Combating ideologies with wrong weapons

Congress repealed the Anti-Subversion Law in 1992 in the midst of euphoria. Democracy was recovering with general elections after 14 years of dictatorship; the economy was rising from martial law dormancy. Peace talks with the Communist Party were in full swing; New People’s Army rebels were coming down from the hills for gainful work. Suddenly incongruous with the state of affairs was a law that for four decades had outlawed supposed "foreign ideas" like communism. That America or Europe never banned such thinking, even though communists treated "US-Western imperialism" as principal foe, said something about free thought. That Russia and China were hopping onto the global merry-go-round spoke millions about free enterprise. There was no more, never any, need to jail citizens for mere membership in a party, no matter how dreaded. The only way to kill a good idea, as communism had seemed to be against Marcos’s military-backed crony capitalism, was to come up with a better one. Let communism vie in the free market of beliefs, legislators came to agree. Only bearing arms against the State, or inciting others to do so, would remain unlawful.

Expectations were high, though. Democracy should lead to greater public say in State affairs, and economic growth should redistribute wealth. The military henceforth would play a secondary role in counterinsurgency, next to the delivery of basic services like water, education and land reform. But that did not happen. Politics got stuck in local and national dynasties, empowering even more the already powerful. The economy stumbled from corruption (for which RP is now No. 1 in Asia). And civilian agencies gave up their lead, leaving the military, which itself was rotting from graft at the top, still at the forefront.

Untrained in legal and police work that are parts of the democratic process, the army began to see red in every dissent. Perhaps the generals were right to suspect that Leftist lawmakers had abused parliamentary power by funneling pork barrel to remnant rebel forces. But they didn’t gather evidence. Instead they started killing aboveground activists for mouthing communist ideas that are lawful anyway since 1992.

And now, because of the utter failure of the system, they want to re-impose army-like uniform thinking with a new Anti-Subversion Law.

* * *

Here’s an update on Nadya Sauza, the high school science champ from Western Visayas for research on "Bio-diesel from Waste Animal Fats in a Meat Processing Plant." She unfairly was kicked out of the national finals by unscientific palabunutan (drawing of lots) because regional officials mistakenly had sent not only two but four finalists (Gotcha, 19 Feb. 2007). Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap, a believer in fresh ideas, took an interest in the study and asked Nadya to present it to the National Meat Inspection Board.

They have yet to meet. But agriculture officials have visited Nadya’s school, Aklan State University, for documents. ASU president Dr. Benny Palma and Nadya’s science coach Dr. Mary Eden Teruel will test-run the extraction of fats and conversion into motor fuel. Nadya’s parents’ meat factory, where she made her first experiments, will serve as project center. It will be a community affair, with the environmentalist PINA Foundation organizing households, and collecting waste fats and used cooking oil.

Nadya’s work could soon become a technological and environmental turning point for the country.

* * *

In truth, the churning animal fat and used cooking oil into motor fuel is not new. Earth lovers in North America have been putting up conversion kits the size of gas ranges in backyards as their contribution to saving the planet. Animal fat is a renewable resource; recycling cooking oil lessens waste and production in smoke-belching factories. What makes Nadya’s work valuable is that it is the first in the country to promote such reuse by meat factories and entire neighborhoods.

Much earlier Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the internal combustion engine, advocated renewable sources in lieu of fossil fuels. His words in the early 1900s were prophetic: "The use of vegetable oils for engine fuel may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products at present."

Fossil fuels have become costlier to mine. Their use by millions of cars and factories is heating up oceans and poisoning the air. Vegetable — and animal — fats have become among the most viable alternatives because cheaper in the long run and earth-friendly.

One reason bio-diesel making has not picked up, despite incentives from the Bio-Fuels Act, is that copra from coconut is selling at top prices today. But wait till jatropha (tuba-tuba) nuts come into use. Gasohol from sugar cane hasn’t picked up too because car owners wrongly think it’s unsafe. Wait till they try out the fuel-saving and engine-boosting benefits.

* * *

E-mail: [email protected]