It has been said that every search for a hero must begin with something that every hero requires — a villain. In the Philippines, the search for a hero has been very hard. That’s because identifying the villain or villains who keep Filipinos chained to their wretched existence is harder. I believe that if Filipinos only knew who has been keeping them from moving forward, it would be easier for them to wake up from their stupor. After all, Filipinos did fight their oppressors a few times in the past. They were even willing to shed their own blood to break free.
The late former President Ferdinand Marcos: Still being painted as the Philippines’ villain 30 years since his ouster
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The incumbent President Benigno Simeon Aquino, the son of former President Cory Aquino, the woman they say “inspired” the People Power revolution that toppled Marcos, had added his predecessor former President Gloria Arroyo to the list of villains. In fact, we all had to bear the brunt of the annoyance of hearing him mention her name over and over in his speeches in the last six years he has been in office. BS Aquino will be remembered as the President who blamed almost every failure in his administration on Arroyo while hardly doing anything to fix them. He may look like a fool to his critics but they have to give him credit for fooling the majority of the public into believing him. He is very good at playing the victim card. He wants people to think that he is the hero who will save Filipinos from the bad guys.
Arroyo remains incarcerated despite the inability of the Aquino government to prove wrongdoing on her part.
While Arroyo had her own failures during her time as the country’s administrator, some of the reforms she initiated and the policies that she put in place are still being utilized by BS Aquino today. Former finance secretary Margarito Teves can attest to this:
The economic and fiscal reforms instituted by former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo continues to benefit the country and help protect it from external challenges, a former finance chief said yesterday.
Teves, who has been cited as “Asia’s Best Finance Minister” during his stint in government, said the Arroyo administration had laid the foundation which resulted in the Philippines’ credit rating upgrades which started during her term and shortly after she stepped down from office.
“Data show that contrary to President Aquino’s reference to the Arroyo administration as a ‘lost decade,’ the Arroyo administration and Department of Finance had initiated several positive reforms that are benefiting the Philippine economy until today,” he pointed out.
Teves noted that Arroyo’s prudent management of the national government debt and the passage of legislation in support of financial market development like the reformed value added tax have contributed to the strong fiscal performance of the country, which resulted in credit outlook upgrades from negative to stable during the Arroyo administration and positive shortly after July 2010.
He said that Fitch’s upgrade in March 2013 noted that it was Arroyo’s “improvements in fiscal management…that made general government debt dynamics more resilient to shocks.”
In other words, BS Aquino is simply taking all the credit for some of the things that his predecessor did. BS Aquino is actually a bad guy for doing that. He should be considered one of the villains in Philippine society, if not The Villain. He doesn’t seem to have a conscience because he is not bothered by the fact that he is enjoying the fruits of someone else’s labor.
Every search for a hero must begin with a villain.
(Source: GMA News)
The worst part is, BS Aquino still believes he has exceeded the people’s expectations of his performance. Filipinos need to send him a strong message that they are not falling for his delusions of grandeur anymore.
This coming election, Filipinos need to use their power to save the country by voting out members of the oligarchy who have run the country to the ground and say “no” to the Liberal Party. Tama na, sobra na!
In life, things are not always what they seem.
Good article as always! Let me throw this in before the yellowtards troll up the works… The voters in this coming election will not find one “hero” among the list of presidential candidates. Not one. But that’s OK. They don’t need a “hero”. What the good people of the Philippines needs is a leader. Not some dim-witted spoiled brat who took the “shot bus” to school while he was in the US and not some wannabe “Dirty Harry” who thinks all problems can be solved by throwing due process out the window. They need a leader. The person who currently occupies the palace is no leader. Far from it! From day one, he has shown for all the world to see, just how incompetent he and his idiotic cabinet members are. Each and every day, they come up with stuff so stupid that even Donald Trump and Sarah Palin would say “what the f**k”. I don’t see a solution here looking at the current candidates this time around. At this point, all I can hope for is status quo insofar as PH-US relations are concerned. 6 years of this maniac in office has caused so much harm that we have not seen just how deep the damage is yet. Yeah. Filipinos need to rise and defeat the villains but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Thanks, Jetlag807!
A person who can follow the law and manage public funds would be good. Frankly, the people can go about their business if the public servants do their jobs administering the country.
Aquino is a credit grabbing person, with no conscience.
His treatment of the 44 SAF heroes, is a good example of his evil character. The Aquino has a tendency to collaborate with the enemies of the Republic. Benigno Aquino collaborated with the Japanese Imperialists. Benigno Aquino, Jr. collaborated with the NPA. Benigno Aquino III, collaborated with the NPA and the MILF/ISIS/Al Queda .
Aquino is suffering from paranoia. He went to Stanford University in the U.S. And with a sizeable donation; got an Honorary PhD. To convince himself, and others, that he is a great man.
His sister , Kris Aquino, who is a Whore, suffers the same psychiatric, delusion of grandeur.
These people are the true villains of our country.
…Fordham University, where Aquino awarded himself, an Honorary PhD…(corrected)
The true villains of the Failippine society are Failipinos themselves.
@Aeta:
The Filipinos and all their present political leaders are the villains.
However, I blame more of the political leaders.
Where the leaders go, the people will follow. Where the mind goes, the body will follow.
665Toro007Hayden99977.88,
“Where the leaders go, the people will follow. Where the mind goes, the body will follow.”
And all these times, I thought the Failipinos have a mind of their own–with their incessant display of aristocracy and self-servingness, and trying to live their lives like the country’s elites–by looking out for their best interest in the Failippines and abroad, with little or no regards for what happens to their own country and people.
Hmmm…this is the first time I’ve heard of Failipino masses who cannot think for themselves, by not having a mind of their own, and will just passively follow their villainous leaders. That doesn’t like Failipinos to me.
Aeta
@Aeta:
What is your observation? Why is it that we are in such dismal condition?
if our people are led well…we would not be the basket case of Asia.
665Toro007Hayden99977.88,
This has been my observation and experience. We Failipinos blame our corrupt leaders for what they are doing (and not doing) to the country—and rightfully so, since every single one of them has done nothing but further their own self-interests by fleecing the Failippines, without so much but leave crumbs for the people to live on.
However, the rest of us are just as much to blame, for we have managed to convinced ourselves all these years that our politicians are the only ones who are at fault at the miserable condition the country is in today. We Failipinos failed repeatedly to realize that the endless blame-game we play with each other; pointing fingers at politicians we don’t like while endorsing our own; deluding ourselves into beliving our personalized version of “Pinoy Pride”; basking in the temporal glory of our accomplishments, or of other Failipinos’, to make up for our people’s lack of unity; and our desire to live the same aristocratic and self-serving lives of our oligarchs–in the Philippines and abroad–by outshining each other and looking down on those who failed to keep up.”
I would reword your statement “if our people are led well…we would not be the basket case of Asia” to, ‘if our people are not just led well but also thought and lived well as one people, who will unite against the tyranny of an oppressive government, by refusing to partake in whatever our country’s elites are selling (ideas, products, and services), that keeps everyone in the dark of what is really happening to our nation, then we would be one of the leading tigers in Asia.’
You see, the problems is not just our corrupt leaders who we allow to run the Failippines to the ground; but all of us Failipinos, because we have always been a product of a corrupt culture and value system.
Aeta
But who elected the political leaders in the first place. As the saying goes..”The people get the kind of leaders they deserve”.
The voters only think of immediate benefits for their family NOT what is good for the country and the future of their own children when they become adults.
Exactly.
Do you think Filipinos are obedient enough to follow a leader?
I believe Failipinos are chameleon-like enough to follow any leaders, employers, masters, and etcetera, as long as they continue to get what they need from their benefactors.
a thoughtful and insightful article.
one can also say we should approach history from the vantage point of protagonists and antagonists, or of GREAT MEN and the hoi polloi.
no one is ever 100% evil or good, we all operate from mixed motives most of the time.
Perhaps the electorate ought to focus on candidates who appear to be focused and single-minded but whose attention and motive is elsewhere.
Or, from among the pantheon of the early revolutionary herpes in this land, who were the true patriots, and who were the quislings and judases who were only wannabe patriots, but only too ready to sell out to the highest bidder?
each of us has within his/her self the potential to influence others to achieve excellence for everyone’s common good.
Thanks, Walter P. Komarnicki!
It is difficult to tell who among the candidates are running because of personal agenda or the country’s agenda. Most of them are allied with the incumbent or owe him for something. But not voting for the LP candidate will make a difference. It would not be easy for the oligarchy to control someone who is not from its own.
oops, I should have proofread that better: that should have read ‘heroes’ rather than ‘herpes’.
Yes. “Herpes” kinda ruins the feel of your words. However, I do make similar mistakes from time to time. The only real problem is, from the way its worded, you make it sound like the people in our history are diseases. All things considered, a good number of them probably were.
Question, what do Filipinos and poor people in America share in common. They are waiting for a hero to rescue them and save them. The sad truth is that it is up to everyone to decide to make his or her own destiny and dreams come true. The Philippines is the one of the cheapest countries to start a business get an degree that usually transfers to countries like the USA (especially in the medical field). Remember that when you point a finger to accuse someone of blame, you have three fingers pointed back at you. Filipinos do not need a hero. The Philippines needs leadership that makes it clear that they do not care about the average Pinoy. This way every Pinoy will understand that it is her or his responsibility to take care of himself and their family and not to depend on the government for help
@William
It is easy to say “The Philippines is one of the cheapest countries to start a business…” for someone like you who probably has US dollars in his pocket. It’s not cheap for people who don’t even have money for food. As they say, you need money to make money.
The playing field is not level in the Philippines. Those who have connections usually get the best jobs or opportunities. Having said that, of course individuals should do something with their lives instead of waiting for help or dole outs. The only problem is, it would be difficult because the facilities for the public is very restrictive. The environment is not condusive for the growth of individuals who have limited resources. Just having to wait for public transport already eats up most of their time.
The point of the article is that it is in every Filipino’s power to remove those who have been running the country to the ground. What they need is to unify and get their act together and vote them out.
The Failippines may have been one of the cheapest countries in Asia to start a business in at one time; but not anymore. With the elites, foreign-interest groups, Balikbayans (and their foreign spouses), OFWs, and local wannabe-elites buying up properties and increasing widespread consumerism, the cost of living in this country just keeps going up, that makes it harder for the rest of the population to try to keep up with.
I agree with your point of the article, LLda. I however disagree with you about a person’s power here in the Philippines let me show you two examples. I know one guy who started a small internet cafe in his house. he started with one computer, he now has 12 computers and is making decent money. I see people around me drinking every weekend and buying fast food once a weekend. Lets talk peso’s now. If you save just 500 pesos a month from the drinking and eating, you can have a small cheap franchise or start with something small that you can sell from your house like this. http://franchisemanila.com/2012/06/chillzblack-pearl-shake-food-cart-package/ or freelance internet work, or your own ideal. Microsoft, Apple and Dell computers all were started at home in an garage by someone living with their parents. Empowerment starts with the people taking what they are have and “trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents”. It is a famous American saying for a reason. Everyone forgets that America has homeless and poor people also. Do you know what it is like to be hungry and not have food in your house. I grew up that way and beat poverty. What about you? This is why I can truthfully say that from being poor in America and being poor here are two different realities. ohh and by the way, I walked everywhere until I could afford my own car at the age of 24 by working three jobs. Yes, my loser relatives ask me for money all the time. I only give hands ups and not hand out to people who are trying to make something out of their life. Strange those people very rarely ask me for money. Why do you think that is?
My article is more about what Filipinos can do collectively to get rid of the current ruling oligarchy and less about what each individual can do to get rich or be financially stable.
I agree with what you are trying to say about personal savings and entrepreneurship or the lack thereof though. Some of us have already written about this baffling phenomenon in Philippine society before. It has something to do with the society’s happy-go-lucky mentality and come-what-may attitude.
Likewise, most Filipinos don’t really have that entrepreneurial spirit like the Chinese. We aren’t as innovative as the Japanese and are not as hard-working as the Koreans. Filipinos are more likely to be employees than the employer for the same reasons I mentioned above.
Hi Ilda. This is a very good article. Im glad that someone as young as you are understand the real history behind this endless Marcos-Aquino argument. I for one am solidly convinced of the Heroism and greatness of FM and the great injustice that was done to him by attempting to strike him forever out of our Philippine History by the yellow zombie cult. But what can we really do to counter the yellow propaganda? How do we educate the masses on a larger scale especially when you are out against the media, the oligarchs and the government? If we are to acknowledge the misdeeds done during FM’s presidency, then why not also acknowledge all the good things he has done(and they are unmatched by any president till this day). How do we drive this point to all filipinos? Because until now the demoniation lives on with the willing participation of the so-called media.
No matter how hard Evil tries, it can never quite match up to the power of Good, because Evil is ultimately self-destructive. Evil may set out to corrupt others, but in the process corrupts itself.
It’s ego and selfishness that corrupt; we just call it a battle between good and evil to soften the blow against our own narcissism.
The problem also lies within our current system:
Five Serious Leadership Mistakes Of The Empire Of Manila
Corrupt culture and value system produces corrupt people,
@ AETA, NO, U GOT IT BACKWARDS. CORRUPT PEOPLE PRODUCE CORRUPT CULTURE/VALUE SYSTEMS.
It’s the question of what came first: “the chicken or the eggs”?
When the Republic of the Failippines was first created (perhaps even earlier); it’s culture and value system were probably founded by corrupt people.
Today, the only thing the poultry business is producing are a bunch of bad eggs, that will eventually hatch and turn into bad chickens.
@ Aeta, a non-corrupt or well planned and acted out society would not produce the large scale corruption seen in the society at present. ‘”Cause and EFFECT” is more accurate label than ‘Chickens’ and ‘eggs’.
AFICS,
You’re completely missing the gist of my argument. No non-corrupt plan and action will ever take place as long as our “cause and effect” or “chicken and egg” society is stuck in its aristocratic and self-serving ways.
Aeta