the hope of a continually progressive Philippines for future generations.

The issue is not just about the interment. (Does the forgive-and-forget-as-Christians-ought-to-do argument really carry weight in this case? Should historical sins against the Filipino people be simply forgiven and forgotten without justice—without even the slightest expression of remorse? Should a leader who allowed over 7,500 Filipinos to suffer human rights abuses be given a hero’s burial? Should a leader who left the Philippine economy in a dismal state—the effects of which we still feel to this day—be glorified?)

The issue is also about lending momentum to the undeniable presidential aspirations of Ferdinand’s son and junior, Senator Bongbong, and therefore the potential reinstatement of the Marcoses in the highest level of government. (We have yet to see evidence that the nation’s concerns take precedence over their family’s welfare. After all, once elected to the Senate, it did not take long for the son to lobby for the Libingan burial of his father.)

While Bongbong evidently sincerely condoled with the Aquino family—and laudably so—when President Cory Aquino passed away in 2009, it also won him significant goodwill among voters in the 2010 elections. At the time, it was perhaps just as well, because the politics of the father should not automatically be equated with the politics of the son.

However, Bongbong’s public pronouncements—particularly his claim that the Philippines could have been another Singapore under his father’s leadership—clearly reveal that he has his own, fanciful version of Philippine history. His version runs counter to the first-hand account of respected economist, Prof. Solita Monsod who served in the Cabinet of President Cory Aquino and described the economy after Marcos as being “in a shambles.” If Bongbong idealizes the leadership qualities of his father and sees nothing wrong with how the latter managed the Philippine economy, what is to stop him from taking the same path and making similar decisions as his father did?

When a US federal court recently awarded compensation to over 7,500 human rights victims under the Marcos regime, Bongbong claimed that the abuses were not ordered by his father. Doesn’t Bongbong realize that his father could have put a stop to the abuses? 

I send this letter to quietly convey my sentiments to the Vice President: please, do not help install another Ferdinand Marcos in Malacañang.

—MARSHA LEDESMA,

mgledesma@bredband.net

Source: http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20110415-331391/No-to-another-President-Marcos

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Seven thousand five hundred Filipinos died, economic depression rises and a stumpy standard of living has been achieved- these are the sufferings and results of Marcos administration. We don’t want this to happen again in the mere future, right? We suffered a lot from the hands of a lion; a lion that is hungry of the things surrounds him especially money. As the saying goes “Money is the root of evil” probably speaking that aphorism is true. Money leads people to cross the road to the place where every human right was being blazed. This happening makes people become braver in searching their rights in accordance with law. Though the people have greater leeway to attain this rights but why their standard of living has not been affected at all? Will this become the reason why many of us will engage in illegal deeds in order to live? These are questions that are rotating in my mind every time economy has been the subject of conversation.

No to another President Marcos; article written by Marsha Ledesma that struck me most about what kind of leader does the Philippines needs in order to reach its goals. As a matter of fact none of the goals to have a better society has either been achieved or executed in the Philippines.  Many years had been passed after the Marcos regime but the government has not yet doing its job so that problems will be lessened. Graft and corruption are the reason why I can say that our government is sleeping. Rich people ran to a higher position for them to get something in return. The distribution of scarce resources in the country results to inequality. The biggest share goes to the people’s representative while the remaining share in to the society. That’s why poor people become poorer and rich citizens continue in becoming wealthier nowadays. 

 Also, she emphasizes why President Marcos was buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani that perhaps he cannot be called as a hero. I think he is the reason why Filipinos tormenting nowadays from economic depression. Moreover, the issue was not his entombment; it is about his junior Senator Bongbong Marcos that aspires to run for president in the next election. This matter gives an impact on what will happen in the future if another Marcos would lead the country. Will the death of the seven thousand five hundred Filipinos increase? Or the stumpy standard of living in the Philippines would soar? Whatever be the query related to the running of Bobong Marcos for president is just an opinion and may not be fact at all.

Furthermore, let’s not put in our hands regarding in what will happened if another Marcos will run for President. We don’t know what his plans for our country. The best we can do is observing all his doings in relation to the development for the economy. Though his father gives a great impact not just in the economy but also in our hearts however all what former President wants is to make our country a highly competitor in the production of goods and services. Also, as the matter of fact the economy on his time inflates because of trading and system of exporting, but due to his “baluktot” management many Filipinos decided to have people power revolution.

Democracy is the outcome of having this revolt. As a democratic country it is our right to choose, to vote and to decide for ourselves; and No to another president Marcos? Well let’s see if what will be the verdicts of the citizens regarding the question that struck me most.

Many Filipinos still jobless and poor, says report

By Marjorie Gorospe, loQal.ph

MANILA CITY, METRO MANILA- Many Filipinos in rural areas are still jobless, poor, hungry and vulnerable, according to a report from the Social Watch Philippines (SWP).

The SWP report also noted that ten years after the historic Millennium Summit where world leaders vowed to end extreme poverty by 2015, many Filipinos are still “left behind.”

These are mostly women in rural areas, Muslims in Mindanao, and members of indigenous tribes.

According to United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator to the Philippines Dr. Jacqueline Badcock, there are nine sectors in the country that have been left behind despite reported economic growth.

“With only five years remaining, we are shifting our focus to strategies that will allow us to breakthrough and accelerate the pace of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) achievement,” said Badcock in a forum, calling on Congress to “combat poverty head on”.

The official said women in rural areas remain at risk. These women continue to struggle because of the lack of capital, insufficient income, and absence of alternative or sustainable sources of livelihood.

She also cited the growing number of Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 24 who are forced quit school to work and help support their parents and young siblings.

Aside from women and out-of-school youths, small-scale fisherfolk and resource dependent workers also remain left behind.

Displaced Muslims are also becoming vulnerable as they struggle to have basic needs such as decent homes. These groups also lack capital to start a new livelihood, and do not have access to education and health services.

These groups are also vulnerable to the persistent threat of an armed conflict.

The rising number of Filipinos with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) should also be addressed. AIDS cases in the country have reached 5,729 as reported from 1984 to October 2010.

Source : http://www.newsflash.org/beframe.htm

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FOODS, SHELTER and CLOTHINGS are the basic needs of people in order to survive. These are things that are important for every one of us since without this stuff there would be no civilization that will occur in our society. It becomes the basis for every country whether it has a good or bad economy.

In this vast world thousands of problems are lining up in every people. Oil price hike is one of this problems and the reason why extreme poverty strikes in the Philippines. The continuous rising of prices results to  the increasing of all the basic needs of Filipinos especially the rice and even the toll fees and fares but the standard of living are still the same. If this so, most of the poor family cannot eat three meals a day for they don’t have enough money to support their family. Though the government is making moves to solve this problem but for the reason that we are overpopulated most of the families especially at the provinces are being forgotten by the administration and that is why our economic status is not good. In addition, unemployment is also one of the roots that deflate the economy of our country. If there are many inhabitants who don’t have job in our country because of their laziness and “bahala na” attitude, will they survive? What would be there source of income? If this will go on there is a greater chance that the economy of the Philippines would become similar to the economy of Zimbabwe.

People living under a bridge and even besides the rivers and streams captured my eyes every time I travel around the country. They are the citizens of the Philippines who don’t have good shelter for them to live a happy and peaceful life without any problems regarding on how they will survive if natural disasters happen in their life. This situation reflects the government on how it manages the economy of one society. What will be the first step to solve this problem? Who are the responsible for this situation? Can this be solved? There are many questions that need to be resolved in order to have a good economic status.

 Economic status demonstrates the standard of living in a society whether it’s poor or rich. Having a situation such as emphasized above means that Philippines is a poor country not because it doesn’t have enough resources to provide the people desires but because of the people whom managing the entire archipelago. Some of the leaders are corrupt that’s why the money and the things that would be for the people whom needing it goes to their own pockets.

Moreover, Education is very important for all of us so that we may become a successful citizens but as what I have observed nowadays many children  cannot read or write because at their early stage they are already involved in labor. As what Dr. Jose Rizal states that “the youth is the hope of our motherland”, will this become possible if our fellow Filipinos cannot communicate well with others for they are not well educated? Money is the best reason why this is happening in our country but if the leaders will open their minds of what are happening in the society this serious matter will be solved as soon as possible. Nowadays students are starving to have a good quality education in a cheaper price but as what is taking place these days tuition fees are increasing and the percentage of the students that could continue their studies are decreasing. What will happen to our country if these circumstances will continue for how many years? Will the hope become a misery? Let us find out if the government will do its job to have better lives for the hope of the motherland.

 On the other hand in order to achieved high standard of living  and to lessen these problems, we must work hard not just for ourselves but also for the youths in the next generation. Also,  people must be an observant  not only on the happenings in our country but also to our government who are the responsible of having this kind of livelihood.