Just Right
By Cyril Regalado

Where is all this leading to?

A high school professor once told us, with tongue in cheek that, “it is alright to cheat, just don't get caught.” It was of course a cynical approach to inculcating honesty. But one cannot help but feel that the present rigodon of political expose's is based on that premise - it is alright to cheat, just don't get caught .

Joseph Estrada got caught and he had to pay the price. Now it is President Arroyo's turn. And she got caught with a double whammy: The jueteng scandal involving her son and brother in law, and the tape that indicates she was involved in trying to rig the May 2004 Elections.

For this reason, the opposition is ready to give her a dose of her own medicine, perceiving perhaps that the scenario, wittingly or unwittingly, is almost a replica of People Power II; when, after a series of corruption charges, key witnesses came to testify against former President Estrada. Then came the impeachment trial and, of course EDSA.

It is unfortunate that it has come to this point, but somehow, that word “EDSA” has assumed a cloying ring, mainly because it has been overused and abused. People Power became a refuge of Politicians who wished to retain or grab power. And that's probably the reason why, despite the “ripeness” of the situation, a revolution did not materialize.

One political analyst has even coined a name for it: “People Power Fatigue.” There is a finer sense to this proposition. For then, the purpose of the 1986 EDSA Revolution was never served. It was meant to cleanse the country of corruption, and build a progressive nation. Instead, we fell into the mould of an elitist philosophy. That public office is reserved for the few powerful ones, who are rightfully entitled to bleed the country not just of its resources but also of its soul.

The administration is playing on this theme. “Who will take Mrs. Arroyo's place.” Good point. A random choice can only lead to a substitute of equal notoriety. And so, sadly, Mrs. Arroyo's trump card is the very corruption that her administration has been accused of. There simply is no one else.

Forgetting Independence Day

As formerly a flagless house or vehicle was the exception, now it is the norm. Independence day came and went without any memorable celebration or meaningful gesture of nationalism from the populace. If we cannot even unite and remember the day of our foundation as a country, how can we, survive as a nation.

Remembering June 6, 1944

On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces launched a massive invasion of Hitler's Europe at the coast of Normandy, France. It was the biggest seaborne landing in history and cost tens of thousand of lives. It was also the turning point of World War II. For this generation, Operation Overlord, the Longest Day, D-Day, as this historic day is alternately called, can only be visualized through books and movies (The Longest Day, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers), but its significance should be immortalized by the heroism of those who ferried to the shores of Normandy and braved the hale of bullets from almost impregnable defenses just to get a foothold for peace and freedom.