Politics is showbiz

In this paradise called The Philippines, there is no distinction between a celebrity and a politician. A celebrity can become a politician as easily as a politico transforms into a celebrity.

For example, look at how Senator Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party wants Willie Revillame always in his company, especially at this time that the Senate is on the verge of finalizing its ethics probe on C-5. Villar went on a third concert tour with Revillame, fuelling further talks that the noon time host is being positioned as his running mate. As I said before, Villar's main problem right now is picking the right vice presidential bet. Senator Alan Cayetano denied that Revillame is "it", so that confirms fears that Villar might not even have a running mate come November 30, the date when he's supposed to file his certificate of candidacy.

Without a running mate, Villar is vulnerable to defeat.

Not in the case of Richard Gomez who is sure to run as Congressman in Leyte. Not exactly a neophyte in politics, Gomez is a shoo-in in the position since his wife, the lovely Lucy Torres, is like Imelda. Lucy is very popular in the Visayas and of course people from the fourth district of Leyte needs star power for Congress to again put a spotlight on them. So, Gomez will join Kring Kring Gonzales, councilor of Ormoc Leyte.

Cesar Montano is also running, this time, as governor of Bohol. Montano ran and lost in the senatorial elections. Compared with other seasoned politico, Cesar's senatorial run was better, since he landed within the 20-25 spot, not bad for a political tyke.

I heard that Paul Alvarez, the high-flying PBA superstar, is also dipping his fingers in politics. In a chance encounter a few days ago, Alvarez said he's running as Councilor of Manila under the ticket of Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno, who is rumoured to be running for the top post next year. Manila is a very interesting place to be in 2010. If rumours are to be believed, there will be a three-cornered fight for the mayoralty post. Lito Atienza wants his old post back. But, Isko Moreno would probably frustrate him. Sonny Razon, the former WPD director is also looking for a win in Manila. Moreno is likely to clinch the mayoralty spot due to his sterling record as a politician.

A Marshall Plan

I hate to say it, but we need a mini-Marshall plan to rehabilitate our damaged country. The extent of the damage would probably run to the multi-billions and with us still suffering from the effects of this global financial crunch, it would take years before we can rehabilitate our state infrastructure.

And, much as want to be pretty optimistic, everyone should probably leave the elections behind and focus on rehabilitation.

It is at this juncture in our history that we have to face the fact that these disasters have dampened the election fever so much that anyone, or any party which would beat the drum for their bet at this point would have to suffer public backlash. We have been beaten to a pulp by Mother Nature herself, and our country has been ravaged like we were bombed thrice by an aggressor in war.

Part of this mini-Marshall plan entails putting the elections at the backburner. A change of administration by next year would derail any recovery and rehabilitation. Everyone hates Gloria and that's a fact. But, it is also reality that tells us that we cannot afford to slacken in rehabilitation efforts.

Of course, it is the natural consequence in every calamity that there will be unscrupulous traders hoarding stuff or selling them for a humongous profit. The NBI has already said that they will run after these hoarders and economic saboteurs, but the fact is, we need a government with a rock solid will to deter these monsters from committing inhumane acts.

Not to say that there will be businessmen who'll cash in on our misery and corner every contract for nation rebuilding. Those who consider themselves friends of this government will squeeze every influence for that billion peso contract. Expect criminal syndicates in suits waiting in the wings, and those members of rice cartels and food traders.

We cannot afford to be doubly victimized, first by an angry Mother Nature, and second, greedy bastards in suits (or barongs). We need order. We need a force that would make everyone toe the line or else. The reality is, we cannot trust this government with the very responsibility of rebuilding our Nation because it has a spotty record in the past.

Yes, we have a damaged energy sector. Yes, these typhoons destroyed our roads, our bridges and our agricultural lands. Cities and towns have been devastated. And our people have been traumatized. What do we do except rise up from our chairs and start rebuilding our damaged lives.

Yet, we simply cannot do it with a Damocles sword hanging above our muddy heads. The level of distrust or mistrust in our government is at its all-time high and for us to simply repair these damage to our Nation, we need a government whom we can all trust. Not a government with a spotty record.

I simply hate to say it, but Mother Nature herself taught us a very valuable lesson---we simply cannot change our society while this government continues to misgovern.

As what a colleague of mine in the reform business said yesterday---Mother Nature has led us the way. These typhoons were providential events that tell us one thing---change begins now, not in 2010.

Martial rule is the way forward.

The Rise of the Caudillo & His Dialectics

Cross posted over at Filipino Voices. Check it out at :http://filipinovoices.com/the-rise-of-the-pinoy-ubermensch

If we are to really study Philippine History, we find that it’s really an unfinished story of a people longing for its own developed national consciousness. Throughout its 350 year history, no concrete Pinoy philosophical worldview has emerged, mainly due to the efforts of colonizers to subvert the growth of one. Likewise, the archipelagic nature of this country provided geographic barriers to the rise, and growth, of a truly Filipino interpretation of his reality.

Philippine history is a tug-of- war between those who have and those have nots. It’s not just about power that groups wage war of; it’s also about leadership in the change business. If we divide our story, we can conveniently divide it into two: the part where force is ascendant to effect change contrast with the present part where ideas seem to matter. It is in this realm where the elites and the counter-elites wage a struggle, each one desperately creating their niches while subverting each other to the detriment of the collective.

Come 2010, this Nation will have to face the reality of choosing which option to take—long-lasting change through extra-constitutional means or choose a palliative measure through elections. Whatever options the Filipino chooses, the same result will happen—it risks seeing the inevitable rise of a Pinoy ubermensch.

When a Nation, such as ours, faces extreme suffering and there is an absence of vision, that Nation treads a fate worst than economic distress. It faces the inevitable future based on the principle of brute force. When a Nation lacks the capacity to identify what is important and what is not or shows an absence of deciding what is Right and what is Wrong, it goes in the way of the Sheep rather than the Shepherd.

When this happens, the Sheep will go blindly in the direction where the Shepherd will go. And the emergence of this one singular Charismatic individual is inevitable. All human societies show tolerance to the whims of a Leader especially in times of misery and hopelessness.

That’s why, expect a wrong one to be elected in 2010. Current sentiments say most people will elect the “lesser evil”. If we are now in this situation, the sociological imperative is paradigm shift. Why settle for the “lesser evil” when we can act to create a better situation for ourselves by not choosing any evil at all and settle for the good? Yet, whenever a mindset such as this prevails in a country where no firm collective consciousness exists, a repeat of the wrongs taken by this country in post-Martial law years is most apparent and when that happens, paradigm shifts of the most violent class enjoys more traction than those of the Gandhian.

The more we prep everybody up on this elections, the more people will see the hopelessness of things and the more they’ll go to the direction of looking for an ubermensch or a Caudillo, who will put order in the House. The bevy of aspirants to the top post is lacking not on qualifications; most lack the vision. And if the very ones who aspire for the presidency shows apparent misinterpretation of reality or has a differing view of what is important, what is right and what is wrong, then, definitely, anyone who fills that vacuum will make himself Master of a non-collective. Or, worst, the incumbent takes the cudgels of leadership and justifies an extension mainly on the basis of justified convenience. And creates his own collective.

That happened in 1972 when Marcos elected himself Sultan and ruled this country for 14 more years. That would surely happen in our case in 2010 if we fail to create a unified collective consciousness and expand our choices to include those who have the vision, but lack the capabilities to win. Or, at best, entertain the idea of a collective solution through a Council of leaders instead of relying mainly on One Person to solve numerous bureaucratic problems. If the elections fail, we can encourage all stakeholders to come together and form a transition government based on common welfare instead of allowing an extension of the incumbent. It is a paradigm shift which we desperately needed since the very inception of the second EDSA and which we failed as a Nation, to suggest.