Originally posted on jedeva.multiply.com on July 13, 2005
As I write this, thousands of people have gathered in Makati for (according to the opposition) the "mother of all rallies."
I watched footage of the rally this afternoon. It looked impressive-- I haven't seen a rally that large in the heart of Makati in quite a while. Still, just from looking at the rally I could tell the numbers there still pale in comparison with those of EDSA II in 2001, and EDSA I in 1986. This despite the fact that this mobilization was organized by the parties that comprise the United Opposition, the Left, and a number of organizations that have joined the call for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation.
Why?
My cell phone may offer an explanation.
Since the opposition announced that they would hold a rally today, I've been waiting for a text message-- one exhorting me to go to Makati to help my country rid itself of the person who supposedly stole the presidency and is responsible for the rut our nation is in: GMA.
I'm still waiting for that text message.
In 2001, it was a different story. Text messages from all sorts of people-- my relatives, friends, brods, former comrades in the movement-- flooded my phone's inbox, all of them urging me to drag my ass to the EDSA Shrine so we could all tell Erap to drag his ass out of Malacañang.
I did that, went to the EDSA Shrine, and texted other people to do so. I did this, even though at that time I worked for the Central East Asia Growth Circle Program, an office under the Office of the President. I knew I would probably lose my job if Erap resigned, but I didn't care. A wrong was done, and at that time I felt the only thing that could right that wrong would be for me to do my share to convince Erap to step down.
But I digress.
My point is that I haven't gotten any text messages. Neither have my officemates. Neither have most of the people I know. The spontaneity that sparked EDSA II is absent in this crusade to oust GMA. Despite being in the heart of the Makati Central Business District and in the midst of thousands of workers, today's rally has-- as of this writing-- failed to draw the crowds similar to that of EDSA II.
Alex Magno, a political science professor from UP Diliman, doubts that GMA will be removed (or moved) by people power-like mobilizations calling for her resignation.
Will another people power uprising in the Philippines topple beleaguered President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? No. The political configuration just isn't right. There is anger but no infectious outrage. There is serious disappointment but no viable alternative leader. There is a lot of political heat but not enough to bring things to a boil. (Emphasis mine. Read the full article in Time Asia Magazine online.)
Many will probably attribute the dismal numbers of today's rally to people power fatigue. I think I may have a better explanation.
Erap was impeached, and many followed his trial intently, wondering if it would be possible for the law to catch someone supposedly beyond its reach. Many-- myself included-- already felt he was guilty, and the trial provided an opportunity to confirm what many of us already suspected: that Erap was a corrupt leader undeserving of his office. When the administration-controlled senate voted to seal an envelope that may have helped build the case against Erap, people were outraged because they saw a cover-up of epic proportions. So a response of epic proportions was what Erap got.
That isn't happening here. A lot of people believe GMA probably cheated in the last election, but there hasn't been an opportunity to confirm these suspicions, aside from the Gloriagate tapes. At this point, her impeachment-- or an independent, exhaustive inquiry into the facts of the case-- would be a more effective means to unseat GMA (that is, if the facts show that she is guilty of the crimes she allegedly committed). If the facts prove her guilt but she isn't impeached, I think you'll see a hell of a lot more people (myself included) troop to Makati.
Yes, a lot of competent people resigned from the cabinet last Friday. Yes, the Gloriagate tapes are suspicious. Yes, 4 out of 5 Filipinos (out of 300 individuals surveyed) believe GMA cheated in the 2004 elections. But these facts don't prove GMA's guilt. As Solita Monsod says in her column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Get Real, "Erap was treated better than this-- he was at least impeached so he had the chance to defend himself."
Find the facts that prove GMA's guilt, try her, then impeach her. If that doesn't work, then let the text messages fly.
As I write this, thousands of people have gathered in Makati for (according to the opposition) the "mother of all rallies."
I watched footage of the rally this afternoon. It looked impressive-- I haven't seen a rally that large in the heart of Makati in quite a while. Still, just from looking at the rally I could tell the numbers there still pale in comparison with those of EDSA II in 2001, and EDSA I in 1986. This despite the fact that this mobilization was organized by the parties that comprise the United Opposition, the Left, and a number of organizations that have joined the call for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation.
Why?
My cell phone may offer an explanation.
Since the opposition announced that they would hold a rally today, I've been waiting for a text message-- one exhorting me to go to Makati to help my country rid itself of the person who supposedly stole the presidency and is responsible for the rut our nation is in: GMA.
I'm still waiting for that text message.
In 2001, it was a different story. Text messages from all sorts of people-- my relatives, friends, brods, former comrades in the movement-- flooded my phone's inbox, all of them urging me to drag my ass to the EDSA Shrine so we could all tell Erap to drag his ass out of Malacañang.
I did that, went to the EDSA Shrine, and texted other people to do so. I did this, even though at that time I worked for the Central East Asia Growth Circle Program, an office under the Office of the President. I knew I would probably lose my job if Erap resigned, but I didn't care. A wrong was done, and at that time I felt the only thing that could right that wrong would be for me to do my share to convince Erap to step down.
But I digress.
My point is that I haven't gotten any text messages. Neither have my officemates. Neither have most of the people I know. The spontaneity that sparked EDSA II is absent in this crusade to oust GMA. Despite being in the heart of the Makati Central Business District and in the midst of thousands of workers, today's rally has-- as of this writing-- failed to draw the crowds similar to that of EDSA II.
Alex Magno, a political science professor from UP Diliman, doubts that GMA will be removed (or moved) by people power-like mobilizations calling for her resignation.
Will another people power uprising in the Philippines topple beleaguered President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? No. The political configuration just isn't right. There is anger but no infectious outrage. There is serious disappointment but no viable alternative leader. There is a lot of political heat but not enough to bring things to a boil. (Emphasis mine. Read the full article in Time Asia Magazine online.)
Many will probably attribute the dismal numbers of today's rally to people power fatigue. I think I may have a better explanation.
Erap was impeached, and many followed his trial intently, wondering if it would be possible for the law to catch someone supposedly beyond its reach. Many-- myself included-- already felt he was guilty, and the trial provided an opportunity to confirm what many of us already suspected: that Erap was a corrupt leader undeserving of his office. When the administration-controlled senate voted to seal an envelope that may have helped build the case against Erap, people were outraged because they saw a cover-up of epic proportions. So a response of epic proportions was what Erap got.
That isn't happening here. A lot of people believe GMA probably cheated in the last election, but there hasn't been an opportunity to confirm these suspicions, aside from the Gloriagate tapes. At this point, her impeachment-- or an independent, exhaustive inquiry into the facts of the case-- would be a more effective means to unseat GMA (that is, if the facts show that she is guilty of the crimes she allegedly committed). If the facts prove her guilt but she isn't impeached, I think you'll see a hell of a lot more people (myself included) troop to Makati.
Yes, a lot of competent people resigned from the cabinet last Friday. Yes, the Gloriagate tapes are suspicious. Yes, 4 out of 5 Filipinos (out of 300 individuals surveyed) believe GMA cheated in the 2004 elections. But these facts don't prove GMA's guilt. As Solita Monsod says in her column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Get Real, "Erap was treated better than this-- he was at least impeached so he had the chance to defend himself."
Find the facts that prove GMA's guilt, try her, then impeach her. If that doesn't work, then let the text messages fly.
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