Why can't the Philippines move forward?

Although the election campaign hasn’t officially started yet, we are already bombarded by TV and newsprint ads of famous political personalities promoting any product or cause just to have a name recall so that come May 2010 elections, the electorate might remember their names. Of course we know that it is premature campaigning and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seems to raise their hands in surrender that this is a loophole in their regulations that they can’t seem to plug because these people haven’t yet officially filed their certificates of candidacy in the Comelec. No doubt, Filipino politicians are a wily character who can get away with anything!

Last Friday, The Freeman came up with a different kind of advertisement, which did not say who paid for the ad. But it carried the black and white photograph of three already dead political personalities from the ’70s namely, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., Sen. Sergio “Serging” Osmena Jr. and Sen. Gerardo “Gerry” Roxas. Under that photo were the photos of the sons of the three political figures also in glorious black and white, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas.

Indeed, it was a great photo opportunity to show to the Cebuano electorate that the famous political figures of yesterday continues on with their sons who are running for the same political positions that their parents once tried to get, but was cut short by the declaration of Martial Law.

However, in my mind, that photo advertisement also reminds us Filipinos that after so many generations under the same political names, this country hasn’t really progressed. We are like the Israelites wandering aimlessly in the desert after Moses led them from the bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt. One of the questions that we’ve always asked ourselves is… why is it that despite the Filipinos’ unique ability to stand out in foreign countries, we cannot help ourselves or fix whatever is wrong in this country?

That photograph with Ninoy Aquino, Serging Osmeña and Gerry Roxas sort of gave me a eureka moment and made me realize that one of the reasons why we Filipinos have stagnated and cannot go forward is due to the fact that we always look back to the past. Before you misunderstand me, I submit that there is really nothing wrong in looking back at the past; after all, I pride myself as an armchair historian. However if and when we look at the past, it must be to learn from our past mistakes. That’s the way forward!

Remember in Genesis about Lot’s wife? She turned to salt because she looked back at the burning Sodom and Gomorrah. God punished her because she probably didn’t want to leave Sodom and Gomorrah. We Filipinos have been left behind even just against our ASEAN neighbors, except Burma because we just can’t look forward because we miss the old days.

I’m sure that if Sir Max Soliven were alive today, he’d have a grand time writing columns about our past and why we have stagnated because we always seem to bring in the same political names over and over and over! Perhaps we should look for new names and fresh faces instead of resurrecting old political names that brought only economic and political stagnation in this country. What this country really needs is a fresh face!

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Yesterday was the 3rd anniversary of the departure of Sir Maximo V. Soliven to life eternal. There is no question that we who were close to him, like Sir Arthur Lopez and Babes Romualdez miss him so much. Last year, I just happen to be in Narita, Tokyo near the Narita Airport as we were bringing the ashes of Sachiko Kono, mother of my brother-in-law Yuki Kono to be buried beside her husband’s ashes at the Narita Cemetery.

It was timely that we had Fr. Jack Serate, a fellow Cebuano who officiated the Holy Mass (Sachiko was baptized a Catholic and named Rosa Sienna) so I asked Fr. Serate to include a prayer for the soul of Sir Max while we were in Narita… so close to where Sir Max died so his soul could rest. Fr. Jack assured me that he would do so every death anniversary of Sir Max.

Call it timely that a book dedicated to Sir Max Soliven entitled “Purple Shades” written by Letty Jacinto-Lopez (the better half or our brother Sir Arthur Lopez) will be launched today at 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Tower Club. Her book shares the same title as that of her weekly column in the STAR “Purple Shades”. This is about her personal experience about life when she was assigned abroad and most especially her love for music. When Letty was asked “Why purple?” her reply was, “It shouts the need for every individual to be loved, in various degrees and shades.” While I’m in Dubai City as of this time, I’m sure that the friends of Sir Max will be there in full force, not only to help Letty launch her book, but to reminisce the days when Sir Max, a man whom we loved, was sharing his life and times with his family and friends.

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For email responses to this article, write to [email protected] or [email protected]. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.