Filipinos delude themselves with imagined boons, deeds

Raphael P.M. Lotilla is one of the brilliant products of the University of the Philippines-Diliman in the early 80s. He was a campus leader and editor of the student organ. After earning undergrad degrees in psychology and history, he went on to UP Law and the University of Michigan Law School (master’s). His legal specializations span from constitutional to corporate to international law. As well his experience ranges from being Senate consultant on foreign relations to economic undersecretary to energy secretary. He teaches law and at the same time advances environment protection through legal action.

Nominated for the Chief Justiceship, Lotilla declined. People who know him understand his patriotism, integrity, and modesty in doing so:

“I have considered thoroughly the nomination that you have submitted to the Judicial and Bar Council, and I can only express to you my sincere thanks, but regretfully have to decline.

“In the past, I took the position that in a highly politicized context as in the Philippines, appointment to the office of the Chief Justice based on seniority is a tradition that minimizes the jockeying for appointment from within and outside of the Court. I still have to be convinced of the wisdom of departing from that view.

“Without any legal compulsion behind it, this tradition was, in instances few and far between, set aside. But, time and again, its restoration has been welcomed with relief, like a lost valued symbol of character regained anew. Today, we have an opportunity to restore the tradition — or completely to overturn it. It reminds me of a story told, apocryphal perhaps, that the much venerated Justice Jose B.L. Reyes — who was older in age but less senior in tenure in the Court than the respected Roberto Concepcion — was considered for appointment as CJ to allow him to occupy the Court’s highest position. J.B.L., it is said, would have none of it.

“The tradition of seniority has a way of muting political ambitions and insulates to some degree the office of Chief Justice from the patronato system. Over the long term, particularly under future presidencies whose virtues we are unable to anticipate at this point, adherence to the principle of seniority may still be our best option. Restoration of the tradition, which is entirely of Philippine innovation, would then shift the national focus to the quality of every future appointment to the Court, and away from the position solely of the Chief Justice. Would not this be in better keeping with the collegial character of the Republic’s Supreme Court?

“I suggest that only for overwhelming reasons, such as the inability of the incumbent members of the Court to redeem themselves and the institution, should we consider appointing from outside of the Court. Whether these weighty considerations exist, the appointing power can be a better judge from the unobstructed view of the leader’s lair. But my own individual assessment is colored with undisguised optimism: that the members of the Court, individually and as a collective, have distilled from recent experience lessons of primordial import for rebuilding and strengthening national institutions including the Court itself.

“Wishing you all the best with a reiteration of my profound thanks.”

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We Filipinos love to pat ourselves on the back for imagined boons and deeds — so end up misleading ourselves.

Like, we claim to be blessed with the most fertile soil, when in truth ours is nothing compared to Java’s. Meantime, we breed a Juan Tamad illusion of feeding ourselves without industrious planting. Or of our seas yielding bountiful catch in spite of repeated dynamiting. Or our denuded forests replenishing themselves.

Another fallacy is that the Philippines has such great scientists and inventors. If that is so, then how come we have not sent a man to the moon, much less built a cruise missile to deter alien squatting on our shoals? Why do we not have a steel industry, from which to fabricate a true Filipino car, or giant sea sluices to keep floodwaters out like in The Netherlands? NASA does have Filipino-born engineers, and other technologists are scattered all over Europe, Australia, and Asia. But we have lost them to meritocratic societies that value skill rather than right connection. We can no longer claim them to be ours, while also letting thrive the intellectually stunting system.

Speaking of floodwaters, the 12-kilometer Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela Dike is a monumental fiasco. It cost P5.5 billion and took a decade to build, but is not preventing floods because of engineering flaws. To begin with, it did not reach the minimum effective height of 12.5 meters, so water just spills from a flood-saved district to an unprotected one. The final cost and construction time were double the original projections — all for naught.

Another civil-engineering flop is the new rotunda at the entrance of Fairview district, Quezon City. The smart designer made it not round, in keeping with international standards, but oval. During rush hours it chokes vehicular traffic. At night speeding trucks and buses crash onto the protruding sides of the world’s only oblong circle.

Countless other engineering bombs abound nationwide: bridges collapsing before completion, sharp highway curves with no banking, road lanes that disappear into overpass columns, and urban expansions without sewerage.

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Modern trends have a way of assaulting tradition. Overindulgence in techno-gadgets, overseas work, and materialism can tear apart old family ties. Happily there are counter-movements, like Jollibee’s Family Values Awards. Now on its second year, the project fetes model Filipino families whose strong binds and admirable qualities inspire their communities.

The five winning families of this year’s search will each receive a trophy designed by renowned brass sculptor Michael Cacnio. As well, round-trip plane tickets to any Airphil destination and P100,000 cash.

Details of the search and nomination forms are available free in all Jollibee outlets. Or download from the website, www.jollibee.com.ph. Submission deadline is August 31, 2012.

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