Prof blackshama got me thinking with his piece on Michael Jackson’s ghostly apparition at Neverland as a live report on the recently deceased King of Pop was airing on CNN’s Larry King Live.
Indeed we can only contemplate how people behave after the soul separates from its earthly vessel but have not yet quite tied up the loose ends they left in the temporal world.
We Filipinos even have a term for it – ang pagpaparamdam (literally ‘making one’s presence felt) to those the departed feels close to and in whose affairs they’ve had played significant role in, or influence on.
In our own political firmament, political ghost haunting us is perhaps that of Ferdinand Edralin Marcos.
As hispreserved mortal remains have stayed unburied, so has his impact on the Filipino political psyche remained: the politization, the bata-bata system in the military, the payolas for legislative lapdogs, and yes, deeply-rooted corruption in public service – all motivated by the pursuit of survivalist political goals and inordinate need to accumulate material wealth: brazen, ‘un-moderated’ greed.
The political genius that Marcos was, he left us with formulae on “constitutional authoritarianism”, charter change,bogus ambushes and curiously sequenced bombings to feed public insecurity.
In the end one can say even People Power is Marcos’ sole positive legacy, so much so that Filipinos have found use for it not once, but twice, to rid themselves of unwanted leaders.
But if our polity will truly mature, Filipinos must exorcise the political ghosts in our midst.
For the purveyors of transactional, corrupt, and oppressive misgovernance, let their machinations to illegally retain power be thwarted by our commitment to the rule of law.
On May 10, 2010 Filipinos need to stop voting on the basis of political favors and the put-on charisma of traditional politicians and pick the next President, Senators,and Representatives on the basis of their vision and platform of governance.
Then the haunting will end.
No tags for this post.
When Mrs Aquino goes, her ghost will haunt us together with that of Apo Ferdinand. While it is indeed that she had an extremely difficult time reversing the effects of Apo Ferdinand’ rule, she did manage to reinstate the ghosts that Apo Ferdinand was trying to exorcise Philippine society of.
The first thing we have to do is to exorcise the ghosts of EDSA I and the spectres of EDSA 2 and EDSA 3 which brought up these horrors and including Marcos. The first step involves making sure that the current Malacanang tenant clears her desk by 12 noon of June 30 next year. (Corollary to this we have to make sure the actor-president is no longer allowed to produce a sequel to his greatest flop) The second step is to change in entirety least amend the 1987 Constitution via an elected constitutional convention. We have to make sure that we don’t do a Mrs Aquino here and miss out on radical reforms. In short we need a revolution. We still have the chance to choose whether this will take a peaceful or violent route. I prefer the former.
We have quite a lot on our plate, huh Prof?
Consign EDSA 1,2,3, GMA, FM, Cory Aquino, Erap to history!
there’s a pragmatic solution to the problem that FM as a former president, is entitled to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, because sections of it are reserved for former high officials. That portion could be renamed something else, and the Bayani portion restricted to the portion for veterans (but then FM was a veteran, too).
Manolo,
Indeed the matter of Marcos being buried on hallowed ground is an issue that will need resolution if Filipino society hopes to move on.
The debate on this, however, has perhaps remained in the backburner because of the current Con-Ass fixation.
You think is a ’scratch my back’ card for Cong. Romualdez?
Not with Imeldific still around! Russia moved on since none of the Romanovs are still in power and the Bolshevik regicides and their horrible Soviet successors have been consigned into the rubbish bin. There are Romanovs and Communists still, but they are all fringe!
The late Marcos knew the vulnerabilities of the Filipinos. He knew their weaknesses. I know he studied the History of the NAZI Third Reich political tactics and strategies. The scenarios of his Matial Law declaration and implementation were an almost the same as when Hitler of Germany grabed power.
This scenario was repeated in Iraq by Saddam Hussein with his Baathist Party. It is easy to recognize it, if you are a good student
of History.
This is the reason we have to inform our people, especially the Young
Filipinos of this kind of political scam. Political Scammers come and
go. But their tactics and strategies are the same.
DO NOT USE YOUR EMOTION IN CHOOSING OR VOTING FOR OUR LEADERS.
USE YOUR EYES AND YOUR COMMON SENSE.
DO NOT LISTEN TO PAID POLITICAL SALESPEOPLE SELLING CANDIDATES.
“… bata bata system in the military, payolas for legislative lapdogs, deeply-rooted corruption in public service”
“… pursuit of survivalist political goals, inordinate need to accumulate material wealth” brazen, unmoderated greed”
Are these your very words of FM ding?
Under whose presidency has not any or all of these “anomalies” been experienced? Or you will tell me to “exorcise” the living, not the dead?
History will be kind to Marcos, the genius. And you just might be less of a historian, ding.
Oh Primer, I’m sure you can read between the lines of my use of the term “political ghosts” in reference to the literal dead ones like FM, and the living ghosts, in terms of their being alive, body and soul, but through their actions, and transactions, allow Marcos’s deeds to haunt us.
I’ll let in on something: when I was drafting the post initially for my own blog, my first working title was “Of Political Ghosts and Walking Dead Men.”
I hope you get my drift.
You are correct on one thing: that “history will be kind to Marcos.”
I am fully aware of FM, in fact, already being seen in more favcorable light compared to GMA. The ‘kinder’ assessment is already being written, right?
In fact, I fully agree with the view expressed by MLQ3 in one of his recent columns about the “Marcos restoration” having been completed.
And I wrote above, Marcos was A POLITICAL GENIUS.
But he went astray, too, didn’t he.
I invite you to reread my closing point:
“On May 10, 2010 Filipinos need to stop voting on the basis of political favors and the put-on charisma of traditional politicians and pick the next President, Senators,and Representatives on the basis of their vision and platform of governance. Then the haunting will end.”
Also let me be clear. I do not hate FM.
I am disappointed that during his 21-year-watch the 1965 battle cry “I will make this nation great again” did not come true.
A personal footnote:
The very first time I set foot on the presidential yacht Ang Pangulo was as a 12-year-old-boy with my Tatay, the historian Pedro A. Gagelonia, a true-blue Ilocano like Makoy.
And as any GI, I am partial to ladies who fit the description “napintas ti balasang.”
Do have a blessed Sunday, bro.
It is amazing how history reshapes the past. It’s almost as if the present need not occur. We will just await the sequel to find out what happens. Save a lot of taxes . . .
Joe
The ghost of bad governance may not haunt but kill. :)
Thanks ding, now I got your drift and glad you didn’t have to hate FM.
More importantly, I am happy to know that you are the son of a historian. I can stand corrected with my last word in that light.
Have a nice Sunday, too, amigo.
ding, i don’t think it’s worth any of the players’ time or effort to tie up burying fm with their present-day plans. didn’t madame already commission the building of a lavish mosoleum in the ilocos?
why should anyone be glad someone doesn’t hate fm??
\speaking only for myself, Manolo, I’ve learned in my time, having twice almost gone yonder that anger, and it’s cousin, hate, are most unproductive emotions.
One can only accept, and understand, the good and bad in others as we’d pray they’d be to our shortcomings.
And guess what?
At lunch a couple of hours back a knowledgeable birdie whispered in my ear that the glass-encased ‘Apo’ is(drum roll) a museum piece with the genuine remains a already 6 under at a place only a select select cabal really know!
Abangan ang susunod na balita……
How can they? All they get from political “experts” is vacuous drivel focused on personalities and hollow-headed intrigue rather than the ideas and philosophies behind any political “party” of consequence.
true. just look at the “students” spending their precious time rallying against “con-ass” hardly knowing why they are out there protesting and what for?
bencard, i’m curious, how do you know the student’s don’t know why they oppose conass? have you attended the forums where the topic is discussed or attended the activities where students express their opinions?
Ditto!
an old friend once told me that the present administration will lead us to no where. nearly less than a year by now, GMA’s regime will soon to end (how long many people can keep their fingers cross-hoping it’s May 11, 2010 na), and my friends prediction proved it before he found dead inside his apartment in Indonesia were he work there as OFW. He wrote “REFORMING the ARMED FORCES”, and he highlighted many things to be done…sacrifice, political will, moral courage…from 1986 up to this date…AFP nor PNP, Politicians, voters, and non-voters…none of them/us have done these things consistently…i-reform ang AFP di natin kayang gawin, Politika pa kaya :) …well Capt Jose Rene Jarque said in his Reforming the Armed Forces, it is not hopeless but it is really difficult…specially the concept of criticism is not open in the AFP…lalo pa kaya sa term ni GMA. yung nakakabira sa first family, may mga aces sila kaya malalakas ang loob. kumbaga may pang-barter sila…like what they did for Vagni. even sa PMA, every year, politicians picked cadets and make them their own pawns…paano na yan, kadete pa lang corrupted na hehehe.
more like… the choices made by the philippine electorate lead to nowhere but perdition
as far as i know, correct me if i am wrong BongV… all of us(ages 18 & above) are part of the philippine electorate…i wish that you are still in your PG status :)