|
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
Valdehuesa: The Filipino is worth dying for?
By Manuel E. Valdehuesa Jr.
FORMER senator Benigno Aquino said: "The Filipino is worth dying for." Perhaps. Especially when Sunday sermons tell us to love him but not his bad habits.
The BCBP and the Couples for Christ have another version: "Love the sinner, hate his sin." We believe them, of course, but it's not so easy. One can go mad trying.
The Filipino passes laws and ordinances but neglects to enforce them. He applauds when a law is enacted, but won't hesitate to circumvent it thereafter. He puts up traffic signs, then ignores them.
He demands good governance, then supports incompetent and corrupt candidates. They're his friends, you see, or owes them a favor.
Because society's needs are not being met, he organizes NGOs to undertake projects and services, but ignores his role in the very institution that would make NGOs unnecessary -- the government whose acts and decisions require his participation.
He thinks he can do better than the government. Of course he can.
When he neglects his duties as a citizen and ignores his role in governance, the government becomes so weak, ineffective and dysfunctional that anyone can outperform it.
He protests corruption and incompetence among public officials but is the first to sing praises to or be photographed with influential trapos and grafters in office.
When he runs for office he promises heaven on the campaign trail but delivers hell when in power.
He woos voters by addressing them as "master" in his campaign speeches --Har nga Lungsod! -- but treats them like peasants when in office.
He complains about tax evasion -- as a "concerned citizen"-- but fakes his returns at tax filing time. Then he denounces the BIR for low collections.
But he'll quickly turn around and understate his capital gains when selling property.
He condemns bribery and payola but won't hesitate to pay under the table to facilitate his transactions and get special treatment.
He dutifully sits through long sermons during Friday, Saturday or Sunday services.
"Praise the Lord!," he righteously intones, or "Allah Akbar!" but won't hesitate to launch bloody war or jihad the next day and create orphans and widows.
In business he gets ballistic when he thinks he's being cheated but won't give receipts to his customers. He likes being rich but keeps employees poor by underpaying them.
And he professes compassion for the elderly but cheats them by obtaining senior-citizen discount cards although his income disqualifies him.
No wonder so many leave the country and become citizens elsewhere. Dying for the Filipino is not so easy!
(Manny Valdehuesa is a former diplomat and UN executive and a native Cagayanon. His column appears here Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. His e-mail: valdeman_esq@yahoo.com)
(September 2, 2003 issue)
Want Sun.Star news on your mobile phone? Click here.
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
|
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
|
