New Brand of People Power

Six years ago, I was fortunate to share my thoughts on the program "Debate" over Channel 7. That early, I told the crowd that the core problem lies in our system. This Western system which we adopted does not suit the psyche of the Filipino. Essentially, we are a decent and honest race. Yet, this system tolerates graft and corruption.

We must redeem what we lost and that is HIYA. I can't translate this Filipino term to English because there is no English equivalent of this word. But i'll try for the benefit of our English readers.

For a Filipino, hiya means having the decency to refrain from doing acts which would wittingly or unwittingly do harm against another being. Hiya means being decent and being equitable. For example, in the ZTE deal, pro-administration groups say let's settle this in court since, as admitted by Lozada he does not have any documents to show that his meetings transpired with all these officials he has named before the public.

What the CBCP wants to tell the public for a new brand of people power is this---we need a different kind of action that would re-institute this gem of a trait that we lost as a people. The CBCP did not, I say again, did not say that we must not mass up to change this system. No. In fact, the statement categorically says that the people must act to change this system.

The CBCP only says that this new kind of people power should probably NOT follow the constitutional process. I propose the following alternatives:

1. Form a Coalition government, centered on a Council which will be composed of the following personalities:

A Council of Senior Advisers to be composed of former president Cory Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Estrada
An Executive Council which will be headed by Senate President Manny Villar. This Council shall be composed of the following posts:
Director of National Defense---Teodoro
Director of Education--------
Director of Finance
Director of Trade and Industry
Diirector of Tourism
Director of Internal Relations
Director of Foreign Relations

Cause-oriented groups are to composed the Committees.

This new brand of People Power should aim to cleanse every department of government.