3 To Do’s When in a Revolutionary Situation: Remember, Celebrate, Believe

A “revolutionary situation” is where we all presently find ourselves in. The intimidating terms might scare you away, but here’s an alternative view of what we are to expect in this critical time in our nation’s life.

It will help if we first make sure that we know what being in a revolutionary situation means.

Being in a revolutionary situation is second of three stages in the revolutionary process. Stage one is called “revolutionary mood.” This phase is characterized by a deep dissaffection towards the present social or political standing of a nation. This disaffection could be triggered by an anomalous event or a series of events showing cracks in the present status quo of a country. In a revolutionary situation, disaffection is shared by the majority and if unchecked, is expected to grow.

We have clearly passed through this stage. The grounding event was the “hello, Garci?” controversy, and the succeeding events, helped of course by the political booboos by GMA and her supporters, the incessant opportunistic pounding on the issue by Erap’s and FPJ’s allies, the hullaballistic impeachment proceedings, plus the omnipresence of the more vibrant and prospering left (and friends) in the streets.

It was in early June when the Garci cds went out, and in December, SWS reports that 54% or majority of its survey respondents want GMA out before 2010. The feeling of distrust in the present administration took a while to catch on to many but it seems that eventually it still did. This time, there is that profound discontent expressed in various media.

We are now in a revolutionary situation, but not yet in a “revolutionary crisis,” the final stage. A revolutionary crisis is when there has been a build-up of groups (or one strong group) which are plausibly able to challenge the present sociopolitical setup, or the present leadership. We don’t find it now yet. What we do find right now are groups formed out of a shared distrust, fear, disgust, and/or conviction that some change is in the present societal arrangement is in order. There has been rumored attempts at coming up with some kind of a unification, but as of now, they are all just that: rumors.

A revolutionary situation is what we have right now. Now here’s the alternative view at the crisis we are in right now which I propose. I say welcome the situation and anticipate the best times that are to come. Give me two minutes, and just read on, before you call me crazy. These are the worst of times, these are the best of times. Have your pick. I suggest you pick the latter. In order for you to do that, just do this: remember, celebrate, and believe.

Remember, it was in a somewhat similar time when the likes of Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini and all our great national figures had the occasion to be called what we call them right now: heroes. Champions of love for our motherland and fellow Filipinos. The only ones who got into our history books are few, but let us count all the Filipinos who risked life and limb during those times, fighting the conquistadores at one front, fighting the opinion of those who don’t believe in what they’re doing on another, and engaging themselves too in the struggle within their hearts, fighting all doubts about whether their country is worth the heroism they are to offer. I invite you to relive the struggle they went through, they were humans too. Pilipino silang tulad mo at tulad ko. Pilipinong nagpaka-Pilipino.

Remember too the millions who went to EDSA 1, 20 years ago. I wasn’t there, but my parents were. I didn’t need history books to tell me that that moment was a historic moment for us. I grew up listening to their stories of how almost everyone rallied in front of the tanks, under the threat of being bombed from above by the tora-tora’s, strangers locking arms with strangers, united at last to end the dictatorship of Marcos.

Remember, these are Filipino heroes, many of them are still alive, living among us. And I am sure that the present revolutionary situation we as a nation are in right now is igniting within them again the fire of the dreams they once shared with millions of fellow Filipinos.

Celebrate. Celebrate the fact that we are maturing as a nation. We are. Be convinced and please muzzle the people who say otherwise. The agitation and restlessness of many of us show as reaction to the controversies hounding the present administration prove that the set of wrong acts that we can tolerate have significantly downsized. Whereas cheating before was generally accepted as part of the normal way of proceeding in this country, there are now a growing number of people who abhor it.

In an article written by Mr Alex Magno entitled “The Perils of Pedestal” for Newsweek at the onset of the hello garci scandal, he ascribed to hypocrisy the rallies and the various outward manifestations of repugnance of many groups and individuals. He says, “we are not supposed to know this happens, but because the conversations appear to have been caught on tape, our explicit code of proper civic behavior compels us to feign disgust. We have to go through the motions of being scandalized.”

Perhaps there were a few. But the majority, I say, are not. Circumspect and cautious at first maybe, but not hypocritical. I hope Mr Magno in his article was just referring to a few.

And then finally. Believe. Believe in the Filipino whose spirit may sometimes waver but is never killed. It’s no surprise that at these critical times, we find our athletes winning at almost every event, in the SEA games, and in Pacquiao vs Morales. These guys are challenged, and now their triumphs are in turn challenging us.

Believe that this spirit is in the majority of us. The spirit which was in Rizal, Ninoy, and every single Filipino in EDSA are in us. Let us keep it alive. No, let me change that plea. I am certain that we will keep it alive. The revolutionary situation we are in right now compels us to be informed, to be reflective, and to engage in action. We are not going to back out; that simply is not us.

Anytime now, I expect our heroes to be standing up, one by one. I have seen some of them in the past months. I know that many are still to come.