Randy’s running for a congressional seat is premised on the belief that GMA will seek another elective position as a congresswoman as a precondition that she becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and eventually to be chosen as the Prime Minister in a Parliament that is now under construction. In other words, Randy aims to throw to her path the single stumbling block for the scenario to be realized. And this upcoming political battle has now been romanticized as being between “David and Gloriath” in the famous David and Goliath biblical fame although in its truest sense, neither David is a young man or a boy nor Gloria one whose height is 6 and a half feet. Be that as it may, it seems that the die is cast.
Who is Prof. Randy David?
Data show that he is a ‘well-respected media figure in the Philippines’. He writes a column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, teaches social theory and political economy at the University of the Philippines, and he used to be founding member of the Third World Studies Center. He has been TV host of – Public Forum, Public Life, and Off the Record. Academically, he is trained in sociology from UP and from the University of Manchester, England where he did his doctoral studies but opted not to finish them during the Marcosian regime.
From where I stand, Randy is best remembered as one of the first victims of Proclamation 1017 when he was arrested on February 25, 2006 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of People Power Revolution. Proclamation 1017 is supposed to have declared a state of national emergency but the Supreme Court has later declared the arrests as invalid. I can still vividly recall how some plainclothes operatives took him to a car rather forcefully and without being able to recite to Randy, what is the basis of such arrest. I like to think that Randy’s arrest which was to be the single application of Proclamation 1017 effectively set aside any further or subsequent enforcement of the invalid Proclamation.
Moral compulsion must have inspired Randy to run against GMA. He wants the clandestine plan of GMA to be the upcoming Prime Minister to be nipped in the bud. And at least, he would be happy with the thought that there is at least one Pampagueno who posed the single greatest challenge to what appears to be a ‘scheme of fraud’ that is about to unfold.
Perhaps, Randy finds inspiration in the fact that Fr. Ed Panlilio won as governor of Pampanga against a pervasive political culture.
In the end, politics in so far as a congressional seat is a contest between two major contenders would be an entirely local affair. And it would be the people of that legislative district in Pampanga who will decide their own local destiny. It would then largely depend on how benefitted they are from the ‘bounties’ that they are being showered with by GMA and the Arroyos.
Viewed differently, it is possible that Randy’s joining a local political battle will instead be magnified in a national scale. In short, it is as if the fight is between GMA and Randy in the national scene. The issues will not be local, they will be national. It has nothing to do with a legislative district in Pampanga alone any more than the national survival of every legislative districts throughout the country had they to fall like dominoes by the ‘push and pull’ of patronage politics.
In other words, Randy has been keenly circumspect that what he is actually raging is a moral battle that every Filipino should be concerned with. And across social classes or intelligences from the A,B,C,D,E – I believe that Randy will be able to send across all available medium the clear message that we all should stand at the right side of history. We should not be content with only the present if short-lived benefits of being showered with all sorts of ‘bounties’ – good only for some 200,000 population at the exclusion of the rest of 40 million more voters and their families.
There is something novel about Randy joining the fray. And I think that it is not so much as earning a seat in Congress any more than being able to pose the greatest challenge to a far more ‘bedevilled’ plan to rationalize staying in power in perpetuity. And if this extends to all her rabid supporters and beneficiaries, then the 40 million voters are well advised to vote wisely come 2010. In fact, 1109 showcases the sad things to come.
In this light, Randy’s fight must be our fight, too.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Something very distinct happens if GMA were to run for congresswoman/2nd-district-Pampanga.
It will be cheating if Primer’s or DingG’s vote (or the vote of my cousins in Laguna) were to be counted for RandyDavid (or any other who runs against GMA-congress candidate-Pampanga).
this is a question for Bencard (though any and all can respond): is there really anything to this “…bring GMA to justice once her term is over” chitchat?
I mean, over all these years, another Arroyo has been completely exposed to lawsuits, but NADA – nothing — zilch has happened. I, of course, am talking about Mike.
its just like bentong running agaist louie villafuerte in the 2nd district of camarines sur(no pun intented ).
Nice write-up, Primer. I think that Mr. David could provide one of those rare “moments” when people say, “Yes, THIS is who we need. No more of that old dirty play. THIS is how we gain our respect back.”
I think every avenue for Ms. Arroyo to remain in power is being sealed off. Oh, how the clan must be seething . . .
But beyond that, Mr. David is the kind of new voice that the Government needs. So he should be considered, not because he blocks Ms. Arroyo, but because he can think progressively and bring fresh perspectives to the table.
Joe
Primer,
Yes the national angle is there. But I also believe that Randy wants to save his district. He loves his hometown and he doesn’t want to see it in the clutches of Gloria. Now if the people of that district prefer Gloria over someone like Randy, well then they deserve her!
Absolutely. Rephrasing the sentence to cover a nationwide territory:
Now if the Filipinos prefer ___________ over someone like ____________, well then they deserve him/her!
We can be idealists in this world. Thinking like Sir Thomas Moore
of England. When he created an ideal state called Utopia. Unfortunately, he lost his head. When King Henry VIII of England
ordered it cut.
We dont know, if Prof. David who is likened to David, can really bring down a Goliath (GMA). With his faith in God. And five smooth stones on his slingshot.
By the way, King David was a Shepherd Boy. Annointed by a Prophet
of Israel to become King to succeed the evil King Saul. Is Prof.
David annointed by Fr. Ed Panlileo?
Thanks joe.
If GMA runs for Congress after a rather long incumbency as president (9 long years), it would seem that the House of Representatives appears to be the alpha and the omega of the country’s political life.
Mar Roxas, Chiz Escudero, Manny Villar who are presidential wannabes all came from the House.
And it make clear the route GMA is taking to be the next Speaker of the House to become the eventual Prime Minister in a Parliament created for this purpose.
And Prof. Randy David now poses the greatest single challenge for GMA’s self-fulfilling prophecy.
If we push this line of thought further, we expect that all the 170 signatories to 1109 have automatically surrendered their rights to get elected again since they are all not met with strong public indignation – which they deserve.
Manuel, you are right. But it can appear merely coincidental the plan of Randy to run for Congress since his main battle cry is his keen observation that under GMA, all our democratic institutions have been ‘damaged’ – from the civil service, to the military, the police, the legislature itself, the Supreme Court, et cetera. Such a battle cry is characteristically national, not local.
How ironic. Randy the giant is the David against a Goliath who is a moral, intellectual, and physical midget.
It’s only in the Enchanted Kingdom where one can see a midget cast a long shadow. It’s only in the kingdom where midgets dwarf everything.
Philippine politics have cast many kinds of character. There are
sinners, self proclaimed saints, in betweens, weird individuals,
magicians,circus performers, show business people, etc…very interesting characters.
America always had presidents tall in height – no one less than 6 feet tall, if my guess is right.
I guess, it doesn’t usher well for the next president to be the same height of GMA or even lower since it seem to carry the sad political jinx!
Anything or anyone whose main goal is to stop any of GMA’s evil plans should be supported.
Mr. David go on, let bring it onn…
it is free world u can do want u want.. but u lost my vote
Prof. David believes he will win over GMA.
True or not, it remains to be seen.
RANDY DAVID FOR COMELEC COMMISSIONER FOR THE 2013 ELECTIONS; Now that he has not decided to run for congress in that GMA-stricken town in Pampanga…Who can appoint him as Comelec commisioner?