| UN experts investigating the Ampatuan Massacre | | | | arrangement, the trust placed on the governor of |
| in Maguindanao said today that the Philippines | | | | a province can almost be considered as blind |
| should have a major reform in the country and | | | | loyalty to a parent. But the same way that the |
| reflect "on the elite family-dominated manipulation | | | | people give their love to their governor like a |
| of the political processes and the need to | | | | father figure, they fear him as well, knowing full |
| eliminate such practices in order to assure the | | | | well that if the father is disobeyed they will be |
| future of democracy in the Philippines." They | | | | punished. |
| blame this bourgeoisie form of politics as one of | | | | Education and Poverty |
| the reasons why an incident like the Ampatuan | | | | In the Philippines, it is the moneyed that has the |
| Massacre could even happen. | | | | monopoly on education and opportunity. This being |
| I say, easier said than done. To be able to | | | | the case, those who are poor cannot afford to |
| achieve this, the very culture of the Philippines will | | | | get a good education and thus are blocked to any |
| have to change. The problem of the elite ruling | | | | opportunity to improve their lives. It is due to this, |
| and dominating the political process has so many | | | | that again they will have to trust those who |
| levels that go deep into the very psyche of the | | | | supposedly know what they are doing, and who |
| people. | | | | have the opportunity and the power to improve |
| The Underlying Feudal System | | | | the life of society. |
| What most people seem not to understand is | | | | At the same time, because of their lack of |
| that despite the seeming modernity of the | | | | education, they are oblivious to how superficial the |
| Philippines and vaunted democracy that it | | | | magnanimity their leaders have. Those in the end, |
| practices, it still essentially follows a feudal system | | | | the protection and the benefits are nothing more |
| where the landed elite has almost full control of | | | | than sugar coating to cover the corrupt activities |
| the region that they belong to. Nobody can | | | | that these politicians engage in. |
| contest it because only the bourgeoisie get the | | | | Apathy and Complacence |
| best education, the best jobs, and the capacity, | | | | On the other hand, it takes neither education nor |
| financially and politically, to run for office and the | | | | much intelligence to see the corruption in the |
| power and influence to supposedly impact change | | | | system. The biggest problem lies with the apathy |
| for the betterment of society. And like the | | | | and complacence of the people. They're too used |
| magnanimous landlord that they are expected to | | | | to corruption and as long as it does not affect |
| be, the constituents support their respective | | | | them directly they just won't bother changing the |
| landlords in the hopes that they will be taken | | | | system. It's basically a philosophy of "I already |
| cared off properly and rise alongside the success | | | | have enough problems going through life, I don't |
| of their patron, as long as they remain loyal and | | | | need anymore." |
| obedient. | | | | With this kind of backdrop, is it really surprising |
| Sense of Family/Regionalism | | | | that political leaders can literally get away with |
| The Philippines is made up of islands each of which | | | | murder? |
| have their own unique identity. As such, people | | | | So how does this end? Through Marxian conflict? |
| who belong to the same region have a tendency | | | | It won't even get there... unless you change the |
| to think more of their kababayans as brothers | | | | culture and the way the people think then |
| than the rest of the Philippines. Because people | | | | maybe... just maybe the exclusive manipulation of |
| coming from the same area look at each other | | | | the political process and that of government by |
| as family, the leader of that area then serves as | | | | elite families can end. |
| the parent of the whole region. In this kind of | | | | |