NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE
2012 was an extraordinary yet strange year for most of the people.
Ranging from celebrating the prestiegious olympics at London, of ex-CJ Corona's ouster through impeachment, of continuous crisis and criticisms towards the Aquino regime, of Obama's victory over Romney, to the hysterical "end of the world" that is, misinterpreting the message that "ends of an era" Mayans speaks of, everything that somehow people would rather speak with sarcasm.
But then, it was a great year for everyone so to speak, despite the shortcomings especially brought by the typhoons and the defeat of Manny Pacquiao by Juan Manuel Marquez, the Filipino showed rescilience long enough to withstand storms, criticisms, everything crap what the system tried to impose to its people-only to be given sarcasm other than resist.
But honestly speaking, despite all everything this writer said, the age-old spectres of crisis, poverty, injustice prevailed much that despite new buildings, innovations, and rising of GNP, GDP rates, same old issues remain at large such as the peasant question and inequitable sharing of wealth. Obviously, people's patience has becoming thin especially in regards to the privatization of hospitals by those who speak about "affordable health care" especially for the needy; quite strange to see same things and possibly to be sought next year, but hopingly not becoming worse.
Yet the fact that making ends meet is difficult despite government attempts to alleviate such as Conditional Cash Transfer program, yet aloof in regards to growing unemployment, peasant question, contentment in imports and even disregarding attempts to self-development such as industrialization and promotion of local enterprises in pursuit of saving jobs, it is much justifiable that people grow clamor against the system and not just the head of state-that somehow justifies direct, revolutionary action of the poor as necessary as a solution to the aggravating social crisis what those on high disregard much.
Anyways, in seeing such things creeping over in this society lies the fact that the ones on high rather keep the status quo and making fools out of everyone especially those who worked hard for their benefits such as social security, medicare and the like. Foreign investment is good though, but why not intensify local enterprise and agrarian reform to generate local-based jobs and local-based development? Aquino's "Righteous path" is somehow good to hear, but if that is fatal as a killer highway, what the heck is he talking about then? Righteous yet in actual full of corrupt officials and failed programs, aloof in agrarian reform by distributing hacienda Luisita directly to the peasants, it's not surprising that protests would intensify this coming year as inequity continues to prevail all over as evidenced by these.
After all, people tried to succeed, but if the system disregard these people by intensifying inequitability, perhaps the path itself isn't righteous contrary to the statement- thine society is backward despite the edifices, the paper programs, rising rates, yet the entire society remained agricultural and contented in imports? Well, it is true that this coming year, as long as same issues continue to creep over, it is true enough that the vast majority of people must raise their level of struggle; greater than ever, especially against oil price increases, wage freezes and the two-tier wage system, the demolition of urban poor communities, land grabbing, incursions of mining operations, the corporatization of public health service, the K to 12 program, the privatization of public schools and hospitals through so-called Public-Private Partnership programs, charter change efforts to embed IMF-imposed policies into the Philippine constitution and other attacks against their national and democratic interests.
Again, the third world, such as the Philippines rather emphasise the importance of self reliance despite having foreign investment as means of support, but coming to think that if change starts from the individual, why not as well the society? Discipine can be good though, but just to keep the status quo seemed to make people nothing at all except being compelled to content on such things far from aspirations, of reducing ideas into mere pipe dream being whined by many. For sure everyone noticed that despite paper reforms and modern buildings it's all but icings, toppings that covers an inconvenent truth such as inequity and repression.
That somehow requires a protracted struggle that encompasses the individual and the society. Limiting the individual as espoused by the ones on high isn't enough to solve everything, especially that next year's issues is as same as last year's.
As what the Conservative David Cameron said:
"We can look to the future with realism and optimism. Realism, because you can’t cure problems, that were decades in the making, overnight. There are no quick fixes and I wouldn’t claim otherwise. But we can be optimistic too because we are making tangible progress. We are doing what’s right for our country and what’s best for our children’s future. And nothing could be more important than that."
In other words, struggle is protracted in pursuit of every perennial problem; there may be various ideas acting as means to solve, but on the other hand, contrary to those who had done nothing, it ain't no dinner party or any kind of gimmick the way those on high are celebrating in Republiq club at Paranaque while the ones are suffering, that somehow this writer would ask this: "when will be the time people sing the Internationale in every street? For sure everyone should remember 2012 as the year of Occupy Wall Street- And next year perhaps would have new wave of occupiers all over the world as well!"
For now, with our glass-full of wine or soda raised, let's say "cheers to all" despite the crisis, and somehow this coming 2013 the struggle of the people will always prevail as envisioned by those who aspire for better living.
Dare to struggle, dare to win this 2013!