Monday, November 9, 2009

Leaders who want to lead

Two old faces but positioning themselves as alternatives. Let's analyze these fine gentlemen, shall we?

Chiz Escudero bolted from the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) and found refuge with the progressives and reformists. Hermogenes Ebdane resigned from the Arroyo administration and proclaimed himself head of the Philippine Labor and Peasant Party, a duly accredited political party. Escudero is still trying to form his, while Ebdane found solidarity with so-called laborers and peasants headed by no less than Villegas who belonged to the propertied class and him, as formerly the voice of the Gunless society. Talk about heading the laborers and peasants which he, Ebdane, does not belong. Ebdane is neither a laborer nor a peasant.

Escudero is positioning himself as the voice of the Youth and of those who aspire for change, while Ebdane represents himself and possibly, the Ramos' group. Escudero is young. Ebdane has served for 40 years. What's the difference? And who is the true alternative candidate?

Neither one befits the title of the leader of the progressive groups. For neither one really struggled for real change.

Escudero is no Voltaire Garcia of Alpha Phi Beta (APB), nor even a David Celdran. He is a gifted speaker, but shows a lack of vision. His stands are proletarian, but for truth or convenience, we simply cannot judge for he speaks in layers of layers of innocuousness.

Ebdane is no Ramos nor even a Magsaysay. Ebdane is Ebdane. He represents the interests of a highly-entrenched organization whose mission is protect the existing way of life. There is no ideology in his every bone, Ebdane simply wants to run because he knows the system without saying that he also knows how to overthrow it. Ebdane, is, the epitome of a person whose existence counts nothing except when used for pseudo-revolutionary work.

Ebdane is an expert in networking; Escudero counts as his expertise in rah-rah sis boomba. Escudero marshalls no one, Ebdane networks no one except a few. Two faces wanting to lead but they simply don't have the masses with them.

Who deserves to lead? Is it Noynoy Aquino, the necropolitician, or the self-proclaimed champion of the masses, Erap Estrada? Is it Gibo who refuses to see the bad and always mouth the self-perceived good? Or maybe, Manny Villar, whose philosophy is simply pay off anybody who wants to hinder his way to the presidency?

It is this prospect that puts the entire Philippine democracy in jeopardy, the stark prospect of our country heading towards uncharted waters. Blame those who wants to lead but without the proper vision. And blame those who are leaders but simply refuse to take the cudgels of leadership.

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