Prayer Rally in Makati

March 21, 2008  --  Got something to say?
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Head Strike By Rene C. CalandriaBy Rene C. Calandria
The inter-faith rally in Makati last month was more of a political show rather than religious rituals among political junkies. Two former presidents, Corazon Aquino and Joseph Ejercito Estrada, showed up for the prayer rally only to talk about politics. I only laugh when I saw them on TV because these two ex-presidents are among the worst in Philippine history and politics. During their respective tenure as chief executive of the country, the economy was and did not do well until they left office.

President Corazon Aquinos term came after the People Power Movement of 1986. The people behind the movement (the Church and the military especially) were rewarded by government appointments for their effort in ousting the strongman and dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. A new Constitution was immediately drafted that year to replace Marcos 1973 Charter and in 1987 the Filipino people ratified the longest Constitution I have ever seen. Corys government was preoccupied with a new Constitution and I understand the urgency because that will ultimately legitimize her government and get rid of the shadows of the Marcoses. But Aquinos government is full of anger and hatred that she never have had a good economic plan for the country except to sequester the hidden wealth of the Marcoses, hence, creating a special agency called Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). Mrs. Aquino is a mathematician by profession but she never had the right formula to turn the economy 360 degrees. She was a very spiritual leader and no corruption charges were filed against her but the people who surrounded and worked for her have questionable character. Even the Church exploited her such that I have always doubted if there was separation of the Church and State during her tenure as President. Her presidency was spiritually strong but it was economically and militarily weak. She heavily relied on the Church and the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, then Archbishop of Manila, and had prayed hard to the God Almighty for guidance and strength. But there was no physical God to help her so her entire life in the Presidential Palace was marred by more coup d etat that any government could ever imagine.

President Joseph Erap Estrada, a high school drop out but won the presidency anyway because of his popularity as a movie star. But he was not new to politics when he ran for president. He was Mayor of San Juan for a long time and then Senator. Since he knows nothing about legislation so his term is Philippine Congress is a circus except for a vote to expel the Americans from Pampanga. Senator Erap was more of a clown rather than a legislator. There was no significant legislation to talk about and his most important role in the Senate was to co-sponsor and concur. When he was President, he pre-occupied his schedule with late night gambling and drinking. The jueteng scandal and his subsequent trial for plunder put an abrupt end to his political triumph in Malacanang.

These two ex-Presidents had no remarkable legacy to be proud of. Cory in her old age is trying to salvage her name and influence. I wonder if anybody is listening to her. She could not even influence Kris to be as spiritual as she is so why bother lecture the Filipino people with her spiritual hypocrisy. Erap is nothing but a noisy old man who has no moral authority to talk about what a good government is. He knows nothing about economics, the science of politics and the study of public administration and polity. Why the Filipino masses listen to him? I could only think of two reasons. First, the common people have no access to proper education and political literature so they are unaware of the issues. Second, they think Erap is a comedian in a special edition of Broadway show.

The nuns, seminarians and religious leaders in the prayer con political rally are but spiritual idiots and Pharisees. The Churchs participation and continued meddling into the affairs of the country appall me. It is to the best interest of the hierarchy of the Church to focus on their business rather than enter the world of politics. The priests (this is not a general statement though because there are indeed some who are holy) could not even control and discipline themselves so why attend to the business of the secular world. The Churchs doctrine on Preferential Option for the Poor is full of pretensions and loopholes so I doubt if these religious individuals have the necessary credentials to preach about the sanctimonious stature of politics. Needless to say, the Church is the richest corporation in the world. With this thought, I rest my case.

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