Why have other nations in the region succeeded in
ending poverty and raising the quality of life of their people? Why have they
reached developed nation status while we have lagged behind?
A major factor is the
quality of the leadership and governance. While their leaders have placed the
interest of the nation above their own, a menacing number of our own leaders,
on the other hand, care little about the nation and our people and care more about
expanding their own wealth and power.
For these power hungry and
overly ambitious and corrupt politicians, the nation can go to hell for all
they care. Do we allow these crooked politicians to decide where to bring our
nation? Do we simply watch idly by as they bring our nation to hell? Will we
simply watch and allow them to decide the nation's future? No we cannot. No we
will not! For the sake of our children, we must do what we can and together
with other like minded individuals and groups, we must help chart the course of
the nation.
If we are to reach
developed nation status in 15 years, we must ensure that the agenda of reform
advocated by leaders with integrity, simplicity and selflessness continues and
we can only do this if we elect leaders both in the national and local level
who serve with integrity, ability and selflessness.
We must look ahead to the
next decade and a half if we are to truly transform the nation and for us to do
so, we must endeavor to ensure that the reforms and policy initiatives of the
last 3 years will continue and be sustained so as to achieve continuity,
stability and certainty in governance. This is critical if progress is to be
realized. We must be able to look far ahead as we act from day to day.
Today, we must elect
more leaders in the mold of our friend and ally, the late Sec. Jesse Robredo
and after having elected them into office, we, as a people, must continue to
engage our leaders and demand of them the kind of leadership we all aspire for
in order to finally have a nation that is progressive, peaceful and focused on
the welfare of its people, a nation that we all can be proud of.
May 13 is about where
we wish to bring our nation. It is about doing our share to shape the kind of
nation our children ought to have and deserve. Let us vote to continue to forge
ahead in our tireless effort to achieve genuine change for our nation and our
people.
