STRENGTHENING OUR WILL

So many things are occurring in our country today, natural disasters and political bandwagonism. We are being pulled from one place to another to take a stand, to say something, to act. Sometimes we can freeze at the thought of even just opening our mouth for fear that what we say could be taken against us.

But one thing sure nowadays, the Filipino people are testing our justice system day by day. The media are asking pointblank questions to issues that matter to our people, like the lifestyles of politicians, their sources of campaign funds and the way they deal with their relatives poking their fingers into the public funds and treasury, among others. The victims of the flooding have risen in protest and now have lodged their charges against public officials who should have warned them of the flooding beforehand, or the opening of the gates of the dams as the people have suffered much from their negligence. The transport workers are unbending against the wishes of the oil companies for the lifting of the price freeze on their products. All these show that the capacity to restore authoritarian rule is slowly being emasculated. We are not allowing anymore any petty or big tyrant to rule our lives, and that we want to participate in the democratic processes of the country.

I think Ondoy et al truly tested our people and we have come out with a stronger WILL, not bitter of the consequences of those disasters. Hopefully, we should be able to sustain this perpetually, especially in 2010 when we shall be choosing the leaders of this country.