YPS

We all have to get out of our political comfort zones!

That’s if you have one to begin with. If not, read this as if you have one or want to have one. And yes, this piece is, as usual, a reflection on the past week’s happenings in “Reform Constituency” land. Reform what? Precisely!

REFORM is now drawn as a line in the sand. We think that if we get enough people on our side of this line in the sand, we would have enough clout to be heard. The problem with lines in the sand is that anyone can draw them, there is no limit to how many lines can be drawn and the beach where we want 50 million Filipino voters to stand is just too wide (or maybe we have so many beaches). All these lines in the sand just make the beach(s) look scarred and ugly. Besides, maybe it is the summer heat (or recession?) but I don’t think the 50 million want to stand on the beach just yet, much less see these lines, or want to spend their time choosing which line and side to stand on. Worse, the very system we work to reform still controls the beach and continues to make and break rules with impunity.

So… those of us who believe we have drawn THE line on the sand, look at other lines and refuse to budge. We dig our line a little bit deeper and call out a little louder. We want to out-shout, out-draw, out-do other reform line-drawers if only to prove that our version of REFORM, of change, of calling out is the right one, the better one, the real one. We make a lot of noise and we get great attention but in the end, another beach party ends, the tides easily erase the lines we draw and as we stand on the beach, we are no farther than where we all started from again. Until the next beach party in say 3 political years?

In the past week, I have seen very ugly versions of this scenario. Groups that build constituencies around hatred and judgement of other groups. Groups who don’t really believe in reform but conveniently use the buzzword to their advantage. Individuals who build constituencies for their own selfish goals. It’s a sad and ugly beach party.

And yet, amidst these, there are glimpses we catch from 50 million or at least a part of that 50 million. Some are stepping into the beach, drawing their own lines. A youth group “Youth For Zero Corruption” I met in Cebu is actively drawing their line in the sand. The International Visitor’s Program (IVP) will be launching its program focused on voter’s education and empowerment. Two companies (and counting) are making responsible citizenship part of their corporate responsibility.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not looking for a Kum Ba Yah, group hug, “we all agree” moment on the beach… I am not dehydrated and haven’t had sunstroke. Reform is about principle and that, we don’t let go of. But politics is about compromise. So between our reform and our politics, I’d rather compromise with people who draw lines in the sand but share the same principles for reform.

Nation-building, a culture of excellence, inclusivity (or non-exclusivity), the ability to inspire and aspire for something better, no patron-client relationships… these permeate our activities and guide our actions. We will argue, debate and disagree on our stands on reproductive health, land reform, indigenous peoples’ rights, environmental sustainability and more. But we would do so with respect and principle and more importantly move in the same direction… FORWARD. In the end, the lines we draw on the sand could be parallel or perpendicular to each other but should, together spell the word REFORM. Maybe then, it would be more visible to the 50 million we hope to reach.

If you haven’t guessed it by now, yes I am writing this from a beach, contemplating my line on the sand the morning after an amazing Earth Hour. And if the Earth Hour movement is not proof enough of many lines drawn in the sand… all spelling EARTH, maybe you are the one with a bad case of sunstroke.

I’m stepping out of my political comfort zone… you should too. Now where is that water bottle and sunblock lotion…no dehydration or sunstroke for me thank you very much.

See you on the Beach!!!