JDV's Protracted War

Former Speaker Joe de Venecia yesterday revealed that a golf game changed the complexion of the ZTE deal. He says that Gloria changed her mind when she played golf with the ZTE officials over at Shenzhen. He then cut himself short, saying that he needs to recover from his illness first before he can reveal other "juicy" details of the cancelled deal.

JDV is sick. JDV needs to recover. JDV is preparing for an all-out, long-drawn out war against his former principal, the lady beside the murky river. He wants to be physically fit before he cross swords with the devil infant.

Will he succeed in finally taking down this regime? Will groups traditionally opposed to Gloria finally sit down together and rally behind JDV?

Question---will this protracted war reach what it intends to achieve--strategic victory over the forces of evil? Will it finally put an end to a regime's lust for more power? Have these groups put their heads together and come up with a solution to the problem that is Gloria's mafia gang?

Let me propound some suggestions since this is the third jab at Gloria regarding this deal:

1. Groups need to reconsolidate their forces, especially those responsible for the Youth sector. They need to train and indoctrinate these groups to follow ONE specific agenda for change.
2. Groups need one media coordinating body that will manage info flow. Campaign should be uni-directional. Media cooperation should be paramount concern.
3. Groups need to solicit the support of traditional political groups such as the Liberal Party and business groups to strengthen the movement for change. Calls should not be change in 2010, rather, it should be change now to reflect the urgency of the call.

People are looking out for solutions. They already know that this regime seems to be promoting problems rather than solutions. Cosmetic changes are surely not the order of the day. There is a need for real change initiated by enlightened individuals. Let the New Class, the Intellectual Enrepreneurs, lead this charge this time.

The Intellectual Entrepreneur and the New Philippine Revolution

There's a new group out there promoting what they call the "New Revolution." Check it out at http://www.tayo-na.com. I've checked their site and it's a very simple organization calling for changes in Philippine society. It's unique because it does not have the mumbo jumpo traps of an ideology nor do it promote a new one. Quite simply, the organization wants to address the basic issues and promote basic answers to societal problems we face as a people.

Change, I presume, starts with enlightenment. This organisation strives to enlighten the masses of the need for change. Promoting no concrete platform for regime change, yet the organisation hits the core of the problems by encouraging people to talk. Initiating discussions is one of the most effective means towards change. It makes people think hard about their situation and builds up the desire to change their environment a lot faster. Being free from the trappings of traditional critiques nor ideologies, this organisation could very well encapsulate what this blogsite is all about--sparking internal discussions amongst Filipinos of all ages, thereby spreading the word and widening the broad sector involvement in true, genuine revolution.

It is time for us to talk, that's what this organisation wants us to do. For years, we have been explaining ourselves before foreigners and those from the outside. It is time for us to talk amongst ourselves and strive for a collective platform that promotes what we believe are long-lasting solutions to age-old problems.

Hence, in this new paradigm for change, the role played by the intellectual entrepreneur is all the more emphasized. The Intellectual Entrepreneur promotes knowledge and enlightenment. He/she strives to influence policy-making in government through his pen. He/she acts in concordance with democratic principles yet imbued with critical social thinking that makes change possible, both on the microcosm and macrocosm.

The intellectual entrepreneur is alive in every blogger who writes here in the blogsphere. Bloggers and social changers out there doing political work are intellectual entrepreneurs. They are the new class who will lead the broad masses to victory in this new era of revolutions.

JDV's Revelation--a dud?

Two days ago, the Philippine Daily Inquirer got the bait and released JDV's bold prediction: the Arroyo administration will fall if he testifies before the Senate on the anomalous ZTE deal. In a matter-of-factly, the former Speaker proclaimed that he knows everything about the deal. And he'll reveal it in the proper time.

This is the last statement made after previous statements of opposition figures emerged in the last few weeks prior to the expected fireworks in the resurrected ZTE Senate probe. However, I hate to say it, but the Speaker's claim that his revelation will bring down this regime is...well..dubious.

One, the timing is off. He should have said this at the height of the controversy. Why did it took him months before this epiphany? When after all things have been said and done, here comes JDV positioning himself as the man of the hour. Right now, people, like myself, are doubting about JDV's integrity and the clarity of his objective. What prodded him to tell the world about this now? Is this his way of again, pressing for favors before the palace? We know JDV to be another wheeler-dealer. Is there another compromise, former Speaker? Is this some sort of attempt to pressure or even gain some favours given that you're now, out of power?

When you were speaker, you had that great chance to help your suffering people improve their lives by just allowing those impeachment complaints to pass the test of validity. Yet, you thumbed them down.

You had the chance to pass legislation that would shield us from cha-cha, yet you allowed this ghost to haunt us until now and even gave additional powers to the one that deposed you.

How sure are the people that what you are doing now is really above board?

Second, JDV's image and reputation has been destroyed beyond redemption. He does'nt have the savvy swagger of a Chavit nor the PR naturalese of a Mary Ong to pull this regime down. People still see him as your average Joe the Trapo. His handlers, whoever they are, failed to cleanse his name.

Lastly, probably a few people will rally behind JDV for one simple reason--he's not a charismatic leader. He does'nt have a proven track record in boosting the morale of people. In fact, ask his provincemates and they'll tell you that Joe dances with Europeans and Americans more than he dances with them in their regular Saturday parties.

It would take more than a JDV revelation to bring down this regime. It'll take an honest revolution of the intellectual entrepreneur to change this system and jail these pseudo-leaders including JDV and install a Council of Intellectual Capitalists.