“Experience shows that the most dangerous moment for a bad government is generally that in which it sets about reform.” — Alexis de Tocqueville

FILIPINO politicians are totally focused on their aspirations and media hyping in preparation for the 2010 elections while consciously skipping the critical issues of the nation.

Abroad, the western powers, especially the United States and its close allies, are doing the same thing on different issues and at different levels.

It is common knowledge that organized mass protests against anti-American regimes or destabilization movements for regime change are funded, scripted, organized, instigated, and media-hyped by the intelligence services or covert operations units of western governments.

These massive demonstrations will not succeed, say, in Iran or Myanmar, unless they are financially underwritten by western governments.

On the other hand, with tongue-in-cheek self-righteousness, US President Barack Obama is “appalled” at the suppression of mass protests in Tehran and irate at North Korean intransigence.

Yet, the United States blindly ignores the machinations and disobedience of Israel, and civilian casualties and deaths in Gaza, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan from indiscriminate American firepower.

Hence, what is right, and who is wrong?

Likewise in the Philippines, Filipino politicians are deliberately skipping critical, albeit unpopular and boring, national issues, such as, taxes, constitutional changes, global recession, poverty, unemployment, and crime for the more salacious scandals, such as, sex videos, rabble-rousing issues like Cha-cha, foreign trips of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her alleged
desire to extend her stay by whatever means, ZTE-NBN, Meralco, kidnapping-for-ransom, and even jewelry scams involving socialites are acceptable as grists to the rumor mills that will enhance the frustrations of the people at the expense of the administration.

When all is said and done, most politicians are intellectually selective based on their political priorities at the moment.

Thus, the United States forcefully condemns Iran’s nuclear program and North Korea’s self-defense missile system as immoral and provocative.

However, Israel’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and nuclear war capability, or India’s nuclear missile against Pakistan, or Pakistan’s nuclear missile against India, or China’s or France’s, or Russia’s are considered “friendly” and tolerable.

What is therefore morally acceptable, and what is an “axis of evil”?

By the same token, in the Philippines, the “pawns” are preparing for their candidacies and trip to Malacañang while the principals, funders, and minders are busy putting together the deals, quid-pro-quos, the capitalization, and the nominees in behalf of the real behind-the-scene “godfathers.”

The critical problems of the nation can wait till the election is over which by that time there will not be enough time.

It will be more of the same unless a catharsis happens.

Here and there

Another dear friend and colleague, the highly principled, nationalistic and veteran journalist, Julius Fortuna, passed away quite unexpectedly from cardiac arrest, no doubt from the stresses of modern life... We pray for the repose of his soul... On the other hand, the world’s population now roughly totals 6.65 billion, and increasing by two babies every second, with nearly one-third suffering from hunger and malnutrition... In 1960, the population of the Philippines was only 60 million... Today, population totals 90 million, and increasing by two million babies cumulative, every year... Owing to advances in medical science and technological innovations, population growth is expanding faster than people are dying... In the meantime, the Philippines has 15 million hectares of arable land, three million of which total is devoted to rice plating... However, total hectarage is shrinking dramatically as population expands and the land is converted into commercial uses, golf courses, and housing... Thus, more Filipinos are eating rice while total acreage is rapidly diminishing... the thrust is to produce better rice species that produce higher yields, more nutritious, more resistant to pests, requiring less water and artificial fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides... This is the main mission of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños as the institute celebrates its 50th anniversary next year since its establishment in 1960... You be the judge... (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo. com.ph)