I DO know where President Duterte is coming from with his “istambay” campaign. He wants every community to be free from fear. He has stopped the police from using istambays as a generic term for citizens for their unwanted presence in public places.
Out there are human derelicts that are a threat to the safety and wellbeing of the vulnerable. Thrill killings are the by-product of drunken idlers who start mulcting pedestrians and evolved to lawbreakers.
Street crimes are pandemic in the Philippine setting. Holdup is a weapon of choice by the bold and reckless. The teenage criminal began as snatcher, grows up to be a “salisi” operator, then acquires eerie skills as “akyat bahay.”
Not all lawbreakers are “idle” as the tambay concept ascribes to idlers in public places. The tambay habit has been a social institution generations ago. Our culture does not discourage gatherings in street corners and vacant lots, even in narrow streets and sidewalks.
Here, people meet to discuss politics and current events, and lately, variations of false news so-called. People converge without a single purpose as askals meet in their favorite haunt questing for action.
President Duerte’s term will end without eradicating the tambay phenomenon in our communities. His campaign at least paves the way for barangay councils to establish their version of the campaign and free residents from freedom of fear.
Recently, Central Luzon barangay officials cheered when Mr. Duterte challenged them to actively engage in drug and peace and order campaigns. The new barangay chairmen wholeheartedly approved their new mission in principle. Practical experience says that when someone says he agrees in principle, he does not have the intent to do it.
Nothing brings joy and peace of mind to parents knowing the way home is safe and secure for their daughters coming from night classes, that no nine year old girl disappears near neighborhood sari sari stores after an errand.
The tambay problem is not as severe in the province as in the MM area. To make sense of the tambay campaign, confirmed violators should be formed into brigades and assign to community work in their localities, according to peace loving residents of Kalye Pitong Gatang.
People wait for a better turn. Wherever they gather to wait and hope for change and luck whether by day and night time, the jobless and desperate pose as social nuisance anywhere. Filipinos are mired in a perpetual “stand by” mood. The tambays sipping drinks from Starbucks are not less hopeless than those three-in-one coffee addicts at the corner store.
The recidivists from the shirtless violators should be assigned to cleaning clogged esteros. Certainly there are the educated among those apprehended. The bright among them, usually idlers out of work and intelligent bums should be assigned to train personnel and officials of the disgraced Presidential communications group on geography and spelling.
The kotong cops should be grateful for a second job.