From Superman to Competence to Mubarak and Freedom

Monday, 14 February 2011 15:29

Written by Malou Tiquia

It took a while to finish this article since things have been moving in phases from the “I am not a Superman” comment made by BSA3 when news came out that he will be tapping former Senator Mar Roxas as his troubleshooter. In the same breath, various comments have been made on the competence and working habit of BSA3. I guess the saying “to each his own” applies here, but I digress.

I don’t think Filipinos wanted a Superman for a president. But surely, they wanted a firm hand on the seat of power. Someone you can feel engaged and on the ball. I guess the moral of the story is if and when you plan to run for the office, ebe ready to fill in the shoes of a Superman for surely in the process of the campaign debates one would have seen the enormity of the problems at hand. That is why discernment is vital. It’s not just running but practicing and embracing lateral and forward thinking than just plain linear.

The noises emanating from the so-called Gray Line shows the closed culture of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). They just don’t get it! They keep talking about the code and “our core values in the PMA are integrity and loyalty. We also teach them honor and respect.” I ask therefore, in the face of corruption, how does its code react to it? In the face of plunder or even a warrant of arrest, how come its core values do not play out? How come very few in the Gray Line questioned men in uniform –- officers and rank-and-file – doing political operations to ensure victories of some?

Citizens of the Republic, taxpayers at that, pay for the PMA’s upkeep and for the tuitions of those so-called crème de la crème. The PMA chief even said, "Let us not let this issue dilute the nobility of its existence," When a junior officer utters, “you have no reputation to protect,” it was characterized as “uncavalier” because Senator Sonny Trillanes was a junior officer and the late Secretary Angie Reyes was a senior officer, in fact a former Chief of Staff. The ganging up on Trillanes is uncalled for since the guy was imprisoned for 7 years, removed from service, is out on an amnesty and the last time I checked, he is a civilian person occupying an elected position.

The honor code states: A cadet does not lie, cheat or steal, so to PMA superintendent Vice Admiral Leonardo Calderon, the code boils down to HONESTY. Pray tell me, who is honest among the cavaliers?

And so after 30 years, honesty got the better of Hosni. Mubarak was appointed Vice President of Egypt in 1975, assumed the presidency in October 1981, following the assassination of President Anwar El Sadat. His tenure in office was the longest since Muhammad Ali Pasha. Interestingly, before he entered politics, Mubarak was a career officer in the Egyptian Air Force, serving as its commander from 1972-1975.

After 18 days of protests, Mubarak resigned on 11 February and transferred authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. On 13 February, the Egyptian military dissolved the Egyptian parliament. Some Filipinos are saying that people power is alive in Egypt just like our yellow commemoration this 25th of February. But Egypt ended under military control while we welcomed the restoration of our political freedom under civilian supremacy. History will probably tell us a lesson or two on what model would usher in a quick recovery for our respective economies. Reports have mentioned that “unemployment persisted and Mubarak came under criticism for favoring big businesses and privatization as opposed to workers' rights. All this was a consequence of the wide use of privatization policy by selling shares in most public sector companies”, potentially leading to bankruptcy.

We, in turn would be celebrating our 25th anniversary of EDSA 1 and still we are reeling from corruption, with the poor no longer set in building illegal structures or occupying unutilized lands, but are now in mobile residences or karitons, eating noodles and no longer galunggong. And the rich controlling almost all industries. Now, where is our Superman?

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