Consumers Domain
Enchanted in a lost kingdom
"O say can you see? What do I see?
The eagle, the vulture's that's killing me..."
--from "Bird of Prey" by Radioactive Sago Project
"Let's stay together. Let's dream together. And what do I mean by being in the Enchanted Kingdom, we can operationalize that? Let's be among the countries of the First World in 20 years"
Gloria Arroyo uttered these in a speech before a big nationwide gathering of employers in Manila the previous week. What an enchanting speech! Arroyo is trying to create a future scenario that by supporting her and her government's policies, this nation will become one magical, astonishing place called Enchanted Kingdom.
But I don't know what more enchantment could we ask for. I am enchanted at how Arroyo continue to deceive the Filipino people by declaring our economy is on the verge of take-off while the reality is that more and more Filipinos are experiencing hunger.
I am enchanted that more than half of the government's planned allocation for 2006 will go to debt servicing alone. I am enchanted that more than 80% of the targeted tax collected will simply be siphoned off to debt payments!
I am enchanted by the manifest violation of the Constitution by Gloria Arroyo and her lapdogs (Raul Gonzales, Mike Defensor, et al) especially in ensuring the suppression of opposition and dissent against this sham administration.
I am enchanted at the brazenness by which activists and journalists are felled and by the government's inaction to such blatant violation of human rights. I am enchanted at how this administration responds to such summary executions by immediately absolving government forces and simply blaming it to the CPP-NPA.
I am enchanted by how Filipinos can stand apathetic with a government that clearly cheated the will of the people; a government that never blinks to implement policies that curtail basic civil liberties; a government that with questionable mandate, squanders the country's resources to buy off support among the trapos (traditional politicians).
I am most enchanted by the hallucinations of Gloria Arroyo that with the current policies of this government, the Philippines will be part of the First World in 20 years. These same policies of prioritization of debt servicing, privatization of public services, liberalization of trade and deregulation of industries are implemented in many other Third World developing countries. And it has not only wrecked havoc to the macro-economy but to the lives of the majority who are marginalized -- the rural and urban workers.
And the Freedom from Debt Coalition is right when it asks the following questions:
"How can the country be an upcoming First World economy if our government pays out 80% of taxes collected to creditors?
"How can we be an upcoming First World economy if we spend only an equivalent of 2% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to education?
"How can we transform to become a First World nation if we allocate more for defense spending and pork barrel than to the health of our people?
"How can this country dream of becoming a First World economy if its government do not invest amply in vital economic and social services?"
Yes, dreams are good. But let us differentiate dreams from illusions and fantasy. And we should be specially cautious to those who utilize these illusions and fantasies with the aim of deception. Let us continue to be vigilant, critical and make sure that we don't tag along Gloria Arroyo, who is enchanted in a lost kingdom.
(Send your comments and reactions to: for text messages to 0919-348-6337; for e-mails to ianseruelo@yahoo.com; and for blogs to http://consumersdomain.blogspot.com.)