Many shows of protest are totally meaningless

After President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo survived an impeachment attempt, thousands of people took to the streets demanding that Gloria resign. The impeachment process clearly proved that there is no constitutional basis for the President to resign. Taking the issue to the streets is plain anarchy, meaning the complete absence of government. That is the ultimate disaster that can happen in our times. It will be worst than the disaster caused by hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Katrina destroyed only a city. Anarchy will affect our whole nation.

People who are demanding that Gloria step down from office do not even know who will take Gloria’s place. Constitutionally, it should be Vice President Noli de Castro. To the great credit of VP Noli de Castro, he has made it clear that he is in office to implement the 10-point agenda of Pres. Arroyo. But the anti-Gloria demonstrators have not even tackled the question of her replacement. Some talk about a transitional government, but obviously they themselves have no inkling as to the political personalities who would constitute this transitional administration.

There was a time when the country had two parties and both parties had their programs of government. Now, politicians can shift from one party to another, the way they change their shirts. We said earlier, President Macapagal Arroyo has a 10-point agenda. What is the alternative agenda of the opposition? The President also said that she is willing to step down if amendments to the Constitution call for it and strongly declared that it is time that the graft-ridden presidential system is replaced by a parliamentary-federal government.

Undoubtedly, the country has many serious problems. The thing is that we have many people who are not problem-oriented. When there is a problem, they don’t try to confront the problem and think of solutions to the problem. Instead, they ask "Who is to blame for the problems?" And they think that the solution is to remove the people in office who are to blame for the nation’s problems. Imagine if the Americans took that attitude with the disaster that hit New Orleans. What caused the problem? Hurricane Katrina. Why should the people in office be blamed? It is true that at the moment, we are not confronting any natural disaster problems. The problems we face are the implementation of the 10-point agenda of President Arroyo. Let us follow Vice President Noli de Castro’s example. Let us cooperate and help her implement her plans.

They are not problems that can be solved in the streets. As far as we are concerned, the "Gloria Step Down" demonstrations are just a form of anarchy. It is just political disorder and what we need is precisely order. Rallyists don’t tell us what they don’t want. They just say who they don’t want. Congress has already decided that there are no grounds to impeach Pres. Arroyo. The people should support that decision.