While you slept

Churchill Aguilar

WHILE you slept, the Commission on Appointments (CA) composed of senators and congressmen whom we voted last election robbed the country with a genuine minister on environment.

This heist is so huge because for the first time in the DENR there was leadership with the will to really protect our natural resources. Only she had the balls to order the closure of irresponsible mining companies. Only she was fearless to go up against multi-billionaires and call spade a spade. Only she had the boldness to expose the injustices committed against the Filipino people by greedy capitalists who exploited our land and destroyed our environment in the process.

And while we thought that she could really bring in genuine change, it was cut short by the CA’s rejection of her appointment as secretary of the DENR. And the reason being was that she was not qualified?! She was the only good thing that happened to the Du30 adminsitration. And now what’s there to hope for? The sad thing was that while we had fallen victim by politics and greed, Duterte just shove the issue like it’s fine and that we can just move on from it.

Gina Lopez’s rejection by the CA is a case of Filipinos being robbed of our natural resources. None before her ever had the courage to protect our home as radically as she did. It is no different from us being colonized again–only this time, by businessmen. We have to be angry about this. We have to make it known to them. We cannot just let this pass, otherwise it’s like giving up our own future and the future of our kids. What makes this even more unjustly was that it was the hands of our politicians who committed the injustice against us. The very hands we voted to protect us. And they are too blinded by greed and power they do not see that this is killing all of us, them included.

Enough is enough with dirty politics. We have to put a stop to this cycle of corruption. It is disgusting and appalling. Our politicians can do better if we demand it from them.

First, let us demand for transparency. Let us know who among them voted for the rejection of Gina Lopez’ appointment. They voted as representatives of the people and not as individuals, they should not be allowed to hide from anonymous secret ballot. They should be made fully accountable of their decisions made in the name of their public office.

Second, let us continue the fight of reinstating Gina Lopez as secretary of environment. Her cause is ours and is surely not yet a lost one. Her story cannot end on this note.

Third, let us get rid of politicians who blatantly do not prioritize the welfare of the people. We have done that many times. Why stop now.

While we slept, we were raped, so wake up and let’s do something about it.