Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Voice of Unity

I grew up thinking the world revolves only around the affluent, the rich and the influential. I grew up thinking we in the rural, ethnic, marginalized societies will remain as we have always been—unheard of, unnoticed, neglected. My parents, even grandparents, all succumbed to the submission that we will remain invisible to the eyes of the country’s leaders. Worse, they had to fight countless inequities and injustice, only to end up ironically, they still remained disadvantaged.

It’s been more than three presidencies and we are still in the same shadow. Which makes me think: will we stay here for the rest of our lives?

But a few weeks ago I had my hopes see some spark. Someone as larger-than-life as Loren Legarda took the stage to announce, very well candidly, that her candidacy does not only mean a journey to victory.

She assured that in the midst of all the noise and secret whispers, the interests of a cooperative versus a mayor’s, that of a local party leader needing campaign fund for a political post versus that of a small farmers’ group, in the midst of threats from political interest groups of withdrawal of support if their leaders are not given funds—despite all these, she will listen and be the voice of truth, parity and kindness.

She believes those who manage the commons have reason to work together for the benefit of the majority. Her decision-making on issues like agriculture and environment reflects the needs for our cooperatives and farmers’ associations to prepare us for the future. She strongly advocates to teach farmers and fisherfolk in the most productive and sustainable way, and to channel resources to the farm management mechanism to integrate fragmented landholdings and attain economies of scale in production and marketing. She believes that we all can work through a collaborative action. This alone gives me a feeling of hope that she believes in the potential for greatness that every Filipino has.

Loren also believes that the root of all evil in the society lies within the smallest selfish motives of even the most ordinary citizen, which boils down to depriving others of the truth and justice. On the other hand, she pushes for an attitude than marks the tapping of everyone’s innate goodness as a milestone to attaining small achievements. Collectively, all these ‘small’ achievements will collate into one big success. Hence eventually, our society will slowly but continuously rise from the Black Hole of poverty and corruption. Loren believes that just as we have to be responsible for our own actions, we also have to be responsible to and with each other. After all, one’s failure is everyone’s downfall in the long run. Again, collectivity.

I am confident that one whisper to Loren from me will not be in vain because I know she will listen. Not just to my one voice, but to everyone else’s—irrespective of the perspective. And with this, I am equally confident that she as a leader and as person will make wise, fair and learned judgments that will benefit the majority not only because that is her obligation as a legislator and public official. She will do so because as a person, she knows very well that the dynamics of an entire country is easily likened to the minutest group wherein every voice counts.

There is hope, at least for me and my family, that she will listen to us and to all Filipinos. I am optimistic that she will be the voice of unity.


Source:
http://climatewatchphilippines.blogspot.com/2009/11/voice-of-unity.html

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