Checklists and score cards

What are the main problems of our people and our country now?

Duterte has waged a war on drugs, killings getting to be very common day in, day out. Suspects and real addicts, including genuine innocent bystanders, have been included among the dead since June.

For sure, every Filipino wants to stop the drug problem. The people are divided, however, about the definition of the drug problem as well as the solution for this problem.

Before any solution is implemented, should there not be a more comprehensive analysis about what is the drug problem in the Philippines? At the rate the problem is being addressed, it seems that the problem is focused mainly on the drug addicts, who prey on the innocent through robbery, rape, and other crimes. The argument for the killing spree is to stop the drug-addicts from harming more innocent.

Supporters of EJK ask, what matters most, the death of drug addicts (already moving on from hundreds to thousands) or the safety and protection of millions of other Filipinos?

Life is precious, the life of even just one person is important, whether that of a criminal or that of an innocent person, answer the critics of EJK. Can not a compromise be done, spare the lives of all, both criminals and the rest of the innocent Filipino people? Should not the life of any human being be spared, not only before human law but also before the commandment of God?

As an alternative to EJK, for example, cannot better protection of the innocent millions be guaranteed and assured by a better military or police and local government security network?

As a more comprehensive alternative, shall we not need to look at the drug problem from a broader perspective? Should we not more reliably identify who are involved in and what are the processes involved in this drug problem and more importantly, trace the causes/roots of this problem?

Who are the enemies in this war? Are the drug addicts, especially the poorer ones in tsinelas, the only group involved? What about the drug suppliers and the drug dealers? What networks are they using, how do they operate in specific areas throughout and outside the country? Why have the various players of the drug war succeeded in penetrating almost every part of our country? Has thorough, reliable, rigorous research been done on all levels to more precisely identify and apprehend all players, especially the big-time players?

Beyond a seemingly hastily constructed crude matrix or reported "drug lists" or accuse-first, prove later or worse, kill first, confirm later policies, our people will be best protected with intelligent, reliable, and comprehensive approach to this drug problem. As the network and players are varied and involve locals and foreigners, surely, there cannot be just one approach to this administration-defined "war?"

Also, the causes and roots of this drug problem have to be more accurately traced. Drug addiction and poverty have been correlated and proven by many previous researches. Many impoverished youth turn to drugs to drown out their hunger, their other essential needs that have continued without response across administrations. Environmental factors, like living in crowded, dirty, dangerous communities, also breed drug addiction. Peer influence as well as family breakdown is also vital social causes of addiction. Corruption, pork barrel, patronage politics are also related factors affecting poverty and other problems, including drugs.

Who is checking the list about this administration's response to other just as important problems, aside from and related to drugs? Who is doing the over-all score card for effective governance that is comprehensively addressing, not only the drug problem but the rest of our poor people's problems?

What is being done about hunger and poverty? What efforts have been started related to solving these problems that affect more millions of Filipinos than those affected by the drug problem?

What about employment and jobs for again, more millions of Filipinos that exceed the number of those reported victimized by drug addicts? How many new jobs and how many of our hungry and poor have been lifted from among the more numerous millions of needy Filipinos?

The military and police are being prioritized for salary increase. Their numbers combined are less than the millions of hungry, poor, jobless Filipinos. Perhaps, this new administration may wish to initiate giving jobs by paying adequate compensation to all farmers, to all fisher folks, forest dwellers and women with children who have continued to provide food for all Filipinos, protect and preserve the natural resources of our country, and most especially, to those who take care of all our people, especially our children and our elderly.

Addressing poverty, hunger, unemployment, wages can also be very effective measures not only for the hundred thousands of drug addicts reported since June. Is anyone doing the checklist as well if the new administration has started to address the immediate and just as valid needs of the millions of poor, hungry, jobless, without adequate wages, hopeless and in despair among our people?

We are aware of the efforts of NGOs and groups to reach out to our vulnerable Filipinos whose numbers are beyond those reported to be adversely affected by the drug war.

You are all invited, for example, to join the formation of a People's Food Movement that will formulate a Comprehensive Food Policy (CFP) for our people. For all interested, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. of September 8, a consultation/meeting with partners regarding the anti-GMO campaign will be conducted by the Greenpeace Southeast Asia Philippines and the Cebu Coalition for Food Security at the Pagtambayayong Conference Room at P. Del Rosario Extension, Cebu City. You can call Mr. Bob Bajenting at 0922-534-7229 for more details about this September 8 event.

As we move on as a nation to improve the lives of millions of our people, addicts and innocents alike, perhaps it is best to ask ourselves soonest, if over and above the score card and checklist in terms of numbers of victims and beneficiaries of the anti-drug policy and other programs since June, are we moving on together as a people toward a higher moral ground and toward genuine united service to our people and to God? Is anyone making a checklist of our progress as human beings in our country and in our world and as children of God?