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菲律宾一直以来都以亚洲最民主的国家之一自居,但正是这种有名无实的民主,使她的政局和经济日益陷入难以自拔的深渊。 The country witnessed its very first "people power" revolution in 1986 which overthrew the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and Filipinos regained democracy which they were deprived of for more than a decade. 菲律宾在1986年发动的第一次人民力量革命,推翻执政20年的前独裁者马可斯总统,使菲律宾人重获阔别十多年的民主。 Sadly, 15 years of democratic rule following the downfall of Marcos have not helped the country's economy pick up. Instead, there have been many scandals of corruption by officials and endless social unrest - effectively keeping foreign investors away and making it impossible for the people to lead a better life. 可是,在这15年的民主制度下,菲律宾经济丝毫未见起色,相反的却是贪官丑闻频传,社会动乱不断,外商裹足不前,人民生活日艰。 Most Filipinos do not have a good understanding of what democracy is. As a result,"democracy" has become a tool for a handful of people, who are rich and powerful, to seek personal gains. The second "people power" which ousted former President Joseph Estrada in January and a coup that attempted to topple President Gloria Arroyo on May 1 are excellent examples. 菲律宾大多数人民缺乏民主意识,不知民主究竟为何物,使"民主"成为有钱有势的少数人为谋求私利的工具。最佳实例就是今年1月发生的推翻前总统埃斯特拉达的第二次"人民力量",和5月1日发生的欲推翻阿罗约政府的暴动。 Mr Estrada deserved to be thrown out for indulging in sex, booze and gambling and failing to govern. But he was forced from power by a second "people power" initiated by some middle- and upper-class people when a Senate impeachment against him was in process. This has cast doubt on the country's system of democracy. 终日沉迷酒色豪赌,把治理国家当儿戏的昏君埃斯特拉达被赶下台,是他咎由自取。但他在参议院弹劾程序进行到一半,被由中上层人士发起的第二次"人民力量"推翻,却给菲律宾民主政制蒙上阴影。 
以所谓人民力量成功推翻民选总统,这在菲律宾历史上开下不良先河,使民众认为"人民力量"可以轻而易举地推翻一个政权,这才引发5月1日埃斯特拉达支持者在发起第三次"人民力量"后攻击总统府,企图重夺政权的暴动事件。 For Filipinos, "people power" has become a weapon to blackmail and attack the government. It has become a threat to democracy and may render the presidential election an exercise in futility. " 人民力量"在菲律宾人民心目中已成为威胁、对付政府的武器,这是对民主本质的一大威胁,可能使总统选举成为有名无实的民主活动。 Flaws in the election process are to blame for graft by elected presidents and other officials. To seek public office, candidates have to spend an enormous amount of money campaigning. The higher the office, the more money is needed. 民选总统和其他官员贪污,应归咎于民主选举的弊端。为角逐民选公职,候选人必须花大笔竞选经费,这笔经费依官职的大小而异。 It has been estimated by analysts that to campaign at all key places in the country, a presidential hopeful has to fork out at least hundreds of millions of pesos (tens of millions of Singapore dollar). Candidates keen on a seat in the Senate must be prepared to spend tens of millions of pesos. 据观察家估计,如果想在全国各地进行竞选活动,总统候选人起码要花数亿比索(约数千万新元),而参议员候选人则需数千万比索(约数百万新元)。 Most candidates who are successful in securing a post would probably be left with little money or many "favours" to return. After the just-concluded mid-term election, two ruling party candidates for the Senate have admitted openly that they are already heavily in debt. Worse still, both failed to get elected eventually. 多数候选人为了当上一官半职,皆"倾家荡产"或欠下一大堆人情债。两名在刚结束的中期选举中角逐参议院议席的执政党候选人,曾公开承认他们已欠下一大堆债。很讽刺的是,两人都落选。 
为求官职而负债累累,其目的真仅想为民服务吗?当选之后面对一大堆钱债和人情债,他们能做清官吗?这些问题,就是为何菲律宾官员经常被指贪赃枉法、朋党营私的答案。 If a leader sets a bad example, it will be followed by his subordinates. When two former presidents were involved in massive corruption, would lower-ranking officials not follow suit? This is a key reason why rampant corruption in the country cannot be eradicated. 俗话说:上梁不正下梁歪。两名前总统都涉及大规模贪污丑闻,低级官员能清廉吗?这就是菲律宾贪污问题难以根除的主要原因之一。 When the siege of Malacanang Palace took place on May 1, President Arroyo declared a "state of rebellion" for Manila and ordered the arrest of opposition members out to seize power. Suspected coup-plotters Senator Gregorio Honasan and former National Police Chief Panfilo Lacson were forced to go into hiding - but not for long. In a move to win voter support, President Arroyo granted the two fugitives safe-conduct passes to take part in the Senate race just a few days before the election. 在5月1日攻击总统府暴动发生后,阿罗约宣布马尼拉进入"叛乱状态",并下令逮捕被指策划夺权阴谋的反对派人士。正当受通缉的反对派参议员候选人霍纳山和前国家警察首长拉克森四处逃窜之际,阿罗约为争取民心,竟然在选举数天前,宣布给予两人通行证,准许他们公开参加竞选活动。 Results of last month's legislative and local government elections showed again the tendency for voters to go for "popular figures"- they are likely to vote for candidates whom they have seen on television or at least heard of their names, never mind whether these people are capable of doing the job. This is one sure way of electing ignorant and incompetent men as senators. 5 月中举行的国会和地方选举的计票结果再次证实,菲律宾选民迷恋"偶像派"人物的心态,只要在电视上见过或听过这个人的名字,就有可能在投票时选他,而不考虑是否有真才实学,能否胜任职位。这就是许多不学无术之徒也登堂入室,当选议员的原因。 Democracy as practised in the Philippines really makes a mockery of the system! 菲律宾式的民主,真是对民主政制的莫大讽刺!
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