Synthesis
Our origins have a great impact on the society, more to
our country once we enter the world of politics. Corazon Cojuanco who role as a
simple housewife during her times became an unforgettable image with Filipinos
been unknowingly informed about her ancestral core of truth. This core offers a
useful guide to understanding the peculiarities of modern Philippine politics.
The ‘-co’ suffix to her maiden name had a long story behind it. Perhaps, only
the ‘-co’ suffix to their names betrayed distant celestial origins. In
contrast, the origin of the political dynasties—among them the Aquino and
Cojuancos which make Filipino politics so spectacularly different from any
other Asian countries.
By the time Spaniards arrived to conquer in the 1560’s,
Manila quickly became a trade mark. Their power was medicated through the
Church—spreading the Christianity. This has been comparably successful in Asia.
Not in a so good way, Chinese mestizos greatly contributed on the realms of our
country. In some point, they were a hindrance upon succeeding Filipino matters.
They became an alliance of Spain during their era. However, new people arrived.
The ones who mattered were not Spaniards anymore but Anglo-Saxons and sangleys.
Hereafter, Manila was fully opened to international trade and other ports.
Later on, Ilustrados began calling themselves Filipinos.
Wealthy and education had no political power. Then,
American colonization changed everything. Had it not been for William McKinley,
the Philippines could have been fractured. At this time, Americans was of great
help for the Filipinos because they get benefits from America. But things have
changed. America started opposing the influx of Filipino labor and agricultural
products to impose independence on the colony. Independence was the last thing
Cacique desired precisely because it threatened the source of their huge
wealth—access to the American market. After the Japanese occupation that saved
the Philippines from the abusive Americans through not letting them have
exports, Manuel Quezon elected as the first president until Marcos time and
reign came. He was regarded as the supreme cacique. Yet, Filipinos became not
fund how he runs the body and how he handle obstacles our country was facing.
Guns, goons and gold kept him remaining on his position. By then, the
Philippines had one of the highest murder rates in the world. In any case, he
was the first elite Filipino politician who saw the possibilities of reversing
the traditional flow of power. He believed that in our time wealth serves power
and that the key is the state.
The assassination of benign Aquino Jr. made Corazon
Aquino run as the new president. The results on the election were widely
interrupted as a triumph for her in so far most of the candidates were her
supporters: a shake in the kaleidoscope of oligarchic power.
Reaction/Reflection
Right from the very beginning, everyone was trying to
come up with forecasts for where the Philippines was going. Some answered that
we really are nowhere because they argued that the real problem was not Marcos
but Filipino culture. On my perspective, our political maturity can be said to
have not improved much. This can be explained by how colonial and local
influences have molded the power structure in the country based on the colonial
and indigenous systems that persisted over time. Throughout the periods in
which the examination ran from the Spanish Colonization to the Revolutionary
Government to American Era to the Commonwealth Period to the Japanese Invasion
to the Postwar Republic to the Marcos Dictatorship to the EDSA
Redemocratization, there has been a characteristic power structure inequality
in the political process.
Recommendation
The creation of political dynasties across the
archipelago, with family members holding key political deepen their
consciousness as a ruling class. As they exploit the opportunities presented to
them by their privileged position, their relationship with the country gets
defined as cacique parasitical. Nevertheless, I don’t agree with Anderson being
so pessimistic in 1988 about the future of the Philippines. Yes, he laid a
theory about our economy. He gave us ideas but we should always keep the
optimism we possess.
Conclusion
Our dream for our country could only achieve if every
Filipino will unite and settle for a goal that would benefit not only the
powerful and highly-ordained officials but mostly to the nation’s people who
gave authority for these government servants to rule our motherland—the
Philippines.
Real democracy could only attain if everyone gets equal
treatment under the law and this constitution.
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