a democratic alternative...

A democratic alternative to GMA
by: Dodong Nemenzo

The belated involvement of Makati Business Club and other elite groups in the campaign to oust Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is welcome. But we should not let them steal victory from the people.

The ouster of GMA will bring no significant improvement if the system of elite rule is left intact. Whoever accedes to Malacanang in this political framework will remain a captive of the greedy and colonial-minded elite.

For as long as the elite hold effective power, a snap election will be another contest between trapos who enjoy their financial blessings. Democracy is a fraud where people are merely asked to choose who among the candidates of the elite will represent and repress them.

The truly democratic alternative to GMA is a Transitional Revolutionary Government, a collective leadership that has the strength and political will to institute fundamental reforms. Since the country is damaged beyond repair after decades of oligarchic rule, it has to be rebuilt from top to bottom. New structures for popular participation at the grassroots level should replace the present pseudo-representati ve system. The neoliberal policies now dragging the country to the brink of disaster should be reversed. The public and private centers of power should be democratized. The bureaucracy, military and police should be cleansed of officials whose opulent lifestyles can only be sustained by graft and corruption.

We are appalled to hear the executive director of the Makati Business Club claim that his outfit financed the inter-faith rally last Friday. Laban ng Masa never received and will never accept any assistance from such a source. That is how the elite manipulate the elected trapos. That is why we are not only fighting for regime change; we are fighting for system change. We do not only want to rid the country of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; we want an end to the system that breeds her type of leadership.

"Revolution without dancing is revolution not worth having."
- V for Vendetta

the most important question.....

will GMA really be ousted with what the opposition is doing right now? maybe we should really ask ourselves what we really want when we work for the ouster of GMA or for any leader for that matter. if we really want to have a change we must ask ourselves a change of what? from here to where? and for whom is the change we are gonna fight for? and the most important question will be, who will be the main force in leading this change? i guess if we can answer this question decisively the ouster of GMA or of any leader in the future will not be on the basis of corruption or any government stupidity but because it's necessary.