Nineteen years without Change

For those of you who identify with the Patriots of the New Generation, here is something to ponder upon. It's the statement of the Young Officer's Union (YOU) during the height of the 1989 struggle. You can find it at this site. Here's the statement:

"The military institution that we envision is one that is highly professionalized; where promotions are based on merits and not on mere personal loyalties and favors; where its mantle of protection and security are showered to all Filipinos not just to the elite and privileged few; where nationalism, patriotism and service to the Filipino people and nation become the fundamental virtues and ideals; where its role is not limited to a mere security force but an active partner in nation building. In short, what we envision and would want to rebuild is an AFP that is genuinely the Army of the Filipino People…

In the fields, many soldiers go on constant long patrols with empty stomachs and gradually being out-uniformed and out-armed by communist and secessionist rebels. Countless junior officers find themselves placed in a situation where they cannot do anything but cry as they watch their men and comrades die needlessly for lack of medical supplies or suitable transport. One must go through such experience before one can understand how bitterly it feels. All because of corrupt officials entrenched in the higher echelons in their air-conditioned offices. These are not the kind of people whom we are dying for!...

So when we talk of questions like “whose side does YOU identify itself with” - we can only say, we are on the side of those who believe that the Filipino people’s interest must be paramount and should be the basis of our action. We declare that we shall always be on the side of the Filipino people...

We military men are not robots. We too have conscience, and between obedience to a corrupt, vindictive, incompetent, isolated and muppet regime and loyalty to the people, we chose the latter; for after all, we are Filipino first before we are soldiers. The concrete conditions in our society now compel us, soldiers and citizens, to topple this government in accordance with our constitutional duty and right to revolution. Indeed, the fundamental law of the land recognizes the AFP as the protector of the people and state, we soldiers are therefore bound by our sacred duty to protect the Filipino masses against a corrupt, incompetent, vindictive, isolated and muppet government."


Young Officers Union

(YOU)

Quite scary, is'nt it? This statement was made nineteen years ago. Uncanny that the situation of the soldiers remains the same even after three administrations. What is wrong?