quo vadis mel

Philippines circa June 30,2010

On this day, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo steps down from Malacanang Palace to mark the end of her nine years stay as the highest leader of the land and Head of State. On the same day the newly elected leader, President Benigno Aquino III mrches in to claim stewardships of the Palace, the center and seat of political power of the Republic of the Philippines.

On this day, no one cared to notice who closed the door for the outgoing leader, who seemed to leave quietly and peacefully, and then who opened the door to the incoming president? For me and to many of us, who cares? The event seemed to be just another episode of a never-ending political drama, not unlike the nightly television telenobela wait upon us and everyone in the house specially as we rejoice during our family dinner.

But to the more intuitive and ever-discerning mind the event of closing the door to the one getting out and opening the door to the one coming in could be worth more than physical activity but an event beset of valuable meanings.

I remeber when we were renting an apartment house near the University belt in Sampaloc Manila many years back. There were four of us students sharing the monthly rentals. Our neighbor across the street was a family of five. The father woks at the Bureau of Customs. The two sons were drug users and the mother was manager of a small resto that operates not far from our place. Troubles cropped up every now an then and add to these the burly- looking men huddled in the street on beer and gin.

Being serious as students was difficult as we see gangsters all around. One day the owner informed us that she has sold the aprtment house. We were given 60 days to vacate the place.
I remember I was the one who closed the door as we leave the place. Thanks I said when a relative offerred the two of us to stay with them and also share with the rentals. Yes the new place was quiet and coducive to students. I remember when I closed the door as we left but in a minute I forced myself to forget it because we have found a better place.

There is saying that some people choose to look back at the closed door for too long that they fail to see a new door is open.

I choose to recall this old story because as I see it the new Aquino administration seemed bound to spend more time looking into the old Arroyo administration, spending more time, efforts and scarce funds to see how bad or dirty it was. That by so doing they might fail to see the new and brighter oppotunities ahead not only for them but for the greater number of Filipinos.

The say recociliation without justice is not the Prsident's priority. Well, may be, because to put the supposed priority into the hands of the present justice system, wiser people may ask. and they will. So what else is new? Quo vadis Mel? mel#