Democracy stands for freedom. So essentially, “freedom from democracy” entails liberation from the clutches of freedom. Now why has freedom become fetters that keep the Philippines a struggling third-rate dirt-poor country amidst economic tigers in the region? Well democracy is actually a double-edged sword. While it gives us the benefit of that cool ecstatic feeling of liberation and independence which our forefathers have struggled and fought for, it carries with it a huge responsibility, one which Filipinos have proven themselves to be incapable of handling.
Democracy (which the West has painted to be the be all and end all) has failed us. The fact that there is no publicly available train ride to the city center the moment you step out of the airport lobby is sufficient proof democracy in this country does not work to our advantage! Democracy only works for mature advanced societies. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution. You need to match it with the stage of evolution a given people are at. For a people who are in many ways a century behind in terms of basic common sense and moral fortitude, sad to say – Filipinos are simply not ready.
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Now it may be just a matter of time that Duterte will reach the end of his tether and take Option B: set up a revolutionary government. Signs were very telling at the onset of his presidency that he was looking into the speedy option of overthrowing the current corrupt system to effect lasting change. He went all over the country visiting military detachments and seeking to win the hearts of our men-in-uniform first. The PNP and AFP are his tools to bringing about many bleeding-heart freedom-loving Filipinos’ worst nightmare: rapid change through a totally new government. Note: Whoever gains the trust of the armed forces can practically do anything – even abolish Congress and the Supreme Court if he so wishes.
In the name of checks and balances, the current system is simply rigged and designed to hamper rapid progress. Just look at how the appointment of the efficient and effective head of DSWD was rejected by the CA. How can a country advance when we have power- and wealth-hungry politicians placing hurdles left and right? Congress’ recent rejection of erstwhile DSWD secretary Judy Taguiwalo rings out as “strike three!” on this corrupt body’s confidence on the president’s ability to make wise choices. At this point, Duterte can simply turn the tables around and strike Congress out!
Alternatives to Liberal Democracy
Now that we know that the current brand of democracy is detrimental to Filipinos, what should we do? An alternative solution is not difficult to find (from Wiki)…
A benevolent dictatorship is a theoretical form of government in which an authoritarian leader exercises absolute political power over the state but does so for the benefit of the population as a whole. A benevolent dictator may allow for some economic liberalization or democratic decision-making to exist, such as through public referenda or elected representatives with limited power, and often makes preparations for a transition to genuine democracy during or after their term. It might be seen as a republican form of enlightened despotism.
Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore) was one of these so-called benevolent dictators.
Lee Kuan Yew: Known to be the man who transformed Singapore from a poor agrarian society into one of Asia’s wealthiest nations, Lee Kuan Yew is often called a ‘benevolent dictator.’ As a leader who was in power for thirty-one years from 1959 until 1990, he implemented some laws that were deemed to be autocratic, and attempted to dismantle political opposition. Despite this, he is often looked upon favorably for his transformation of Singapore, and is considered by many to be one of the most successful political pragmatists.
Too scared of another Marcos? Now, power doesn’t have to rest on just a single person, it can be vested upon a core body of leaders through one party.
A One-Party System
Choice is great. The fact that small insignificant members of society each have a hand at picking the next president or representatives in Congress sounds really cool. But we need to bite the bullet and accept the fact that this is not for us. Ordinary Filipinos can have the freedom to choose among which flavor of ice cream to buy, but not on deciding on something as important as a president. Filipinos are not known to choose the best for themselves (just look at where they spend their savings on). We should leave these kinds of critical choices to experts.
The reason behind China’s meteoric rise to becoming the second largest economic behemoth in the world is for this very reason. Decision making has been confined to a core like-minded leadership with virtually zero external opposition. If they wanted to set up a trans-China bullet train or a space program which had a roadmap lasting 50 years into the future, the single party could give the stability and assurance to see it through irrespective of the specific personality at the helm.
That’s in stark contrast to how Filipinos are handling mega-projects: one president of a given ruling party starts a mega-project only to be mothballed midway by the succeeding president whose party has a different priority or interest. No wonder we see low-quality half-finished roads all around with not even proper sidewalks and drainage.
What the Philippines Needs More is Vision, not Democracy
The freedom enshrined in democracy is also closely associated with chaos. Just look at the traffic in Metro Manila, how jeepneys and buses criss-cross lanes and load/unload in the middle of busy intersections. Is this the type of society and system we want for our children to inherit? We are now gripped by narco-politics. If you remove the pork barrel system in Congress, guess what. They will only look for something else even more hideous to bankroll their reelection.
In contrast, vision brings about focus and precision planning. The problem with the Philippines is the lack of a stable leadership core that can set up a vision and align all the country’s resources and parameters toward that goal (family size vis-a-vis income, human settlement, internet bandwidth, mineral exploration, urban planning, and what not). Duterte is at the height of empowerment to be able to set up this one-party system in the Philippines, given the enormous public support and political capital he now wields.
For the first time in many decades, we have a man whom the vast majority can rely on to be incorrupt and competent. He is the closest thing to the embodiment of a genuine benevolent dictator like Lee Kuan Yew who transformed Singapore. We are confident this man is not in it for the money, and that he has the best interest of the country in mind. Under Duterte is the Philippine’s one-in-a-million golden opportunity to take this leap away from the perpetually corrupt system we have today.
American-style democracy was given to Filipinos too early. Filipinos need to evolve further under the stewardship of a benevolent one-party governing body that has the mettle to see us through to become the next Singapore-like Zaxxun-class state. If the ruling body says “No squatters in Metro Manila! Everyone go back to your provinces!” – there will be no opposition, as the body knows it is for the best of our tourism-dependent country.
Why Companies are Not Run like Democracies
Ever wondered why the most successful companies in the world like Apple, Google, and Toyota do not ask their employees (from janitors to design engineers) to pick their next leader (CEO)? Normally, something like a core party at the very top makes that choice, because they are in the best position to make such a critical decision of choosing that man/woman who carries the company’s culture/DNA and has the proven potential to bring their organization to the next level.
The Philippines should be run like a corporation. Why are there no squatters in the premises of Ayala’s Malls? Because it’s easy for top management to simply order their security personnel to eject would be invaders – No questions asked. Top management knows that a slum-like image is bad for business, and will not care even if most of their employees think otherwise.
Who among us will argue that gigantic companies like Facebook, Ford, and Samsung are not faring well? Ask their employees if they’re happy not living under a corporate democracy. Results speak for themselves – you don’t need to operate under a democracy to be happy and successful. Filipinos should grow up and shed off that mindset of always trying to emulate their past colonial master.
The Parable of the Eagles and the Maya Birds
Three Philippine eagles lived among three hundred little Maya birds. The eagles said “Let one of us eagles lead the flock because we can soar up above the stratosphere even beyond the clouds and are able to see from a higher vantage point. We are in the best position to lead you all.” But the Maya birds said “Ah, we don’t think you best represent us; we need someone who knows and feels our needs.” Then there was a long debate over how to make the decision, until one bird said, “I heard there was this thing called democracy. Why don’t we put it up for a vote?”
So elections were held through secret balloting, and every winged creature in the flock held their breath to hear the pronouncement…
Well let’s just cut the story short there since we all know the outcome anyway. Now ask yourselves, do Filipinos need democracy?
Zealous revolutionary advocate of bringing back common sense for the common good in a land of dysfunctional and delusional zombies.
We, Filipinos, don’t understand how “Democracy” works. The American colonizers, after they bought us from Spain in the Treaty of Paris; forced this form of government, down to our throats.
It worked for them, maybe, but not for us…
Democracy for us is: “Buy the People; Fool the People and Off the People”…
The Culture of Political Padrinos; the Culture of Corruption; and the Culture of Cheating in Elections are the RoadBlocks to finding True Leaders, in our country…
Feudalism is still with us; the Oligarchy dictates, who will be in power, to protect their vested interests.
Look at the massive corruption of COMELEC Chairman Andres “Si Latigo” Bautista; who rigged the 2016 Election. Electing a Fake Vice President, Leni “The Bobo” Robredo. Some Senators, who were supposed to lose in the 2016 election, became winners !
It will take a Superman, to take our country, from the “Basket Case of Asia”, to even a “Developing Country Status” !
now we all see how congress and the judiciary destroys the philippines.
Because of the value placed on individual materialistic success in our society, we are surrounded by people primarily interested in getting something from others. Their attitudes are characterised by selfishness and a lack of empathy for others.
Zaxx
Trump tried to run USA with a corporate/business government. So far, it doesnt work. And it will never work. Kim Jung un tries to run North Korea like a dictator. Does it work? No. Stop looking and comparing with Singapore. Look instead to countries like Norway or Sweden or Denmark. Or do you prefer Venezuela more?
I dont think the Philippines ever enjoyed full freedom. If you want progress, you need progressive people in government but also on the ground (the Jane Do’s and the John Do’s). But everything feels, senses and speaks against freedom (and against progress) in the Philippines. (Ex: look at your laws)
Pls tell me/us what Duterte’s long term (and short term) plan is for the Philippines? And more imporrtantly what his ultimate goals are and how he thinks to reach those goals? I havent heard it coming from his mouth. I dont think he has a plan, let alone a plan B. All he can do is speak by the barrel of a rifle/gun.
SO, a mere 14 months after taking office, Duterte: Has proved he is FULL OF SHIT because he has NOR handed out 7,500 MEDALS he said he would give his fellow countrymen for KILLING ‘ALLEGED’ Druggies, he has declared Martial Law in Southern Mindanao and now ZAXX here is suggestting that Duterte abolish the Ciongress, AND WHAT ? Become a DICTATOR ? Well, YOU ASKED FOR IT ND YOU WILL SOON GET, BEND OVER COZ HERE IT COMES…. MARCOS 2.0 !!
@Robert Ever heard or read about “Dutertenomics”(a;ready posted here in GRP)? That’s one of his goals while in his term as well as the agricultural plan. Too bad it was overtaken by “speak by the barrel of a rifle/gun” as you proclaimed thanks to biased media.
Ronald,
Reaganomics, Thatcherism: yes, I read about those 2.
Dutertenomics? I am sorry, I must have been living under a rock the last 12 months.
Excuse me? Those bodies in the streets are all “fake news” or “alternative facts”?
Ronald: Duterte himself admitted that he knows nothing about economics. It shows.
Joe Blow is quite correct. It’s Marcos 2.0, and Filipinos are too ignorant and lazy to draw the right conclusions. The “biased media” is reporting, quite accurately, the various scams and acts of economic sabotage being perpetrated by the government.
These scams are so big they have to be hidden in plain sight: the government knows the people are so used to lying and cheating each other they have trouble distinguishing truth from fiction anymore.
It’s all happening using the EXACT SAME METHOD that Marcos used. It goes like this: 1) pretend you have a development plan 2) get some loans 3) siphon off 90% of the funds 4) build some pointless white elephant project with whatever remains 5) Listen to ignorant Filipinos cheering “we’re the greatest country in the world cos we just built a freeway for 10x the normal price!” 6) Disappear with your loot. I’m just waiting to see how long the game plays out before 6) happens.
No point in me writing this, of course. As HydenToro knows, I’m just being paid by the CIA, and/or jealous of Tayay’s many accomplishments. That’s the magic that the Filipino elite wields so well: why bother to oppress the people when they’re happy to oppress themselves?
Since when did I ever said that those bodies in the streets are “Fake news” or “alternative facts”? what I’m trying to say is that you are claiming that Duterte is nothing more but a violent individual while unaware or ignoring that he’s also doing something good in the country like the examples I’ve given, aside of that Abaya who is cahoots with Aquino and giving a mess on LRT or MRT maintenance was replaced by somebody else since Duterte’s presidency and noticed that there’s some progress on LRT or MRT’s maintenance like elevators or escalators that was long broken and completely ignored for years has finally fixed, the security showed some improvements like implementing again an Xrays in some stations, example is around 1 or 2 months ago the security never let me in on the LRT 2 station because they detected a spray can in my bag which I bought for painting. Another change was replacing the head of DENR and shutting down the illegal minings and dumpsites that endangers the environment which completely ignored during the Aquino administration.
Because youre not the type to listen to reason… i’m simply going ad hominem on this.
Fuck you, you stupid piece of shit
*Comment directed at Joe “BLOW ME”
Just think how much fun you here at GRP will have when FREEDOM OF THE PRESS no longer exists, ‘DUE PROCESS’ is already gone, and when you are being thrown in jail for publishing an article that Big ‘D’ doesn’t like….JUST REMEMBER :YOU ASKED FOR THIS !!
SERIOUSLY, A BOX OF ROCKS IS SMARTER that the collective consciousness of the Filipino Nation. Duterte has had a hand in murdering nigh on 8,000 of your fellow citizens with out a TRIAL (just shoot ’em like dogs in the street!), POVERTY is still over 30% of the Filipino people living on $2/day or less, Electricity rates are the highest in the World and Duterte has done NOTHING to address this very REAL problem, the unemployment rate is SKY FRIKKIN HIGH and DUTERTE has done NOTHING to address getting a livable wage for Filipino’s or initiate or start bringing some manufacturing sector into the economy instead of the decades long practice of breaking up families and living off of the sweat of OFW’s.
DUTERTE HAS DONE NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE ,THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE, or anything else thqt could be considered a good thing…..and yet FILIPINO’s CHEER WILDLY FOR THIS CON-MAN………………….WHY ?
@JOE BLOW,
Take a look in North Korea, there is no freedom of the press and expression but there is state and government propaganda to brainwash NoKor about Kim leaders and legitimize the regine like this.
Seriously, zaxx? I expected better from you. Honestly, the quality of the articles being posted lately has dropped through the floor. As I remarked to Benign0, I can’t help wondering if there’s a reason for this. A highly compelling reason, as it were.
Do you honestly think that ANY Filipino – never mind Duterte and his cabinet – has the intelligence, vision, and ability to run the Philippines like Singapore? I suppose there might be someone, somewhere, but he’s probably in jail. Or dead. In any case, as Robert said, it’s a foolish comparison. LKY himself said that he could never do what he did with Singapore (which is basically just a city) on a larger scale. It’s a nice fantasy, but it is simply a fantasy.
I’ve come to the regrettable conclusion that a majority of Filipinos are just horrible people. Not ALL of them, but enough of a majority to make social progress impossible. It pains me to say it, but I’ve just met too many people here whose primary goal in life is to cause misery for others. I agree with you to the extent that the Philippines needs order imposed upon them, with overwhelming force. Once Filipinos have learned not to behave like spoiled, vindictive children – which could, I think, happen within a couple of generations – then democracy will probably work just fine.
Unfortunately, it won’t be Filipinos who arrange this. It could be, they they’re just too Proud. At this point in history, you have a last chance to send out a call to the world for HELP. But you won’t. No foreign power will touch the place with a bargepole, otherwise you might at least hope for occupation by force, perhaps by the Chinese. Which means the only possible future scenario is for Filipinos to build their own gallows and step into the noose. Watching it happen is the most tragic thing I’ve witnessed in my whole life.
As what the son of a past visionary leader has been saying: MERITOCRACY
And the power-grabbing “elites” dubbed the father a dictator just because the idea and the image serve their own interests to this day.
Great perspective! Compelling scenario! Now let’s see it happen.
Benevolent Dictatorship in the Philippines? I think it “fits” and will work wonders.
It would be good.
Link
But nondemocracy WOULD fit in the Philippines.
@Ilda and @Benign0,
You want discipline more than democracy in the Philippines just like that in China since Qin and Han dynasties of Ancient China?
In North Korea, there is no democracy but it has propaganda to create more nuclear.
In fascist regimes like Italy and Nazi, it abolished Democracy.
Do we want autocracy?
John Baltazar,
I think autocracy works, like that in China; it did in ancient times under Han and Qing dynasties.
Anyone think of fascism and communism?
Ngek Ngek, well, we said we wanted authoritarian regime with one-party state for progress.
1973 Constitution without amendments would been better without partylist and congress.
Would we have BEEN better if Marcos loyalists want to bring back New Society and Marcos Martial Law back for progress and self-reliance in reminiscence of Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy?
The Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights is a waste of space and should be abolished
Instead of just ridding our beleaguered country of the muppet show known as our Congress, we should go all the way and start again – from top to bottom. Let’s face it, not one aspect of our political or judiciary system works. Sorry, I’ll rephrase that, not one aspect of it works for the vast majority of Filipinos. The despicable immoral crooks who make sure this system continues are having a whale of a time at the total expense of that majority. Mayor’s, vice mayors (vice anything), barangay captains – laughable – utter nonsense system designed only to give low intelligence wannabes the opportunity to line their pockets, & give their pointless family members jobs (if that’s what it’s called)! But for pity’s sake, please don’t let this president get involved – we might live to regret that…
Agree 100% with this one-party system. But, there is a danger in that way too. Filipino leaders are mostly greedy and unlike the corporate executives, they are not controlled by the entities owners who, one way another, can kick out any non-performing or abusive ones anytime. These exploitative Filipino leaders can at times join forces with one another especially in subjugating the poor, suppressing their rights and freedom, where these leaders can also lord over the military to work to their advantage, putting the entire nation under their full control. Unless every Filipino leader has reached the moral high ground status like the ‘benevolent dictator’ Lee Kuan Yew, they will tend to abuse any system the country would put into practice and the most vulnerable of these systems is the single-party system!
Agreed, Bad Will Jam..
Our government will be like that in China with unicameral legislaturewith authoritarian government BUT we would HAVE 120 seats of Assembly in abolition of congress, multi-party democracy and party list and senate.
@BadWillJam
Do NOT compare Philippines and Singapore.
I hope Philippines will be like North Korea IF we want to obey absolute leader of the Philippines in exchange of freedom and rights. We want to do adulation to absolute leader and strongmen if WE want to. We do NOT want foreign investors to come, consider them invaders or aliens.
@Benign0, @Ilda, @Dio, @Ngek Ngek,
Do you want authoritarianism!?
@Bad Will Jam,
We can live in fear as we can fear the law.
looks like the yellows on its life cycle again to override the bautista case. why not just arrest those blocking for a change then declare ML the way marcos did and it’s quiet and peaceful that way people likes it.
@salagintong bukid,
Are you sure you want to bring back torture in abolition of civil liberties and CHR to torture and torment dissidents and communists.
You want to bring back Nazi and Third Reich?
Why not TELL benign0 and Ilda about Marcos Discipline and (ultra)nationalism? *sic*
@salagintong bukid,
Yes, we can live in fear so we can fear and respect the law as we can be afraid to break the law as we can be disciplined as Marcos ML is re-implemented. We can bring back KBL and New Society for national conservatism and conservative nationalism.
Politicians in the Philippines and their patrons the Oligarchs and the Criminals have mastered the art of using democracy to rape the Democratic process and screw the Filipinos from their rights to health, safe society, education and freedom to choose.
how many thousands of poor families succumbed to selling drugs for the druglords just to meet their living to survived? the bautista case is very close on pinpointing who the king of drug proliferation and graft and corruption, plundering of people’s money in the philippines. they should not ignore the bautista case.
It will be better if WE want constitutional authoritarianism with 1973 Constitution WITHOUT any amendments to have strongman with absolute power to have us obey him in exchange of freedom. We can live in fear so we can fear the law.
president duterte should talk to the people in public like trump at the luneta park. what do you think propaganda boy?
Good, salagintong Bukid.
Duterte said before the election that he wold set up a bloody dictatorship, install a revolutionary government, and rewrite the constitution. Those are his stated intentions. We are taking baby steps to get there. Right now there is only martial law in Mindanao. But now that the phoney peace process with CPP has broken down we can expect attacks from the NPA as an excuse to declare martial law nationwide. Then it’s only a hop, skip, and a jump to rev gov and a new constitution. Revolutionary government is not “Option B,” it IS the plan from the beginning.
“Should he win the presidency in May 2016, the tough-talking Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wants to set up a revolutionary government to pave the way for federalism.”
That is from August 2015.
““It’s going to be a dictatorship,” he added. “It’s the police and the military who will be the backbone. If they agree with you – if the right-thinking policemen and military men agree with you – then after 6 years, there will be a new set-up: maybe a federal type, less corruption, and a fresh air for the next generation.”
That is from October 2015.
Sad to say but Filipinos are not visionaries. Generally speaking they cannot see past “what’s in it for me and my tribe.” Filipino character has not changed in 300 years. Just read this letter written by a priest in 1720. Not sure what the solution is for the Philippines or Filipinos but it will definitely be more of the same for the foreseeable future.
FREEDOM FROM TRUTH: NO, IT IS NOT YET TIME FOR DUTERTE TO ABOLISH CONGRESS!!!
The Senate Privilege Speech of Senator Lacson today is a living proof and lesson we Filipinos should learn to acknowledge and accept, that the future of the country is a collective effort and to have that rest solely on the shoulder of just a seeming popular and progressive leader alone, rejecting the principle of check and balance, especially at these times, is a critically dangerous proposition!!!
David: nobody’s interested in rational arguments or facts here. Most of the commenters who made life interesting here have all left because there’s nobody to engage with except the likes of propaganda boy, salagintong bukid, hyden toro etc. writing out their disjointed brain dumps.
It’s like having a discussion with a class of six-year-olds who just want to play hide-and-seek and listen to a story.
I wish those guys weren’t representative of the general public, but unfortunately they are. I won’t bother to say “will the last person to leave please turn out the lights?” because we’ll probably be looking at complete failure of public utilities sometime within the next couple of years.
seemingly, I made a typo…
the real truth is the pilipinos are tired waiting for president duterte to declare martial law. martial law is the enemy of crimes. we all know that in the past it’s quiet and peaceful don’t tell the pilipinos it’s not?
We know Martial Law was paradise, a wonderful period, salagintong bukid?
How is New Society?
Marius, Regarding LKY-calibre leader material, there are many Filipinos I personally know who would fit the bill – with the ability, intelligence, compassion and vision to lead the nation. But there’s no way they’re gonna get elected to the top (maybe not even at the barangay level) due to the way the electoral system is set up (vote-buying popularity contest). Thus we need to press the reset button, and create a system where a genuine meritocracy is in place.
How can we make sure the dean of UP or Ateneo college of law has a greater chance of bagging the top position in government than a sports celebrity like Manny Paquiao? You either ensure every voter has a first world mindset (may take a century), or deprive a vast mass of stupid people the right of suffrage (mitigating demo-crazy).
Duterte has come into the picture not really to be that ideal supreme benevolent authoritarian (note: I don’t exactly agree 100% with everything he says and does), but rather as an interim leader: one who can potentially effect this rapid change many tired and weary Filipinos have long been waiting for – a transition to a better political setup, and as a “janitor” to clean up the house in the process of paving the way for the right class of leaders to come aboard.
—
Robert, so the plan is simple. A strong iron-fisted leader is needed to clean up the country of crime, drugs, corruption, red tape, congestion and hopefully even the very core of the rotten political system we have in place that only breeds more rats, snakes and roaches.
BTW, you can apply the principles LKY used in his city state on the larger scale of an entire country and expect similar results- look at what autocratic modernizer Mahathir did to Malaysia. When I visited the capital some years back, I was so disappointed while riding the train from world-class KL international airport to the city center. I couldn’t find a single eye-sore slum area / squatter colony. Simply saddened by how far the Philippines had been left behind.
The conclusion: Filipinos at this stage simply need a police state under an autocratic leader or party, where discipline and integrity are shoved down their throats – No ifs nor buts. Then maybe after a century we can talk about more rights/freedom and comparisons to Scandinavian countries.
Zaxx,
I will put myserlf out of the equation but based on my own experiences being in PH, I never encountered any corruption or bribe. Although that (airport & bus) terminal fee smells like corruption.
Secondly, I would clean up my own house (corrupt government & police officials) first before I start killing some drug addicts and while we are at it, change the constitution and about a few 100 laws. I am sure your friend Duterte wants to have statue in his name but so far he doesnt deserve it bec he didnt even start to clean up his own house.
Unless, of course, the Philippines wants to stay a 3rd world country by their own laws (and constitution). Before I will start promoting the Philippines to and among my friends, a lot of water has to be carried under the bridge still (a lot of things has to be changed first).
Sitting in a jeepney (albeit not comfortable) has something nostalgic. Maybe you can compare it wityh the San Francisco cable cars (not perfect but nostalgic). So I personally see the jeepneys as a last problem that needs to be fixed. Not the first.
zaxx: The problem is that the people running the show don’t want a meritocracy. Duterte doesn’t want a meritocracy. If he did, he would have set the wheels in motion by now.
For example, the Philippines doesn’t need a “Police State”. They just need some POLICE. You know, honest police, who know the law, enforce the law fairly, wear their f’ing UNIFORMS (cf. the K L delos Santos story) and don’t generally behave like an undisciplined, ignorant, above-the-law rabble. And while we’re about it, how about an honest, efficient judiciary to back them up? How about some ACTUAL LAWS THAT MAKE SENSE? But no. That’s apparently not what Duterte wants, because none of that has been put in place.
So it’s all pure fantasy. I know a couple of smart, honest Filipinos too. Very nice people. They’ll never get anywhere, because for every one of THEM there are another 20 Filipinos who are jealous of people like that, and would never in a million years put them in a position of power. No, Filipinos like to be lorded over by crooks and robbers. That makes them feel comfortable.
Seriously, zaxx. You don’t need a dictatorship. You just need a functioning State, and you can’t threaten people into being efficient, honest and hardworking, however nice it might be to imagine that you can.
@marius: By “functioning state” you mean one that operates by the liberal “democratic” rules of “decent” people, right?
If we break that notion down into its component parts, here is what you will get:
1. Voters elect their executives and legislators.
2. Legislators craft/amend laws representing the interests of their constituents.
3. Executives implement and enforce these laws.
4. Voters review/evaluate outcomes/achivements coming out of (2) and (3).
5. On the basis of (4) determine if politicians are good or bad.
6. Goto (1)
Note in the above action/feedback loop (also called a RAID or RACI framework in managementspeak) how voters play a key role in ensuring quality is an emergent property as we cycle through each iteration of this process.
My point is, the process already exists to support the above cycle. It is the quality of the input provided by Filipinos (via elections) that determines the quality of the products of this cycle.
So the “functioning state” as you define it exists both institutionally and in practice. And yet the outcomes remain dysfunctional.
Therefore, it seems the more confronting discussion should be around what an alternative definition for the notion of a “functioning state” could be. Your definition lies along the lines of it being “liberal democratic”. An alternative could be something more appropriate to tempering the idiocy of the electorate and mitigation of the flawed thinking that prevails when your definition is in operation.
zaxx, just to be clear, I think I do understand what you’re saying. Various countries in Asia have indeed have had a ‘stopgap president’ such as you imagine, a bridge between failure and success. I have a personal interest in that particular slice of history, and I’ve done my best to study what happened there. Duterte is not one of those. He probably COULD be, if he wanted to. But it is painfully apparent that he does not, and most likely he would be executed if he ever showed tendencies in that direction.
As I’ve mentioned before (and Robert will castigate me for this) your problems here go way, way deeper than mere politics: your countrymen plumb the absolute depths of evil as a way of life. They worship things that should not be worshipped and listen to voices that should not be listened to. The consequences don’t surprise me in the least.
Marius,
I will NOT castigate you.
I fully agree with both of your comments (2.21AM & 4.36AM).
The way I see it is that the Philippines have a lot of problems. And those problems need to be faced and be solved. Political (corrupt government officials), police (not doing their job), the judicial apparatus, the population/people, economy, culture, laws & constitution (did I forget something?).
Rome wasnt built in one day but I dont see Duterte even make a start to fight/combat one of those mentioned problems. I dont see a plan.
Benign0: well, I didn’t use the words “liberal democratic”, but I’ll agree with you on “decent”. Honestly, I’m not even sure I know what “liberal democratic” means. You’re just setting up a strawman here.
I’m not surprised that my words “a functioning State” actually need definition, because most Filipinos alive (including the president and Congress) have probably never seen one. They literally do not know what it is. So I’ll spell it out clearly: a functioning State is one that does what it’s supposed to do. It has policemen who police. Teachers who teach. Judges who judge. Do I need to go into details here?
A functioning State has employees who:
a) know what their job is
b) are explicitly tasked (in whatever small way) with serving the public good
c) do their job to the best of their ability
d) are smart enough to do the job well
e) have adequate funding to do that job
Now compare that with the Philippines, where the average State employee is only vaguely aware what he’s supposed to be doing, doesn’t really care anyway, and has probably had 90% of his budget stolen by the next guy up the feeding chain. This applies to a majority of teachers, policemen, office workers … the entire structure of government.
Look at the LTO, who can’t even manage to print license plates inside of 12 months, if ever. I’ve met a large number of lawyers, and a fearsome number of them are lazy and stupid, spending their days rubber-stamping meaningless documents. The police are little better than untrained thugs. If you put THEM in charge of zaxx’s Police State, you don’t actually have a Police State. You have anarchy.
The proximate cause of this of all this is that Filipinos – painting with a very broad brush – are NOT DECENT. Put 100 of them in a room and you will find at least a dozen who will swear black is white, up is down, and wrong is right. Alongside those you’ll find 50 or more who think as per David Roxas’s comment: “what’s in it for me and my clan?”. Duterte could be the best president on the planet, and he’d still have to deal with that basic reality.
“Liberal democracy” has nothing to do with the smooth functioning of a State bureaucracy: the Nazis famously kept the trains running on time. But if you don’t have those characteristics (a) thru (e), then a dictatorship isn’t going to work any better than a democracy. This should surely be obvious.
@Robert: my point was a religious one. My observation is that Filipinos worship some god – some filthy thing from who-knows-what dark corner of the supernatural – that compels them to behave as they do. Whatever this thing is relishes lies, killing, and betrayal, and a large number of Filipinos live to please It. I know you don’t believe in such things, and I’m not an overtly religious person, but in no country in the world have I felt such a presence of evil, and felt that it’s there because the people invited it in.
Marius,
the following may sound crazy and probably not expected to come from me, but in a way I do understand that the overwhelming majority of Filipinos still believe in a god and follow their religion so obsessively.
The world is changing fast and I guess that for most (or at least many) filipinos it goes too fast. So it gives a lot of peace and certainty to go “back” to the old book (bible). Nothing changes in that book. The leaders (priests, cardinals, bishops, pope) of the church will confirm that every time.
On the other hand, I see a lot of young girls/women having kids while the biological father is nowhere to be seen. (indicating they had sex before marriage and that filipino guys easily dump their filipino “girlfriends”). Personally, I think this has to do with the fact that a Filipino girl is NOT in a position to say no to sex with a filipino boy or to any boy (regardless of nationality). Maybe its about time, parents raise their sons with stricter hand. To me the Philippines is totally a patriarchal oriented country (hopefully I am wrong here).
For the sake of the country, still a lot needs to be changed.
@Robert: incidentally, Duterte does have a plan, and you can figure out what it is by talking to lawyers, accountants, soldiers, and others in the know. A lot of the details appear in the news – all Filipinos have to do is read it, and they’ll understand. He’s smarter than people give him credit for. His plan is to keep up superficial appearances: to clean up the streets (as per Marcos), so that he can clean out the country’s bank account (as per Marcos). He knows this will work again because Filipinos haven’t attempted to improve who they are or how they think since 1980. I don’t really know why he’s doing it. Force of habit, I suppose. Birds fly, fish swim, Filipinos steal. It’s axiomatic.
@marius: I’m not about to disagree with you on the simplified point you make — that just about everything, quite simply, is not done properly in the Philippines; not peoples’ jobs, not the way people think, and not how the issues are evaluated and decisions made on the bases of these evaluations.
I think you’ve made good on-point summaries on the fundamental nature of the Filipino across a few comments of what we both mean culminating in this gem of yours: “Force of habit, I suppose. Birds fly, fish swim, Filipinos steal. It’s axiomatic.”
I can’t speak for the other authors here, but me, personally, I remain focused on my original thesis — that, at the end of the day, political solutions will not change the Philippines. Only a change in culture will.
Thus you can have a succession of good and bad presidents. But one thing will remain tragically the same unless the right and theconfronting solutions are implemented — the character of the Filipino as a people.
Do you want our government to become authoritarian to close down website for deleting my posts?
Zaxx.
What about fascist regimes with authoritarian-totalitarian regimes?
I know Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Suharto, Kims and whatever I say.
@david & @marius
“David: nobody’s interested in rational arguments or facts here. Most of the commenters who made life interesting here have all left because there’s nobody to engage with except the likes of propaganda boy, salagintong bukid, hyden toro etc. writing out their disjointed brain dumps. It’s like having a discussion with a class of six-year-olds who just want to play hide-and-seek and listen to a story. I wish those guys weren’t representative of the general public, but unfortunately they are. I won’t bother to say “will the last person to leave please turn out the lights?” because we’ll probably be looking…”
What’s wrong with you! We need rational arguments to discuss. Do you guys think GetRealPhilippines is pro-Marcos propaganda hip for its own good?
If I accuse you guys of being pro-Marcos loyalist, tag me as a Jew, or Dilawan OR communist.
You think nothing and none are interested in rational arguments or facts? I don’t get it!
@Propaganda Boy: I can’t even understand what you’re saying half the time. Even when your grammar and syntax is correct (which isn’t often), I can’t figure out what point you’re trying to make. Your posts read like the output of a chatbot: random sentences only tenuously related to the topic (or to each other). Same with salagintong bukid. Then there’s hyden toro’s bizarrely-punctuated rants…
I realise you’re posting in a foreign language, but honestly, is it so hard to put commas and periods in the right places? Is it hard to make each sentence relate in some logical way to the previous sentence and to the next?
marius@
I don’t know.
But I don’t get it. GRP web blog is mostly for Marcos loyalists.
@marius:
We write on our own style. If you are a “English Grammar Teacher”; this GRP Web Blog, is not for you. You deserve to be teaching : English, Grammar and Composition in a University.
If we can put our thoughts, on our blogs…it is up to the readers to understand. If they cannot comprehend, what we mean, in our writing: they must ask us, for clarification, what we mean in our Blogs.
I urge any Blogger, to write, whatever style, he/she can write. The reader will ask clarification, anyway …
Hyden,
it’s not your style (words you use) of writing what Marius is talking about.
@zaxx and benign0,
Besides liberal democracy, others need national conservatism or conservative nationalism to have authroitarian government like that in China, and strong state like that in Russia.
We can live in fear and (sometimes propaganda) in exchange of personal freedoms, to respect and fear the government and law.
I agree with salagintong bukid and Ngek Ngek that we want 1935-1973 Constitution back with Batas Pambansa without congress, senate and partylist and constitutional authoritarianism so we can live in fear, peace and propaganda at the same time.
Hyden: if you cannot be bothered to express yourself clearly, people will assume you’re lazy. If your arguments are illogical or disjointed, people will assume you’re an idiot.
When you write, your aim is to get your thoughts into another person’s head. You will not achieve this by making the READER do the hard work for you. Typical Filipino thinking: I don’t have to do anything, because somebody else will do it for me if I pretend to be stupid and incompetent. Including the thinking.
@marius:
I don’t care what you think, or what other people think. I write what I write. Nobody tells me how to write, or what to write.
If they don’t like what I write; they should not not read my blogs. I am not asking anybody to read my blogs…
Why are you bothered by what I write or how I write in my blogs anyway ? Are you one of those paid Aquino Cojuangco political Trolls ?
I am not minding what you write; or how you write…
Are you here as a critic or a nuisance, or a paid troll ? Get lost, idiot !
Hyden,
pls re-read your own comment again. That is exactly what Marius means.
It is NOT the words you use. it is what you write. You say: “I dont care what other people think” Then what and why are you commenting here? Dont you want to contribute ( the emphasis is on the word CONTRIBUTE) something so that other people can pick up some ideas you shed? Probably not. You see, this is exactly what Marius is pointing out to you. And you and I are NOT bloggers. Bloggers are those people who write the actual articles. We are just only commenters.
@Robert Haighton:
As I had said : If you don’t want what I write,then:do not read my blogs. Why, you are both assigned to impose Rules on Blogging in the GRP Website ?
Here at GRP Website, we can write sense, nonsense, or anything; until, the WebMaster: BenignO, will delete our blogs.
If people, who read my blogs, will find something good; then, thank you …
If they find, nonsense in my blogs; then; do not read my blogs. It is my prerogative to comment and write what I want, and how I want to write them . End of the argument !
Hyden,
you may and can write everything you like and want even when its the greatest BS in the world. However, I do think that you want to be taken serious by those who visit and read the article and the comments.
I do think, that Marius senses a lack of quality, style and class. One can disagree with a commenter’s point of view but still see that that commenter is using certain aspects of quality, style and class in his/her thinking/writing.
Example:
If I constantly write that Robredo should and muast be hanged and or jailed then that doesnt show any aspect of style. class and quality.
By the way you comment now again, you react as if you are bitten by a snake.
hahahaha now we might have a better functioning state by the chief justice proposal of a yellow ecourts nationwide. what a silly thinking by the highest magistrate. it’s no different to gascon’s human rights commission all for the yellows. just one mass rally by the people and all these hellowtards will be gone.
@salagintong bukid,
Yes, we can bring back Marcos society so we can live in peace, order, fear, discipline and propaganda like the old days of Nazi Germany. We can get rid of muslim terrorists and red communists.
@marius,
What’s wrong with you?
Robert: thanks, that was exactly my point. But as hyden says, he doesn’t care. This is completely obvious from his comments. He genuinely doesn’t care. If he did, he would make more effort to make a sensible point, well-written. Or at least well-written. And there’s salagintong bukid, above, right on cue, with another illustration. I mean, seriously, what did he even say just there? Is there any rational thought in that collection of words?
Funnily enough, I’ve had loads of Filipinos tell me “I don’t care what you think, you’re a foreigner”. Apart from the strange implication (ie., they would care if I were a Filipino, although I think this is actually unlikely) people who don’t care about others are likely to go through life experiencing contempt from others.
Note that “I don’t care” isn’t the same as “you’re wrong, and here’s why”. The former is the answer of a man who’s just too lazy to examine his own views and defend them.
Marius,
Hyden got me at “I dont care”.
I also like the phrase: “what works in your country, doesnt work in PH” Have they ever tested/tried it? No, of course not.
I really wonder what most people who comment here, really want for the Philippines to become. In short: what is their wildest dreams for their own country? And how to get there.
Marius,
one last thing.
Probably many Filipinos will not listen to foreigners (like us) bec they have been colonised by foreigners all their lives. And now – since they are “free”, they can finally make up their own mind. So, they dont need us and they certainly dont need to listen to us. In short, we (foreigners) are always wrong. They want to show the world that they are really, truely and genuinely ‘independent’.
I personally find that hard to mix when still so many people depend on God and Jesus and their religion. Ah well, who the fuck am I? But its a bit ironic.
@marius,
You think it’s too complicated for you to understand. And I don’t know what you are saying.
It may remain an enigma and mystery until PH government finds it out.
@Propaganda boy: we have a saying, “don’t argue with idiots, because they’ll just drag you down to their level and beat you there”.