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We Need Good Leaders

BY RICKY GELIDO
Posted by Bulatlat
DEMOCRATIC SPACE
Vol. VII, No. 14 May 13-19, 2007

Looking at the political state of the nation, especially before the May 14 elections, one may say that Philippine politics has gone from bad to worse. The political hullabaloo is now melded with damaging and obnoxious text messages hurled against certain candidates. The gush of money is very obvious in the highly-spent campaign ads and posters. Buttressed is the notion that Philippine politics is a politics of money.

The whole country is also in deep trouble. Justice is so rare a commodity that not being served has become the norm rather than the exception. Threat to the lives of journalists has become a common expression. As if it were not enough, the grand claim for economic recovery remains an empty claim for the truth is so clear that we are wallowing deep in poverty. Dead bodies from summary executions reek in all these talk. Corruption stinks.

With these problems, have the politicians made their move? Unluckily, those who cry for a change are muzzled, fettered and shackled. Those who want to report the real state of the country are threatened. Traditional politicians have contributed much to the problems of the country.

There are some politicians who run the government by screwing the justice system to advance their vested interests. There are those who act in pursuance of their personal interests and most dangerous are the puppets of religious leaders.

With the problems besetting the country now, we need good leaders. With the seemingly hopeless condition of the nation, we need trusted leaders. With the presence of politicians who do not really care, we need caring leaders.

If the problem is dirty politics, let the good men participate not to be influenced or to be sullied but for them to influence the bad to do good. Let them be in positions that the Aegean’s table be cleansed, no matter how hard that would be. Or let them be in positions to, at least, lessen the tendency to complete material, moral and spiritual corruption. They may be in politics but they are not like the traditional politicians who offer promises but instead accomplish things.

We need leaders who will eschew every form of evil. We need them who will hate jueteng payola, kickback from drugs and the like. We need them who will condemn bribery at the highest possible terms. We need them who will dare stare and fight any bad gorgon in Malacañang or anywhere else.

We need leaders who will not lead us into the boulevard of broken promises. Those who will not let the Constitution be raped by the greedy. Those who will always protect the welfare of the people. We need them.

In a country branded as the most corrupt in Asia and dubbed as a dangerous place for journalists, there is still hope for having good leaders. In this dark period, expect to emerge selfless and God-fearing leaders. We badly need them. Posted by Bulatlat