The Filipino is worth fighting for

By Alfredo C. Garvida, Jr.

Contributor

As mandated by law, President Aquino delivered at 4:00 p.m. last July 29^th, his State of the Nation Address (SONA), his fifth. This SONA was special to the citizens amid the negative comments Mr. Aquino's governance is now suffering from sectors carrying varied agendas. Until the humanness of him overcame his presidential decorum at the latter phase of his speech, the President was calm and presidential in detailing to the nation its current state, his articulations laced with resentment against his detractors, yet wrapped in humility nonetheless towards his “bosses,” the people. 

I watched the SONA with my daughter, Aiza, who gives no damn that much to politics, but compelled by a common reason, we both wept when the President’s voice cracked and choked up into tears: for we felt his heart's sincerity to lift our way of living—despite all the negativity now hounding his presidency.

His heart and wisdom cry for reforms and he wants to do some in pragmatic ways which people against his success have now capitalized on for their selfish ends. 

The issue here is not about constitutionality of acts but about where and how to begin the much needed reforms to found our socio-economic transformation. But he is pressured by time, and dismally, obscured by selfish agendas. He was emotional at the near-end of his speech and some observers attribute it to his invoking his parents' legacy, but Aiza and I were more convinced that his tears were legitimate—for his countrymen, that is, who had to be delivered from the bond of poverty and ignorance long dictated by the politics of greed, arrogance and colonial mentality.

Former President Ramos and wannabe-president Jejomar Binay did not like his emotional showing and counseled that no president should ever cry in public, reasoning out that such act would convey weakness in leadership. Comments like these merely re-institute the character of the politics the Filipinos have been enmeshed in for years: arrogance, self-serving and colonial mentality. Putting Mr. Ramos and Mr. Binay in their right places, one news observer reminded them that former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had cried openly upon seeing the casualties of his men in the battlefield, yet history speaks that Churchill is one of the greatest leaders our world has ever had. 

Mr. Aquino’s tears were a combination of sincerity and resentment. Sincerity—to transform our way of life that he had to use the memory of his parents as his bond to his truthfulness. And resentment—that certain people had to mislead the citizens of his true intentions in their behalf.   

The President wants to transform our country and he started with putting the fundamental requisites in place, which are: eliminating corruption, delivering the people's basic needs on time, building infrastructures, refurbishing our internal security, giving higher emphasis on education, and other confidence-building measures needed to attract investment. These requisites are now in place, and they are firming up the foundation for that transformation, but not everyone could feel its impact yet as a growing economy, like a child, could not mature overnight. People crying for emancipation from poverty should therefore persevere further, and dislodge from their mind the conjured belief that the President has forgotten them. 

We have witnessed the live random interview on ordinary people by the media before and after the SONA, and most were initially harboring negative feelings towards the President on account of poverty. After his speech, the number changed drastically as they must have felt his sincerity to solve their economic woes. They must have realized that their economic transformation could not come overnight; that jobs will arise as investments come in, but investments would not come without the investors' confidence in the government; that corruption must be become a matter of the past and infrastructures must be enhanced to trigger that confidence.

The Makabayan bloc in Congress, the leaders of the self-righteous, walked out of the joint session when the President stepped up the forum to deliver his speech. It was not uncommon to witness such measure of disgraceful act from their end, but as leaders presumed to be representing the people—and not only their own kind, mind you—a comportment of dignity was required of them otherwise. But these people are one-sided on their belief that righteousness is their monopoly; that no one else can do right but them. They were predisposed to disrespecting the President and the Filipino people in that solemn event, just so they can redefine their obligatory opposition to anything any constituted authority under this republic does. 

And they profess leadership with courage? But did not Winston Churchill say that "courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen?" If they did not like what the President was to say, they should have at least had the courage to sit down and uphold the dignity of their offices, and not disrespecting too their countrymen for that matter. But they are the self-righteous, aren't they? And they have to be noticed, don't they? But Filipinos have ways to counter the stigma of KSP (kulang sa pansin), so can Mr. Colmenares and company be faulted for that repulsive zarzuela they had so distastefully played on national television? These guys have an advocacy to articulate, but with all due respect, their mode alienates people the more.

Mr. President: Keep on with your dreams in our behalf; go on firming up that coveted foundation for the Filipinos' future, and to paraphrase Vikas Runwal, don't let your detractors build our future, instead let their opinions motivate you for our success. After all, as Erin Andrews has said, "success doesn't happen overnight, keep your eyes on the prize and don't look back." Fight back, but don't be distracted, because as you said, "The Filipino is worth fighting for."