Credits

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

When The Shit Hits The Fan

Gloria may have thought that she is invincible. Thanks to her corrupt practices, she has managed to stave off her ouster and perch precariously on the mantle of power. She may have survived the Garci scandal by effectively buying the loyalties of AFP officials. She may have survived impeachments through the "graces" of her corrupt representa-THIEVES. She may have blocked the probes of the senate on her kickbacks and corruption scandals. But one cannot go on dodging the inevitable. Her crimes had caught up to her.

With the food crisis rearing its ugly head, Gloria may have reached the end of the line. Her corrupt practices is the cause of the looming crisis. Because GMA was too busy defending her illegitimate presidency, she forgot to back up her claim to the throne with concrete programs that could have "legitimized" her reign. Personal gain and ambition clouded her view and she must now answer the people.

The nation may turn a blind eye on her scandals, but when the "stomach" rambles, it would very hard for the people to simply forget. Now she is faced with a scenario that could turn very ugly for her. I have blogged about the people's apathy before due mainly to surviving the daily grind. I don't think that faced with high costs of living and a looming food crisis, the people would still remain apathetic. The ineptness of GMA has finally reached the people's doorstep and I don't think they will take this lightly.

This time around, the fight has become personal as it affects the poorest of the poor and the middle class as well. The elite may stay neutral but could be overwhelmed by the rising tide. With social services nonexistent and wages unable to match up with the rising prices, Gloria will be facing an opponent larger and more powerful than her purse. She may have bought off congress, the judiciary, the military and the executive, but I don't think that a few centavos here and there could quell the anger of a hungry people.

The shit has finally hit the fan and it showered the nation. She cannot hide behind technicalities nor executive orders, she must now fight the battle herself. Despite attempts to temper the simmering cauldron, I don't think she can squirm her way out of this one. Something has got to give. Gloria forgot that we are an agricultural country. She forgot that our people are mostly farmers, livestock raisers and fishermen. She forgot that importation cannot supply our every need. What she should have focused on is strengthening the foundations of progress before dreaming of turning the Philippines into a first-world country.

She should have focused on food security and education first before embarking on her corruption binge. With a happy tummy, the people could "overlook" her shenanigans. But it's too late for that now, she had decided her fate. Hunger did her in. Where the opposition failed, Gloria managed do it herself. She has only herself to blame her for this.

I'll leave you with this: Ending her speech before the AIC in Hong Kong, she said that when she steps down in 2010, corruption will end. One of her economic advisers said that the food crisis will stay on until 2010. Is this the sign of things to come? Are they trying to tell us who to blame for the mess the Philippines is in? I suppose you can decide for yourself with the situation our country is in.

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