I haven't been truly interested in Philippine politics and current events for the longest time. After all, I've been living in California since 1990. Sure, I read the news on inq7.net everyday, but none of the stories have really piqued my interest for ages. Recently, however, that has changed.
The current hullabaloo about the tapes, supposedly proving that President Arroyo was involved in election fraud, has got me hooked on updates. Over and over again when I am at home AND when I am at work, I check the Inquirer website and the blogs of Manolo Quezon and Tina Panganiban-Perez to get the latest and greatest. I can't help but be disappointed that something like this is happening at all. It's really sad, but I can't help but think that this reinforces yet again the notion that all, and I mean all, politicians in the Philippines are dirty in one way or another.
My mother and one of her sisters both know the President personally. My mom has known GMA since her UP School of Economics days. My aunt... well, I won't mention how she's connected to GMA because I have to respect her privacy. Anyway, I pressed both mom and tita for gossip and for insights into the President based on how they know her as a person. My mom is surprised at the current scandal, but then again it's been at least 15 years since she last spoke to GMA. My aunt, well, she isn't talking. Maybe I can get her drunk at my grandma's birthday party this weekend and pump her for information!
I just wish, for the country's sake, that the current crisis gets resolved posthaste, in a peaceful, legal fashion. I wish that the country would get leaders who are motivated by a genuine desire to serve, who aren't attracted to public office just to enrich themselves, and who are strong enough to resist the corrupt patronage politics that seems totally endemic in the Philippines.