To my Fellow Filipino,

I have good news and bad news for you!  The good news is that WE ARE NUMBER ONE.  The bad news is NUMBER ONE CORRUPT COUNTRY IN THE FAR EAST. 

As student of Success University, I have learned to think positively and this is why I am able to shrug off the horrendous things that are happening in the Philippines. One does not have to be in the Philippines to learn about these things.   The ABS-CBN TFC gives every Filipino who lives abroad a constant reminder of the decadence we have dug ourselves in.

The killings, the drug addiction, the rapes and the abject poverty of the common Tao have uncontrollably spiraled into an abyss.  Many Filipinos of my generation cannot believe how our society has degenerated this badly.  I, as a former teacher in the Philippines, and the other teachers of my generation and those before us, could not believe how the once kind, helpful, courteous and well behaved students we had could turn out citizens like what we have now.

We were the people who introduced People Power to the world when we toppled Ferdinand Marcos!  Even now, we are producing graduates in Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Teaching and other disciplines who are employed by other countries in the world.  Many are leaving not because they do not love their country but because they are looking for greener pastures.  We cannot blame them for that.

My point is, we have the human resources and the natural character to succeed but where have we gone wrong?

As a people, we are resilient and have strong sense of humour.  We bend and bounce back after natural calamities.  We have been, directly or indirectly, hurt and many times devastated by corrupt politicians and still we bounce back.  To top these all, we can laugh at ourselves and the pain either lessens or goes.

Yes, we are resilient.  Yes, we have great sense of humour.  However, these two good traits have led us nowhere.  We just keep taking the punches.  There must be an end to this decadence.  We owe it to our children and their children to be proud of their country.

We cannot allow the masses to lose hope in the future.  We cannot just philosophise and accept the status quo because we believe that there is no one else to put at the helm.  Many Filipinos, in the Philippines and abroad have resigned to the idea that all politicians are corrupt. This is where they are wrong.  Many of our politicians joined politics not to enrich themselves.  They had genuine concern for our country and our people.  However, when they got into it, they got sucked by a powerful force like a black hole in the universe.  A force, so strong and enticing, that no one could resist.

Our seasoned politicians and their families have passed on their control over their constituents just like the way kings and queens bequeath their thrones over to their descendants.  They have stayed in power from generation to generation.  

There must be something wrong with our political system.  The people are basically good, even the politicians.  But our system breeds corrupt politicians.  Our system condones graft and corruption.  It has no system of check and balance.

These graft and corrupt practices touch everyone’s life from the rich to the poor, most especially the poor.   They have no cushion to fall on.  So, if they have become more corrupt than the politicians, it is because the society made them so.

We still have strong extended family system.  We still have children who respect their parents and elders.  We still have parents who dream of their children acquiring good education so they can better themselves and have the comfortable life that was denied them.  We all still believe in a just and loving God.  So, where have we gone wrong and what can we do?

We, in the PHILIPPINE JURY INITIATIVE (PJI or PhilJury), believe that what our country  needs is a fundamental change in the judicial system.  We need a system that is run by the people and answerable to the people.

We are a charitable, non-governmental, non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-violent organization.  Let us tell everyone about the Jury System.  Teachers tell your students.  Leaders tell your members.  Parents tell your children.  Let us tell everyone. Contact us and do a Signature Campaign in your own localities.

 

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

 

Sincerely yours,

Daisy