Recommendations to rebuild and renew

Last Monday, March 29, the UNESCO Philippines released their policy recommendations to the standard-bearers of each party. All presidential and vice-presidential candidates were challenged by the UNESCO Philippines to start formulating policies and plans geared towards, as the UNESCO says, bridging the gap between what is and what should be. It is our hope that the candidates take these recommendations seriously.

Contained within the twelve-page paper are policy recommendations covering environmental sustain-ability, heritage conservation, the implementation of a Freedom of Information Act, education reform, macroeconomic policies, cultural development and more. In their way, they offer a roadmap for renewing the oldest democracy in Asia. The hope is that the candidates will begin to think, not of what to do to win the elections, but what comes afterwards. No matter who wins, the problems facing the country have reached an apolitical and non-partisan level. We fully support the policy recommendations of UNESCO Philippines.

Apolinario Mabini wrote that, “Freedom is the right to do only good, not evil.” Sadly, many of our so-called leaders, for decades, have been taking liberties with the freedoms that were granted them. They have abused public trust and placed self-centered (selfish) interests above national interest. The result has been the steady decline of Philippine society since the 1960s. Now our public education system compared to Zambia in Africa, when once we were one of the leaders in Asian education. We are letting generations of Filipinos down. It is important to remember, as Mabini warned in the 19th century, that having freedom is not license to do as we please. The ramifications, especially by those who are entrusted with government power and leadership responsibility, are not limited to the short-term.

The truth is we have a legacy of great thinkers in our history: Thinkers and enlightened individuals who dreamed of a better Philippines and a better life for all Filipinos. They also went beyond just thinking about what to do; they lived and died in pursuit of that dream. The policy recommendations touch on the importance of our culture and history in national development. In education, too often we focus on the names, dates and places of Philippine history. Our history is more than that; it is understanding what our forebears were thinking and what they were attempting to accomplish and create. Education, and a deeper understanding of our history, will help students develop critical and analytical thinking. And in developing a deeper understanding of our history, we can draw strength from it. History and culture are binding and empowering forces throughout a country. If anything, this is one of the most important aspects of the policy recommendations: Renewing the country through cultural ties and education.

Six years is not enough time to fix all of the Philippines’ problems. However, six years is enough time to lay the groundwork and institute reforms to create a better Philippines. That is what the UNESCO Policy Recommendations are trying to achieve in their challenge: To get our leaders to think beyond May 10, beyond their six year term and consider what can be done for Filipinos in ten years, twelve years and beyond. What we do today is not for us, but for the generations to come.

The UNESCO policy recommendations end with: “The success and strength of a sustainable future lie in the internal and the external transformation of people and societies, of citizens and nations. We appeal to you who seek to lead: Set the example for positive transformation. Anchor your action on a Knowledge-based Society that values learning throughout a lifetime. Anchor your action on the promotion of a Philippine culture that is a lasting legacy of excellence and nobleness in all we make and in all we do.”