They’re talking of revolution (1)

They awoke to the harsh realities of Philippine society in their teens as leaders of the student movement of the ’70s. They were struggling young professionals when duty beckoned at EDSA in 1986 to topple a dictator. They marched to EDSA again in 2001 to end a corrupt regime. Strike three is enough. They resolved to not rely on 15-year cycles to change the course of events. Reform must be a conscious, continuing effort. So they formed a Pagbabago Movement, and spelled out their aims in a Kartilya.

They are known leaders in their respective fields: Neric Acosta, Ella Antonio, Trina Belamide, Niña Bustamante, Rina Jimenez David, Guido Delgado, Calvin Genotiva, Bart Guingona, Cielito Habito, Vince Lazatin, Alan Ortiz, Francis Pangilinan, Jim Paredes, Nicky Perlas, Vincent and Charrie Perlas, Ramon Marcos Pernia, Essa Remoquillo, Marian Pastor Roces, Chito Salazar, Lorrie Tan.

They know that millions of other Filipinos share their ideals. They are inviting them to join the movement to change individuals, institutions and the government.

Following are excerpts of the Kartilya of the Pagbabago Movement.

* * * Unfinished revolutions

Ours is a history of unfinished revolutions. Countless Filipinos, including the flower of each generation, have sacrificed themselves in historic struggles for kalayaan, karapatang pantao, lubos na kasarinlan, katarungan, and kaginhawahang pangkalahatan. Each generation has in turn been defeated, diverted, betrayed, corrupted or dissipated.

After innumerable victims, martyrs, heroes and heroines, four foreign colonizers, several constitutions, thirteen presidents including one dictator, ongoing insurgencies and conspiracies, we now confront a nation in despair at the meager results we have secured thus far for so terrible a sacrifice by our forbears and peers.

Social inequity is entrenched and widening. Economic development is anemic and erratic. Injustice, oppression and violation of human rights occur with unacceptable frequency. Illegal drugs and violence are widespread. Our rich cultural heritage has not found any meaningful role in the central concerns of the nation. Our political life lurches from crisis to crisis as we seek salvation from personality to personality only to be caught up in ceaseless churn without achieving social progress. Our natural resources are dissipating rapidly and the environmental prospects for our fragile archipelago are frightening. And many Filipinos are in the depths of despair. The country is ill-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that globalization brings with increasing force.

Key institutions are under-performing. Our school system is not preparing our children for a world making new intellectual and technical demands. Most of our churches are failing to build the moral foundations of our shared collective life. The media focus on the sensational and the bizarre prevents the citizenry from understanding the complexities of issues and actions. There is failure on the part of all to facilitate unified constructive action prior to crisis. The three branches of government govern without wisdom and officials are prone to corruption. Failing to protect the powerless, the uniformed services do not earn trust. Business is not working fast enough to incorporate ecological and social concerns in their operations.

Migration is not an answer. The Filipino can take himself or herself out of the Philippines but the Philippines will always be in the Filipino. Nor is passivity the answer. Resignation only contributes to the violence and destruction around us. Doing our best as individuals is only a partial answer. The failures of society can obliterate the successes of individuals. Acting collectively only in the face of crisis is not enough as we note with alarm how little we have done to prevent the next crisis from emerging.

Commitment to complete the revolution

We commit to a new revolution waged not with arms but with ideas, values and principles, backed by individual and collective action; with the power of an awakened, organized, vigilant citizenry in our homes, schools, communities, workplaces and professions; through all levels of power and responsibility, by Filipinos of all ages, genders and status in life.

We commit to begin this revolution with a radical change in our minds, hearts and behavior. We commit to apply our energies, creativity, and drive to this process of radical inner and social transformation.

Principles for change

In this historic struggle, we bind ourselves to a set of core principles:

Love of country. We will work not just to raise awareness about our strengths and weaknesses as a nation and as a people. More important, we will improve the country on the basis of our excellence, and weaknesses that we have transformed. We will place the national interest and the welfare of the majority above our individual, familial, institutional, or regional interests.

Poverty eradication. Love of country will not allow us to be indifferent to the half of the Philippines living in poverty and misery. We commit to finding solutions, not just economic, for reducing and eradicating poverty.

Global cooperation. We recognize human and societal diversity, and seek to draw out the excellence in the Filipino, to make this the basis for our relationship with the world, and our contribution to global diversity. Our own internal diversity will prepare us to live in a cosmopolitan world, and give us the power to confront aggressive globalization.

Economy of solidarity. We will seek to activate our economy creatively as it is linked to the world economy. Solidarity with our fellow human beings means finding channels for cooperation to achieve higher productivity and efficiencies to meet real human needs. We will work for a vigorous and globally significant economy that sustains and harnesses the full energy and initiative of all Filipinos, creates opportunities for them and provides ample rewards for their efforts.

Good democratic governance. Good governance requires equitable empowerment, commitment to promote equal access to opportunities and resources for all Filipinos, giving the power of choice to those who previously had none. Good governance also means transparency and accountability in the exercise of official duties and responsibilities of both elected and appointed officials, as well as in the exercise of all the rights and duties of citizenship of ordinary citizens.

Cultural freedom, creativity and vibrancy. The new revolution will require a radically new culture of freedom, creativity and vibrancy. We commit ourselves to free all cultural institutions -- of civil society including the media, the educational system, religious organizations, non-government and non-profit organizations, new social movements, and others -- from all kinds of social domination, and to mobilize the appropriate support for institutions.

Ecological soundness. Human progress that ignores the balance of nature is untenable. Only when human needs are met in the context of a living nature will progress be sustainable. We will work towards policies and the implementation of laws that protect the environment and promote responsible stewardship of resources.

Human development and servant leadership. Wisdom, compassion, inner strength and courage will be essential to advance this vision and these goals. Authentic leaders are a key to radical social transformation. Despite the history of betrayal by our leaders, we believe the success of our revolution demands that we create the kind of leaders we deserve, in business, government, and civil society. We expect them to exhibit high standards of personal integrity, honesty and excellence in the same way that we commit ourselves to adhere to these same high standards.

Spirituality. A revolution that does not embody spirituality ignores powerful well-springs that move many to embrace positive change. While we undertake our decisions and actions scientifically, we shall rely on our sense of the divine – trusting that individual conscience is an expression of divine will. (To be continued.)

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The final portion will come out Monday. Interested parties may contact The Pagbabago Movement at Unit 718, City and Land Megaplaza, Garnet Road corner ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605. Tel nos.: (02) 687-7481, 687-7482 (fax). E-mail: [email protected].

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Catch: Sapol ni Jarius Bondoc, Saturday, 8 a.m., DWIZ (882-AM).

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You can e-mail comments to [email protected].