When I can’t sleep late nights, my tired body dispels unwanted ideas hoping a blissful rest. My strong –willed mind never obeys. My inability to sleep has been quite a time now, so is political crisis wrapping the nation.

Our leaders, getting insomnia syndrome bark endlessly in congressional meetings, pointing accusing fingers, passing blame to government. Anyone who sits in power may feel Damocles sword hanging over head. Although taking an electoral seat is a business empire breeding dynasty ruling families, singing same old songs to naïve voters.

Years back, when I worked in the congressional office, only few politicians spoke or joined debating league in creating laws. But now everyone is a key player, quarreling over simple matters, their grumbling faces featured in evening news. 

We baptize them as seasonal thinkers, always surprising us with unfolding trends. They rush; group themselves to support their chief legislator but always changing courts, unmindful of confused spectators, whose side they are really in.

By being divided, can we discover opportunities to flourish as a nation? Will we be same sick Asian neighbor, unable to stand straight or move forward in a chaotic environment? We always mourn for broken dreams, of promises left unfulfilled. Back home, many are struggling to live, as high taxes made them poorer. So off they go to the streets, the hot tempered less privilege shouting CHANGE.

But the exception to every cry: we cannot complain every miserable issue on the streets. We need to settle, problems at home before rushing into conclusions government fails to lend hand. They lament, our country deteriorates as long as “doctor of economics” holds power. To regain economic stability is to end President Gloria Arroyo’s political career. The same political path President Joseph Estrada did in 2001, prosecuted with corruption and plunder charges, paving second birth of  Edsa revolution.

          But what happens to the Edsa spirit? The martial law whose years brought terror is making a rerun show, journalists, vigilant groups rising in numbers, ended their heroism in unmarked shallow graves.

We also maintain security measures, checking inquisitively luggage terminals, public places. Still blind, our uncertainties lie not on these precautions but how our leaders can demonstrate back their genuine services. We are terrified of terrorist attacks—the new liquid bombs… very similar to these political debates killing Philippine economy.

Quietly, we have success stories to tell but bad politics overlap our potential for global competitiveness.

We remain, only nation in Asia with high literacy rate in English proficiency. Call centers worldwide are relocating their services here as well foreign publishers in contract-training for on-line work jobs.

We also grace our abilities in transcription business, in web designs, good computer programmers. It was Diosdado Banatao, a Filipino, who first made single chip graphical user interface accelerator to boost internet speed in computers.

While controversial Agapito Flores of Bulacan received a French fluorescent bulb patent but sold his rights to General Electric Company. Fe del Mundo, the first Asian to join Harvard University School of Medicine, credited her works for inventing incubator and jaundice-relieving equipment.

Another unrecognized contribution in space invention was Eduardo San Juan who worked at Lockheed Corporation. San Juan conceptualized ideas for Moon Buggy used by astronaut Neil Armstrong among others for exploration.

 But gifted scientists fight for merits due them. Government lacks funding to mass produce projects inventors created. Seeking other nations for help, lose their patent rights in the process.

Like them, our lawmakers are playing scientists.  Parliamentary government is a laboratory experiment to give faith in the electoral system. It restructures, agencies merging departments to define goals, expectations. Adoption of new government sparked from the raging crowd who heard the whispers of the president last election.

And yet we don’t blame the populace--in their facial expressions: anger, resentment or compassion to political baits. They simply are the nation’s crier, in a few weeks when another sensational story hits headlines, they’re short for memory recall as arguments delve on new controversy. Politics play a cultural life on sleepless Filipino people.

Through ages, we are known for durability, resiliency. In times of unfortunate events embracing, we remain strong even stoic. We bend to the winds, yes, but never break.