Because We Can

Written on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 at 6:06 pm | by cocoy

“WTF!?!” Comes to mind when something like this mindless thing keeps coming out. We go about this, over and fucking over and over.

YOU want this country to be FUCKING better? Well, IT AIN’T GONNA if we’re going to keep on escalating WAR between ourselves or thinking CRAP. Before anybody go all high and mighty and be personal: I’m NOT at all saying, let bygones be bygones BUT our WOUNDED PRIDE, OUR PROBLEM with Gloria— isn’t about her or her family. Remove their names and it will be somebody else betraying us over. The cycle will go on, and on, like an Evil Energizer Bunny.

What’s our problem? IT is about A SYSTEM that is FUCKING FLAWED!!!

I want to break the cycle. Don’t you? I assume every good Filipino does. Everyone is SO sick of all the bloody negativity, all the stupid antics, all the garbage— from media, from both sides of the aisle. We should all be puking it out.

So, do you want to listen?

Have you people EVER stopped to consider why none of the bloody IMPEACHMENT complaints never gained ground? FUCKING simple: Members of Congress are mostly with the Administration! HOW’D they get there? How else in a democracy? They GOT ELECTED. Why’d these people get elected? Because:

  1. nobody RAN from the opposition, hence no bloody choice,
  2. people had USE for their congressmen, and
  3. because between the devil they know and the devil they don’t, people would logically choose the devil they know!
  4. And even if someone from the opposition ran, are they offering a different KoolAid than Arroyo’s bunch is? Same Shit, Different Band.

YOU Want a country that works. We need to GET good people to run. How the HELL is that going to EVER happen? Well, we need real Political Parties. Real grass roots-based Political Parties that elect their own nominees, that would support their chosen Flag bearer, who ARE for the people. Not this SHAM every party in this country have that elects only members from the same old boys club.

We need new blood!

We need people from ALL walks of life running for public office BECAUSE they think it is about CIVIC DUTY. We need political parties that NOMINATE candidates from within their party— real people, not the same old for the boys club.

You can laugh that this all pure speculation, all pure idealism. I point you to the current Pampanga Governor, who was a priest. He had no party, no money, nothing. He won because of grassroots support. Because REAL people believed in him. Anybody who can duplicate the same but across the entire nation, in every town, in every city, in every province, in every region will have the greatest opportunity to change things.

Instead of wasting resources organizing street protests, I STRONGLY urge EVERY CIVIC group, every MEMBER of the Filipino Diaspora, if you truly believe in Change, to band together and PREPARE for 2010. IF YOU truly believe in CHANGE, let US be the instrument of that CHANGE. Set aside all this talk about special prosecutors and revenge towards the Arroyos. For as long as the status quo remains, for as long as the old boys club of Philippine politics is in effect, it doesn’t matter who lives in the Palace. We can not change laws. We can not remove those who do not deserve to be in power through impeachment. But we need the mechanism to do so, and we have it: through an election.

It may or may not be an Arroyo in 2010, but someone else can and will repeat the same mistakes, if we do not change how we choose our leaders. And this bloody country will never, ever change.

The answer is so simple. Empower people. really, really, empower them. Break the status quo. For all the talk Lozada, Estrada, Aquino, the Church have in the past few months about Truth, for all that your generation, and the generations before and my generation owe our people, and our children’s children for our hand in all this, for all the righteous anger, we all feel towards this mindless thing our politics has become, for all the disgust we have with the cycle of greed and apathy our people, so rightly, so justly feel, we must act.

Everyone wants to break the unending cycle. It ENDS when we use the RULES that we already have— ELECTION to vote people in. But we ALSO need good choices, not just elections. We NEED good people. We need a politics of Inclusion, and NOT use them as pawns and cannon fodder. When WE have enough power in Congress, when WE control the Senate, and the Palace, go right ahead and make all the special prosecutors you want. Maybe this time, it won’t be like the PCGG of the past. May be this time someone will go to jail.

If you think, I’m wrong: I strongly urge you to give positive ideas. Something new, something different, something that would give people like me hope that there are people far wiser, far more eloquent, with better ideas who are actually thinking about solving real problems and not just the same tired old thing, the same old tired arguments, the same old negativity.

By creating a system whereby Ordinary Filipinos can participate even more so in our election process, when ordinary Filipinos can SEE living proof that real change can and is happening, we can move this country forward. We give them more than hope, we give them more than optimism, we give them action because we can.

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About The Author: cocoy is a twenty-something neoliberal, Linux & Mac user, technology geek who enjoys a good cup of Coffee and who believes in New Media. He hangs out on twitter as @cocoy and blogs at Big Mango.

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Comments

38 Responses to “Because We Can”

  1. Nick on April 17th, 2008 6:21 pm

    Cocoy, I’m glad someone is saying it.

    Grassroots, that is what I said about Fr. Panlilio. If ever there was a model for the grassroot effort in Philippine politics, then it is Panlilio.

    I think, however, we can do both. Get ready for 2010, and put the current Administration in check.

    But, who is stepping up for 2010? Organizations cannot rally behind someone, who does not want the post. Sadly, there are hundreds of decent and worthy individuals who have grown to hate Philippine politics.

    If it is our duty to prepare for 2010, then maybe we should start to encourage more people to run. Like Panlilio, a little encouragement can go a long way.

    So, my suggestion? Start with the model that we already have in Panlilio, and recreate the same in other parts of The Philippines.

    But are other parts of The Philippines fed up enough to recreate the same enthusiasm?

  2. Nick on April 17th, 2008 7:31 pm

    Cocoy, but isn’t resistance also a worthy action? Without it, as Manuel suggests, there could be no movement as we saw with The Civil Rights movement lead by Martin Luther King Jr. or Ghandi..

    Maybe setting up a grassroots movement for better, worthy, and honest candidates is a means of resistance?

  3. gloriamustgo on April 17th, 2008 7:56 pm

    What if she doesn’t step down? Prepare for 2010, pero hindi pala mangyayari ng eleksyon? In the local races, walang oposition because walang pera. You’re right Cocoy, but you may miss the step of taking out the old furniture and the trash before bringing in the new furniture.

  4. cocoy on April 17th, 2008 8:14 pm

    I respect MLQ3’s option. But I’ve had enough of protest. His ideas reflect ideas of many others going around year in and year out. Protest did not help Lozada. He lost credibility because all he offered was protest and yammering about truth but no action. He lost momentum and now our news cycle is about rice. People think he’s just all talk now.

    Protest, with respect to people who believe in it, hasn’t done this country any good. Has it? In fact, I think we’ve made things far worst.

    It feels like we’re a bunch of women gossiping about nothing.

    We need to focus our limited resources, our limited energy into positive action.

    We need to put our mouth where it’s worth. The people in power, they don’t care anymore if we parade wearing Black and White in the street. They don’t care about public opinion. They don’t care if people think them to be thieves. They think we don’t have the guts to do anything but yammer about it. We surely can not have another impeachment, Congress is fully in Arroyo’s control and neither is it the wisest course to use People Power.

    More so, by protesting alone, we make it all just about Arroyo and our anger. But this isn’t just about Arroyo. This isn’t just about now or the crimes we think were perpetuated against our people.

    This is about what happens to the country years down the line.

    This isn’t about throwing Arroyo in jail. We must think bigger: this is about making absolutely sure another Arroyo never, ever happens again. Because it isn’t her, personally but the kind of politics she represents. This is about making sure our people finally gets a government that works for them.

    If we do not get good people to run in 2010, the cycle will continue again under a different regime or worst the same old clowns running the show. I want to break this cycle of perpetually making poor choices for our Congressmen, for our Senators, for our President.

    Our people need concrete action. I strongly believe that we need to do something. Something that changes the status quo.

    In business, it is called, “leaping ahead of the competition”.

    Those in power have perverted the rules of the game. They have perverted our democracy to suit their needs.

    We need to start using our rules, the rules our democracy allow us to do so. I believe the only way to change things is to elect people, good people. But how can we choose, in a world where the monopoly is the old status quo, the same old group of people, year in and year out.

    Like PLDT needed competition, like Smart needs Globe, we need to create competition in our political landscape.

    We can’t unless we get good people to run. Unless we can change our people’s minds and shake them from apathy and disgust. Optimism and Action I think will do that.

    I respect King. I respect Ghandi. They showed us a lot of things that we need to do. This country doesn’t need martyrs. This country doesn’t need our best and brightest dead or our best and brightest wasting time in the streets or worst in jail when they are needed solving real problems from positions of real advantage.

    Our protest should count more than saliva, or sweat. Let the effort we would be exerting be used to convince people to elect good people who would stand for us in an election. Let our effort be focused on getting these good people to Congress, to the Senate, to the Presidency that they make the best choices for the good of us all. When we elect good people, they can reverse all this Executive Privilege and all other bullshit Arroyo has created and if they believe it is the wisest thing to do, may be we might even get Arroyo to stand trial and prove whether she did us wrong or not. That, I think is best for her, and best for us. That, I believe changes the game. That, I believe can get us to positively move forward.

  5. cvj on April 17th, 2008 8:34 pm

    Cocoy, i don’t know if it’s always ‘logical’ to choose the ‘devil we know’ given that we know the damage she has caused and is continuing to cause to our institutions. And while it may be the case that the one who replaces Gloria can attempt to do the same thing as her, it only means that we have to keep up the vigilance.

    As the example of Gandhi and Martin Luther King shows, resistance is often a positive thing. In fact, new blood normally comes from the ranks of those who have participated in such resistance.

  6. cocoy on April 17th, 2008 8:40 pm

    gloriamustgo, and that is why we need political parties that are inclusive. that we can all join, if we believe in their cause. A party that we can donate our time, and our money to, because we believe in not the person but the party’s ideals and that we know that this person who we want to get elected represents our ideals.

    for years we’ve let Lakas, Liberal Parties and Nationalistas talk about their party. They talk about nominating their standard bearer. If you believe in the LP or the Nationalistas or Lakas or whatever, do you have a say on who gets to be nominated? I sure don’t. I’m not a member.

    Candidates need money. Instead of funding protest rallies, pour that money into campaign funds to get the right people elected. Get our OFWs to donate money. Get the Green Card holders to donate money. Get The Makati Business Group to donate money. These people aren’t stupid. They’ll know who the right Party is (heck, they’ll probably donate to all, but hey, that’s life).

    For all the imperfections about how the Democrats and the Republicans choose their candidates, at least their party members— real people have some say in who gets to run. Don’t you think our people deserve something similar?

    If we are discouraged every time we think that it maybe Gloria all over again in 2010, this is exactly why we need better parties. Parties made up of real people can force the hand to keep our elections. And that we may have a real election. We may fail— but at least we can take steps to make our system all better, instead of just talking about it.

    But I believe our people aren’t stupid. The will support a party if they think these people will do good. They did for: Fr. Panlilio. There should be more of him out there. We need to find those people.

    Aren’t you tired of talking about how bad this country is? I’ve been hearing about it since I was a kid and the tune hasn’t changed. Has it?

  7. Marck on April 18th, 2008 8:36 am

    cocoy:

    resistance is not just about protest. there are other forms of resistance that go beyond civil disobedience. there’s revolution, there’s violence, there’s protest, there’s affirmative action, elections, and so on and so forth. resistance is not optional: it is mandatory.

    this is why my emphasis is towards resistance. any form of resistance - not passivity - helps in improving this country because it goes to show that nobody in this (excuse the french) fucking country will stand for this any more. there are many ways to do so, which means that the word “protest” can encompass a lot of things, not just the streets.

    protest can mean not paying taxes. protest means boycotting nfa rice. protest means the ballot or the bullet. protest means voting for the right person in 2010. protest means so many ways to resist, because protest - in all its forms - IS resistance. it’s better than shutting up, watching a soap opera, filing a visa, and moving the heck outta here, don’t you think?

    thanks!

  8. cocoy on April 18th, 2008 10:20 am

    Marck,

    Resistance to me is like fighting a guerilla war. We’re the resistance already! We hit and run with all these lightning rallies and all this press releases that do nothing good except entertain us. And truthfully, up until I started writing here, I just ignore it.

    I am NOT in favor of “stop paying our taxes” because it DOESN’T HURT the ONES in POWER. It just HURTS the children in public schools who are not getting good education. It just hurts our agriculture sector more. It just makes people steal more..

    I am NOT in favor of boycotting, THOSE PEOPLE WILL HAVE FOOD on their TABLE.

    I AM NOT in favor of WALKING DOWN AYALA in another PARTY-Like environment that sounds like we’re having a good time. ALL that does is INTERRUPT people WHO ARE WORKING, and the TRAFFIC that cause, how much gasoline have we WASTED and WILL WASTE?

    AND FOR WHAT? At the end of the day, WE WILL BE IGNORED. We can be ignored more comfortably and less intrusive drinking coffee at Starbucks.

    At the END OF THE DAY, Same SHIT, Different Day, over and over and fucking over.

    I am NOT in favor of people power or any power grab that uses a military option. I believe it is uncalled for, when we have perfectly good rules to fight with: ELECTION.

    But the QUALITY of our ELECTION is in question. we Don’t have Good People who run. We can’t get them to run because the same old status quo prevents US from changing that dynamic.

    I have ENOUGH of PROTESTS. I WANT to CHANGE the DYNAMIC.

    Aren’t you sick of it?

    IF our politics is like Microsoft then I want a new form of politics like Apple.

    We are SO FURIOUS when our government FUCKS up (which is weekly these days). WE ARE SO FURIOUS when we read and hear about the greed. I KNOW these people. I have played the dirty game. I have been to Chamber of Commerce meetings and I know what the status quo DOES.

    I WILL TELL YOU THOSE IN POWER are just LAUGHING it off.

    And this cancer is spreading. The future leaders of this land are learning that the Way of Gloria, the Way of Patronage Politics WORKS. It makes money for those who CAN take advantage. What does that say for FUTURE Generations?

    Want to REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE? STICK IT to them where it HURTS: Throw ‘em OUT of the JOB. MAKE THEM IRRELEVANT. Not this PUSSYING around. NO MORE TALK about the SEARCH for TRUTH. We’ve been doing that for all my life (I am 29) and I BET you, the generation before has been doing it FAR longer.

    WE MUST STOP this PRATTLING around.

    I TELL YOU, WAR is the only option.

    WAR not the kinda that destroys our economy, NOT the kind that holds up hotels: but something POSITIVE that CHANGES THINGS. The WAR that I speak of is for the HEARTS and MINDS of our Brothers and Sisters. IT is a WAR that means, getting GOOD PEOPLE TO RUN for Public Office.

    I WANT to put NAMES who I CAN TRUST who will REPRESENT MY IDEALS. I WANT THEM in the HALLS of Congress representing MY IDEALS, MY INTEREST. I want a President that ACTS for the GOOD of US ALL.

    Don’t you want the same?

    FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD!

    It seems to me that our people are not bold but would rather to pussy around. Care for another 12 years of the same old crap? Because that’s what we’re getting UNLESS we do something to CHANGE the status quo. All this TALK about CHANGE, about a NEW MORALITY, is that just RHETORIC? Something to amuse the masses? I’m tired of that as well and i KNOW people are.

  9. cocoy on April 18th, 2008 10:27 am

    cvj,

    Tried and true King and Ghandi may be and I do not disagree with that nor the ideals that the have shared with the world. But I tell you we have not won hearts and minds with that. Simply because the mechanism to choose better leaders is not there. Simply because we have cried wolf far too many times.

    We PRATTLE like women about the latest gossip. We’re a bunch of pussies.

    The Status Quo does not recognize protest. They do not UNDERSTAND it. They SIMPLY IGNORE and LAUGH it off. Civility is LOST to them, only their INTEREST matter. An ENEMY like that can not be defeated by words. We need action! We need to be bolder!

  10. cvj on April 18th, 2008 10:32 am

    Cocoy, although we may disagree on the particulars, i think everyone agrees that it is the system that is defective. That’s is why simply electing ‘good people’ is not a complete solution because even if they could get elected, the system can and does get to them. I believe that a lot of the evil politicos now in power did start with good intentions but once inside the system, they were tempted and coopted.

    There has to be a mechanism in-between elections that helps out these ‘good’ people or at least reminds them of their promises if and when they turn bad, and that mechanism includes forms of resistance. If we discard direct action, then the optimum strategy for would-be politicians is to find a way to deceive (or pander to) voters because they know that once in power, they will more or less be left alone. If they have enough money and power, they can even steal the election outright because they can count on the people to simply move on. That’s the lesson that would be Gloria-imitators are learning right now.

  11. cvj on April 18th, 2008 10:49 am

    I hope you’re not saying that the challenges we face are bigger than that faced by Gandhi and King. The challenges in terms of the status quo not listening and defective mechanisms for choosing leaders were also present in the case of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr although in different forms. In fact, as i recall they both got shot. What bigger challenge is there than actually being killed? What sets them apart is their persistence which inspired others to take up their cause.

  12. cocoy on April 18th, 2008 10:50 am

    cvj,

    I respect your opinion, but I tell you this pussying around is EXACTLY why this country is SO FUCKED up. And that is WHY I want new POLITICAL PARTIES that ARE INCLUSIVE of you and me.

    WE need to SHATTER what exist now. We NEED to CHANGE THE DYNAMICS of our POLITICS. Panillo started it in Pampanga. He was a NOBODY. He won. Imagine doing that for every town, for every city, for every province, for every region.

    Think about it. Can’t you taste it?

    THE BEAUTY OF ACTION, the beauty of my suggestion is that IT DOESN’T NEED LEGISLATION. IT NEEDS people LIKE YOU. IT NEEDS PEOPLE WHO ARE READING this BLOG. IT NEEDS PEOPLE out there doing the 9-to-5 routine. It needs the farmers and the teachers and the soldiers and it needs every Filipino. It NEEDS civil society.

    We have a DIASPORA who by protesting in San Francisco, in New York showed that they STILL care about what happens to this country. Time and time and time again we have seen people swell up at rallies. They are willing!

    If only Black and White, if only One Voice, if only all the other Civil Society groups would care enough to THINK DIFFERENTLY.

    I HAVE a DREAM that one day, people like you would realize that EVIL only triumphs when GOOD people like you can’t see what needs to be done. I fear, we’re in store for another six years of the same old crap.

  13. cocoy on April 18th, 2008 11:02 am

    cvj, the problem w/martyrs for all their greatness, is that, well, they’re dead.

    This country doesn’t need martyrs. It doesn’t need another Ninoy or another Rizal or another Bonifacio. It needs Leaders.

    I don’t want to see our BEST and BRIGHTEST wasting their time, in the streets when they could be working, figuring out our food problem, doing science, working on Web 4.0, improving our education, WORKING.

    I don’t want to see our BEST and BRIGHTEST, people like you, people who read this blog, people out there in the world doing things, discovering, challenging things, in JAIL or in PRISON DEAD.

    that’s a waste!

    That’s like cutting your right arm, when we have to fight.

    We need people ALIVE, we need them working, solving problems because our country faces a future with so many challenges, we can not even dream of them! We need everybody doing, making positive changes.

  14. cvj on April 18th, 2008 11:27 am

    Cocoy, i believe your comment (at 10:50 am0 merits a thorough response but i need to first understand your remark “We have a DIASPORA who by protesting in San Francisco, in New York showed that they STILL care about what happens to this country.” Why do you see protests in New York and San Francisco as positive while protests in Makati as negative?

    Regarding what you said above (at 11:02 am), i’m sure you’ve come across the term ‘defining moments’. What kind of leaders will we be in the future if, when faced with wrongdoing from the present batch of leaders, we cannot even stand up for what is right? Doesn’t that also make us opportunists just like them?

  15. cocoy on April 18th, 2008 12:06 pm

    i apologize if i gave the impression that i was in favor of the diaspora protesting in SF/NYC. It was a rare and surprising thing for me to see them actively engage in local politics. i do not approve of it nor do i approve of protesting in Ayala. My point is that we need to channel that energy, the resources we pour into such enterprise, into something that will make a difference.

    cvj, people already perceive protesters AS OPPORTUNISTS. why’d you think no one supported what’s his name at Manila Peninsula? Why’d you think all calls for people power have failed? Our people are not idiots. They need focus and they need more than hope.

    Fighting to have a Majority vote in Congress is not standing up for what’s right? The ability to control both chambers of Congress, to have our own president, to revise the bullshit, the farce of Arroyo’s policies, is not fighting enough for you? To write an agenda that is for the people, that is not fighting enough for you? To right wrongs from a position of strength is not right for you?

    That’s what i’m talking about when I speak of having new Political Parties, of parties that are inclusive of every Filipino.

    Getting good people elected so that they get to rewrite the laws we are protesting about now is what we should be doing, instead of yammering in the streets. Getting good people to write better laws, to make better choices, and to have the ability, the resources to send to TRIAL the likes of Arroyo, so once and for all we will find out if she’s evil or not.

    Our people are looking for real people, credible people to stand up for them. When I went to Church last Sunday, the priest said that within each of us is the inherent wisdom to know truth.

    Our people know if we’re bullshitting them. They need more than our righteous anger. They need from us is a stand of what should this country be doing and why. They need convincing, not by throwing stones, but by building.

    How are we to ensure that every child in this country will not just have an education but the ability to think, to discern?

    How are we to ensure the security of Water in the coming years?

    How are we to ensure power be provided for every Filipino?

    What about ensuring the availability of food?

    What about our role in the climate crisis? in terrorism?

    Is our vision about building a federal government, if so why? if not, why? And if we think it is, we need to persuade people to our cause not buy them like all these politicians do.

    What is the wisest course of action going towards the unknown future? And whatever that is— it is our ability to convince people of the rightness of that cause, of that path.

    Everyone agrees our moral compass is flawed. We need to right this. We can not right it going back. We can not right it by saying Arroyo was evil and let us leave it at that. We can not right it by throwing tomatoes and burning her effigy and calling her names. We can not right it when she and her ilk control everything.

    Justice, true justice is when we make sure that the Law works. The only way to fix that is by staying true to what we already have: our constitution, our laws and our people’s natural sense of morality.

    Our politicians, the status quo do not see this. They don’t care. Policies and politics accountable ONLY to one thing: our children’s children’s future is what our people SO desperately is waiting for.

    We need serious people solving our children’s problems. We “fix” things, by righting the ship of state, from the Batasan from the Senate floor, from the Palace. We fix things not by bribing or lying or using influence to get at what we want. We need good people convincing of the rightness of our cause, the trueness of our plans.

    Our people are not idiots. They know truth when the see it. They know sincerity when they see it and they know, even if it is not legal when something is a farce. That is the persuasion we need.

    Civil Society throwing stones and crying wolf and crying out loud the flaws in our government— is not something new. Our people already know that. They don’t need someone else tell them what they already know. They are waiting for someone to tell them how they’re going to fix things, to act.

    Civil Society showing the rest of our people the strength of our conviction by working through the system to change things is clearest signal that something is different that something is new. We’ve tried the protesting bit for YEARS. Care to try for something new?

  16. Jon Limjap on April 18th, 2008 1:33 pm

    I quite agree with cocoy here.

    Protests, in and of itself, are fine.

    Protests as a substitute for “action” is not. Protests are only faux-actions where success is based on very random things. It becomes faux-action in the sense that an action is designed to generate a reaction ; protest actions, especially the Filipino brand of protest actions, has grown old and tired with all the contradicting puppet/fascist rhetoric (I am always amused by those two words seen side-by-side) and its effectiveness relies on things that are quite out of its control, like the support of the military, or the middle class.

    It’s fine to go and protest, sure, it’s fine to voice out once in a while. But I do not believe it’s fine if, after we’ve put down our banners and lowered our voices, we start believing that “we’ve done something” already.

  17. cvj on April 18th, 2008 4:39 pm

    Cocoy, i know you would not agree, but i happen to believe Trillanes is the kind of person who walks the talk. That’s why he’s the one in jail and not us because of the courage of his convictions. Anyway, even if we grant the premise that such an action was ‘opportunistic’, that is not relevant to refuting the contention that turning a blind eye to wrongdoing is not opportunistic behavior as well.

    Jon, as far as i can tell, i don’t think Manolo is advocating ‘protest as a substitute for action’. It’s probably better to hear from him though.

  18. cocoy on April 18th, 2008 5:42 pm

    cvj, you are right I totally disagree with you on Trillanes. And a LOT of people shares my sentiment. He was a waste. How many million votes? One of them is mine by-the-way. Such waste. But better ventured now. At least we know his measure now than later.

    cvj, you still mistake that what I am saying translates to turning a blind eye to any wrong doing. Contrary, what I’m saying is actually a means to get true justice. Not just now, but for tomorrow, for generations to come. It is about building systems, building foundations, and rebuilding this nation’s institutions.

    We have to set that right before ANY justice can be done for our people— and for Mrs. Arroyo and her ilk. Justice in this country, we must assume that the accused is innocent. It is for US to prove, she is guilty— but within the framework of the Law. The Law which, you, me, and many Filipino out there believe she and her ilk have perverted to her will.

    Anyway, for anybody else reading this post just now, please read my comments, please read the post. If you think what i’ve written is crap, feel free to let me know BUT I do hope you have better suggestions, better ideas if you should.

    Surprised though, that no one has yet commented why this isn’t do-able. I know, I thought about it, before writing it down.

    My hope in writing this was that by opening this discussion, people actually start to think about doing things differently. We need new perspective. This country will never, EVER get anywhere unless YOU start thinking differently, until YOU throw away all your old ideas, until YOU throw away your aging 20th century playbooks.

    It isn’t going to get any better until we do not get better choices for our public officials and until we continue to INSIST on status quo with our leaders being chosen only by the same old boys club. You might find waking up in a country when the norm is how to lie and cheat your way into public office, when the norm is, it is expected that you do cheat and abuse power.

    Please think. Please ponder.

  19. cvj on April 18th, 2008 5:56 pm

    Cocoy, to assume that Arroyo is innocent of cheating in the 2004 elections (among other things) would be an act of self-deception and intellectual dishonesty on my part, and i’m saying that as someone who previously supported her (meaning i looked at both sides before making such a decision to switch sides).

    I do not object to the last 5 paragraphs of your post but i don’t think it precludes civil disobedience or other forms of resistance. In fact, both can be done in the same spirit of civic duty.

  20. Because We Must | Filipino Voices on April 18th, 2008 10:47 pm

    […] Cocoy of Big Mango has raised interesting points (couched in rather strong language) in his post Because We Can that took exception to Manolo Quezon’s column on Inquirer.net “Resistance isn’t […]

  21. Nick on April 19th, 2008 12:37 am

    I think this is one of the biggest issues confronting Filipinos today. Whether to keep our institutions intact (whatever is left of them), and work for 2010.

    Or keep pressure on Gloria today, rally for her ouster, and maybe spark either a people power, or her resignation.

    One cannot deny, that it is because of this seesaw battle between the two opposing strategies that has kept Gloria in the game.

    And why certain parts of our society, including The CBCP, are still withholding their call for the resignation of Gloria Arroyo.

    Both sides, hate it that we are in this predicament, and both sides are choosing different avenues.

    It’s a fundamental difference in thinking I believe.

  22. The Jester-in-Exile on April 19th, 2008 2:54 am

    and yet, despite being viewed as a fundamental difference in thinking, both the resistance that mlq3 spoke of and cocoy’s advocacy of a war of hearts and minds are not incompatible.

    or at least i believe so.

  23. Must we? | Filipino Voices on April 19th, 2008 3:23 am

    […] April 17, Cocoy wrote ‘Because we can.’ The following day, the Jester-in-Exile wrote ‘Because we must.’ Now, without […]

  24. onetamad on April 19th, 2008 11:02 am

    If elections were the solution, we’d have been great a long time ago. However, for every Among Ed who wins, we have a Lean Alejandro who gets his ass kicked six ways to Sunday by Tessie Oreta (and then got ambushed.) For every Grace Padaca, we have a Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who, while everyone is glad beat Manny Pacquiao, is stil part of a political dynasty. For every Trillanes, we have an Enrile and a Honasan.

    It’s romantic to think that sheer idealism and a sense of justice can triumph over the forces of old and evil, and I really hope it happens.

    However, for that to happen, dynasties have to fall, political machineries disassembled, and that cannot happen in one election season.

    I submit that while elections do present us with the most obvious (ideally) and most powerful avenue for change, unless we keep the pressure up and keep the nation’s attention on solid reasons not to vote for,say, another Arroyo with rallies and other protest actions, we can have Jesus Christ himself run and still get zero votes in Maguindanao.

  25. Jon Limjap on April 19th, 2008 7:30 pm

    onetamad,

    Hate to point this out dude, but, maybe Mohammed will win in Maguindanao, not Christ.

    However, for that to happen, dynasties have to fall, political machineries disassembled, and that cannot happen in one election season.

    But how do we do that? It is very, very clear that the EDSAs have succeeded in neither destroying nor weakening political dynasties.

    Care to try anything else?

  26. Lester Cavestany on April 20th, 2008 7:00 pm

    Can we really beat the political dynasties and the “trapos” at their own game? This game, called the Philippine government, was built around their feudal and oligarchic systems. And they know all the tricks and loopholes in the systems to make sure that their assets are protected and their interests are well-preserved.

    My favorite loophole is the so-called “Law on Secrecy of Bank Deposits” which makes it illegal for banks to disclose the details of an individual’s or company’s account to any person or agency of government, central or local. What’s interesting is that the US government has a law that sounds very similar to ours - it’s called “Bank Secrecy Act.” Except that in the States, the law requires banks and other financial institutions to detect and prevent money laundering, tax evasion, or other criminal activities. In the US, financial institutions are actually required to report suspicious financial activity to the government.

    Almost the same name, but very different laws. The US version promotes transparency and accountability. The Philippine version is there to protect ill-gotten wealth.

    But according to Cocoy, we can change. And I agree. I want change too. But we have to remember that systemic changes will not come easily to us. It will not be handed to us by the families and dynasties who have benefited and who continue to profit from a government that protects the wealthy and the powerful.

    Let’s continue to voice out our protests until we see real change. Let’s continue to act with vigilance and patriotism until we achieve our dream to live in a progressive country.

  27. Empower Tomorrow | Filipino Voices on April 21st, 2008 12:58 am

    […] Lester’s raised as a comment in “Because We Can” one of his favorite loop holes is the Law on Secrecy of Bank Deposits”. If it’s […]

  28. Manuel L. Quezon III: The Daily Dose » Blog Archive » It doesn’t compute on April 21st, 2008 7:35 pm

    […] his entry Because We Can in FilipinoVoices.com, cocoy (big mango, a blog I’ve often referred to), speaks of the need […]

  29. stuart-santiago » Blog Archive » for a change on April 22nd, 2008 3:49 pm

    […] did cocoy really say anything new? manolo is right, the dream of a nontraditional political party that we all […]

  30. marc1a on April 28th, 2008 4:21 pm

    change. oh yes, because we can… sure, because we must. we owe it to this country. our people deserve better (whether we realize it or not)– far better than the fools these unscrupulous politicians who have the nerve and stomach to call themselves compatriots and leaders at that take us for.

    . . . AND because we want to. i am a filipino. an ordinary juan(a). i love this country. i care for my people… given the situation, only fools as those idiots make of us would be able to sit around and just let this come to pass. call it naivete but i take the insult that they let us bear personally (after all, what’s happening affects me. it breaks my heart to see people crying hungry; to see stray animals by the roadside dying because its owners do not have anything better to offer–they cannot even feed themselves, etc.): yes, personal enough to do more (about it). “more” simply because, crises or not, in my own humble way i believe i should serve–though not necessarily the kind that needs an election; nor an organization for that matter. and i am… trying to live up to my ideals in all that i do and volunteering gave more meaning to this life. seeing somehow i’ve made a good dent in someone else’s life feels quite good actually…somehow made me a bit more happy =)… no, in re-think, i don’t believe i walked my talk (i didn’t really do much talking back then). i’d rather liken it to: i let myself dream… and sÜre gave it a mighty chase ;).

  31. spliceanddice on May 5th, 2008 8:23 am

    So bloody hell let’s stop protests and allow this Garcified regime pillage this nation like mad! Let it pass, let them pass! Let’s wait for 2010 instead of doing something now! Let’s stop protests! Let’s stop being a democracy for that matter!

    But unfortunately cocoy, the day we stop protesting is the day we draw nearer to being less and less a democracy.

    Or not being a democracy any longer.

    And that day I do not want to bear witness to. And so protests would have to remain, although a systemic change should go at par with that.

  32. spliceanddice on May 5th, 2008 8:27 am

    Funny thing is, some of us want to stop protests by protesting against those protests. Ah, wielding a double edged sword could sometimes be trivial.

  33. cocoy on May 5th, 2008 11:09 am

    spliceandice,

    most people simply just want to protest. all they say is what’s wrong. what i’m trying to say is that there comes a point when simply throwing rocks (i.e. simply and just protesting) is counter productive.

    now’s the time to do something.

    Think of all the energy wasted in setting up a rally in Ayala. Of how much gasoline not just the protesters consumed but likewise all the people affected by the traffic would have used up. think of all the man hours lost in productivity, just because of protest and for what? what does it amount to?

    people say they want change, best way to do it is to do it yourself: get good people, with the same ideas, with the same intentions to effect the change. for example, take congress so you can pass the laws that you want.

    a few people have quoted ghandi and king as examples of non-violent protest. Ghandi has been quoted: “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

    that’s all i’m saying. there must be a mechanism for that change and it starts when good people like you take an increasing role in shaping the future.

  34. spliceanddice on May 5th, 2008 1:15 pm

    Cocoy,

    What I’m getting here is this:

    Let’s start electing good people. But let’s wait until 2010. Which goes without saying that we should let Gloria fiddle with the stick for now.

    But on the other hand, you’re saying that “now’s the time to do something.” What something? Ah, you mean:

    “to band together and PREPARE for 2010.”

    The impression I’m getting here is this:

    Now’s the time to band together and prepare for 2010.

    Well, that might be a swell of an idea. And then the rub: let Gloria sustain the misery she has inflicted since the Garcified elections.

    I would have to agree with you that “everyone wants to break the unending cycle. It ENDS when we use the RULES that we already have— ELECTION to vote people in. But we ALSO need good choices, not just elections. We NEED good people”

    Then again, quoting gloriamustgo, we must first take out “the old furniture and the trash before bringing in the new furniture.”

  35. cocoy on May 5th, 2008 4:03 pm

    splicendice,

    you’ve seen my replies above and I’m sure my successive posts on the issue. I think you know the reason why preparing for 2010 is important.

    you say you agree, but you still cling to the idea that “quoting gloriamustgo, we must first take out “the old furniture and the trash before bringing in the new furniture.”

    That’s the Gordian Knot that Filipinos can’t seem to get past. YOu want the old furniture out and trash out… but How do you get gloria indicted?

    don’t get my idea of delayed gratification as a sign of letting Gloria or her ilk go. it’s the other way around.

    you can’t file an impeachment complaint because, she has congress in the bag. you can’t do any serious investigation because as being the Chief power, even her presence, even without her doing anything to stop an investigation is a large cloud cast already. You can not go the route of a people power— there is no reason for it and neither can you yield to military and street protests are just that, protest when Gloria and her ilk simply turn a deaf ear at whatever issue is cast.

    people ask how do you unravel this Gordian Knot? Simple: take power, not by desire but by right. If civil society believes in the nobility of their cause, I urge you to start a grassroots movement— one that changes the dynamics of the game. Be that power. Be that Catalyst for change. And when Good People like you and who are just like you in Congress. Then you have the mechanism to enact all the laws you can.

    You can have all the commissions and special prosecutors and the ability to back that up with real power to find out if Gloria is guilty or not. Because whatever you or I think of Gloria and her family, whatever travesty she has committed to bend the rule of law into her favor— this is still a republic of laws, and she must be indicted and we must prove, her guilt. That’s how you get a broken house back in order. That’s the right thing to do, I believe.

  36. spliceanddice on May 5th, 2008 4:53 pm

    “You can not go the route of a people power— there is no reason for it…”

    Really?

    “this is still a republic of laws, and she must be indicted and we must prove, her guilt.”

    It’s as if the justices at the Supreme Court and the prostitutes of the law, the inutile department of injustice and the ombudsman have all done such a great job at doing this nation a favor at the least.

    Anyway, don’t get me wrong, I do respect your opinion. This is a democracy. But please, do not allow yourself to give in to the temptation of depriving the people of their want, need, if not a right, to protest.

  37. cocoy on May 5th, 2008 5:05 pm

    ““You can not go the route of a people power— there is no reason for it…”

    Really?”

    yes. it will only make matters worst and there is no catalyst. our people will not go that route, unless maybe Gloria will commit something really extreme— like genocide which is really far-fetched.

    “It’s as if the justices at the Supreme Court and the prostitutes of the law, the inutile department of injustice and the ombudsman have all done such a great job at doing this nation a favor at the least.”

    we are of same opinion. did you get a chance to read djb’s post on that? i totally agree w/him on that regard.

    “Anyway, don’t get me wrong, I do respect your opinion. This is a democracy. But please, do not allow yourself to give in to the temptation of depriving the people of their want, need, if not a right, to protest.”

    oh, i do not even dream of depriving the people their God given Right to Free Expression. I think you’ve misread me. I’m just saying that the energy people consume to exercise their Right to Free Expression can be focused towards something else that CAN get you what YOU WANT. I’m just saying there are more Efficient Ways of solving the problem of the Philippines, rather than always protesting.

    I respect your opinion and that of everybody who have replied, but I’m also of the opinion that a lot of people, with talent, with brains, would rather throw rocks at the house because that is easy rather than have the courage to act to effect change that people dream and yearn for from within the system.

  38. spliceanddice on May 5th, 2008 7:31 pm

    Point understood. Yet, my friend, I remain firm with my position that to protest is to remain ‘faithful’ to the democracy. Nonetheless, the sanctity of the electoral processes should be preserved. But it does not mean that we should just wait every after six years or so to make changes. It’s not that protests do not do anything at all, or serve any purpose for that matter. It’s that doing nothing or depriving ourselves of any purpose despite the power that rests on us is to stand as a traitor to this nation.

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