Not only referring to the “Fear Not, Change is Coming” campaign slogan by President Rodrigo Duterte, but with what we still have today, considering oligarchs and dynasties are supposed to be disbanded in a year or so. However, they are still in effective control of the House of Representatives, the Senate, national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and other government entities.
Many believe the current local political and economic conditions are the same as in past administrations, despite voting in a feisty and self-declared socialist.
Corruption and bureaucratic practices were supposed to end within six month, yet, from the national level down to LGUs, it has gotten worse. The old crooks continue to loot government coffers and a number of presidential appointees, along with the people they bring in, have been caught in various controversies and anomalies.
The president continues to appoint and fire officials – it’s become a “regular” practice.
As he tolerates the practices of the powerful Commission of Appointments, which is ruled by old and new oligarchs and dynasties and used to reject good officials and affirm those they perceive as their allies or useful to their brand of politics, the campaign to end illegal drugs is turning more violent. The poor are being killed while the big drug syndicates, financiers, and protectors continue their trade; emboldened because of their connections with government officials, police and military generals, and local politicians.
Millions in taxpayer money has been spent on two “Oplan Tokhang” campaigns; community-based intelligence monitoring programs like Masa Masid, Bantay Bayan, and the drop box system; among others, yet the illegal drug problem is only getting worse, with more drug personalities, varieties of drugs, and complex drug networks being discovered.
Improvements in the delivery of public services were supposed to take effect within the first six months of the Duterte administration. While it succeeded in some cases, it fell short in many ways. When the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was under former Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, there was a significant breakthrough in the delivery of services to Super Typhoon Yolanda victims, along with other calamities.
There were also achievements with former Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez, National Anti-Poverty Commission chair Liza Maza, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Silvestre Bello III, DOLE Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod, along with a few others.
There have also been improvements to public education; however, basic services like health, education, housing, agrarian reform, environmental policy, labor, transportation, and communication are still highly commercialized, anti-development, and anti-poor.
Ending contractualization and increases wages was one of the president’s top campaign promises, yet nothing substantive have been done to this day.
His much-touted promise to pursue national development, founded on the democratization of lands and resources and a balanced development of agriculture and industries, both rural and urban, has become nothing more than “Build, Build, Build,” where infrastructure is constructed through loans and donations.
The supposed inclusive development has turned into mere economic growth without equity, significant jobs, nor substantive change to the basic economic structure.
The Tax Reformation for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law is a classic manifestation of the kind of economic framework that further enhances the rich and weakens the already majority poor.
Separatist wars, communist insurgency, and terrorism are expected to progress. Peace talks were terminated after making progress in charting out important agreements. The campaign for peace has turned into a campaign of violence and suppression.
In addition, the war on terror has turned into a war against armed revolutionaries and critics of the Duterte administration.
While the Philippines is support to exercise its independence and national sovereignty, US troops and warships still come and go throughout the country and supply military equipment. At the same time, Duterte is engaging other superpowers, China, Russia, Japan and India, to acquire more military and economic support, along with gigantic loans.
Sovereignty has become a lip service. It is mendicancy and subservience under the guise of “creative non-aligned diplomacy” becoming the rules of engagement.
The shift to federalism is supposed to take place in 2022, after Duterte is out of office. However, the oligarchs and dynasties, represented by their arrogant, bullying, and oppressive representatives in the House and Senate, are concocting schemes to speed up the implementation of their brand of “Charter Change” and a federal system where their reign and interests are effectively guaranteed.
Public empowerment and participatory governance is supposed to be one of the flagship programs of the new administration. Yet, beyond Executive Order No. 9, which created the Office of Participatory Governance under the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, government agencies are still not conducive and responsive to public participation.
Even the ruling political party has turned from a liberal democratic and nationalist party to a party of the oligarchs, political expedients, and political butterflies.
People on the ground keep on asking, has change come? Others quipped, is change still coming?
I say: Yes and No.
Yes, some reforms have undeniably taken place.
No, because our skewed economic structure; liberal political system dominated and ruled by the oligarchs and dynasties; and the control of multinational corporations and superpowers, led by the US, remain substantially the same.
The question should be, what kind of change are we talking about? Who will bring about change?
If some are satisfied with the present, with all its cosmetic reforms and grandiose promises, then, so be it – bear the price of such contentment. However, if others are looking to introduce a system founded on the genuine redistribution of land, agricultural development, a national industrialization program, nationalization of resources and industries, ensuring Filipino businessmen take the pilot seat of economic development planning and management, then they must prepare for a long haul struggle.
If one believes change comes from the top, they should prepare for the worst.
If one believes real social change comes from the people themselves, they should work harder and smarter to develop a necessary strength in organizing.
Some changes are initiated from the top and they benefit the favored, maintain order, and do not last long.
Some changes are pushed from the ground up; they shake the foundation and eventually seize power and create a new order.
However, regardless of one’s philosophy on change, change is bound to happen. Such motion is founded on the belief there is something more desirable then the present.
So, I say again, fear not, change is far from coming; but, please, do something better for this country./WDJ