Over Extolling the Supremo, Andres Bonifacio!

Gat. Andres Bonifacio (Photo from easyoutsource.com)

 “Long live, Supremo Andres Bonifacio!

Long live, Proletarians and the Masses!

Continue the struggle for total liberation!

Long live Filipino nationalism!”

                              -The Dialectic Review-

Why not establishing a special subject on ALL of the Philippine heroes than singling out Andres Bonifacio when the only objective is to ignite the flame of Filipinos nationalism?

The proposal to having an Andres Bonifacio’s Life, Works, etc. subject in college education is an idea of self-propagation of interest, over addiction to Bonifacio’s idealism, and categorically NONSENSE!

This over addiction is very far from what every nation’s objectives to forwardness, general progress, and moving on in the tides of the world’s trends.

 

Issues May Be Involved

Whether or not adding a college subject pertaining Andres Bonifacio, Filipino nationalism is already an instinct that naturally flows when challenged and agitated by social complexities and diseases.

Whether or not adding that special subject, the Philippine economy, the life of every Juan dela Cruz, the mixed Filipino culture, and the over-all economic status are neither dependent nor affected PRAGMATICALLY by mastering the life, the works, and the idealism and principle of a certain Andres Bonifacio.

Whether or not studying Andres Bonifacio’s particulars, Filipinos and the Philippines per se are dynamic entities that undergo changes we like it or not.

Whether or not having that special subject, knowing Bonifacio very well can NOT, by majority, affects the uncontrollable acculturation among other cultures that revolve around the context of Philippine culture. Besides, this additional study to the Philippine education curriculum can NOT guarantee younger generation in terms of this proposal’s expectations.

Human beings are rational, by reasons and by principles. Rationally, we are governed by our own perspectives as endpoint at the end of the day.

Then, what is the point of proposing this stuff?

 

Philippine Higher Education Continues Far from the Reach

It can be observed that government is annually slashing the budget for education.  This systematic strategy spoiled private entities to invest education in the country making education unreachable, specifically to the common masses – the poor and the underprivileged…

The cost of Philippine education nowadays is rising.  Philippine education, by majority, is categorically outdated in terms of curriculum. Graduates from Philippine universities and colleges came out undernourished, underemployed, or worst unemployed. This sickening status quo can be blamed on skills mismatching or generally poor education.

Now, what would be the best contribution in studying Andres Bonifacio’s life, etc., besides that it is just adding burdens in terms of education cost to the students, to the status quo of Philippine employment and the Filipinos economic status?

 

Conclusion

Nothing is wrong in studying the life and works of a certain Philippine hero as long as it can offer dramatic change to the people and to the nation as well.  However, adding a special subject in college education pertaining another certain hero is a bold step in reconsidering the structure and framework of the Philippine education in terms of moving on and sense of forwardness to the fast changing, competitive world.

Now, do studying Andres Bonifacio’s life and works makes Filipino graduates become advanced in terms of world’s competency in technology, science, engineering, and communication? If this is so, then let it be!

 

Aquino and DOJ’s Dillydallying over Arroyo’s Medical Travel Request: A BLATANT CONTEMPT for a Constitutional Right!

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Photo from globalbalita.com)

On the case of the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s medical-related travel request to preserve her life, tell me, whose justice did Aquino government and DOJ uphold in delaying that request?

 

Section 6 in the Article III, Bill of Rights, of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states, “The liberty of abode…shall not be impaired…NEITHER SHALL THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL BE IMPAIRED…”

 

Status Quo

Former President, now, Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is (hardly) recuperating from her health condition.  She underwent series of medical operations yet still failed for any possibility to continue her life normal. In other words, she may be suffering of a disease, which prevents her from full healing or recovery.

Arroyo appealed to the Department of Justice to grant her medical-related travel request yet to no avail (so far, as the time of writing).  I feel that DOJ is not doing its role as opposed to what Secretary De Lima is trying to convince us, Filipinos.

Department of Justice shall uphold equality of justice above all else; not for Aquino government, where her loyalty begins or ends; not for those political vindictive few, whose real interests are manipulative and are covered by upholding justice as euphemism; and most of all not for Secretary De Lima, herself, for her to become a shining star at the dawn of the 2013 senatorial election!

Then, what made DOJ hesitant in granting the request for the sake of health of a former president who has no any case yet filed against her in court?  Has justice during this time stripped of her blindfolds letting her see the evidence of the crime straight ahead of time the crime was committed? Or has justice today been fed of political vindication, or maybe DOJ today is just lack of concern?

 

Issues

Whether or not DOJ grants the medical-related travel request of the former president of the Philippine Republic now or in the next years to come, a sitting president shall exercise his vested power to protect the welfare of the people. The Department of Justice, however, shall execute the constitutional right guaranteed by the Article III of the Philippine Constitution with full impartiality.

Whether or not the sitting president influences the decision of the secretary of DOJ, both of them must stand by their decision in accordance with the Constitution, and the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may not be at the mercy of both the sitting president’s and the secretary of DOJ’s caprices and whims.

 

Conclusion

Way back in Marcos regime, then Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., the late father of the incumbent President Benigno Aquino, III, has granted his right to travel by the late Dictator Ferdinand Marcos despite the military court’s conviction for rebellion.

In addition, during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, former President Joseph Estrada was granted his right to travel even though his plunder case is on trial.

Both of the above instances have common denominator like that of the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s request – the right to travel for medication except that the latter (Arroyo) has no any case filed yet against her in any court of the country.

Even the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights acknowledge and guarantee the constitutional right to travel. Unless the Aquino government is vindictive and desperate to uplift his government ratings, the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been granted her request without the allegedly dillydallying of the secretary of DOJ.

Is this the Aquino administration best example of “Daang Matuwid” that seems to be founded through the bedrock of political vindication?  What can you think of Secretary De Lima’s delaying tactics in granting the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s request to travel for the sake of her health? Who among us can confirm, verify, or even single out the veracity of Arroyo’s condition in the face of her weak state and ailing condition?

This game has been played a many times again and again throughout the world of politics.  Anybody can judge and be judged, can do politicking and be politicized.  However, who are you to defy the supreme law of the land and twist the injustice to be fair and right by any means just to satisfy the desperate claim of a good standing rating in governance or in leadership?

Way back in my college (activist) days, I am one of those students along Commonwealth Avenue down to Mabuhay Rotunda to Recto and Mendiola expressing their rage at the former President Gloria Arroyo against anti-student policies, education budget, summary killings, and other human rights abuse issues.  Those early times of my student life, I always had this urgency to defend and uphold the democratic, the political, and the constitutional rights of the students and the masses as well.

Now, time is vindictive, manipulative, and cannibalistic.  However, a human nature gives in by any means especially in times of great afflictions that endanger one’s life.  The Philippine Constitution preserves such nature of human being founded through the guidance of the Divine Providence that guarantees the human rights and liberties that there shall be no law passed abridging this sanctity of human life aspect.

 

President Aquino (left) and Secretary De Lima (right) (Photo from pinoysnayper.wordpress.com)

Now tell me, whose justice did Aquino government and DOJ uphold in delaying the request of the former President Arroyo intended to preserve her life?