Missing the point

Pro-Unitary or pro-Federal, we would be missing the point if we simply blamed our dire situation on self-serving leaders. It is said, and correctly, that “it takes a neighborhood to raise a child.” Thus, all of us, leaders and followers alike, are only as good as how the “neighborhood” raised us.

We all have some family, went to some school and worshiped in some Church. We have to admit that these “neighborhood” institutions have so far generally constructed not only incompetent and corrupt leaders but also dumb followers that sheepishly allow themselves to be led to slaughter yet continue to elect who will be their next slaughterers.

At some point, therefore, we have to ask, and now is as good a time as any, what distorted sense of values in our upbringing produces leaders that are insensitive to the totally unacceptable squalid lives of millions of Filipinos that Netflix’s “Metro Manila” so truthfully and depressingly depicted? How can a self-styled Christian society produce amoral leaders that merely play political musical chairs amidst the squalor?

Similarly, what flawed upbringing has constructed us into a people that meekly suffer corrupt and selfish leaders yet stupidly continue to allow the very same leaders to take turns merely grandstanding in aid of re-election on the myriad dark corners in the lives of constituents?

Whatever the flaw is, it is making us into a dysfunctional society that is in dire need of a moral revolution more than anything else. Homes, churches (especially?) and schools need to radically change methods of raising children, educating youth and informing consciences in order to produce honest and service- oriented leaders as well as critical-thinking, creative, and vocal citizens that refuse to take any old crap from leaders.

Charter (structural) change will be meaningful only if it has provisions that afford the marginalized sector an effective voice in politics and a fair share in the economy. But that is precisely why meaningful charter change cannot come from a top that has so far been constructed to be content with their privileged place in society and just want things to remain the way they are.

That is also why the needed moral revolution to turn things around has to start from below, from marginalized followers. A step in this direction would be for them to demand that the federal constitution is not rushed by a constituent assembly, but deliberated on by people’s delegates so the new charter will contain self-executing provisions that give them a strong voice in government and a share in the nation’s patrimony.

The problem? A charismatic leader is needed but no one is in sight. Or are we perhaps looking the wrong way?