What on earth are we willing to do?

OVER THE PAST two months we have seen and felt the highs, lows, twists and turns in the global socio-economic-political-military landscape here and abroad. And it seems we have not seen the end yet. They continue to reflect the chaotic circumstances in the world that are spiraling out of control. Where we all end up is anyone’s guess. A word of advice to read Revelations. It suggests that you either give up on the human species or call for Divine Intervention. Let’s just say that God helps those who help themselves.

In the US, Trump’s failed assassination attempt, Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race, the rise of Kamala Harris, the wild swings on Wall Street, and the ongoing polarization are distracting and destructive to stability and global leadership. The recently concluded Democratic Party National Convention raised hopes for a united America through civil-political consensus to crush internal threats to its freedom and democracy, before setting a bipartisan agenda to serve the common good. America’s enemies are watching closely.

In Europe, Italy, Finland and Greece have moved to the right. In some places, far-right leaders are taking power. In other places, more traditional centre-right parties are joining right-wing fringes.

Ukraine went on the offensive, occupying Russian territory with breathtaking speed, while Russia took more losses in Ukraine. Putin once again raised the specter of nuclear retaliation, as he routinely does when he is on the ropes. President Biden, meanwhile, remains steadfast in his support for Ukraine, promising more weapons, ammunition and equipment.

In the Middle East, the long-running war between Israel and Iran, with the latter backed by its Triple H terror proxies (primarily Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis), is intensifying on several fronts. Israel has just launched preemptive strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. Since last year, Hezbollah has fired more than 6,800 rockets and missiles into Israel. Will this escalation escalate into a full-fledged war that engulfs the entire region? U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq remain juicy targets for black flag groups circling Iran. Meanwhile, the hostage deal is in limbo.

Shipping oil and gas from there to the rest of the world has become a lot more expensive and takes longer to reach its destination. Local economies are struggling to contain and alleviate inflationary pressures on their goods and services, adding unwarranted financial burdens to the world’s poor. Also of concern is the safety and security of our OFWs, who number in the millions in that region, which could only worsen our never-ending unemployment crisis. Do the NDRRMC and OCD have strategic plans and resources in place to address a full-fledged crisis?

In Southeast Asia, China continues to be a rogue state and an untrustworthy neighbor. It continues to treat us in bad faith and always tries to assert its dominance over us by dirty means under false pretenses. At sea, the latest incident was a week ago when its ships damaged two of our coast guard vessels in our EEZ that it illegally claims as its own. I wonder what is happening there as I write this. It has threatened to remove the BRP Sierra Madre by force. We must take that threat literally. When it comes to threats, China delivers. When it comes to promises, forget it.

The growing risk of conflict with China, whether intentional or accidental, transparent or deceptive, is real. When on earth are governments going to get serious about civil defense under armed conflict? The escape of infiltrator Alice Guo is a prime example of how easily we are overcome by China’s national security challenges and transnational criminal activities — infiltration, influence operations, espionage, drugs, piracy, kidnapping, assassination, smuggling, gambling, sleeper cells — much of it under the guise of POGOs.

Guo disappeared right under the noses of our authorities, which shows how corrupt and infiltrated we are. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission traced her whereabouts to Batam, Indonesia, and based on intelligence gathered, suspects that she is headed to the Golden Triangle, a haven for Triads and other groups caught in the web of transnational crime. Based on my previous knowledge of these types of operations, China uses them for deniability when it wants to undermine and eliminate a target country with the help of local traitors.

To this day, with national and local elections coming up next year, there has been no tangible effort by the government we pay taxes to keep us safe and secure, to systematically weed out the unpatriots, the corrupt and the incompetent in its institutions and agencies. This has become a cyclical ritual of “electing” primarily the unworthy who serve themselves rather than the nation. We are unable to answer the question: What are we willing to do to pick ourselves up off the floor and make things right for current and future generations?

We have a surplus of analysis and prescriptions for our unresolved internal and external problems that have been unattainable for decades. This is balanced by the paucity of efforts to become a strong, honorable and responsible nation. We know what needs to be done but do not know how. Worse still, many will not do it for all comfort zone reasons. There are only a few who are willing to take the leap into the unknown as a last ditch effort to save our future. We need a critical mass and heroism is the call of the hour.

Yesterday, August 26, was National Heroes Day.

We need true heroes who have a deep, unwavering commitment to the greater good — despite the uncertainty, the danger, the fear, and the doubt — who are driven by a deep sense of duty to protect and preserve our nation’s values ​​and freedoms, and who understand that the costs of inaction far outweigh their personal sacrifices. This selfless determination, the relentless courage to remain steadfast in the face of insurmountable odds, will not only secure our future but inspire others to believe that together they too can overcome the most formidable challenges.

Rafael M. Alunan III is a distinguished fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines. He is a member of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations, Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of the Philippines and the Management Association of the Philippines.