Reflections and realities: Onli in the Pilipins
MUSING MAASIN
By Ronald O. Reyes
The past Holy Week was an opportune time for everyone to sit back, relax, and take the long view—particularly on pressing subjects like what I dubbed here as 3Ps: politics,
politicians, and politicking.
This corner has realized that these 3Ps are far more important subjects other than those with what our dear readers would like to propose. Indeed, our “earthly affairs” are and were and will always be governed by these 3Ps as heaven is also governed by religion. Yet I leave the latter part for those individuals who might have religious intolerance so they can have a bit to muse or muzzle upon.
Interestingly enough, I had also my share of “media-fasting” last week. Mine of course was about unplugging our TV, not buying a paper, not checking my email, and not loading my mobile phone to avoid news feed on SMS. I had disposed this “media-ache” with convenience (albeit temporarily; I hope so!) especially when my partner told me that our electric bills are already overdue and not much on what others have insisted that fasting is a must during Holy Week and that it should be coupled with meditation. However, unlike the rest of holiday-maniacs in this archipelago I’ve had a great time digging a place for my self in our room and hibernate.
Soon I’ve found out that what I did was contrary to the purpose and design of Pres. Arroyos’ holiday-economics—of stretching holidays so people can go out more often and
quite longer and spend their resources to roll the Philippine economy. Unfortunately, I’ve not visited a resort. Alas, I’ve found out I don’t even have any money at all to dispose or to deposit that week. What a hollow-week it had turned out to be –I was all but empty!
And in that “emptiness” I have found resolve to find out the cause of this dreadful and embarrassing malady — being temporarily broke. Out of my momentary despair came
the realization that had ushered my mind into a higher scale yet behold—the faster my inspiration ran the faster it had also sunk deep into abyss, and I was left without a choice
but to return to “reality” and write this piece, hoping that I can invoke the good spirits of our leaders so they can at least faithfully attend to the problems besetting our land –be it on poverty, unemployment, inequality, social ills, financial atrophy, etc.
After all, politicians are revered as demi-gods in our land.
True, there seemed to be no cure for our “earthly problems” unless we will cure the very people who, in one way or another, have brought us these social gangrenes. I am talking about cantankerous politicians and their stinging brand of politics and contagious habit of politicking.
As the Holy week has ended, let us return to our honest selves and recollect our wits and hopefully gather some pieces there that truly identify us as people, as a country, and as children of a Supreme Being.
By reflecting on these things we’ll soon understand the realities about these 3Ps. However for those individuals who are still at this one will bring good tidings to every Juan dela Cruz—allow this piece to disturb your musings and rock your lullabies because like the rising and the setting of the sun the things here below are also real and recognizable. Warning: don’t blink. Pun intended.
• People are running again because election is a game-a parlor game. The candidates play and bungle on its other while the public watch and jeer. Yet we often forgot–the candidates always bring home the prize and with a wider, satisfied grin.
• After receiving money from candidates, Filipinos return to their usual poker face.
Winning candidates also return to their usual “porky”faces—“pork barrel” will be served soon.
• Before, an aspiring candidate has to learn the “rope” before entering into the political
fray. Now, everybody just want to jump into an election battle because his elders “egged” him to do so (Si kuya kasi, si lolo kasi, si ninong kasi, si idol kasi…)
• Charles Darwin was wrong: it’s not survival of the fittest. In our politics, it’s the
survival of the fattest—the fattest wallet and the thickest face.
• In the Philippines, the older the candidate the bigger his chance of winning. The reason: grandpas and grandmas have more apos (grandchildren) and helpers than the young ones. And they are more loyal.
• You cannot build this country again–even with concrete, steel, marble or even with mud. We always have a tendency to throw whatever it is in our hands to each other. Even with the least thing, like mud. We mud-sling during election instead of molding each other.
• It’s wrong that politicians are known to be crocodiles. They are chameleons –master of disguise.
• Do you know why old people are still insisting to run during election? It’s not that they are lonely or afraid to be called “jobless”. They are just keeping their doctor’s advice: do the election-exercise regularly (every after 3 or 6 yrs).
• If others can do it, why can’t I – cheat also?
• In the Philippines, once “beaten” never shy, never surrender, never sit down, never submit, never shake the hand, never say he’s lost, et cetera ad infinitum…
• If politicians buy votes and votes are for sale, count mine. But why can’t I name my price? Let’s say I’m worth a million! Nobody can foretell the fortune of any individual in the future.
• The dead are also led into polling precincts. Ang pinoy nga naman, patay na pinagkaitan pa ng pahinga sa isyu pulitika.
• In the last election, Pres. Arroyo said: I’m sorry (to her “lapse of judgment” when she
phone-called one Election officer in Mindanao for her vote-updates). The Filipinos said : It’s ok ( because we’re never totally angry with her; in fact we did even agree with her—since we’ve tolerated her and allowed her to sit in Malacanan until today). Fast forward: May 2010—candidates, thanks for keeping the tradition! You always have our blessings!
• Balimbings (turncoats) are out again in the market. As usual, nobody’s taking them seriously. Like balimbings, they come too cheap, sour, boring and predictable.
• If there is a smoke, it is because politicians allow it–for fear of losing votes from smoking public.
• The shortest way to a politician’s stomach is to tell him that vote-counting has been
“cooked” already.
• Don’t vote the candidates who’ll say they are environmentalists. They are lying: their
posters are nailed to every tree along the highways.
• Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you mine –and how they give me this job, and how they pamper me this much, and how lucky I am because I voted their friend last election and your friends did not!
• It takes two to tango. In the Philippines, it takes one to cha-cha (charter-change; any
setting president can motivate that given the “big-ness” of his/her reward to those politicians who like to dance with his/her tune to perpetuate his/stay in power).
• I shall return–Gen. Mac Arthur said when he liberated the country from the Japanese. I shall return — this will be what a politician would vow again after we would allow him to take a glimpse of our bulging treasury chest.
“Break lang ang kailangan ng pinoy (Pinoy just need a break–one big shot so he’ll shine),” actor Robin Padilla said in one of his commercials. In short, this May 10, 2010 is our biggest break–one important shot so we’ll shine–you and I and this God-forsaken country once again!
I said don’t blink. This election is another round of make-believe, another travesty in our face. To the cynics, better head now to the nearest immigration office or better build your own ark this early.
To those who always see the glass half-filled, change is possible. Tell others.
(omments and complaints are welcome at naldronaldreyes@yahoo.com)
Very nice article!
I sympathize with your frustrations and your not alone.
It’s very true that Politicians are poker face.They are certified and voted thieves.
Voted thieves!
It’s only in the Philippines that we called thieves and liars HONORABLE.
hahahaa. That’s why I don’t vote. Its useless and a waste of time for now.
I will only vote if the PORK barrel will be remove from Congress and senate.
That will be the time I’ll vote again
@ duh:
lotung macao yata. so why waste time to vote.
consider it as an entertainment.
philippine election is a big joke.
Good day Mr Reyes….Amazing… one of the best article i ever read. Good on you.
I admire your true sense of humor, Ronald. Your sensible outlook towards ambient transpirations in and around Southern Leyte indeed reflects the problematic issues that plague the minds of the common people and the guilty ones who are responsible for causing them. Unfortunately, the 3Ps you described are not only motivated by the will to lead and to try to resolve nagging issues of our socio-economy, but also to grasp incidental opportunities that come along the way – could it be in the form of graft and corruption, or the plain but sincere and honest-to-goodness public service. On the other hand, the mind set of our voting populace towards elections and condidates has since been grossly caloused by their shameful and degrading expectations for monies in exchange for their votes – an activity that everyone, including you and me, knows is illegal as hell. The dispecable reality also falls on the fact that the politicians who engage lavishly in vote-buying are those with very deep and fat pockets and with hidden agendas of recouping revenue from the taxpayers through covert or illicit government transactions, deals, contract manipulation, coercion, extorsion, harassment, humiliation and/or blackmail. I am sure your mind now is in alignment with mine at this very moment. So I won’t have to identify and articulate about them as, assumably, we already know them anyway.
I am ashamed on the fact that our country has been dubbed as one of the most corrupt country in the world. I seem to agree and I know why because everyday, I literally see the crookedness of our politicans as they allow themselves to be molded as such by our own people who devalue or don’t care about the well-being of our future for generations to come. These are the people who are old, indigent, uneducated, hopeless, desperate, and unwilling to improve themselves and to take or conceive socio-economic measures that will improve the community as a whole through ethical governance. Ultimately, these are also the people who, at every opoortunity, will leech the government for whatever offering there will be. You just don’t know how much I love this saying, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”! If ever this infamous saying has rooted itself into the minds of our young generation, the future stake of our country will eventually be in good hands as it climbs itself from its current economic rut.
As for political choices, currently speaking, we don’t have much in Southern Leyte. The past and current politicians are from family trees that had politically established themselves since after the Japanese occupation. These families were the people who held governmental offices and nurtured their family members to pursue the continuance of family traditions, moral and political aspirations and convictions, and socio-economic stewardship for the fellowman. The big names, of which some were considered “visionaries” include Kangleon, Bantug, Garces, Gaviola, Ynigues, Kaindoy, Enage, Escano, Capili, Mercado, Demeterio, etc. It appears that the current Mercado brothers are decendant of the Gaviola family. In my book, I can only consider the two brothers as contributory to the worsening and spiraling destitution of our beloved province. Their arrogance, ignorance and ineptness with ethical political affairs have caused so much provincial grief.
This upcoming May elections will again decide the fate of our province and country. I sincerely hope that whatever the outcome might be, our citizenry, the younger generation especially, will arise to be involved and proactive in maintaining the mind set that the government is for the people, by the people, and of the people.
In the meantime, come May 10, I will cast my vote. If I don’t, then I have no business to gripe about our politicians, would I?