A veteran journalist’s call for action

July 3, 2024

MANILA – In a webinar hosted by the Vinzons Policy Center and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association last Saturday, veteran journalist Vergel O. Santos addressed the critical question of the Philippines’ future amid the escalating conflict in the West Philippine Sea and deep-seated political and economic issues.

Santos, a journalist for over 60 years, has edited two national dailies. He began his talk by highlighting the despair reflected in the question, “Who among us is ready to die for the country?” which was asked during a recent forum that he attended, emphasizing the perceived gravity of the Philippine situation. While acknowledging he had no magic formula, Santos underscored the responsibility of those with the capacity and desire to help and offered a clear course of action.

Santos stressed that the Filipino poor have suffered disproportionately and urged the audience, presumably people with the capacity and desire to help, to act on their behalf. The idea of “no one is left behind,” he said, is hopelessly idealistic given the limitations of the existing political and economic systems and the fragmentation of society.

Referencing the country’s persistent poverty rate and the inadequacy of government programs, he argued that the slow process of economic development alone cannot address the deep-seated problems faced by the marginalized. The wishful longing for an instantaneous redeemer, he suggested, has been exploited in election after election through unfulfilled promises.

Santos asserted that the nation’s regression is a collective failure. All through the years since the happy bloodless fluke of the people power revolution, we became so ecstatic we neglected to build on our toehold