Erudition101

Salus Populi Est Suprema Lex (the welfare of the people is the supreme law) and Vox populi Vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of god). Those are time honored principles that warrants the so called parliament of the street. Majority rule is the first principle of democracy. Everyone who believes in democracy is bound to that rule and will abide by its results.

In the Philippines, in some of its blacker moments has shown that democracy can twist itself into tyranny of the many, can run to chaos and go mad; but in the long run, if it is given the long run, it usually runs generous and fair. The Filipinos did not appear to require a long run; the normal revolutionary process seemed edited for television.  Looking ahead, the world wants to see if the country can cast off violence, corruption, and controversies that preceded the presidency. For a stunning moment, however, the essential impulse stood for all to marvel at. There before your eyes a thought became a decision become a deed, with no other impetus than that a people realized they had a claim on their own souls, a claim that brought the Filipino people into the street.

There is something intoxicating about the sight of hundreds of thousands of Filipino civilians to the streets, protesting corruption, government controversies and irregularities, economic imperialism and demanding justice. Those thousands of Filipino people marching and waving placards become in our minds eye the physical manifestation of raw democracy. How can they be wrong? They are the people. And the people after all are democracy.

Try not to forget what you saw in the People Power I and II in Edsa, Manila. You say now that it would be impossible to forget: Filipinos armed with anger and frustration. Call that a revolution. The People Power is an interpretation of events that the people were driven by moral indignation. With People Power, the Filipinos demonstrated that they can change disgraced leaders with pressure from the streets within constitutional and legal methods and without shedding blood.

People should remain vigilant to preserve the gain of People Power and keep a tight watch against corruption in the government. Although People Power was gentle, inspiring revolution – but it has developed into bad Philippine habit. It is not right that every time there’s an issue out of political and economic aspect. Filipino will marching and staging protest and called for a step down of a president. Let us be careful in our actions because we are also responsible to its repercussion. I do believe that diplomatic way of negotiation should first be used than directly go into the street. But if it would be the last resort so be it.

Perhaps this represents confusion between democratic passions and the rule of law. Most likely, though, People Power has become its own institution, and one that seems monopolized by a certain clique (group). Crowds are likely to be the nicest mobs. They gave mobs a good name. People power has become an acceptable term for a troubling phenomenon: one that used to be known as mob rule.

“Filipino People is worth dying for”, said the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr., one law now channels the unswerving loyalty of all Filipinos to democracy and its ways. One political order will now govern the ways we work together: to strive for common goals as a people, and to resolve our remaining differences in peaceful and democratic passion. One duty, imposed by unquestionable command of the Filipino nation, binds us in all the efforts to preserve and protect our democracy.

The Philippines offered astonishment. Somewhere in the People’s minds, an insistent voice resides, murmuring the old familiar lines. Everyone counts. Everyone is responsible for the honor of his life.

How is freedon, so recently regained, to be preserved? “Freedom can be guaranteed only by ourselves,” Said the late Senator Claro M. Recto, “by our own vigilance, determination, wisdom, courage and readiness to make sacrifices. If our political rights are curtailed, it is because we allow it. If our economic position is insecure, it is because we have lacked the wit and the will to make it secure. If our social problem is unresolved, it is our fault. If we have no peace and order, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

The tradition and culture of the Filipino people prevails over its constitution. People Power are the Filipinos message that the exercise of raw democracy in the street is a necessary step to achieve a stable institutional democracy. A democratic charter tells for government of, by and for the people. By the people, acting wisely and fearlessly for justice and peace, for the nation, and for themselves.

Democracy is the worst form of government except all other forms of, said Churchill. That is, it is the best there is. With all its faults and still the best.