ONCE an American journalist said that the Philippines has a damaged culture. At first, many Filipinos could not agree with that. Giving it a closer look, we gradually see reality. We ask this question, "Does our culture bring economic progress to Filipinos surviving below the poverty line?"
What is wrong with us, the Filipinos or the Philippines? Many of our political leaders fail to review the direction of their governance or they simply do not know that they are part of the governance. The way our government is run by the elected servants is called governance. In the private sector, we call it management.
Our Filipino culture is our heritage of excellence and nobleness... excellence in making and doing things, and nobleness highlights the best things we make and do. This kind of culture cannot be easily found in our governance. The governance loaded with culture should lead us in our economic and moral recovery.
We have the absence of that culture in governance that will fuel our government because many of our political leaders have the "that's entertainment" mentality. Running the government is not lip service and "just for laugh only." We need qualified, committed and dedicated leaders to handle governance.
Year 2022 is an election year and we will be serenaded again by assorted politicians who want to have seats in public office, including the throne for the presidency. Fun but not funny because the political stage will be loaded again with songs, dances, gags, comedy skits, immoral jokes and mudslinging. Of course, there will be money giving in the name of charity.
As early as this, movie-television personalities, sportsmen and mediocre have already come out into the open to tell the Filipinos that they are candidates for 2022 election. There is nothing wrong with that because our Constitution allows it and they can also read and write. They are not obliged to take the Civil Service examination and the neuro-psycho test.
Some entertainers won in the past elections and we saw how they work. We just wonder why in a nation like ours with so many qualified, dedicated and morally upright candidates schooled in the practical disciplines of law, economics, political science, engineering, medicine, social work... many of us still vote for comedians, actors, actresses and sportsmen to draft its laws, run its finances, and craft its national and foreign policies.
Why do Filipinos entrust to entertainment professionals the serious business of governance? Some say it is because of name recall. It is very easy to remember the name of a drama actress, the actor who played the role of a policeman, and the boxer who is a world champion. Majority of the excited "masa" group vote for them. Educated and well informed voters have only few family members.
We go back to the question of what comes first, the chicken or the egg. What makes our system defective, the Philippines or the Filipinos? For many Filipinos, electing their public officials is like entertainment, like a movie, like a fiesta with plenty of food, drinks, music and dances. That could be the reason that during political campaigns, serious and qualified aspirants try hard to sing and dance on stage to match the tik-tok candidates.
Filipinos have been under many presidents... the war hero as "Malakas" who declared Martial Law, the religious housewife who survived several attempts of military take-over, the military general who called his country "the young roaring tiger," the matinee idol who went down with the alleged gambling money, the lady economist famous for her "I am sorry statement," the son of the president noted for his "no wang-wang" policy, and now the build-build-build president with a gift of tongue.
These past leaders made footprints in their political careers. Some are beneficial and some are merely entertaining. We enjoyed both. In 2022, We are asking the Filipino mature voters as part of our new normal society if they are still willing to have more entertainers in our government. A few entertainers could be fast learners. How about those who are dependent on script? Can we take the risk?
Vote buying, vote selling, over spending, election magic, "balimbingan," "promisahan," "takotan," "girian," and "kasinungalingan" will still be a part of 2022 election. We have to read the writing on the wall now. Good luck Philippines! Break a leg Filipinos!