September 21

Unbeknownst to many, today has been officially dubbed as the International Day of Peace (“Peace Day” for short). Recognized as such pursuant to Resolution 36/37 which was adopted by unanimous vote at the United Nations General Assembly in 1981, the commemoration seeks “..to devote a specific time to concentrate efforts to promoting the ideals of peace.” Originally, Peace Day was celebrated during the annual opening session of the General Assembly which occurred every September. However, if the UN followed this schedule in 2001, it would have fallen on September 11 which, as we all know, is one of the least peaceful days in the history of mankind. Thus, in 2002, the UN General Assembly declared September 21 as the permanent date of Peace Day.

Since its inception, both government and non-governmental organizations have been encouraged to hold events that would remind all of humanity that “our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace.” This year, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is focusing on the importance of peace education which is generally believed to be the key to sustainably reduce war and armed conflict.

There are various individual and collective ways to commemorate Peace Day. Some will light a candle at noon, sit in silent meditation or perform a random act of kindness. Some will join public concerts and forums where its importance will be extolled. At UN headquarters in New York City, the UN Peace Bell will be rung. Cast from coins donated by children from all continents except Africa (not sure why they were excluded,) the bell was gifted by a Japanese association as a “reminder of the human cost of war.” Inscribed on the bell side are the words: “Long live absolute world peace.”  It is hoped that these concerted actions will generate a positive energy that can permeate through the hearts of humankind regardless of race, color of creed.

The International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire which can be implemented on a macro or micro level. On a national level, the unfortunate Zamboanga escapade is hopefully close to being resolved. From a personal perspective, we can also use this day as an opportunity to heal broken relationships.

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Do you remember?: Aside from the Earth Wind and Fire’s classic ballad that was popular among baby boomers, many Filipinos associate September 21 with another unpeaceful event—the declaration of martial law. In reality, the announcement regarding Proclamation 1081 or the imposition of martial law occurred two days later or on Sept. 23, with the backdating supposedly made to accommodate President Marcos’ fascination with the number seven (i.e., 21 is divisible by seven) although there is also the practical reason that before one announces a national policy with widespread impact, you need to make sure that the infrastructure is in place to effectively implement the new directive. Coincidentally, during the Japanese occupation, yet applied in a regular manner, President Jose P. Laurel issued Proclamation No. 29 also on September 21, 1944, placing the Philippines under martial law but made effective the next day.

But back to September 21, 1972. The effects of Martial law were not yet felt during that Thursday as Congress was still fully functioning. In fact, then Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. delivered a fiery privilege speech on that day. President Marcos sought to cement its historical significance by issuing Proclamation No. 1180 the year after (note again the similarity of the numbers used for the earlier Proclamation 1081), recognizing September 21 as the foundation day of the New Society and therefore a reason for national thanksgiving. Decades later, after the extent of the plunder and pillage had been uncovered; certain sectors do not give thanks on this day but instead cringe embarrassment and shame.

As an eight year old, I remember September 23, 1972 as unusually gloomy. Students are usually happy during weekends but I was particularly pensive that Saturday as the overcast skies combined with the traffic-less streets to produce dark, eery atmosphere. Moreover, there were no newspapers that day (I recall being disappointed in not reading the sports page) and the television channels were either closed or not airing their regular programming. The effects of those dark days linger and continue to haunt present day Philippine society. Just like the Jewish holocaust, we should remember those dark moments “lest we forget” its lessons.

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Watering hole: In contrast to doomsday sayers who are predicting a rush to the exit by foreign investors as a result of the MWSS board’s decision not only to dismiss the East and West Zones concessionaires’ petitions for a rate hike but even to reduce the existing water rates, my four centavos is that the board action may actually strengthen the regulatory framework provided in the Concession Agreements. Having read the exhaustive resolutions (38 and 35 pages for the Manila Water and Maynilad petitions, respectively) prepared by the Regulatory Office (“RO”), one gets the impression that the conclusions were arrived at after a careful consideration of the issues and arguments presented. The crux of the dispute is the legality and propriety of certain operating and capital expenditures. Apparently, the RO disallowed certain unsubstantiated expenses, unliquidated cash advances, unjustified variation orders, capitalized interest, among others. And in true private sector fashion, the RO is seeking to institutionalize a “carrot and stick” system where the Concessionaires can be “properly rewarded for efficiencies and penalized for inefficiencies, which include their non-implementation of projects.”

In any event, the MWSS board’s decision is not final. It will now be subject to the appeals process enshrined in the Concession Agreements. Even if it is the consumers which is bearing all of the expenses for an appeal, it is hoped that the panel will come up with a fair and credible ruling after conducting transparent hearings on the issues involved.

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“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

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