Where our problem lies

Four days ago, I listened to “Four Walls”, one of the great country songs in Jim Reeves’ long playing record Greatest Hits. I have long liked that song, really, but this time, I tried to imbibe deeper its lyrical message because I wanted to find out if it can have relevance to whatever is happening in the world today, more than 60 years from its composition. Somewhere in the middle of the song, these words hit me a little harder than before: “Sometimes I ask why I’m waiting but my walls have nothing to say.”

Something terribly wrong is happening in our country today. Parts of Philippine territorial sovereignty, specifically some of those islands located in the West Philippine Sea which the International Arbitral Tribunal declared as within our country’s exclusive economic zone, have been criminally seized and illegally occupied by Communist China. The Chinese have constructed facilities there for their warplanes to land and navy assets to dock in order to enforce their transgression. These invaders know that we do not have the kind of military force with which to contest their illegal acts even if doing so is designed only to assert our right.

In fact, just recently the coast guard assets of this godless country backed by insuperable navy muscle, trained water cannons against our hapless, small, and defenseless vessels that would have brought needed supplies to Filipinos in Ayungin shoal. What a dastardly act! When this incident happened, I waited for a corresponding move from our government but to recall Jim Reeves my walls had nothing to say.

I am sure that every Filipino knows about this intrusion into our country’s territory by the communists and they react with righteous anger. The seizure by the Chinese of the Philippine territorial domain in the West Philippine Sea is, after all, not a concealed fact. In truth, China itself openly sends its military forces to patrol the sea around these islands to legitimize its illegal usurpation. From their standpoint, military power still remains the ultimate form of power in world politics.

The Chinese display of superior firepower negates the value of the legal document declaring our sovereign rights over these islands. Its military might cows most of our countrymen to deafening silence. As an obvious effect of this show of Chinese military invincibility, many of us from our national leadership down the ordinary citizenry just do not care. It is lamentable to accept that while we have the paper, they have terra firma. Sa Binisaya pa, ato ang papel, ila ang yuta!

Our biggest problem in this struggle is the lack of leadership that prioritizes unity of action. No one has seized the opportunity to harness all our efforts and move in one direction. While many leaders have expressed their displeasure against China’s annexation of West Philippine Sea, others do not feel offended. I have just learned that many local officials instead of criticizing China for violating our territorial dignity, have promoted its interest. Instead of recalling our diplomats from Beijing to register our indignation, we are sending hordes of other officials to China. Why? I tried waiting for a reasonable explanation but my walls say nothing!