By Jose Mario De Vega
Some colleagues in the academe are aware of my peculiar and controversial theory and stance regarding the character of our rotten society. I hold firmly to the belief that this land is not yet a true nation, and I call it Brgy Pinas.
You may perhaps ask: why do I see it this way?
I strongly maintain that for a country to be considered truly free, independent and complete, the following primordial requisites must exist:
1. There must be responsible citizens – among its people.
2. The people must embody civic mindedness.
3. There must be an efficient and well-managed educational system.
4. Finally, its social institutions must be strong and stable. Chief among these institutions are the processes on accountability, transparency, public trust and the administration of justice.
Sadly, in my view, these requisites are either absent or still weak in our land. Yet I do not lose hope that one day our nationhood will be realized.
A perfect and concrete manifestation of the nation’s abnormality and stuntedness is a statement on Facebook by fellow professor Roland Abinal Macawili regarding the hypocrisy and opportunism of a certain sect:
“Sang-ayon ako sa sinabi noon pa ni Jose Mario De Vega. Kelangang banatan na ng kung sinong pangulo ang INC. Institusyon itong batis ng konserbatismo at reaksyonismo sa Pilipinas, dahilan kaya hindi makaalagwa ang pagbabagong kamalayan ng mga Pilipino. Palagiang nagpapakita ng “lakas” kapag nanganganib ang karerang politikal ng kanilang mga parokyano. Hindi kelanman dapat naisin ng sinumang matinong mamamayan na isang institusyon ang nagmamaniobra ng politika sa bansa.”
I responded with the following commentary:
Isa sila kasama sa bulok at naagnas na elemento ng kabansutan ng bayang ito! Ang kanilang konserbatismo, mistisismo at reaksyonismo ang isa sa hindi maitatangging bukal at ugat ng pagkabrgy ng bayang ito. Sinumang seryoso at matatag na pinunong pulitikal ay kailangan silang harapin upang “ipuwesto”, ikanto at ilagay sa tamang kalalagayan. Hindi mabuti para sa lipunan at sa bayan sa kabuuan nito na may isang sekta o mga sekta na mala-kulto na siyang tila ba naghahari-harian at ironiko ay siya/sila pang parang nagtatakda o magtatakda ng hinaharap ng bayan. Mas naiintindihan ko na ngayon si kasamang Lenin kung bakit ganoon na lamang ang pagbibigay niya ng atensyon, lakas at pansin sa militanteng ateismo! Nasusulat: In his 1922 essay “On the Significance of Militant Materialism,” Lenin called for close cooperation among all materialists (atheists) to relentlessly disseminate “atheistic propaganda and struggle,” which he declared a “cause of our state”. Sa kaso ng brgy pinas, wala akong pake kung ano man ang paniniwala mo o wala kang paniniwala, pero sa oras na sumawsaw ka na sa usapin ng estado, ng pamamahala, sa isang salita ng statecraft: gagamitin ko ang lahat ng kapangyarihan ng gobyerno, para ipuwesto “kayo.”
They are one of the sources of our moral decadence, socio-political corruption, and dark reaction against Enlightenment. Indeed, I would unhesitatingly state, even of our cultural backwardness.
I fully agree with a statement circulating on social media:
To Iglesia Ni Cristo:
Bloc voting and intimidation are not a sign of a stronger democracy. Endorsing the corrupt is never an act of accountability, and protecting liars and deceivers will never lead to transparency.
Questions:
What moral right does a movement or organization have – to call for accountability if they themselves endorsed, supported, and helped thieves, plunderers, and murderers to “win”?
What moral right does a movement or organization have – to call for supposed justice and transparency if they themselves endorsed, supported, and helped thieves, plunderers, and murderers to “win”?
You are one of the undeniable reasons why the nation is in shambles and why it remains at the level of a mere village. You helped create these monsters, criminals, bastards and charlatans yet instead of destroying and holding them accountable, one of your ministers declared: you do not want revolution; you do not want the government to fall. But is it not true that you are also one of the reasons why this government exists?
Thus, in the end, what is the meaning or significance (if ever it has one) of your actions these past two (wasn’t it supposed to be three?) days?
In accordance with the law of dialectics, I think you must also practice within your own ranks the very things you demand:
Is every member of your organization, up to the highest leader, accountable to one another – from top to bottom?
Is every member of your organization up to the highest leader, transparent to one another – from top to bottom?
Is every member of your organization up to the highest leader, just to one another – from top to bottom?
In the end, I say: may we all be judged by the nation, the world, and history – whether we fulfill our duties and act rightly, humanely, rationally, and justly.
It is not you, nor the government, nor any movement or organization that will decide and determine the future of this land, but the entire Filipino people – as a whole!
For true Accountability: Jail them all!
For true Transparency: Let us all lay ourselves bare!
For true Peace: Justice!
For true Justice: Revolution or People’s Transition Council or KOMPil3
Bayan: Masunod ang Layon mo!!!
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