Dear Dr. Walden Bello,

The central theme of the history of the Philippines, based on a framework developed by Renato Constantino, a historian par excellence, in his book, "The Philippines: A Past Revisited" has basically been that of betrayal of the 'inarticulate masses' no less by the leaders they choose. At crucial points in our history, the masses would find themselves trapped in a struggle to change the existing political and economic order, only to find themselves and their causes abandoned by the 'articulate' figures whom they have chosen to speak on their behalf, since these leaders basically have the largest stake in the preservation of the existing social order.

This historical theme has been going on like a vicious cycle, and continues up to this time. The failed reform experiment under the present Aquino administration is a testament to the classic theory of class interest by the small ruling portion of our population over and against the interest of the majority of our people who are left in the peripherals of our society without opportunities.

Dr. Bello, you have certainly made a mark in your discipline as a scholar, and your passion for your craft and such sense of constantly being disturbed about our social ills have transitioned you into becoming a champion of the poor and the marginalized in the Philippine House of Representatives. But not being able to compromise your values against personal interests, that same sense of constantly being disturbed has later led you to resign as a Party-List Representative. Now that the elections fever (for 2016 Presidential Elections) is starting to heat up, the Filipino masses are trapped again into the horns of a dilemma such as taking up their duties of participating in a very futile exercise of their suffrage rights and having to fall again as victims and prey to elite politics and mindless politicians who tap into their disenchantment in order to boost their political ambitions.

The Filipino people has gone sick and tired of a seemingly downward spiral of again having to fry themselves in their own fluids by succumbing to empty promises of the representatives of the elite politics. You owe it precisely to your students, to the Filipino masses, and to your country's history to do something about their seemingly hopeless situation. Today's time now calls for an alternative candidate to step forward and offer himself in the altar of genuine change. You have said that "rather than go for the proverbial lesser evil," of supporting a candidate coming from the ranks of the oligarchs, "our responsibility to the country is to denounce and campaign against the elite politics that foists such terrible choices on our people, and to mobilize our people..." I dare add however, that such mobilization demands your running for the presidency, if only to highlight the malaise of this society in the stage of discourse and public debate. In this scenario, while the people want you so badly to become the next Philippine president, victory is not our end goal. The end goal is precisely to underscore our people's struggles "so that whichever ruling class joker wins in 2016, he or she will not be able to rule in the same old way," as you have so boldly stated. This will give us victory in the end for this can only harness the politicization of the poor towards lasting political and economic change in our country.

Sir, we have gained enough momentum when you resigned as a member of the House of Representatives. It was a strong political statement, louder and more eloquent than any standard lines we hear from the demagogues. Your running for the presidency will put an exclamation point to that statement. Run for the Philippine Presidency! Be the next Philippine President!

Your former student,

Joseph Jadway Marasigan