Monday, July 28, 2008 Editorial: May we not be numb
TODAY, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will present the achievements of her administration so far.
She will expectedly be reading figures that will show the Philippines has fared well, while a number of the people will be jeering at their televisions.
We don't blame the people who jeer. We also do not blame the President for acknowledging only the good her administration has done and intends to do.
That's what her predecessors has done and that's what all Presidents will continue doing, if we allow them to.
While we are glued on our televisions to listen to the Sona, or glued on our televisions to watch the massive protest rallies the opposition has promised, or are attending rallies ourselves, let us not remove the image of poor people lining up for their rice at the City Hall and at NFA retail outlets.
Let us not be numb to this image, and let us not forget that lining up for cheap or free rice is the ultimate manifestation of poverty, and that we shouldn't allow this to continue.
It's the same as the souplines of the world war eras that should keep us pondering since the world is not at war.
Let us not be so wrapped up with what's being shown in the television such that the long lines of people waiting for their rice supply for the day becomes just part of the landscape, which can no longer elicit consternation, anger, and a desire to act on the problem in the same way that many of us are no longer nauseated by the sight of a squashed cat on the concrete road.
Lining up for food is a bad sign, and a bad sign as regularly manifested as the "riceline" indicates a deep-rooted problem.
One action we have been granted franchise of is looming ahead in 2010.
Let us not give away yet another chance for better governance of our country to somebody whom we will jeer at later on.
We've done it over and over again -- allowed our votes to be bought, opted to go for the showbiz and well-known rather than those who have a long track record of upright public service, opted to do nothing at all, or allowed ourselves to be cheated of our votes -- such that today, our people are lining up for their food, everyday.
This is not just the fault of President Arroyo as we would want ourselves and our fellowmen to believe.
This is all our fault because we have allowed this to happen.
And so we repeat: May we not be numb to the sight of people lining up for rice, and may this daily sight spur us instead to do what we should have long been doing as citizens of our country -- serve our people not our politicians.
