Peoples’ Revolution: In Focus Part I

Revolutions have been ignited in many parts of Africa in recent weeks. First in Egypt, then like a contagious disease, it has swept over Bahrain, Yemen and to Libya, which continues as of publish time. Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya has been controlled by anti-Gadaffi protesters, who call for an Islamic Republic for Libya. This recent development in Libya is shaking the world since a large percentage of oil imports come from there. Libya provides 2% of the total oil requirement of the Philippines, and employment to around 26,000 overseas contract workers, which are mostly professionals, like engineers, nurses and doctors. Experts fear that oil price in the world market could go up if violence further escalates.

The Libyan protesters cry for change in their political structure. They want the power to control political, social and economic progress back into their hands.

This indicates how people are suffering in many parts of the world. Suffering induces the peoples’ clamor for change. When graft and corruption is slowly eating away the foundation of a government, it becomes incumbent to its citizens to protect the governing institutions and the future of their children with a movement for change.

However, what makes a revolution truly relevant? Can’t it be used to advance political interests? The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution has inscribed in the leaves of history that Marcos has been an evil despot. However, looking back with objectivity, I admire Marcos’ foresight. He has built a mass transport system (the Light Railway Transit -LRT), yet they criticize for that. He has built Nuclear Power Plant that could meet the energy demand of industries in the present. Yet, they criticize him for that and they have abandoned the project. Now we’re suffering from power crises, having the most expensive power supply service in Southeast Asia. He has built the Heart Center for Asia. At that time, he’s been thinking of medical tourism yet they criticize him for that. It is the only government that has given the country’s Art and Culture a nurturing center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex where it could have an opportunity to grow yet nobody appreciates...

to be continued

Read: Peoples’ Revolution: In Focus Part II

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