Poverty without end is a state of emergency itself 
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen
The audacity and arrogance of the declaration cast a shroud of fear over the population when they heard of it. Some thought it was a coup others thought it was the end of democracy. Well it might have been if not for people brave and courageous enough to defy the tyranny speak out, take a stand and be arrested and charged with sedition. It is so inspiring to know that there are so many Filipinos ready to suffer for what they believe in - freedom, justice and the truth.
The economy was in a downward spiral yet the figures were manipulated to make it appear it was going up. The single declaration laid aside human rights and civil liberties and cast a shadow over the media, intimidated the church, and had thousands fearing for their lives and family. This brazen assertion and power grab was unjustified unwarranted and destructive of all that was good in the Philippines even though it’s democracy has always been wasted, weakened and wounded.
It had gone on too long, was too brutal and due to fall. The killings had been done one by one. The torture victims had screamed their last, and the poor were still poorer more wretched and hungry than ever before. The elite, the cream of the cronies were wallowing in wealth unimaginable. Time and again protesters arose ready to forfeit their lives, brave the tear gas and withstand water cannon. The said enough is enough down with tyranny and dictatorship forever.
The election was a fraud, cheating by the president was so obvious, so shameful and the contestants were outraged and marched again. They filled the streets, the avenues and highways. The military swayed this way and that way and flower power, prayer power and people power won the day. The dictatorship was told to cut and cut clean. Helped mightily he fled and escaped with the loot, pearl necklaces, gold bracelets, diamond rosaries, all packed into bulging suitcases, were hurried to the helicopter flown into the sky and away . It was over, the dictator had fallen. It was the day that ended one of the most devastating periods of Philippine history - the Marcos dictatorship.
Last week after 20 years it was to be remembered and celebrated instead -it was a failed re-enacted. The same people power groups, priests and people were on the march again last week protesting grievances not near as serious but serious enough. There were barricades to stop the march, and water canon to wet them down and police to arrest and cart them away. They claimed they had got rid of one dictator twenty years ago but now they had to get rid of another. But had they? Or can we see behind the scenes the machinations and manipulation of the mighty families drooling with greed for the levers of power, the keys of the treasury and the deals of the century.
Outwardly, we hear a cry for justice and decency, right and good. We see a protest against election fakery and fraud, but who can cast the first stone and not hit himself? The well meaning and the good were there but so were the sinister plotters like the Wizard of Oz, pulling some strings with little new to offer.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of emergency and blocked the massive protest. The Philippines seems to be always in a state of emergency no matter who is in power.
As one elite group of powerful families square off against another, the nation stagnates, poverty spreads and just a few, too few, truly cares.
That’s our permanent state of emergency and there is no end in sight. It’s not political, it’s moral. [End]
