Hell in Paradise

Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico has many similarities to the Philippines. The big difference though is that Puerto Rico is politically stable. It is Paradise without too much politics perhaps because it is a United States Protectorate. Our world meeting was held at the El Conquistador Resort Hotel, about an hour’s drive from the capital city of San Juan.

A look at Puerto Rico’s history would give you the same sentiments. Puerto Rico, a Spanish colony since the 1500s, was ceded to the US in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. Like us, it started the 20th Century as an American colony. It remained under American military rule until 1900 when the US Congress passed the Foraker Act, which set up a civilian government with a governor and an upper chamber whose members are appointed by the US president. However, the island’s political status was largely undefined. In 1917, the Jones Act stipulated that it was a US territory and its inhabitants were entitled to US citizenship, though its governor and other officials were still appointed by the US president. It was only in 1948 that Puerto Ricans were allowed to elect their own governor.

As expected of Latin temperament, the clamor for Puerto Rican independence was dramatized in 1950 when extremists attempted to assassinate President Harry S. Truman at the Blair House in Washington D.C.. During that time the White House was being renovated and so the President of the United States stayed at the state guesthouse which is known as the Blair House. As a result of that assassination attempt the island was granted status as a commonwealth in 1952. It would remain a U.S. territory but was allowed to govern itself under its own constitution. Like the Philippines, there’s a lot of politics in Puerto Rico except that things do not get out of hand because it is still under U.S. control. Forty five percent of Puerto Ricans want it to become a US state, another 45 percent want it to remain a Commonwealth, and the remaining 10 percent want total independence. Effectively, there is a stalemate on its future status as a state.

The island has 3.8 million people and San Juan attracts tourists because of the harmonious blending of a modern metropolis with the charms of a city rich with heritage and culture. With 5 million people visiting each year lured by the picturesque image of beaches and waves lapping on tropical shores, tourism contributes $3 billion to the Puerto Rican economy. It has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean encouraged by tax incentives and duty-free access from the US. Since the 1950s, US firms have invested heavily here. Interestingly, too, there is hardly anyone living below the poverty line.

Looking at the way Puerto Rico was able to shift from a primarily agricultural economy to a largely industrial and commercial economic zone, we all remember what President Quezon said when he declared, "I would rather live in a country run like Hell by Filipinos than one run like Heaven by the Americans." It seems that is true today because too much politics has made the Philippines a Paradise that has turned into Hell.

Many of us are still hoping this will change. Puerto Rico is considered a Paradise because of the political stability. Which reminds me of a joke about a Filipino who was about to enter Heaven. When St. Peter asked him, "Which country do you come from?" the man answered he was from the Philippines. St. Peter immediately ushered him into Heaven and said, "You have been in Hell long enough."

During our meeting, our representative in India and Executive Director M.J. Parameswaran told us about the elections in India, which just recently took place with 600 million registered voters. They had a 50 percent voter turnout of about 300 million and the results were known within two hours. Even votes from the most remote areas were tallied right away. India has gone high-tech with the Electronic Voting Machine or what is more popularly known in the subcontinent as the EVM. First developed in the 1980s by the Election Commission of India and two private electronics firms, it was first used in 1989. Over the years, the EVM has been refined further to its present state. India’s EVM has a Control Unit (CU) and a Balloting Unit (BU) wired together by a thin cable, powered by a 6-volt battery and snugly encased in a polypropylene case. It cuts down on the use of paper. Even if thugs try to steal the BU, it will not matter because the CU holds the records. The conduct of the polls has been so credible that the outcome leaves hardly any room for protests of widespread cheating.

This Indian technology is something that is proven already. In fact, it is even better than the American electronic voting system. The COMELEC officials should start looking at it seriously as a potential system to adapt here. The only way to make elections credible is to get the country’s electoral process at par with 21st Century voting systems. Perhaps, that is why the Philippines is the butt of jokes – they say Filipinos are so high-tech that we get to know the actual results of the elections long before Election Day.

Comparing the Philippines to Puerto Rico, we definitely have much much more to offer to tourists alone. The simple fact is political stability makes Puerto Rico a Paradise for many visitors, especially for Americans. It is time to stop politicians from running the Philippines like Hell because it can be Paradise.

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When I heard the news of Enrique Zobel passing away, it was a stark reminder of the loss of my own mother. Iñigo had called just a few weeks ago to express his sympathies and now it was my turn to express mine. No matter how prepared and ready one is, it will always be difficult to lose a loved one. EZ was admired by so many people. Over the years, he was someone whom we all looked up to. I visited him many times at his Calatagan ranch in Batangas to listen to his thoughts on certain issues. His outspokenness over his concern for the Philippines has been like a guiding flame. He pressed on with his advocacies till the very end. We are going to miss EZ. But I’m sure that EZ’s well-brought up children, Iñigo and Dedes, will carry on the flame of his legacy.

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