Fidel Ramos

Your editorial “A Reformer? Or Another Marcos?” (July 1) missed the point by a city block. Do you seriously expect President Ramos to “improve basic services, restore law and order and dedicate himself to ‘empowering’ the people,” when even Marcos with all his dictorial powers was unable to do just that? How will a constitutionally straitjacketed Fidel Ramos manage it?

Besides, don’t count on Philippine leaders to change anything. The recent elections were a good show presented for worldwide viewing but irrelevant to the ordinary Filipino upon whom I heap most of the blame for the country’s insoluable problems. Until the Filipino people pull themselves up by their own bootstraps without relying on their leaders and on the United States (which, truth to tell, has kept them economically tethered to it.), they will not begin to find solutions to their dismal situation. MANNY ROXAS Glendale