THERE’S an interesting story, reported by BBC, about an American couple who sued their son for refusing to leave the family home despite the fact that he’s already 30 years old.
Michael Rotondo is jobless and his parents, Christina and Mark of Syracuse, New York, have had enough of him not paying rent and helping with the chores. They offered him $1,100 dollars to move out. “There are jobs available even for those with a poor work history like you. Get one -- you have to work!” they told him.
Strong words for a “parental advice,” which the son rejected anyway, along with the “pabaon” that was supposed to help him settle down. The parents went to court and the other day, a Supreme Court justice issued an eviction order, just weeks before Michael’s birthday. Justice Donald Greenwood said Michael’s insistence to stay in his parents’ house was outrageous.
Michael, who represented himself in the proceedings, disagreed, saying that it was the decision that was outrageous. He announced that he would file an appeal.
We have a very appropriate Cebuano word for what happened to Michael -- gihinginlan -- but it does not happen too often, in Filipino families. And in the rare cases that they do, the parents do not go as far as resorting to court action. They will probably just give him or her a daily overdose of “pamuyboy” until he or she flies the coop.
In fact, in our culture most parents want their children to stay with them even after they get married. The families who can afford it will build houses for every member in an enclosed property which we call a compound. Those who can’t will make do with living with everybody else in the old house.
In most cases, the children do just fine. They work, they earn enough, and they raise their own children independently. They don’t stay with their parents out of economic necessity.
Economic necessity is basically what every turncoat politician claims to justify turning their back on old alliances. He has to switch to the administration party, he will swear solemnly, otherwise his constituents will not be able to receive financial support from the government.
Take the case of the Day-as barangay captain who took his oath of allegiance to the BOPK yesterday. He ran under Barug Team Rama despite the fact that he knew that Tommy Osmeña will still be the mayor after the election. That did not seem to bother him then but after he won, it disturbed him so much that he had to ally himself with Osmeña, without whom, he said, his barangay will continue to be buried in poverty.
He is not the first one, of course. As previously stated, turncoats inhabit our side of the political world. Barangay captains made a beeline to the Rama compound when Mike Rama was mayor. Now, they’re moving in the opposite direction. Weather-weather lang.