Good economics versus bad politics

HONG KONG – Is it really a Happy and Prosperous New Year for the whole world and Asia this 2004, the year of the mischievous and optimistic Monkey? How can the Philippines prepare for and benefit from this tenuous worldwide economic rebound? Can the Philippine economy seize fast-growing economic opportunities before central banks and governments throw in the monkey wrench and start putting on the breaks to stop America’s rising trade and budget deficits, to prevent China’s fast-growing economy from overheating, and to put a halt to Europe’s runaway overspending?

From bustling new skyscrapers and countless export factories in the south China region, to Singapore which is ready to usher in new leadership with Cambridge University and Harvard honors graduate Brig. General Lee Hien Loong, to Thailand with its decisive leader Thaksin Shinawatra planning massive new infrastructures, to Malaysia under its new Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawin, to Beijing City which recently started construction of two world-class sports centers for the 2008 Olympics, and even to a stagnant Japanese economy expected to register a mild rebound of 1.8 percent growth in 2004, Asia seems set for economic progress this year. Why then is the Philippines a source of concern, especially with politicians not articulating bold socio-economic reforms more convincingly?

Can The Philippines End The Tejeros Convention Curse?

It’s election year for the US led by the not intelligent but politically decisive (and lucky) President George Walker Bush; for the world’s biggest Muslim nation Indonesia led by the indecisive President Megawati and threatened by possible rising Islamic fundamentalism; for Taiwan led by the controversial but spunky President Chen Shui Bian who is so hated by China’s Communist mandarins – but how come it is the Philippines which suffers most from this international image of instability? Our society must overcome the Tejeros Convention Curse, in order for the Philippine economy to win investor confidence and for our democracy to become truly viable and meaningful.

Why do we refer to the Tejeros Convention as a historical curse and what does it have to do with the country’s socio-economic stability and political tranquility in this 21st century?

After the dramatic 1896 public execution of Dr. Jose Rizal by the cruel and backward Spanish colonial regime and the outbreak of the Katipunan revolution, the Katipuneros decided to meet on March 22, 1897 in a convention at the Tejeros barrio of San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias). The convention had a bad start, with the bickering Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the Katipunan almost coming to blows due to a heated argument on whether a new government should replace the existing Katipunan secret society.

In Tejeros, there seemed to have been no discussions whatsoever about the economic livelihoods of the poor masses caught in the crossfire between a corrupt Spanish colonial regime and the Katipunero rebels. No discussions on how to reestablish stability and the rule of law. The revolutionary leaders seeking to shape the destiny of the Philippines at the Tejeros Convention did not discuss economic policies, taxation, agriculture, wages, investment incentives, foreign trade, construction of railways or rehabilitation of ports, but they were consumed by their passion for politics.

When this issue of a new regime was eventually resolved, the proposed Republic of the Philippines elected its first set of officials, with the unexpected win of the absent Caviteño Emilio Aguinaldo as President, Mariano Trias as vice president, Artemio Ricarte as captain general, Emiliano Riego de Dios as director of war and the Katipunero founder Andres Bonifacio as director of the interior.

When Bonifacio was being proclaimed, Daniel Tirona of the Magdalo faction stood up to insult the former Katipunan Supremo by questioning his credentials and his lack of a lawyer’s diploma. This infuriated Bonifacio, who demanded a retraction from Tirona. Tirona walked out of the meeting. Bonifacio then angrily declared the whole Tejeros Convention as dissolved and annulled.

On March 23, 1897, Andres Bonifacio spearheaded the signing of the Naik Military Agreement, which directly challenged the new government led by President Emilio Aguinaldo who then ordered the arrest of the Bonifacio brothers. Andres and his other brother Procopio were later sent by Emilio Aguinaldo for trial by the Council of War. The former Supremo and his brother were judged guilty of treason and sedition.

On May 10, Major Lazaro Makapagal and four soldiers executed Andres and Procopio Bonifacio. Up to this day, the Tejeros Convention, the defiance of Andres Bonifacio, his trial and execution have remained unresolved controversies, drenching the election of the first President of the first Philippine Republic in blood.

From Tejeros 1897 To Edsa 4

Can majority of decent and freedom-loving Filipinos repudiate and chasten endless political greed of many of our inept political leaders, so that we can end the curse started at the 1897 Tejeros Convention of putting bad politics first before good economics? Can we not elevate political elections into a higher level of issue-oriented national debate, which should be a contest of the best, the brightest and the most sincere men and women with character and integrity – not a vicious war of fools engaged in corruption, lies, horse-trading, vested economic interests and cynicism?

Many of our political leaders and corrupt traditional power elite clans are seeking to dish out trash in the elections, trash in the choice of candidates, trash in the choice of so-called political parties, trash in the use of slapstick humor and gaudy entertainment, trash in the use of black propaganda for bad politics, regardless of the negative long-term impact on the Philippine economy.

The 1986 civilian-backed military uprising of Edsa 1, the oust-Erap movement that led to Edsa 2, the frightening assault of Edsa 3 – they are all so eerily familiar with the Magdalo Mutiny. History does, indeed and incredibly, repeat itself so often.

When will we learn our bitter lessons and elect a truly wise, visionary, honest, selfless and decisive leadership to radically reform the Philippines into a more prosperous, stable and just society? Have our political leaders no conscience or sense of shame at all that they can lie to their teeth before the nation, cheat and steal in the altar of bad politics, letting the Philippine economy to decay while other Asian countries progress?

There are 12 million people unemployed and under-employed in our society today, over 2,600 Filipinos leave our shores every day to seek work overseas, our foreign debt has already surpassed P3 trillion, the government’s budget deficit this year is said to be P202 billion, population growth rate is 2.36 percent compared to only 4.5 percent economic growth claimed by the Bangko Sentral, and about one-third of the 82 million Filipinos today live in dehumanizing poverty.

When can we bury bad politics and uphold common sense, good and efficient economics, free enterprise, more investments, more income for all?

Isn’t it about time for all political leaders – administration or opposition – to examine their hearts, heads and conscience, and aim for sweeping economic, political, cultural and moral reforms? If our leaders refuse to reform the nation, would the May 2004 election be the light at the end of the tunnel – the headlamp of an incoming train furiously rushing against us?

Can we use the May 2004 election to make a clean break from our sordid, corrupt and morally decadent political past, or will the forthcoming election be a ghastly repeat of the 1897 Tejeros Convention with all its telenovela suspense drama, its violence, its circus of disunity and never-ending political tensions?

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