Jed Yuseco's Blog

From Bad to Worse...

In February, 1986, Filipinos shocked the world by ousting a dictator without bloodshed, an event that signalled a new chapter in our nation's history.

Sad to say, 20 years after the uprising, there remains disappointment and frustration at where the country is headed. Filipinos continue to wait for things to change as corruption and patronage continues to exist. No government has been able to make reforms vital to encourage investment, increase tax collection and narrow the gap between the wealthy and the underprivileged.

Unemployment has forced millions of Filipinos to seek greener pastures abroad. Our economy, which was one of the most promising in Asia decades ago, is now among the poorest. And even if democracy has been restored with Marcos' ouster, the institutions that were his instruments during his tenure have not been dismantled.

People power left a legacy of shortcut democracy, the easy abandonment of legal processes in favor of removing unpopular leaders by mass protests. The year 2001 saw the ouster of ex-President Estrada after the collapse of his impeachment trial for corruption stirred the people to revolt.

President Arroyo's critics are now agitating for her removal using the same techniques used before. Yet, even if the conditions for another uprising are ripe, Filipinos have grown weary of people power as they have seen that changing political leadership without guarantees does not lead to long standing changes.

If Filipinos truly desire reform, solidarity is the solution. We need to sacrifice for the sake of our beloved country and learn some selflessness.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Another Tragedy ....

With the Ultra stampede still fresh in our minds, another tragedy has struck our poor country early Friday morning as heavy rains caused a major landslide in Southern Leyte, with the death toll expected to be in the thousands.

Massive search and rescue operations have been ongoing for the past days, with international assistance in this endeavor coming from the Americans, Malaysians and Taiwanese, to name a few. Although we remain optimistic that some lives could still be saved; unfortunately, this faint glimmer of hope slowly ebbs away as the days progress. We can only pray that the bodies of the deceased be recovered and given decent burial proceedings.

For the only Asian country that is predominantly Catholic and God-fearing, it is  understandable why certain Filipinos would think that God has deserted them. Year after year, the nation has continued to bury its own grave, as graft and corruption, plus political bickerings have grown worse. The  gap between the rich and the poor has widened, with the middle class nowhere to be seen.  The recent success of both boxer Manny Pacquiao and our SEA athletes lifted the spirits of our countrymen to a new high; however, these are short-lived and soon, we will be back in survival mode.

The year 2006 has barely began and we are already plagued by these terrible accidents. It is in these uncertain times that constant prayer is most needed. Even if we are beset with all these problems, we should never lose faith in Him, for He is all good and all knowing. He has a purpose in this world.

Amen.

Tragedy at the ULTRA

ABS-CBN's very popular game show "Wowowee" was turning a year old and their celebration was to be held at Pasig's ULTRA Arena last Saturday. Thousands of Filipinos from all walks of life had already camped outside the edifice since Thursday. They came in droves, both near and far, each aspiring to cash in on the show's various prizes.

What transpired that early Saturday was uneventful. For reasons yet to be explained, a stampede occurred, killing more than 70 people, mostly the elderly. Assistance came too late, as ambulances and other medical personnel got delayed entering the premises due to poor crowd control. To make matters worse, those who were present when the tragedy happened failed to deliver immediate medical aid to the victims.

The Arroyo government has started an investigation to this matter; however, as always, I really don't expect them to come up with any solution. Surely, it is hard to pinpoint who is accountable for this tragedy. But one this is certain ... driven by poverty, thousands of Filipinos showed up in Ultra with the desire to gain some financial windfall without batting an eyelash. "Wowowee" has become a top-rated show due to its popularity with the masses; unfortunately, its theme of getting cash and other awards from various sponsors and TFC subscribers then giving these to its fans leaves much to be desired. Even with its good intentions, it is just despicable to think that it has transformed the low-income family groups to beg.

The entertainment industry needs to come up with more quality shows that would highlight the Filipinos' best traits, instead of exposing its flaws. We Filipinos are known the world over for being hard workers with a seal of intelligence far better than other Asian neighbors. And even though our government and our politicians have betrayed us, we have survived and held our head up high.