Impulses
Dick speaks
In my past column, I said with all honesty and with no strings attached to it that I will vote for Dick Gordon and Bayani Fernando for president and vice president, respectively, if the national elections will be held today.
They are the transformers—two of the few politicians who walk their talk and who deliver the goods. To prove my point further, I present to you the statement or position paper of the Gordon-Bayani Bagumbayan tandem—and the reasons why they are running and the principles and aspirations that they are fighting for.
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National Situation: Today, as in the past, we Filipinos have been confronted with deep and sweeping political, economic, social, and moral crises- lack of sense for the common good; poor leadership and corruption in government; crime; lawlessness, and insurgency; poverty and constant struggle with the economy; deteriorating quality in education; inadequate access to health care; weakening of the family; and poor environmental protection.
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Sad Truth. All these conditions plus apathy, indifference, and demoralization, as well as fear, helplessness, and hopelessness, have inured us Filipinos who have become jaded as we continue to face the daily challenges before us. Experience has taught us that the old ways and the old solutions will not work in bailing us out of these crises. To go down in disgust, discouragement, and defeat seems to be the only recourse.
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Quo Vadis? However, we need to look at our problems afresh and we Filipinos must fix them, for only we can fix them, and set the course for a successful future. We have the power to shape our future and determine the destiny of our country. We must rid ourselves of ingrained habits, prejudices, cultural preferences, and our traditional way of doing things. We must refresh our consciousness if we are to rise to new levels in life.
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Challenge. We need to do things, believe things, and think in new ways. It is time for a new direction to bring our dream of a better life for ourselves and for our country into reality–a dream deeply rooted in the dream of a new Philippines, a Bagumbayan. To all of us who share this dream, we must all courageously face the challenges of our times.
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Ultimate Declaration. Thus, in an act of union and cooperation, we declare:
First, that we must be RESPONSIBLE for ourselves, for our fellow Filipinos, and for our country. We must change our attitudes, and transform ourselves to become horizon-chasers with duty, dignity, and determination;
Second, that we can REINVENT GOVERNMENT to faithfully perform its prime duty to serve and protect the people;
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Third, that we can fortify LAW AND ORDER through self-discipline, vigilance, and respect for the rule of law;
Fourth, that we can build a STRONG AND GROWING ECONOMY if we all work, save, and invest in order to prosper;
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Fifth, that we must prioritize EDUCATION as the key to national development to compete and lead in the new global economy;
Sixth, that we must provide adequate access to HEALTH CARE for all our people, especially the needy;
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Seventh, that we must create JOBS for our people, so that they will not need to seek their fortunes abroad, but rather devote their talents directly to their country and their families;
Eighth, that we must assist our people in securing decent HOMES to live in and LAND to work and build on, so they can be dignified and productive citizens;
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Ninth, that we must strengthen and reinforce the FAMILY as the foundation of our nation to develop proper values and virtues in individuals and build solid character; and
Tenth, that we must protect and preserve the ENVIRONMENT for our posterity. We must have the Vision grounded on Values and empowered by Volunteerism to achieve Victory. These are the ideals upon which we lay the foundation of our movement for change. We are the instruments of a movement dedicated to transform the Philippines into a Bagumbayan, a new Philippines.
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We invite every patriotic Filipino to join us in this shared struggle. Let us embark together on this grand mission to reclaim, rebuild, and re-consecrate what Rizal—111 years ago—bid farewell to as “our Eden lost,” but which remains our birthright and our redemption: Bagumbayan: Where our heroes have fallen, there shall we rise, reborn.
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In the words of Gordon, he said that we have arrived at a time when the call for change is growing stronger, more passionate and more urgent. Yet, in the din of fiery speeches and drama of public protests, we have yet to see where change will come from and what form it will take.
Change is a popular word these days and being on almost everybody’s lips, change has come to mean many different things to many different people. Change can mean going from bad to worse or it can mean going from good to better, but let no one fool you into believing in change that is no change at all. More importantly, don’t let anyone tell you what that change is going to be.
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If there is one absolute right and one unquestionable power that we all wield as citizens of this Republic it is the right and the power to determine the changes that we want to make.
If you want change, you must be the change.
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Smartly funny quote:
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.—Oscar Wilde
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Random Quotes:
Christians are supposed to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it.—Harry Emerson Fosdick
No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.—Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)
When everyone is against you, it means that you are absolutely wrong—or absolutely right.—Albert Guinon (1963-1923)
The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.—Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964)
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Compliments are given to the very informative websites of local newspapers, Philippine Online Chronicles (POC), The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, ABS-CBN Network, PNA, PIA, joke-of-the-day.com, and The Business World.
(Engr. Herman Lagon, who “Facebookly” describes himself as a “social scientist,” is a physics teacher and a PhD. student in Math. He may be reached through h_lagon@yahoo.com.)
