By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo

 

IT’S not often, but sometimes, I have this uncomfortable feeling that we’re stuck, no matter what we do. I should not even say this, aware that most people expect me to inspire, to say positive things.

So, we’re in this space, called limbo, not in the sense of an intermediate or transitional place or state of neglect or oblivion, because in this sense there is a possibility of a better place, which is the hope of transitory places, like purgatory, where, in Roman Catholic doctrine, a place of atonement where the souls of sinners expiate their sins before going to heaven.

More like a limbo in a static web where even if the web moves, it behaves like a spiral doing the same things over and over again, but not going anywhere. In this case, there is no stairway to heaven, or even to hell. Just an endless continuing motion around itself.

Often, however, there is this feeling of gratitude, no matter the occasional depressing state. And again, a ray of hope, especially because there are people in the field working towards good things to happen. Community work, advocacy for good governance and reducing systematic corruption continue to be the preoccupation of non-government organizations (NGOs), who by their very name suggest that their existence hint of a malfunctioning bureaucracy, oblivious of the sworn duty to do the public good.

Today, surprisingly, a good thing is happening, a movement was organized by a group of public servants, especially elected ones, dedicated to “unite in upholding sound governance principles, transcending political differences to combat corruption, and encouraging transparency and accountability among public servants and Filipinos of diverse backgrounds.” Four city mayors from the National Capital Region (NCR) have   initiated the signing of the “Mayors for Good Governance” (M4GG). Spearheading the movement are Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, and Muntinlupa City Mayor Rozanno Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon. I am happy that Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong is in this group, and wishing there were Pangasinan mayors who also signed. In Region 1, only Bacnotan, La Union Mayor Divina Fontanilla was on the list.

It is like a new wave of patriotism swept the bureaucracy, public servants are organizing for the same advocacies around which the NGOs have defined their reason for existence. Will it last? Will the movement “move” in the direction of its goals given the reality of our political culture? Can the bureaucracy police and regulate itself?

The path is certainly difficult, but a determined step is necessary to changing political culture and creating spaces for the achievement of “people-oriented policies and public service…” It is no longer “dance with the music”, but creating a “different music” altogether. This new dance will evolve with the sound of music the movement creates, and it will surely be as challenging as the Limbo Rock, a dance where children compete by doing the Limbo rock dance as they go under a stick that is positioned lower and lower, eliminating players who are unable to go under, and those who can go under the stick at its lowest, win. The trouble with the Limbo Rock is that it has only one winner. On the other hand, the M4GG must dance and create dance steps that all Filipinos can be inspired to follow and become winners.

Changing a political culture requires blood, even in a peaceful resistance, especially, when fighting against beliefs and practices ingrained and grafted into one’s own skin. The experience can be uplifting, as well as horrific, win or lose.

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