A.
As defined in the Oxford Dictionary, a state is a nation or territory as an organized political
community under one government. A state must not only be strong, rather it must be efficient in order to
balance the delivery of services, basic commodities, and other life supporting aspect to the common
people and to the society. First, a strong and efficient state must observe the check-and-balance system of
making, implementing and incorporating o policies. These policies that are made and passed by the law
making body, which is the legislative body, in case of Philippine government, must tackle issues as well
as resolve them which can be beneficial not only to certain class or classes of people but for the common
good of all. In addition, to achieve this, the developing policies for societies means working with civil
society organizations to promote reform of government policies and to change social and cultural
attitudes. Ultimately, however, these initiatives must be directed toward influencing states as well,
because even when the objective is to change society and culture, active government cooperation is
essential to accomplishing anything on strategic scales (https://www.hoover.org/research/strong-society-
weak-state). Second, to have an efficient political system, the needs of its people must be prioritized and
the goals of the government must focus on the social and economic growth of the minority, oppressed and
marginalized sectors. To achieve this, appropriation of funds must be based on the present needs of the
society. For example, the appropriation of budget for the health, education, research on Science and
Technoloy, must be as of equal or even greater importance to the military, infrastructure development
sectors, and others. This is to ensure that the immediate needs will be delivered to the needing
community. Lastly, a strong and efficient government will always choose peace and order and not going
to war. War is never the answer on disputed issues for who suffers most during a declaration of war is the
common people, the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, who the state promised to protect.
In our present government, our president shows strong personality in dealing issues like sovereign
issues. But the question is, is having a strong president means a strong and efficient government? Going
back to the Martial Law under the Marcos Regime, the state is strong but never efficient. Strong in the
sense that the late Dictator Ferdinand Marcos takes over the entire government system (no judiciary and
no legislative sector) and he ruled the Philippines on his own. This kind of government makes the state
weak for it does not involve the community in making its policies. He never sees and listens to the plight
of the marginalized and oppressed, rather he tortures the people who come on its way.
Comparing with how President Duterte runs the country right now, it does not differ that much as
compared to the dictatorship under Marcos. President Duterte, violator of the provisions of our
Constitution, prioritizes other nationality than its own people. Chinese nationalities are invading the
Philippines when it comes to business making our small time businesses incompetent to deal with the fast
growing economy. Many of our fishermen cannot fish on our water because our own president tolerates
the invasion of the Chinese government. It is ironic to put so much budget on Military sector rather than
the health and education but we cannot even fight for our sovereign rights. We import rice making the
price for the rice of our own farmers cheap but we cannot even give free seeds to our own farmers to
uplift their livelihood. Lumad schools are bombed for they are incorporated as NPas but no evidence to
prove such allegations. Lawyers for minorities were killed to silenced them and to cover up the abusive
treatment of hacienderos to the tenants. Scientists are given small budget for their projects but blamed
during calamities. To summarize, our present government prioritizes profit from the rich, and set aside the
needs of its own people. Corruption at its finest as they say.
B. A strong and efficient leader goes his heart to the poor, to the needy. For if he develops this kind of
heart, he will know how to formulate policies and issues that solves the crisis that his territory is
experiencing. He must hear the voices of his people for him to know their plight. He must give
importance to healthcare, education; researches for these aspects can uplift individuals, later on the entire
community.
One Filipino statesperson I know that possess these characteristics is the late Senator Miriam Defensor
Santiago. She knows the law, she follows the law and she grills corrupt people. She fights for the
sovereign rights of our people. She shows strong allegiance to the Constitution of the Philippines, for this
is the law of the land and not to the political people. She is even included in the “The 100 Most Powerful
Women in the World” in 1997 in an Australian magazine. In addition, Miriam Defensor notable for being
the very first Filipino to win a seat as a judge at the International Criminal Court. In her more than
twenty years of political career, Miriam has proven herself to be an honest, efficient, and excellent public
servant, which is why the Filipino people love her. She is not afraid to voice out her opinions towards the
government. Her loud and outspokenness personality rattle individuals making them as enemies. Despite
this, she never bowed down to these people, rather she continue to lambast them due to corruption. She is
the Iron Lady of Asia.
C. If President Duterte will not declare Martial Law in the whole Philippines before the end of his
term; I can see that the Philippines will have a brighter future. However, even if his term ends but her
daughter will win the Presidential race, the Duterte Regime will continue and poverty will be widespread,
worst as today.
On the brighter side, knowing the traits of the Filipinos and our culture and norms, we can uplift
ourselves hand-in-hand. Researchers in the Department of Agriculture will discover how to improve
yields of our agricultural products that will make our country agricultural independent. Farmers will no
longer beg for free seeds and their livelihood will sustain the needs of their families. Other projects under
science and technology will be recognized all over the world. It will be used to ease the hardship of
farmers, to predict precisely calamities, to harden and strengthen infrastructures and others.
Our healthcare system will be improved. Seminars, projects and researches will be developed to
provide the best health care most especially to the poor. The remote areas will be reached, and health
workers will not leave our country for they will be given the right compensation.
Drug users and other involve will be given the due process of law and a chance to live another
life, put into rehabilitation and will be taught how to do something for their livelihood.
Our people will be progress, our community will progress, our nation will progress. Hopefully!
