Whenever the word “confidential” is mentioned, images of James Bond or scenes of Mission Impossible or some kind of cloak and dagger come to mind. When I was with the intelligence community, I remember documents being classified as Restricted, Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret, the last having the greatest prejudice to national security in case of unauthorized disclosure. When I served the Bureau of Immigration, confidential documents pertain to activities of syndicates with nefarious schemes all to the detriment of the public.
Not having sole or exclusive access to reliable information, I tapped some colleagues to provide me with leads so we can know more about the “enemies of the state.” Naturally, only a handful of people ought to know where and how these information were acquired. Yet, transparency and accountability are expected by my superiors, if not government auditors. Due to these experiences, I advocate for the inclusion of confidential funds in government, especially those in charge of law enforcement and national security.
However, in relation to the Office of the Vice President (OVP), which has little national security or law enforcement functions, unless directed by the President, the term “confidential and intelligence funds” has become the talk of the town these days. First, there was the issue of a “transfer” or “release” of P125 million from the Office of the President to the OVP made in December 2022. ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro challenged the legality of the Special Allotment Release Order, which authorized such CIF to be transferred (or released) from one office to another. Castro opined that there was an illegal realignment because there was no CIF supposedly in the 2022 OVP budget, as approved during the term of former vice president Leni Robredo. Second, there is the budget inclusion of P500 million for CIF in the budget of the OVP and another P150 million for CIF in the Department of Education, both controlled by VP Sara Duterte. Senator Risa Hontiveros, the lone and “real” opposition to the current administration, stressed that the real issue is that the confidential funds of OVP and Department of Education are larger than the confidential funds of the Department of National Defense and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.
In her defense, VP Duterte dismissed such criticisms from Rep. France Castro and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, saying that both were just being dramatic. VP Duterte said those legislators opposed to her unusually hefty CIF have a “dirty imagination” whose opinions come from neither a lawyer nor an auditor.
Needless to say, both Castro and Hontiveros are but small voices fighting an overwhelming majority in their respective chambers. They are mere specks, which can be dusted off literally and figuratively. Although perceived to be insignificant to make a difference, akin to a speck of dust, it does not mean that these legislators cannot leave an impact. For some, it is futile to oppose those in power these days. For others, every little act is never pointless. In our personal lives, “no matter how meaningless it may feel to try and give significance to our actions, it turns out that no matter small a gesture it may be, it can leave a lasting impact on one single person,” wrote blogger Kimberly Chung in 2017.
Compared to an ocean, a river is puny. In his poem Fear, Khalil Gibran related how people can take risks and conquer fear similar to a river becoming an ocean—“The river needs to take the risk of entering the ocean because only then will fear disappear, because that’s where the river will know it’s not about disappearing into the ocean, but of becoming the ocean.” Hence, people should never be afraid to stand up against the strong or the many. Reflecting on the same poem, a lawyer friend once told me that becoming the ocean is not about facing fear but coming to the realization that while “we seem to struggle alone, it is when we ride the waves of change that we realize our oneness or interconnectedness not just with God but with everyone else.” She said every time she sees the ocean she feels as if God is within us—“In the ocean, we become one with Source and all beings.”
In biblical history, Gideon turned out to be significant despite his feeling of inadequacy. During the reign of the Midianites, Gideon was very skeptical about his abilities against a powerful Midian army. Despite an assurance from an angel who told him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior,” Gideon remained unwilling to fight his oppressors. He even remarked—“How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” While Gideon felt too weak for this task, he delivered his people from the hands of his oppressors (Judges 6:11-16).
The story of Gideon reminds us that God understands our doubts and uses our weaknesses to lead us to depend on Him. In the words of apostle Paul, “for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 2:10). In the case of Senator Leila de Lima, she has since fought a giant—those in the highest echelons of power and a large conspiracy to bring her down —with only her voice and conscience as her “sling” of a weapon. I know that the good senator seeks refuge from her Creator’s promise, as stated in the aforecited Corinthians verse, even as the Marcos administration appears to proceed with her persecution, which started from the Duterte administration. Six years in prison and counting, she remains strong and unrelenting. When I visited her inside her detention cell, I remember her telling me that through her weaknesses, physically, she will experience His strength, spiritually.
But no matter how seemingly insignificant the respective acts of Castro, Hontiveros, and de Lima may seem, I am sure ripple effects would be enough to make a significant impact, hopefully sooner—from a river to becoming an ocean. For their voices may be viewed as diminutive, and their advocacies as mere speckles, but history has proved how even a small shepherd boy (David) defeated a giant (Goliath) and transformed himself from a “river” to an “ocean” —the shepherd who became king!
All of us could be easily dusted off and dismissed as a speck of dust. But over time, we can all experience the glorious feeling of becoming an ocean —one with God, despite and because of the harshness of this world. Knowing this promise is no “secret,” with no need for any use of confidential funds or palpable conspiracy.
A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.
