the long now of philippine governance

I've been silent the past few weeks. I've been busy at work so that's the natural cover although I suspect that I've been quiet because of the turmoil back home. When I started this project, I purposely decided to avoid commenting on current political issues. I felt there were and are enough voices out there, enough pundits dealing with Philippine politics.

I'm not short of my own opinions - or attention - but I'd rather not use this blog as a forum. Like I said, there are many other places on the web.

I will say this of the matter (having been part of EDSA 1 and 2, and witnessed 3) and then move on: Our current and past political crises are symptoms of a deeper movement. We long for a change in governance -not governments, but governance -and of culture.

It is a struggle we've been at since colonial times. From and end to patronage politics, to a shift to rule-driven rather than personality-driven campaigns, to a search for professionalism in the bureaucracy and the military.

To that end, the deeper movement is positive. Changes in governance and culture take much longer to happen. Over several generations. Though it is easy to be discouraged by the distemper of our times (or betrayals, as Prof. David puts it), the comfort is that chaos on the surface is generated by the friction in the deeper layers.

Will our governance and our culture change? Yes. Eventually.