When Hitler ran for elections before the Second World War for presidency in Germany, what brought him to power were also votes of many Catholics. They were made to believe, through his rhetorics, that there will be a new Germany. What was needed was change, he exhorted.  And when he won and later waged war, only few were able to manifest their conscientious dissent even when the “final solution” was placed into motion. Many Catholics were silent or perhaps could not even believe what was unfolding. Public dissent meant death if not persecution. 

But then, as we know,  it was too late to stop Hitler. The change was not for the better but for the worst. Realization came late. The after math of the second world war placed Germany in devastation and chaos. What came later is history. 

In our democratic country, what was the cry during the last election was change. “Change is coming” and indeed it came,  but it turned to be a change for the worst, many did not expect: a moral devastation characterized by publicly enticing to kill, indecent words and senate hearings and an explicit desire, on the part of the president, to kill three million addicts, as if the good of the country depends on killing without regard to any rules for engagement.  He declares even to teach God how to do justice. It is devastating even for Filipinos abroad who excitedly voted for Duterte. Many sensible ones regretted, though some are really fanatics and perhaps those who have ideological agendas continue to remain in a sinking boat. 

Reality check: sixteen million pro Duterte voters are not the majority of us Filipinos.  The majority of Filipinos did not vote for Duterte though some remain spectators. Due to this change for the worse, some of them end up with an unwelcoming attitude to those who have been disappointed by this promise of change. Attitudes could range from blame like “merisi” or just a sigh of relief saying that finally these blinded followers of Duterte were able to come to their senses, to just a simple sigh, a “buntonghininga”. Yet we have seen as a nation this notorious kind of change unfolding in front of our very eyes and ears. We cry with one sobbing voice: this is not a kind of change that was expected. 

Enough is enough. Change has indeed come but  we need is not this kind of change.  We need  a kind of Conversion now.  Conversion is first of all something internal not external. It means an internal conversion from our exclusive mentality towards a more inclusive one: to welcome those who have realized that perhaps they have voted for the wrong president. All of us makes mistakes including our president and his way of governance.  In other words, understanding those who fell into the trap of “Dutertan” rhetorics and has realized he/she has been “Duterted”, instead of judging them harshly. 

Without  conversion, our country will always fall to a trap into a kind of dialectics of Political exclusion of the opposing party;.  Non-conversion is  not to open towards a cooperation through a respectful consideration and  inclusion of what is good in the other side of the fence. What conversion connotes is that outright  exclusion or rejection of a political agenda only because it is  morally evil.  With conversion, it is possible to support what is morally right even if it is from an adversary political party and shun what is morally wrong even it comes from one’s own party. 

The experience of EDSA I and II was quite partisan and it even drew some political borders excluding one from the other, like “pro-masa” and “pro-elitist”.  These  previous revolutions have not solved our political problem since it fell into this dialectical pit of partisan political integral exclusion of one and the other.  Before an EDSA III could start, we need conversion if we don’t like to become our worst violent enemy and divide irreparably our nation. 

Conversion means mercy not only for the victims but also for the victimizer. All of us need conversion and mercy because all of us have done something wrong by commission or by a glaring omission caused by indifference and apathy.  

Conversion  means listening to the internal voice of conscience vis-a-vis the loud voice against  EJK instead of having  apathetic deaf ears to the cry of the victims. 

Conversion means looking at each other eye to eye towards forgiveness and understanding realizing that all of us could fall into a political blindness and an inclination to a wrong notion of power not as service but domination. 

Internal conversion is difficult but it’s important to have the interior light to go ahead for a real change for the better. Vindictiveness could cloud judgements and may be unfruitful. 

Conversion means that we share together, red or yellow, civilian or the military, “masa” or “elitist” the responsibility for the amelioration of our nation based of truth, peace,  justice and respect for human life beyond blind allegiance to partisan politics and political greed for power. 

Conversion means to joyfully work together hand in hand for the true values that makes us live as a dignified nation and as brothers and sisters having the same God, whoever one may call Him, Allah, Yahweh or Buddha.  

We need conversion now before it’s too late.  We don’t need another Auschwitz.  Our beautiful islands could become seven thousand “killing islands” of three millions killed because the highest official of the land has an addiction to kill to preserve his power. 

Finally, conversion means to have faith that could “move mountains,” and to hope that this nation could always rise again because we truly love our motherland.  Conversion is the real force beneath true change. Then we can all rightfully say: Change is coming.  We all need conversion, otherwise all of us will go down the drain and Satan will continue laughing.