The Search for a Leader

It has been said that this young nation has had thirteen presidents but very few leaders. “The main, overpowering issue today besides poverty is leadership”, wrote the late Teddy Benigno. “And so we all look at President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to show the way, spit on both hands, rub rigorously like a front-line gladiator and come out fighting with cestus, broadsword, and all.”

“When a given style of production relations (feudalism) no longer supports further progress, revolution must occur,” communists declare. “Blood is necessary to cement the revolution”, Teddy Benigno quotes the Jacobins. The president he served, Corazon Aquino, had that very rare opportunity to effect radical changes in our society, to make right a country turned turtle without the obligatory bloodshed.  

As head of a revolutionary government, her word was law. A relieved nation and an applauding world would have allowed her momentary use of absolute powers, for all knew that there was much to accomplish: genuine land reform, the razing and rebuilding of a tired and corrupted bureaucracy, to name a few. “Without order, without law, without discipline”, says Benigno, “a nation cannot be built.” 

The opportunity was turned down with pride and flourish. 

Fidel Ramos, whose only known marketable distinction then was that he was general to a revolt, forswore recommendations from this writer and from others that he be less indulgent and more authoritative, assume the role more familiar to him. 

Instead, he embraced people empowerment.  

Well, that didn't work.

Those who voted for Bro. Eddie Villanueva did so because they saw hope in his face. I was astonished by the naiveté of media. They promoted ‘platform of government’ as the criterion in selecting a president. Everyday, media confronted the candidates, posing quicksand questions, wanting clear answers on issues like abortion, gambling, and the national debt. The elections must be about issues, they pompously demanded. They criticized the political ads as bereft of unambiguous stands and out-on-a-limb promises.