How should we treat Political Power, a stepping stone or an end in itself? Should we use it to further our personal and/or social aims? Should we use it to be known and for everyone to kowtow to us because of that power to spend, to appoint, to select, and everything else connected with the position?
Some officials I think go into politics without knowing the deeper meaning of political power. They may have watched other people, usually their relatives handle political positions. They must have seen the power he/she wields and how the people surrounding them almost kneel before them. For example, when looking for a job, people would be swarming into the office of a senator or a congress rep for an endorsement. When seeking help to pay for hospital bills, they trek to the same office for what would come out later on as a drop in the bucket of the huge PDAF that the official gets every year. Others seek the sale of tickets to a concert or an advertising space in a cultural event. Still some seek scholarships for some academic schools
But really now, what is the purpose of political power? Those mentioned above are just sidetracks to the real aim of being in the legislative or the executive branch. I recall Apolinario Mabini who was the Brains of the Katipunan. Though he had a frail body he was able to research and write on what government should be put up by Emilio Aguinaldo. Until his last breath, the American military officials were so afraid of his intelligence that they sought to exile him and later on, upon return, to confine him to a place, where they could watch who would be visiting him and getting influenced by his revolutionary ideas.
Despite the difficult circumstances he existed in, Mabini was able to come up with a body of works He wrote the pamphlets "El Verdadero Decalogo'" and "Ordenanzas de la Revolucion," inspirational books for the Katipuneros fighting the Spanish colonial powers at the time.
"Mabini also wrote La Revolution Filipina, giving the raiso d'etre for the conduct of the revolution against Spain and that against the American invaders.
So why do we mention Mabini now? He had a vision for the country, for saving the people from political opportunists, even Filipino officials-revolutionarries. In other words, his consciousness was solely for the Filipino people, and not for any personal ends. Hence, even today, we consider him a worthwhile hero, alongside other heroes and heroines.
What we have now after the death of our martyrs are their legacies, their pamana to the race. They leave us with lasting wisdom and historic behavior that catapulted our country into the first in Asia to achieve independence from colonial powers.
Now we ask, what legacy can we expect from our present crop fo leaders? Will they carve their own destiny and leave a lasting mark in our history or will they be just copycats of previous leaders, not creating any dent at all in our consciousness and a progressive change in our lives as a people?
What is the meaning of political power to them?
Abangan!
No comments:
Post a Comment