Cruz, Jocelyn P.

Economics Planning and Strategies

BSE-4C Rm COE 4

Topic: Peace and Order

Peace is the state of being free form any kind of human conflict and violence. All the
activities of the country run smoothly in the situation of peace. Peace is the sign of development
and prosperity. Human rights are not violated. People can walk freely from one place to another
without having any fear in their mind. They can do their business without any obstruction. People
respect each other rights. They are also committed to fulfil their duty toward their society. Rule
and order is respect by all. People can raise their living standard by working hard. Peace brings
happiness among people. They are involved in development activities. Peace helps to promotes
human rights, democratic norms and value. Peace helps to create the feeling of love, trust,
tolerance, and brotherhood among people. Development process cant go ahead without peace
and harmony.

Peace is the mother of civilization and war is the demon of destruction. Civilization and
development cannot progress if there is no peace in the country. Literature flourishes only in the
time of peace. It is also the case with philosophy, science, industry and art. In our daily lives also
we find interest and pleasure in doing work in times of peace. In times of war its energy and
resource are all employed and defend.

Peace and order unites religions and culture, incorporating values of security and harmony
together with justice and respect for human dignity. While peace undoubtedly, is one of the most
universal and significant of human ideals, it is describe as one of the most positive symbols
having meaning for the whole humanity, the way we think about peace and how to attain it are
often diffuse and content-dependent.

The peace and order situation in the Philippines has often been characterized as
inconstant and restless. The absence of or lack of peace and order in the community is one of
the reasons why the efforts of the government toward a more progressive and developed
economy may be considered wanting. The Philippine Government has recognized the important
role of internal security and maintenance of peace and order in nation building. Provided for under
the 1935 Constitution, the framers of the 1987 Constitution underscored one of the state principles
that:

The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and
promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings
of democracy. (ARTICLE II, section 5, 1987 Constitution)

Ordinarily, the main responsibility of government is to establish and maintain peace and
order. For it is only under a regime of peace and order that we can have true and effective
governance. On the contrary, it is virtually impossible to accomplish things in a situation of
lawlessness and disorder.

Yet, peace and order is still an elusive paradise as many of its underlying causes remain
insufficiently addressed. And for as long as government is unable to eradicate the causes, the
destructive effects of breakdown in peace and order will continue to pervade.

A major factor that ensures a good level of peace and order is the level of literacy and
education of the people. Needless to state, a highly literate population translates to a citizenry
that respects authority and obeys the law. In our case, the low level of the greater portion of our
people is one of the causes of the breakdown of law and order.

Another factor that contributes to the lack of respect and obedience to our laws and
authorities is the inability of government to dispense justice fairly, honestly and immediately. The
swift and fair dispensation of justice is a sine qua non to avert citizens taking the law into their
own hands and, instead, respecting the law and our magistrates.

In the case of Mindanao, religious differences and intolerance is yet another cause for the
disturbance of the peace and order. Above all, however, in the Southern Philippines, it is the
uneven economic playing field between the Muslims and the Christians that breeds resentment
among our Muslim brothers to take up arms and rebel against the republic.

Added to this, of course, is the deep-rooted feeling of the Muslims that historically
Mindanao was not part of the country such that the United States could not have included it in the
sale of the country to Spain under the Treaty of Paris. Thus, their rebellion.

Still, the number one cause of the breakdown in peace and order is the mass poverty that
pervades and prevails all over the country to this day. Mass poverty creates urban blight where
the squatters, uneducated and without respect for the law, turn to crime as their life-long career.
Tragically, many times, owing to their deep economic need and sub-human conditions, they are
forced to be less than civilized men.

So it has happened in the country that our people do not feel secure in and out of their
homes. Kidnappings, bank robberies, hold-ups and petty crimes such as cellphone snatchings
rule the streets. Just now, a series of hold-ups in restaurants in Metro Manila have occurred. And,
when our newspapers routinely carry banner news of crime, it has become symptomatic of the
breakdown of peace and order in society.

It should not surprise us, therefore, that a foreigner, the Japanese Ambassador to the
Philippines, would air his observation about the seeming inability of government to maintain the
security and the peace and order. While such statements may be a diplomatic transgression on
the part of the Ambassador, nonetheless, it is a good wake-up call for our authorities to do
something on the situation instead of denouncing the diplomat for an infringement on our national
dignity.

With its terrible effects on the economy and the people, the challenge, therefore, is for
government to confront and address the root causes of the breakdown in peace and order. For
we cannot build a country, much less develop, under a regime of lawlessness and disorder.

The key to achieve peace and order, I believe, is for government to cultivate a regime of
justice, fairness and equal opportunity for all.

Equal opportunity means that everyone, regardless of sex, religion or social or economic
status, must be given and afforded the same economic opportunity for him to earn a decent means
of living. The playing field must be evened-out for everyone to have a chance to make for himself
and his family a better quality of life.

Corollary, the educational system must be strengthened to instill and foster upon the
citizens love for the country and our people.

A citizen who has the basic needs of life for food, shelter, clothing, education and medical
attention is a satisfied citizen. A citizen with a decent quality of life will not disturb the peace and
order but observe the law and respect the duly constituted authorities.