The Vagueness of Politics, the Politics of Vagueness

MANILA - The more your hear and see the less you know. This seems to best describe what politicians articulate during press conferences and say in public, the current leading candidates for president included. They seem merely content with vague slogans: for Sen. Noynoy Aquino - "pagbabago" (change), Sen. Manny Villar - "sipag at tiyaga" (industriousness and persistence), Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro - "galing at talino" (good work and intelligence), MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando - reformer, performer, problem solver. Former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada has reprised his slogan of "Erap para sa Mahirap" (Erap for the poor).

What do these tell us about their platform of government? What do these tell us of how they would run the government if they win? Nothing.

A visit to their official websites also reveal nothing except their profiles and claimed accomplishments. These are full of generalities and vague statements.

In Noynoy Aquino's website, the closest one could get in getting a glimpse of how he would run the government if he won is the slogan, "'Tanggalin ang tiwali, itama ang mali" (Remove the corrupt, Right the wrongdoings). For sure corruption is one of the ills plaguing Philippine society. But it certainly is not the only one. What exactly are the wrongdoings that would be set straight?

In his profile, Aquino was quoted as saying that a true democracy should not only allow political freedoms but also jobs, education, social services and equitable distribution of economic prosperity. But almost all candidates for president say this, even Gilbert Teodoro who professes loyalty to the Arroyo administration. How would Noynoy Aquino be different? Would he then be against labor contractualization, the priority given to debt servicing and defense as against the budget for education and other social services, the EVAT and the oil deregulation law?

In Manny Villar's website, one could not get anything either. Villar was quoted as saying that he intends to make Filipinos more competitive, referring to building capacities for entrepreneurship. Poverty is also one of the main problems confronting Philippine society. But certainly it could not be solved by merely providing small livelihood opportunities. Already 90 percent of registered businesses in the country are micro enterprises and there is hardly a dent in the poverty situation. It is even getting worse. Besides, "making the Filipino competitive" seems as a mere reprise of former president Fidel V. Ramos's slogan in 1992, until the Southeast Asian financial crisis hit the country.