Let us throw away our old political order!

I wasn’t a bit surprised to learn from Marietta Santos, the alleged or self-confessed "No. 3" of T/Sgt. Vidal Doble that she could go in and out of the high-security compound of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). In a country where terror thrives, where we have an active and vicious communist insurgency and a well-armed and determined Muslim separatist movement, we surely do not take our security seriously.

I mean bringing your girlfriend to your place of work if you were working in Shoemart is neither a problem nor a security risk, but certainly this practice should never be allowed inside a highly secure military compound. Whoever is the head of this intel group should quit in shame for his laxity! But then, laxity is a very polite word. ISAFP, no doubt, was up to something bigger and more sinister plot. Indeed, the plot thickens!

That the ISAFP allegedly wiretapped their own Commander-in-Chief is to my mind, high treason, but not totally unprecedented! If you read all the theories of the Kennedy assassination, perhaps the best or the closest theory was the one presented in the Oliver Stone movie "JFK" about state prosecutor Jim Garrison who believed that the Kennedy assassination was, for all intents and purposes, a "coup d’etat" to rid America of a president who refused to fight the Vietnam War to the chagrin of big US corporations who stood to profit from the huge business that wars generate.

While the wiretapping may not have killed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA), her political future has been tarnished (and so too with her credibility) to a point that many Filipinos believe that she almost lost her presidency, especially when the famed "Hyatt 10" dropped her to save their own necks and in the hope that her successor would still keep them in power. But somehow, by some kind of divine providence, she didn’t fall! God must have other plans for GMA.

During the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Filipino people saw a bunch of political personalities they rarely saw on live television… governors, mayors and other local government officials who stood by the President during her SONA, assuring the Filipino people that while she was hated or vilified in Metro Manila, she still had the full support and backing of local government units throughout the country. That in my book saved the day for the President… plus her promise of real political reforms, that we now see with the Consultative Commission (con-com) that is bringing us nearer to a total overhaul of our political system.

I would like to equate President Arroyo to the reformist Meiji Emperor in the mid-80s who steered Japan into the modern age, throwing away Japan’s old medieval past, where the Samurai ruled with their Bushido code, controlled the military and all government positions… all because they were great fighters using their home-bred martial arts. Had the Emperor listened to the Samurai, Japan may have been conquered by foreign powers.

But instead, the Meiji Emperor ushered in the modern-day Japan. Sure, they became just like the other European powers in colonizing China and engaging the Americans in World War II. Of course, after they were devastated by the war they realized that they were more powerful in times of peace. That’s how Japan became a great world power. It started by throwing away their old political order and I dare say that we should do the same!

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Here’s a reaction to our column on the Koreans being slapped a prohibitive "accreditation fee" by the Bureau of Immigration (BID):

"Sir Bobit, Great article about the influx of Koreans to Cebu. My name is Woolim Ma, a Korean, raised in Manila, studied in the States, and now back in Baguio. I have witnessed first-hand the drastic changes my city has undergone during the 12 years of being away. Back then (1990), you could see only a handful of Koreans here and there. Now probably one out of every eight or nine persons is Korean.

"As a Korean-American (who calls the Philippines his home), I am not a traditional Korean. I am honestly offended at times by their loud and rough demeanor and sometimes even ashamed to be categorized with them. I sometimes think, why did they have to pick Baguio, my city? However, I began to think of how much income they are pumping into the economy of the city and how many people are employed because of it (perhaps a study of what percentage of the economy is directly related to Korean consumers and businesses would help open their eyes). Perhaps it isn’t so bad! After all, this country’s economy is not at its best and any help from anyone should be well accepted.

"I agree that the P50,000 fee is more like a fine. As a missionary, I believe that salvation is the most priceless gift one can receive from Christ. After all, our efforts in witnessing and attempting to explain to them this free gift, one naturally says ‘sayang’ upon its rejection. Why can’t they just see? Obviously the Koreans aren’t here to save the country, but they sure aren’t hurting the cause. I would say about 75 percent of the caddies at my golf club wouldn’t have jobs if it weren’t for the Koreans. Sure, at times, they’re rough, crude, and don’t understand you, but at the end isn’t what really matters is that you put food on the table for your family?

"With all the benefits, perhaps we should continue the Filipino tradition of warm hospitality and treat them as guests in our land. Great article. I hope those in position to review and modify this policy will read it and take it to heart. Thanks, Woolim Ma"

Thank you Mr. Ma for your readership and your timely reaction to our article. Again, I would like to hammer home my point that the BID is slapping a "fine" not a fee with P50,000 for teaching English in this country! More than any nation on this earth, the Koreans are the most nationalistic of peoples. Just look at how they faced the 1997 Asian financial crisis… the Korean people gave away their jewelry, gold bracelets, rings or even gold tooth fillings just to support their government. Perhaps it is time for us Filipinos to learn (hopefully, not English) from the Koreans, their good side, of course!

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For e-mail responses to this article, write to [email protected]. Bobit Avila’s columns can also be accessed through www.thefreeman.com. He also hosts a weekly talkshow, "Straight from the Sky," shown every Monday, at 8 p.m., only in Metro Cebu on Channel 15 of SkyCable.