Destroying the myth of power

KUALA LUMPUR - It is good to have the Internet. You never really lose touch with friends and home even if you are abroad. I am here because my daughter was called to Doha by Aljazeera to cover the turmoil in Egypt while her husband CNN’s Mark Philips is in Kabul. I have to come to baby sit my grandchildren.

In today’s interconnected world one can be anywhere and not lose touch with Manila or Cairo or Kabul. Whether we like it or not we are one world. I have often wondered how different places, populated by human beings are essentially alike.

So far, early opinions on what is happening in Egypt are not any different from other events in the past in other countries (the Philippines included) when discontented citizens are angry with failed governance. They want change. It needed only a match to light up the tinderbox that was long in the making to destroy the myth of power held by President Mubarak’s 30-year rule. In Egypt today it is an eclectic group with different grievances - labor, political opposition, youthful activists, Muslim brotherhood, secularists etc - all wanting to be counted as part of the protest. But however different their grievances they share a common desire for change and it will not be satisfied with just holding elections promised by President Mubarak.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron made the astute observation in Davos that “in the past the West has taken a rather simple view that what matters is just the act of holding an election.” Iran’s descent into anarchy is a good example of how reforms were postponed through many years using the salve of questionable elections.

“Real democracy is about the building blocks you put in place about the rule of law, the rights, the strength of your civil society, the freedoms you have in that country,” adds Cameron, a situation that resonates with the politics and government in the Philippines through several administrations.

The constitutional reform movement continues to seek those building blocks but those who are privileged by the status will have none of it. Before the elections of May 10, the holders of the status quo were able to take the upper hand ridiculing constitutional reform by calling it that silly name Cha-cha.

We had the same debate on what constitutes democracy. On one side were those who for holding the elections in May 10 in the same mold as our questionable presidential system (the only change being it was automatic), or to begin the work on constitutional reform as the beginning of a long term restructuring program towards better governance.

In the Philippines, when the pro-election proponents won we did not hear any objection in the West. Questions on May 10 remain unanswered. What did come out was the insistence that the election and election alone was the key to reform. The US ambassador led other ambassadors to congratulate President Noynoy even before Congress finished the tabulation in defiance of our sovereignty.

Blocked by mainstream media, the constitutional reformists turned to social networking. It is too early to tell just how the different social networking groups will coalesce but it is making headway. So far it is leaderless. Chief Justice Reynato Puno launched the debate in a speech at the UP College of Law but the response from the government was lukewarm. More enthusiastic response came from various sectors and ordinary citizens who are organizing on how it could be done.  Stonewalling from officials is adding pressure to the discontent.

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The turmoil in Egypt is telling us that the gathering of forces came from both the Internet and organized groups. Malcolm Gladwell’s article in the New Yorker that social networking could not launch a revolution was refuted by the events in Cairo. Tech-savvy students some of them only in their 20s connected the different groups with different grievances by keeping issues alive in the Internet. The match that ignited the tinderbox of discontent in Egypt came from a strike in the Nile Delta where a 28-year-old university graduate, Khaled Said was killed. Suddenly everyone was calling themselves Khaled Said. It may look like there is no hierarchy or purposeful organization in Cairo’s turmoil. But some analysts say it is there if you know how to look for it. But the greater danger is when the swords are unsheathed in the struggle for leadership after the battle.

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I attended the guitar recital of renowned Spanish guitarist Alex Garrobe last January 27 at the CCP and was pleasantly surprised that it was so well attended. Moreover, the audience was mostly young Filipinos, some of them carrying guitars.

Well, I thought to myself having gone to previous half filled concerts at the CCP it must be because the recital was free — courtesy of the Instituto Cervantes de Manila.

The recital opened the 2011 Philippine International Guitar Festival and Competition. The enthusiastic audience applauded for encores from the Catalan soloist who played the finest works in the Spanish repertoire through a selection of compositions by guitarists such as E. Sainz de la Maza, J. Guinjoan, C. Pedrell, F. Moreno Torroba, and J. Turina.

This is the Spain that Filipinos seek to reconnect with because it is as much a part of our culture and identity. The Instituto and the Guitar Friends of the Philippines hope that guitar music beloved of our forefathers could be revived as part of our shared history with Spain. It is not until now that I would have even connected the harana, a serenade to a young maiden in times of yore comes from this shared culture.

Also attending the recital was Carlos Alberdi, Director of Cultural and Scientific Relations of the AECID or Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development. The program for reviving this shared culture between Spain and the Philippines began in 1997, says José Rodríguez, director of the Instituto and general coordinator of the program.

“It gives financial support to projects that study and promote our shared heritage and shared future. Aside from research and publication projects, the program also funds cultural activities, seminars and conferences.” adds Rodriguez. More information, as well as application forms, can be found at the webpage: www.spcc.ph They may also contact Joanne Samonte at spcc@cervantes. net.ph or 5261482 loc. 110.