Why I Want To Believe There Is Still Hope For The Philippines

As the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. wrote in his undelivered arrival statement, he returns "From exile to an uncertain future with only determination and faith to offer -- faith in our people and faith in God." We have always celebrated our undying optimism as a race, our fiesta mentality in the midst of a cyclone. From a historical perspective, we have gone through worse nightmares that today's political rollercoaster ride seems like a bump in the road. The Filipino as the ultimate survivor, if you will. As long as we retain our gung-ho sense of humor, we'll be fine. Incidentally, as this is being written, the Palace is still mum about Way Kurat's lemons. After all, for a country that has sired the likes of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, Jose Rizal and Carlos P. Romulo, we, the people, deserve more than a choice between the lesser of two evils. Discipline begins at the top, as every management guru would agree, and we deserve a government we can respect, trust and fight for. Above all, we deserve more than our present public officials -- gripped by the tentacles of partisan politics and vested interests.