Amend the heart, not the Constitution

What is good is considered bad if it is done at the oddest of times, with ill/questionable intentions.

If the people had reasons to oppose Cha-cha (Charter change) in the past, I wonder what sort of untested vaccine did our officials inject into their system that they now seem to exhibit some serious side effects, trying to amend our Constitution at this juncture, hurriedly at that.

With their abruptness to amend the Charter, our legislators are more like villains than heroes in “Mission Impossible” flicks. Given the current pandemic situation, nothing can be more telling about their motives, to let us know that the people’s welfare is not their main agenda, but their individual and collective political interests, at the beck and call of their political ambitions.

Amend the heart, not the Constitution.

Politics appears to be still at the core of much of what is being done in the corridors of power despite the continuing COVID pandemic we are confronted with. “Kickvac” is getting to be more popular nowadays than Sinovac among the crooks, for them to steal from the sick, hungry and dying at this time of great national crisis.

Indeed, self-absorption and corruption among our officials are at the root of politics being always at the root of our problems as a people and nation. They need our prayers, yes, but also our voice (and courage).

Some strange issues that crop up every so often are mere sidetracking issues or tunes to draw people’s attention away from the real/main issues. It is the same old tune played by previous administrations. Consider the recent sudden termination of the 31-year-old security pact between the University of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense.

Our leaders should be pleased and grateful that the principle of checks and balances still works in our midst through free speech and a few nonpartisan statesmen in government to essentially help, assist and support in the task of good governance.

After all, free media or free speech and the independent stand of “free officials” are where much of the beauty and wonder of democracy lie, and wherein unclouded light and direction (free of politics) are obtained for the misguided – toward a bright, desirable and happy tomorrow for every Filipino.

A single dissenting voice from a wellmeaning critic is more to be desired than the “hallelujah” chorus by a choir of fawning parasites.

– RENI M. VALENZUELA, renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com