Lately, on the internet, our country has been dubbed as the "sick man of Asia". Thanks to the intelligent and well-schooled politicians who ran the country to the ground. Their well-oiled machinery works 24/7 and loyal hordes of dedicated loyalists see to it that it works that way. Thanks also to a bureaucracy that is well anchored in the institution of corruption. Thanks also to the "theology of car-wash-Christianity" everybody is forgiven and cleansed every Sunday because of the doctrine of Holy Communion. Remember that we proudly proclaim to the world that we are the only Christian nation in Asia. What mockery.... we all should be ashamed of us?
We seem to have all the solutions, big and small. And a lot of our well-meaning people do. But the politicians really do not care. Their political careers are almost equivalent to professorial investitures within universities. They acquire tenure, they gain popularity and then they gain strength... all in the name of public service... and when they visit the US or Canada or any big cities around the world, everybody is cheering to welcome them and push anybody out of the way to have a photo-op with them. And they like this because we are a polite, passive people they way we are accustomed to. I wish that when they come here we could ask them directly the very same question that boggles our minds... where are your promises? When are we going to end this misery in the lives of our people? When are we going to eliminate all the crooks in government service? Why do we treat them with just a slap on the wrist?
In a BBC commentary, an invited guest was appalled at how “the Filipino people could forgive a public official (or better a public servant) who admitted wrong and allow them to stay in office and just “forgive and forget” the flagrant violation of ethics and rules in such public office.” What kind of a people are we?
Our country could very well be compared to the last days of the Roman empire.... the enemy are knocking at the gates.... the people are all in the colosseums provided by the corrupt Roman leadership to "entertain" the masses... why do you have a full colloseum? Because it is free.... a concept concocted by the Senatus and the Caesars so that the disgruntled and angry publicans could be entertained and not think of rebellion. Remember, hungry and angry masses have always been trouble. And when they are entertained they tend to forget their miserable lives even for a short period of time.
The crowds would roar when they see blood.... when people are torn piece by piece by wild animals in the ring. We also see this everyday... not in this fashion but in a version that has almost for generations anaesthetized our people. The blood we see is not red.... it is the abject poverty our people are living in. It is in the eyes of every man, woman and child that you see whose only hope has been sucked up by a system that they cannot fight, nor change nor for that matter even understand. It is in the dreams of our students to go away in some foreign lands to work as OFWs and someday build a home, a business, or maybe buy a car for their families.... or you know what maybe be allowed by their host country to stay.... then they build their families in some foreign lands and their children never return to the Philippines.
A country whose people are disillusioned is not in the right path of progress. When the French overthrew their aristocracy they knew that they can build a better France, and a better hope for every French citizen. The Berlin Wall fell because the people behind the wall felt the system was not working for them. And the disgust and angst so kept inside their hearts for so many years finally gave way like a boiling pot that just steaming hot! Then perestroika erased the dram of Linen. The once defiant Kremlin was shaken. And the USSR was gone. The Americans knew that fighting the King's men was hard enough, but then they were determined to build a strong nation, not to bow to no King but to build a republic that guarantees the basic right of its every citizen. We have a constitution too... that has been tinkered so many times to suit the wishes of those who wish to remain in power.
If I am an ordinary Filipino with mouths to feed, I do not understand GDP, GNP or the Makati Stock Exchange. I will never understand Charter Change.. nor will I understand even the Constituiton of the Philippines. For if, this is the Constitution is there to guarantee the rights of everybody why am I poorer than my parents and will my children every see the light of day or even have rice on their bowls tonight. Will we forever live under the bridge, or maybe float forever in Manila Bay, or perhaps spend a lifetime living behind buildings in Mesiricordia, Quiapo or in the sidewalks of Divisoria?
I haven't met a Filipino that is not smart. It may not be the world's opinion; but at least, that is how most of us see ourselves. Most of us are... in many different ways. But if we are; why can't even our leaders understand: that a proud nation is proud enough on the highest level to fight poverty, corruption, and the whole meaningless-ness of life that we see every time we go around. That the main business of our chosen leaders should be to work to better the lives of our people, improve social conditions, bolster the growth of business and the economy and guarantee the safety and well-being of every Filipino family.
A country is like a family, so is the government, so are its people. When disaster stakes we all help each other. In peace times we work to improve our lives and strengthen our nations. We all have responsibilities... the governed... the government.
We are so lucky to have reached these times of our lives. To see and embrace technology, global cooperation and the sharing of information that can better our lives. Poverty has also been a tool to push enemies into submission. Are the Filipino people the enemies of their government? Is our government our enemy? I do not think so. It never is and was the case. We have a country. We are a people. We all have children... and to deny these young generation of Filipinos their rightful place in this exciting global challenges by running a government that is not synchronized with their hopes and aspirations is like closing the door in front of them.
What then do we expect from our leaders, our politicians? In a much broader sense I hate the word "politician". I wish from many of them will come forth somebody that our nation can once again call as a "statesman and a gentleman".)
Our politicians are really that "smart". Very much like what the Senatus and Caesars did to the Romans. In the heydays of the Marcos dictatorship, lewd and porno was sickly rampant- just to lead the masses out of the real issues.
Here we are again. Back where we are. We never learn huh, John? It is better now than the Marcos years, so they say. I have my doubts.
Best thing to do is to "teach our children NOW, of values and commitment, and what a good Filipino should be."
Allow me to join in the debate about what ills our beloved Philippines.
The ills of our Lupang Hinirang can be solved. I know an effective prescription. But first let's make the diagnosis of the malady that afflict our country before we talk about the cure.
My diagnosis, even without my medical degree, could be summed up in one word: Discipline. Our people's lack of discipline. And I think we all know this.
Sadly, we Filipinos in general (I am not saying 100%, for this would be accurate), have hypo-disciplinemia across the board. This must have been what we learned from childhood. Must be our culture.
Let's be honest and face it. Otherwise, if we close our eyes and be defensive about the truth, we will be a hopeless and undeserving people. To save our country, we must be true to, and with, ourselves, open our eyes, and admit our weknesses and faults, as a people. To deny the international (rating) charge that we have one of the top three most corrupt government leaders in the world is to be as dishonest and corrupt ourselves as our reprehensible politicians. To say that we are disciplined as a people is not only a blatant lie but a dangerous one that will continue to destroy our credibility as individual Filipinos and as people. W emust be wise to recognize it and have the courage and integrity to admit it.
Children:
Allow me to illucidate an example of the etiology (cause): If you announce to children in the kindergatern or elelmentary school students in the United States that you are distributing gifts for all of them at that moment, to come and get it, you will see these kids invariably forming one single line to get their share. If you do that to our kids in the Philippines, there will be a mob charging towards you, pushing, and maybe hurting, one another to get ahead of the line to get the goodies.
Thanks to television and today's communication technology, and the educational children's shows, our kids in the Philippines and all around the world, the children (future leaders of nations) are learning (what some parents fail to teach them), among others, the discipline of taking turns, honesty, courtesy, tolerance, understanding, kindness and compassion, etc., true Christian virtues. These children of today are better disciplined that those in the past generations, including my own.
Adults:
And as we grew into adulthood, we naturally carry with us the same lack of discipline. Even among educated people and professionals.
Many times, when I go to buffets, well-dressed and apparently educated people would break ahead of me, and others in line...without any hesitation or blink of an eye, they get ahead of you to take the next dish...as if it was the right way to do. They do not want to wait and take their turns. They do not have the discipline and courtesy to do what's right. Saving 2 to 3 minutes was enough reason for them to break the rule of common decency. Not lacking in education, but in culture. And the same is true with vehicular drivers, who believe it is their right to occupy two lanes and block the cares behind them; or the jeepney drivers who stop at any place, even in the middle of the streets to take or unload passengers; people who will suddenly "steal" your parking space, which you have been waiting for a few minutes head of him/her, blinking your signal light to indicate your intention and priority; people who would rudely interrupt your discussion with a sales clerk about an item you are buying, and demand to be served ahead of you, when she just got to the store...and so on and so forth. Dozens of incidents to show we lack discipline, and, therefore, we lack proper decorum and good manners.
Politicians, legislators:
Our so-called leaders, legislators, politicians are likewise suffering from the hypo-disciplinemia they got from childhood, now , as people in power, complicated by hyper-greedemia, corruptenemia, and graftelangia. As long as these crooks are in power, the country and its economy will continue to deteriorate, and our people raped, devastated and deprived of their future.
I sincerely believe that if waited for these present politicians and leaders of our country (99% of them dishonest, corrupt, shameless and arrogant) to "improve," it will take till kingdom come or for hell to freeze over, before any miracle will change them. These officials are the incurable cancers of our society, the very reason why the Philippine economy dove precipitously (from being second to Japan in economic posperity in the 60s) to being second to the bottom, just on top of Bangladesh. What a shame for a counrty with so much natural resources and people who are intelligent, resourceful, kind, compassionate, adaptable, and great international ambassadors.
There is only one way to get rid of cancer. Cut them out. Kill them with chemotherapy of public indignation, legal extirpation, or even mass elimination, since our legal system appears not to work to get rid of these corrupt officials who are virtually and literraly killing our economy and the poor, hungry, suffering Filipinos.
I know that my solution sounds very radical and ridiculous. I agree. But if we want a fast and efficient and guanateed cure for our ailing nation, down-spiraling economy and suffering and hopeless people, all these 99%, or more, corrupt officials must be removed from their position, or from circulation, NOW. And they should be replaced instantly by young, ideal,. dedicated professional leaders, who by my "solution" will know that they themselves face long jail sentences and extinction on sentences for plunder, if they involve themselves in graft and corruption.take its place, but it would not be worse, because these incumbents are the the experienced and supreme dishonest, conscienceless leaders in graft and corruption.Remember, the sentence for plunder is death. And is in our constitution. If one corrupt official is brave enough to break that law, then he should be ready to face the consequences, even death.
Won't it obvious that if by some miraculous calamity, all these 99% corrupt officials died today, our country will be the better for it?
In China, for one, corrupt government officials are tried expeditiously, and when found guilty, face a firing squad in public.
In some cultures, the fingers or hand of thieves are cut when they stole any object. So, in those countries, you can accidentally drop your wallet full of money on the street, and still get it back hours or days later, since these objects are returned to police, etc. And this rules are learned by children, so as they grow up, the goodness, honesty, etc become a part of their behavior and discipline, and laws are no longer needed to scare them to do what is right. The proper behavior becomes are natural part of their mind and discipline.
I have often said and still feel that what we need is a radical change: a benevolent father-like dictation, like Lee Kwan Yu of Singapopre, to instill discipline among the people, and eliminate all the corrupt officials and legilslators. I thought at the beginning that Marcos would do that. But, somehow, he, himself, and his wife and hencemen became corrupt and victimized the nation and ist people. Too bad, I had admired Marcos when I was a student. He missed the opportunity to be the greatest president we ever had, and I thought he would be. Having been an admirer of his, as an ideal young student, I felt he had betrayed me and every Filipino.
Transparency: A starting point of the solution--
From the President down to the lowest government officials, national, provincial and city---
1. Each official's or legislator's total assets, houses, cars, bank accounts, investments, etc will be scrutinized by an actuarial firm, computing all the earnings and monies, from any job or gifts and inheritance, from the time the official was in high school all the way up to the present. The banks will be compelled to reveal all accounts and hidden assets of any one who is in elected or appointive public office, from President down.
2. This will show if any assets and wealth of these officials are ill-gotten---from graft and coreruption. All legitimate amounts of the asset, as shown by the actuarial analysis, will go back to the family of that official, the rest of the wealth turned over to the government, to be used to improve the economy and as assistance to the poor, for food, shelter, education, and heath, and giving them capital to start a small business of their own...but these people will serve the people of their towns in some ways, as a pay back to the government subsidy. Nobody gets a free ride.
3. If graft and ill-gotten wealth is shown by that actuarial analysis, the official goes to jail. And if the amout in question satisfies the criteria for a plunder charge, the penalty of which is death, the official will be so charged, and sentence carried out. After all, that's the law. And the legislators, as law-makers, should know better, more than anybody else. So, I hold them to a higher standard. Like I hold a priest, if he should go against the ten commandments, or the policeman who steals or breaks the law, the fireman that commits arson, the doctor who intentionally causes a disease, etc. Let's just abide by our laws, strictly, and implement them with justice and speed. (Unlike the trial of Estrada and others which are going slower than a turtle's pace, which is really an injustice to the Filipino people. I won't even be surprised if all of them are later found innocent...inspite of unexplainable, obviously ill-gotten wealth, with evidences more overwhelming than the tsunami.
4. This actuarial scrutiny will be enough to jail or eliminate these 99% of officials, legislators who are corrupt, and dozens of trillions of pesos will go back to the government coffers to help boost our economy (settle our national death FULLY), and help the suffering Filipinos in our country. And this will also ameliorate the insurgencies and terrorism, because the poor people will be given justice and security, roof over their head, food on their table, funds for their healthcare, education for their children, and more importantly hopes for their dreams. And perhaps, even the terrorists and anti government forces will see the light and justice...
5. But, of course, the solution I suggested above must be done promptly, properly, accurately and justly. And our people must learn discipline and also the wisdom not repeat the stupidity of voting for corrupt officials again.
Dream
Am I dreaming? Yes, I obviously am. And my dream, vision, prayer, and hope is for a glorious Pilipinas, a people and a country that is disciplined, honest, peaceful, prosperous, and right there on top of the ladder of economic prowess, perhaps even number One, where it rightfully belongs. Yes, I am a dreamer and an eternal optimist. But only because I am bullish on the Philippines, and I have great faith in the Filipino, who Ninoy said "is worth dying for," and I add, "worth living for."
And now, let's pray for a miracle, from heaven, or man-made (Made in the Philippines), to allow the Filipino to get back on his feet, hold his head high and proud, and to finally reach his star!
Philip S. Chua, M.D. Vice President for Far East Cardiovascular Hospitals of America Wichita, Kansas
It may be a dream but it's a good sign that there're still a lot of Filipinos who will fight for our belenguered country. Come hell or high water.
Even if it takes something like The Second Coming we will be hopeful and worked pretty hard for the realization of that sort of dream. With lots of prayers and positive attitude all of these will come to pass.
Maybe the next generation of politicians/legislators will be more god-fearing and nationalistic. Maybe the next generation of common tao would be more disciplined and with better values. We'll work it out, somehow.
Anybody have an idea of Sen.Mar Roxas, his tract record,platform or agendas? Can he probablly be the one who can deliver? His biography looked impecable.Is he for the common tao?
Grapevine talks points to the senator as one of the authors to discredit majority of the existing players on the pre-need/insurance business to make way for foreign investors on the same subject. But this cannot be substantiated unless the good senator's body language says otherwise.
In fairness, he's of the new generation. Perhaps some of his ideas would be construed as unorthodox or hogwash. He did good when he was the DTI Secretary. Im sure the current Administration will have their sights train on him.
The senatorial race was a walk in the park for him.
Thanks for your reply Monte,if I may call you that. It is said that he studied at the prestigious Wharton School of Economics and Harvard which as everyone knows 2 schools of fame and distinction. Fresh ideas/investors may help reev up our not so well performing economy. We should be open to fresh ideas and explore new ways of doing things.Embrace new methods that prove to be effective and discard the old and inefficient.
Also we may have to do some "operant conditioning" on the masses. It would seem that the people of PH are fed up or they do not care anymore what the general politicos are saying.
It's a devil-may-care attitude. Bad, I say.
Someone has to do a good PR for these young senators and representatives so that people will know that with them (senators and representatives) lies the future of PH. That, people should also give their best; to be more vigilant; to be more aware; to be more of a Filipino than anyone else.
I'm so sorry I can't match your wager.... it's way above my means...he.he.he. And pls this is a family oriented forum...no betting pls..he!he!he. I like your ideas Monte.Your words are that of no ordinary netizen.
The food crisis is an excellent opportunity for reform AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo*
Seasoned CEOs regard crisis as inevitable and will prepare for it. They will seize the moment as an opportunity, rather than a setback.
Among CEOs, there will be the gamesman who hunts for new opportunities to reform, re-gear, and reshape corporate thinking, mindsets and directions in ways that will strengthen the firm and immunize it from similar threats in the future.
But our mediocre government managers are hardly people we can refer to as gamesmen. Facing today's ongoing crisis on rice and other basic commodities, they grope for answers and stumble all over the place. To a gamesman, all this would present an opportunity for change, for the introduction of solutions that would lead to more cost-efficient ways of producing food.
In my over 35 years being a manager, including over 20 years as CEO of six corporations, I know that retooling a work force and changing mindsets is a challenge of Herculean proportions.
Getting a Filipino worker, whether from the rank and file or from middle and upper management, to accept the need to unlearn is no easy task. Human nature want status quo and change is always seen as a risk and a threat.
Why people want to hang on to practices and procedures that had already been established as wrong and unworkable defy logical explanation. Yet resistance is strongest as you go higher in the corporate ladder.
The rank and file employees are more willing to try new ways of doing things. They are limited in education and training and there is less to unlearn and more to gain by being open to change.
It will be the manager, especially one who has a Harvard Business School degree, who will tend to resist new paradigms that do not fall within the scope of what he had learned.
Before this rice crisis, no one even suggested putting a stop to conversions of agriculture land to other land uses. Food security has always been a major issue in most countries. In fact, the severe rice shortage and the long rice queues was a major cause of the defeat of Diosdado Macapagal to Ferdinand Marcos in the 1961 presidential elections.
The impact of not being self sufficient in rice was never felt during the time when imported rice was affordable. But rice exporters now have shortages in their countries and, of course, their citizens are their priority.
Because we have not paid attention to food self sufficiency and security, we end up with an empty basket. We have this situation despite the fact that we play host to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) which had been the very institution which led to the fantastic rice production of other countries in the region whose rice production managers were graduates of IRRI.
Thanks to the rice crisis, Filipinos are now seriously searching for alternative staples. Many of these are, in fact, far more nutritious and cheaper than rice.
Thanks to the food crisis an arrogant regime has been humbled to face the reality of how poor and hungry Filipinos really are that they would queue up in the punishing summer sun every day just to be able to buy a kilo or two of the staple at the lowest available price.
It is a sight to behold, one that revives images of the angry, hungry masses of the French and Russian Revolutions. It is this image of desperation that is the greatest threat to this regime, not the Opposition.
It is bad enough to have a rice shortage when there is absolutely no rice to buy even if you have the money. But at least everyone will be in the same boat and the masses will find it futile to revolt. There is nothing to die for.
But it can be worse when you can display rice in the stalls that the hungry masses can't afford. The thought that plunderers are eating Jasmine, Basmati or those other fancy sounding rice names and feasting everyday while the children of the masses cry from hunger pangs will prove to be biggest agitator for an upheaval.
Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) should rise above herself and see the underlying dangers that this food crisis is creating. On the other hand, the Opposition should not try to manipulate this crisis to further its agenda or to attempt to rouse a hungry mob to stage People Power.
GMA may have made her past mistakes and deserves to be made to account for this food crisis. But it cannot be done to such a reckless extent that the entire nation suffers. The regime and the Opposition can both become political fossils if this crisis boils over and turns into a landscape changing upheaval.
A hungry mob, especially one that sees them both as responsible for their pitiful plight, will be easily enticed to embrace radical ideologies and systems where both the regime and the Opposition will be out of the picture.
