Let us begin with ourselves

By Jun Velasco

OUR seeming edge in the province— or is it liability? — over Metro Manila  is the relative ease in day-to-day life, yes, in the reign of peace and tranquility.

The folksy community does not seem bothered by the political tumult in Manila, and is busy with the “normal” run of things.

For instance, our province under workaholic Governor Amado “Spines” Espino Jr., is busy with the IRAA games.  In Dagupan City, we saw Mayor Al Fernandez and Info Tech Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim oversee a regional IT congress knowing that, if life must go on, and that we have to move on for socio economic growth. In Labrador, Villa Jireh is preparing the red carpet to welcome some 20,000 medical doctors, healers and tourists who are participating in a worldwide holistic healing festival, with Senator Dick Gordon and DoH Sec.Pingkoy Duque as guests of honor.

Is the province’s business-as-usual character an advantage? Bless our souls, but will this tranquil state of affairs last?

No,  it  won’t last because the center — that  spot where lies the heart, the source of life — will soon give way and affect the whole body, the entire system.  Speak ill or well of Manila, but we are a part of it. We have no choice.

And so we need to focus our eyes, our ears, our sensibilities on Imperial Manila so that we won’t be overtaken by events. Why not? After the head and the feet, the heart, right?

As we wrote this piece, the Dagupan folk, the militant few and those who have been following the events in Manila, and those who have followed political developments in the media are preparing to join Bishop Oscar Cruz in a rally at the city’s Freedom Park to denounce corruption. The target  no doubt  is the First Family led by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, her husband Mike and two congressmen -sons, Mikey and Dato.

 You can say that again, but if you take a hard look at those calling for her ouster, you’d see from those drooling to replace her similar creatures of the same political variety jutting out their power-hungry heads.  If you don’t trust Gloria anymore, can you trust Noli, Manny Villar, etcetera?

Imagine a post Gloria scenario. Where would that lead us?

No, we are not pro-Gloria, in fact, when she caused the ouster of our dear friend of many years, Rep. Joe de Venecia, our first instinct was to say goodbye to Gloria too, and join cause with her detractors. But would that be a correct option? Do we want Noli as our next president?

That’s what the constitution provides.

We are joining the rallies because we want change — yes, but not to change   leaders only, but   the mode of electing our leaders who will not be corrupt and will not commit the same mistakes.

We are not against the rallies.  No, sir, but we are against the imminent violence that a fallen Gloria will cause. Once we have a political void, chaos and anarchy surely follow. We are squarely supporting an orderly, constitutional transition of leadership based on the constitution. If PGMA is found guilty by a court of law and not by People Power, she should be punished to the fullest.   What we are pushing is government to come up with a foolproof method where we can elect a new leader and a set of leaders to run the government honestly and well.

 All this “change” rhetoric has been there for all ages, and corruption — little or massive — has been part of governance. Most of our officials are corrupt? Well, the system has allowed, engendered and encouraged it. Let’s have a new system that would preempt them. We believe ours is a nation of geniuses who can devise a system that will prevent abuse and corruption

Let’s change, but let’s begin with ourselves.

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More than 3,000 cyber or info tech aficionados swear they had a grand time at the recent ICT congress at the People’s Astrodome last Tuesday and Wednesday. We witnessed it.  Although not physically present, broadband founder in the Philippines Joey de Venecia and ICT guru Wilson Chua delivered their addresses thru the internet and were applauded lustily by the audience.

Emcee Jonathan Dawana did a fine job in the lively and orderly collision of minds involving intelligent students from Regions I, II, and the Cordilleras. That activity was made possible by Medialink and the city government.

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Members of UPang High School Class 67 will hold their reunion on April l9, 2008, according to Dr. Catherine Velasco, class valedictorian. Members of the class are enjoined to call Cathy 09l95300487/ o9179780171/ Ricardo Manuel 09194909841/ Marlene Ortega 09l769l9780 and Fred Cuaresma 09163615838.

(Readers may reach columnist at junmv@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)