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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Defeating the NPA By Antonio C. Abaya Written June 06, 2006 For the Standard Today, June 08 issue Can the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Arroyo Government defeat the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its military arm, the New People�s Army (NPA), and its political arm, the National Democratic Front (NDF) by 2012, or 2016 at the latest? Speaking before a summit of ASEAN and other defense ministers in Singapore last June 5, Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz claimed that the communist insurgency in the Philippines can be eliminated within the next six to ten years, according to a report in the Manila Standard Today of June 6. I do not have the complete text of Secretary Cruz� speech, so I do not know exactly what methodology he had in mind for achieving this announced goal. The only quote attributed to him in that story based his fearless forecast on the assumption that �the economy grows steadily, the military�s fighting capability improves, and pro-poor programs get more funding.� Those are major assumptions that all Philippine presidents and defense secretaries have no doubt made, privately or publicly, since the time of President Marcos. And yet the communist insurgency is still with us, 41 years after the CPP was founded by Joma Sison in 1965, 37 years after the NPA was founded by Bernabe Buscayno in 1969, and 36 years after the NDF was co-founded by ex-Marcos poster boy Boy Morales and ex-SVD priest Edicio de la Torre in 1970. There is no reason to believe that all this can be dismantled in six to ten years. If one were to examine those three assumptions, one cannot but conclude that this country is not on target for achieving the desired goal of �eliminating the communist insurgency� within six or ten years. �The economy grows steadily.� Under President Arroyo, the economy has grown steadily, believe it or not, from an average of about 3.1 % per annum during the 30 years before 2001, to an average of about 4.8 to 5.1% per annum since 2001. But while we are thankful for these mercies, they are not enough to get this country over the hump. Since the early 1990s, Vietnam and China have been growing by about 9% per annum or more, India by about 7 to 8%. All the successful tigers in East Asia � South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, even up-and-coming-tiger Malaysia � grew by about 8% per annum for 20 years or 80 quarters before they reached the Enchanted Kingdom of First World status. And all this economic success was achieved largely through the export of manufactured goods. In 2005, Vietnam attracted some $5.4 billion in foreign direct investments, largely in manufacturing; the Philippines drew in only a little over one billion. The Philippines is just not attractive to foreign direct investors. And after the Supreme Court�s reversal of contracts won by foreigners � Manila Hotel, NAIA Terminal 3, etc � who can blame them? With President Arroyo�s indifference to manufacturing, and her ideological commitment to free trade and globalization, there is little or no possibility that the Philippine economy can ever grow at 8% per annum, solely on the basis of proliferating call centers, a surge in tourism and the continued export of labor. Hence, Sec. Cruz� assumption of a steadily growing economy is unrealistic. �The military�s fighting capability improves.� In September 1987, when then Vice-President Doy Laurel asked me to accompany him on a tour of 13 military camps in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, after Gringo Honasan�s first failed coup attempt, we found out to our horror that most military camps were surrounded by hovels and shanties along the camps� perimeter walls. This was the standard housing for military enlisted men and their families. We also found out to our equal horror that when soldiers were wounded in combat, their families had to provide for their medicines because the military medical corps was often short of vital medical supplies. Nineteen years later, a foreign journalist who talked with military personnel in Mindanao recently told me that the same situation basically exists to this day, with the added information that some officers steal weapons and ammunition from their armories and sell them to rebels, both communist and Muslim separatist., not out of sympathy for their causes, but purely for the cash.. It was also revealed in media recently that the average age of enlisted men in the AFP is a geriatric 44. If true, this means that the rank-and-file soldier is in service only because he cannot find gainful employment in the private sector, and that the AFP does not attract younger recruits, probably because of low pay, poor amenities, hazardous conditions, etc. It does not inspire confidence to know that the AFP is made up largely of unemployables. The inability or reluctance of both the military organization and the civilian courts to speedily prosecute top-ranking generals (Gen. Garcia, Gen Ligot) found to possess tens of millions of pesos worth of real estate and cash assets, both here and in the US, cannot but have a deleterious effect on the morale of idealistic mid-level officers, especially those assigned in combat areas. It is unlikely that these generals were acting alone, without the complicity of other generals and their patrons in the civilian government. Why would idealistic mid-level officers risk their lives and their families� future for the benefit of such a grabbing bunch of greedy crooks? The same question must have bedeviled them when they learned that several of their superior officers were involved in electoral fraud in 2004. �Pro-poor programs getting more funding.� Even if the government were to have the added financial resources, which in itself is doubtful, what pro-poor programs are we talking about? Philhealth cards, Botika ng Bayan, rolling stores, Gloria rice, etc conceptualized to help Mrs. Arroyo become prime minister in 2010, as they were to help her retain the presidency in 2004? These are mere palliatives designed to deceive the gullible and the ignorant and do not address the basic causes of joblessness, widespread poverty and national despair. In the early 1950s, Defense Secretary, and later President, Ramon Magsaysay broke the back of the Huk insurgency fanned by the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP), through a combination of aggressive military operations that kept the insurgents on the run, and a credible socio-economic program that convinced most of the malcontents that the government was truly doing something meaningful for them. In 2006, the insurgency of the CPP-NDF-NPA is on a much more mammoth scale than that in the 1950s, with a wide support network of �legal� front organizations that Huk Supremo Luis Taruc could not have imagined possible.(By contrast, communist front organizations were/are not allowed to exist in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan or South Korea, uninfluenced as they were/are by American-style liberalism.) But our geriatric military is poorly led, poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly motivated, demoralized by internal corruption in the upper echelons as well as by external corruption in the government at large, and are unable or unwilling to go out and pursue the enemy. Even National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales recently admitted that the NPA has initiated more attacks against the AFP-PNP than the AFP-PNP have against the NPA, and that the AFP-PNP have lost more weapons to, than they have captured from, the NPA in their encounters. This despite the acknowledged fact that the armed strength of the NPA has shrunk from a high of 26,000 fighters in 1987 to a low of 7,000 in 2006. But most of all, we cannot defeat the NPA and its CPP and NDF supports, in six or ten years, because we do not have the credible and charismatic leader that the personally incorruptible Magsaysay was and which neither President Arroyo nor Secretary Cruz is. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles since 2001 in www.tapatt.org. Current articles also in tonyabaya.multiply.com and in the tapatt.yahoogroups.com OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Reactions to "Defeating the NPA" Good job Tony.. I really appreciate your candor, love and hate mixed together in voicing out what is in your heart. I always wait in eagerness and excitement for your emails. Please continue and we will be your supporters all the way. God bless and "MABUHAY KA!" Gil Mateo, [email protected] Admin, E-Revenues.com The Credit Trading Floor Inc., June 10, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hello Tony! When I read that a key GMA official has predicted the demise of the NPA and its cohorts in 10 years, my thought was "Why not one year? Kung mangarap ka lang naman, lubus-lubusin mo na." I never cease to wonder about the penchant of our leaders to boast of things they have yet to accomplish. Last year, GMA stated in her SONA that the MILF problem will very soon be resolved. Now, we in Mindanao are not holding our breath for such resolution; had we done so, we'd all be dead. A horde of politicians have guaranteed us that the 2006 budget will be passed before Congress adjourned; no dice, of course. You mentioned three ifs to defeat the NPA in ten years. (Correction: these three �ifs� came from Secretary Cruz, not from me. ACA) First, if the economy continues to improve. The economy is indeed improving if we believe government pronouncements, but this improvement is useless if the masses do not benefit from it. Apparently, this is a great country only for the likes of Henry Sy, Lucio Tan and politicians. Second, if the military's fighting capability improves. The fact is, I see no sign of this, in fact I see the opposite. Third, if pro-poor programs get more funding. No sign of this either, with Congress failing to approved a budget which reportedly included many pro-poor programs. I don't pretend to know how to solve the insurgency problem. But then again, I don't have the access to vast amounts of resources that Secretary Cruz has to enable him to come up with sensible pronouncements on issues. After giving him all these resources, all he does is issue this asinine prediction. I'm disappointed. Herminigildo Gutierrez, [email protected] June 10, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww What if someone took it upon himself to compile all your writings, (interviews), discussions, and public appearances and made them into a book, and sold them as INSIDE THE PHILIPPINES (like erstwhile John Gunther) , does the person have to give you royalties for the profit made on the sale of the book? What if the person did not sell them, but gave them away to schools and non-profit Filam organizations in the U.S.? Your comments please, Tocayo. Tony Joaquin, [email protected] Daly City, California, June 10, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya, I do not want my children and my children's children to live in a society where Filipinos are thirsting for the blood of their fellow Filipinos - and no less worst using the name of our Christian God to legitimize ideological positions. Whether they're military or capitalists or socialists or communists, they - and all of us - deserve to live in peace and harmony attainable only by passionately working for justice (some examples: strict implementation of laws to protect the rights of the poor, providing them with as much legal assistance as the capitalist rich, dismantling of the structure of patronagepolitics/political dynasties, combatting corruption). This is a Christian country we're living in and Jesus would not approve of a militarist war-freak mindset. Or forget about being a Christian, just be a humanist (even atheist). That's why I cannot imagine a group of Christian soldiers or Christian/non-believing NPAs rejoicing over the dead or mangled bodies of their enemies, fellow Filipinos at that and "mga kapwa tao" (fellow human beings). For me the most Christian and most human way to "defeat the NPA" is to "defeat" the very reasons why people decide to go the hills. I am convinced that dialogue and the negotiating table is the only effective venue to work for peace and justice and freedom - provided a truly democratic space which does not rely on the 3Gs is afforded them. Leftists working in the legal mainstream but suspected of having connections with the underground must, like any other Filipino, be given a day in the court and not be summarily executed. A genuine encounter between the combatants is another matter. Even then I keep hoping all these will end for a better future for the poor and the marginalized). Lastly it would be the height of naivete to think that by killing people, all will end well. Thanks for the space. Levy Lanaria, [email protected] June 11, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, As with previous regimes, the government preaches that the way to defeat the communists is by eliminating or even just curbing poverty. But such project is a gargantuam task that cannot be reached in such a short time, what with the political instability and too much bickering on all sides. And in fighting poverty, the government is promoting a strategy that has already been proven since Marcos' term to be inutile. In fighting poverty, the root cause should be the one addressed, not the present situation. What I mean is, foreign investment is really needed, but we should not rely on it to come. There is a web of a problem here, and solving one facet does not necessarily get things done. And sometimes, this is more of a vicious cycle of problems and solutions causing other problems. On Squatting: Squatter colonies are not just eye-sore, they magnify the picture of poverty. And just like a mirror, it does not necessarily reflect the real situation. Some of the poor people chose to go to Metro Manila or other urban centers to look for a decent living (or sometimes, dole-outs). Their situation in the provinces may not be that good, but they don't realize that it is even bleaker in urban centers. If the squatters cannot go back to the province anymore because of war, calamity or whatever, the government can relocate them to a resettlement area and give them livelihood training. Perhaps some NGO's or other investors can use this human resources, and in a way this will be a give-and-take relations. There should also be even a non-formal education at least for elementary level, but this should also be recognized by DepEd to ensure that their efforts can be rewarded should they want to pursue High School, and perhaps college education. Health and sanitation should also be addressed. To top it all, those who receive grants in the resettlement areas should also sign a contract that will bind them to live in said area or else pay a fixed price. This way, professional squatting can be checked, and they can be productive as well. On Education: The price of education keeps going up, but the chance of employment gets slimmer. Therefore, our college graduates end up as sales personnel (who are usually exploited), or worse, domestic helpers for wealthy, less-educated masters abroad, where they may be even more abused. Unemployment rate also keeps growing without real hope of getting solved. Education officials should realize that college campuses have already become breeding ground for Marxist ideologues. And while it is very unhealthy and undemocratic to stop student idealism, it is equally disturbing to realize that schools are already infiltrated by hard-core leftists. Proper forum and dialogues can help address students' issues. Perhaps its about time CHED redefines its philosophy and priorities. It can promote 2-year courses and other short-term vocational courses to promote entrepreneurship, cottage industries and manufacturing. The products can be exported if they produce at high quality. Filipinos are known to be imaginative, creative, inventive and resilient. Put these qualities into practice. On Labor: Undoubtedly, our laborers and employees are over-worked and under-paid. Poor wages and insufficient (if not missing at all) benefits are fuel for labor unrest, and is the main propaganda tool of communists. If wage cannot be increased, then at least more benefits should be given like tax exemptions or discounts, discount on basic needs, stronger health-care assistance and the likes. These are just suggestions, and surely this web has even more rays stretching in other directions. But these may be the biggest ones. Addressing these issues first can greatly help in defeating not just the communist insurgency, but also other forms of military/insurgency problems. But the first step should be real political reform and great political will. Martinez Felipe Rommel, [email protected] June 11, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ACA: �But most of all, we cannot defeat the NPA and its CPP and NDF supports, in six or ten years, because we do not have the credible and charismatic leader that the personally incorruptible Magsaysay was and which neither President Arroyo nor Secretary Cruz is.� Ogie: I agree. We have at present an "in-credible and un-charismatic leader" is indeed correct. ACA:� ...the acknowledged fact that the armed strength of the NPA has shrunk from a high of 26,000 fighters in 1987 to a low of 7,000 in 2006.� Ogie: How do we account for the reduction of 19,000 NPA fighters? Perhaps you can look into it, Tony, and give us the reasons. 70% reduction is sizeable sum. What made it possible may be what is best to pursue. The way I see it, it is worth looking into. Thanks for this column, Tony. It comes very close to the truth on the issue. Ogie Reyes, [email protected] June 12, 2006 MY REPLY. Part of the reason is the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in 1989 and 1991, respectively. Then there was the split in the communist movement in 1991-92, into Reaffirmist and Rejectionist blocs. Finally, there may be the realization that the �legal and parliamentary� struggle is more effective than the armed struggle. The Shield has become more cost-effective than the Sword, in Joma�s analogy. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Re: Defeating the NPA I totally agree on your lines that the government can not wipe out the NPA in five or even in ten years time. If it can, there is no more talk such as this today. As what is going on for quite some time, my simple observation is that insurgency seems to be a business oriented undertaking in the part of the insurgents and those supposed to suppress them. If there is no more insurgency, there is no more business. It's quite simple as this. Driggs Matabaran, [email protected] June 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The proletariat hides behind the name of communism as they have no other form of economy that will protect them from being poor. They believe communism is a solution even thou proven that it fails than succeed. Insufficient government laws and programs to provide and protect their basic needs to live a descent life fuels their cause. They want fair deal from our society. The problem lies behind our government leaders who continuously ignore the problem of increasing poverty vis-a-vis the inflationary cost of survival. Insurgencies will never cease as long as there is a great number of poor in a society. However politicians want massive poor head counts because they are the tools in a democratic system of election for a politician to achieve his goal in acquiring a government post. In a develop nation, the rich donate their money to societal programs that help the poor. However in the Philippines the rich prefer to deposit their money abroad because they know someday they will have a security in case their nation falls to the revolutionary militants. They will simply immigrate to countries that grant asylum to wealthy immigrants. The low social class has no other way to live a better life than to quest for opportunities abroad. Dubai is now a haven for Pinoy OCWs. For those who wants a peaceful revolution, they become Overseas Contract Workers. If ever a country like US and Canada grant them naturalization, they quickly grab the opportunity rather than to return home. Those who could not work abroad ended up fighting for their right no matter how hopeless they are with the mindset and character of our politician. The politicians simply don�t care. I was wondering what the US view if our nation has a rich oil deposit. The long line of visa applications at the US and Canadian embassies should be a slap to our politicians but they simply don�t care or are they really dumb. Nonoy Ramos, [email protected] Pennsylvania, June 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Quote for the week - "... it would be the height of naivete to think that by killing people, all will end well." by Levy Lanaria. Before that Levy said, 1. "I do not want my children and my children's children to live in a society where Filipinos are thirsting for the blood of their fellow Filipinos - " Ogie: I don't mind if Filipinos lust for the blood of our corrupt government officials. These leeches have been in the business of bleeding us dry without mercy and let-up for so long that something drastic needs to befall upon them NOW! 2. "For me the most Christian and most human way to �defeat the NPA� is to �defeat� the very reasons why people decide to go the hills." Ogie: It would not be too bad really if people decide to go to the hills and soon come back. But the NPAs once they are at the hills don't want to go back. 3. "I am convinced that dialogue and the negotiating table is the only effective venue to work for peace and justice and freedom - provided a truly democratic space which does not rely on the 3Gs is afforded them." Ogie: A change in the minds and hearts shown in actual deeds of the powerful political lords would do it. The trapos are the very reason people go to the hills. The trapos are still with us; very much with us. Not only with us but growing stronger and confident every day that they now think they can "will" a cha-cha despite the law. How very bold naman! Talagang pambihira at labis na labis na ang paniwala nila sa kanilang "unbridled powers." Unless these trapos change and their better image is truthfully conveyed to the hills, we can't hope to defeat the NPA. This better image is never visible in dialogues at the negotiating tables. But since the change in hearts and minds is very difficult to manage and takes a long time, I would think a better leader with enough "control savvy" is the best of deals. Just another thought: Can we automatically have the right leader once we defeat the trapos? Ogie Reyes, [email protected] June 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Lanaria, That's probably why the best course of action would be to round up all the die-hard members and leaders of those Commie Front Orgs, as well as captured CPP/NPA idiots and let them establish their "Utopian Paradise" in one of the bigger islands of the Spratlys. (especially an island that is known to NOT HAVE ANY OIL) Rather than annihilate these idiots, just let them prove to all of us that their moronic advocacy of Communism still holds water. After all, those imbeciles like to talk about "economic isolationism" or other forms of "anti-foreign investor" rhetoric, so let's let 'em have it. In an isolated island far, far away from everyone else, they can prove to us that without trade and without contact, they can "survive" and in fact, prosper and transform their isolated island in the South China Sea to become the Utopian society that their "great teachers" Marx, Lenin, Engels, Mao, and Josef Maria Stalin *este* Sison preached. As everyone can see, I do not advocate their annihilation. I simply ask that they be brave enough to take the challenge of proving to us that they can truly use their ideology and implement it to the letter and still prosper. We'll even give them 50 boars, 50 sows for pig breeding, 100 roosters and 100 hens (for chicken breeding), fishing rods, and bolos for opening coconuts for food, and one years' supply of canned goods for all of them. All they have to do is prove to us that in 15 years, they will have an abundant society that is UTOPIAN in every sense of the word. ;) (Hopefully, they don't end up killing each other over ideological differences or out of starvation due to economic mismanagement... That is likely to happen since Communists are LOUSY at economic and resource planning in the first place!) Orion Dumdum, [email protected] June 13, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww For Mike Delgado: I see three things why America is interested in the Philippines (1) currently we are the third largest English speaking nation with a very unusual "luv"" for big brother America - always toeing the "official" line and acting as volunteer propagandist for what is "gud" about the land flowing with milk and honey though 90% of these go to stupid white Americans (according to Michael Moore not me) (2) nostalgia - the Philippines is the only country in Asia that was successfully imperialized by America - a good reminder for those following generations of US military minds how to subjugate a nation fighting for liberation and successfully crushing the movement and (3) deuterium - heavy water or the fuel of the future; the Philippine Deep has endless supply of this potential fuel where only time, technology, capital and military might is needed to access, control and manage. (The deuterium deposit is actually a hoax, as anyone with a background in physics or chemistry would know. ACA) Abu Sayyaf in my opinion is US spawned to justify US troops in Mindanao. Gen Santos intenational airport is not a fluke of US charity, the tarmac is capable of taking in the largest US military transports and the heaviest bombers. Diego Garcia is too small and far to sustain the military initiatives of America in Asia and the Middle East. Mindanao is a very strategic supply depot and actual presence of US military troops. Tong Jonathan Best/Ding Roces: These are excerpts from my unpublished book - Sa Lupain ng mga Flip: Sangayon kay Racelis ng IPC-Ateneo: "Filipino elites were quick to seize the opportunities offered by the new colonial administration and quickly shored up their interests by learning English, embracing American-style education, dominating the colonial bureaucracy, while retaining their assets in land, private enterprise, and money. By 1946 and Philippine independence, the Philippines could be described as an elite democracy � a society which attempts to build the principles and norms of civil and political democracy into a society with still feudally oriented power structures, wide socio-economic disparities, and a nascent middle class. Malaki ang papel na ginampanan ng mga Ilustrado. Ito ang mga mestizo Katsila at mga katutubong may mataas na pinag-aralan sa mga kolehiyo at unibersidad, nakaririwasa o angat sa pangkabuhayan dahil sa negosyo o malawak na mga lupain. Kalimitan ang Ilustrado ay tanggap at kinikilala o kusang mang-aagaw ng mantel ng pamumuno sa pangkaraniwang katutubo na mababa ang pinag-aralan/walang masyadong maipakitang pagiging angat sa buhay. Ang Ilustradong si Hen. Emilio Aguinaldo ang umagaw sa pamumuno ng 1898 rebolusyon na dati'y pinangungunahan ng manggagawang si Andres Bonifacio. Ang unang nagpakita ng collaboration o pag-suko sa mga Amerikano ay ang uring Ilustrado. Sila ang malinaw na may mga interes, ari-arian, negosyo at lugar sa lipunan na mawawalan o makikinabang kung lalaban o kakampi sila sa bagong mananakop. Isang halimbawa ay si Azcarraga, ngayon ay Recto Ave. papuntang Divisoria. Hindi ko matiyak kung purong Kastilang peninsulare pa o insulare na lang si Azcarraga o dili kaya mestizo na turing ng mga puro na Filipino noong bago mag 1900. Kahit ano pa siya, kaya nagkapangalan ng isang malaking kalsada itong si Azcarraga ay dahil siya'y pangunahing collaborator ng Kano noong Philippine-American War. Marami pang iba kung ating masinop na sisiyasatin ang mga katutubong collaborators sa mga dayuhang mananakop. Naging kagalang galang na lang sila sa tagal ng panahon at igsi ng memorya ng fliP. Felx Zamar, [email protected] June 13, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Echegaray Issue Dear Abaya, What is your opinion about CJ Panganiban statement about the death of Echegaray. It became an issue when it should have been dead like his death. Talk about compensation, etc. costing millions, such could not be an issue without a statement of one of the highest official in this country. It seems that our leaders are the ones making problems in this country. Making actions and statements which better left not done or said at all. Lately, he retracts saying what he said is just his personal opinion. At his stature he should have known what will be the consequences and implications of saying his personal opinion in public. Driggs Matabaran, [email protected] June 12, 2006 MY REPLY. I am in favor of keeping the death penalty for certain heinous crimes, such as the rape and murder of children, and the manufacture and distribution of forbidden drugs. You are right, CJ Panganiban should realize that he should not give his �personal opinion� on any judicial issue as anything he says on it has repercussions. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Potemkin Country This just hit me. Instead of solving problems that affect the country, the Arroyo administration looks for ways to create its own little potemkin villages. This current administration has got to be the worst so far in comparison to the last three after Marcos. I'm no pro Erap but even he didn't go to the depths of delusion and propaganda that this current administration has gone to, with regard to anything it thinks of. All because of political survival for the president. It's a macro issue with a nasty micro effect for us little people. There should be a scientific name for this ailment that affects the Philippine government and all its departments, commissions, agencies, bureaus. Potemkinus Philippinensis or something like that. Jose Custodio, [email protected] June 13, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Reaction to �New Breed of Leaders� (May 09, 2006) Hi, Mr Abaya, Can you please illuminate us on the Born Again Movement which appears to be gaining ground among Filipinos and winning adherents away from Catholicism. Thanks and even more thanks for your articles which are so enlightening. Need more "thinking" and "values-oriented" writers like yourself, I think. Col Dennis Acop, [email protected] West Point, '83, June 13, 2006 MY REPLY. As far as I know, the Born-Again Movement is an off-shoot of mainstream Protestantism, but it has also spawned off-shoots from mainstream Roman Catholicism. It has been especially robust in the US and Latin America, the latter specially worrisome to the Roman Catholic Church. In general, the Born-Again phenomenon may be explained as a sign that many mainstream Protestants and Catholics are unhappy with their Churches, for various reasons, and find personal fulfillment and salvation in these smaller Churches. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |