citizens

alvin, our new and soon to be ex pc analyst sent this beautiful essay. i don't know who the writer was or where this was published, but i think this is one simple but powerful piece that should be read by pinoys from all walks of life. so here goes...

To all Filipinos Everywhere:

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the
Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events
tell me this is not true. It is one thing to see
people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves
and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what
excuse do these rich, educated people have that could
possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think
I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got
caught and locked away in jail because I never fully
realized that the big time thieves were out there,
making the laws and running our country. Can it get
any worse than this?

Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on
my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am
mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They
are caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable
and too bad to be real. To see these "honorable"
crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look
each other in the eye and accuse the other of
committing the very same crimes that they themselves
are guilty of, is so comical and apalling that I don’t
know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at
its worst!

I have never seen so many criminals roaming around
unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals
wear suits and barongs, strut around with the
confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and
awe from the very citizens who voted them to power,
bear titles like "Honorable", "Senator", "Justice",
"General" and worse, "President". Ironically, these
lawless individuals practice law, make our laws,
enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act
the way they do! These are their leaders, and the
leaders of this nation, " Robin Hoodlum" and his band
of moneymen. Their motto, "Rob the poor, moderate the
greed of the rich."

It makes me wonder where on earth these people came
from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make
them act the way they do for all the world to see. It
makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to,
what kind of teachers they had, what kind of
environment would produce such creatures who can lie,
cheat and steal from an already indebted country and
from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve.
It makes me wonder what their children and
grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding
a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and
liars with maybe a tad more style but equally
negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!

I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to
have a job that pays for my needs and those of my
family, even though 30% of my earnings go to the
nation’s coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have
complained time and again because our government could
not provide enough of the basic services that I expect
and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system,
poor social services, poor health services, poor
everything. But I have always thought that was what
all third world countries were all about, and my
complaints never amounted to anything more.

And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering
presidents pointing fingers. Senators who are crooks.
Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the
side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only
after his interminable term has ended, Enrile
inquiring about someone’s morality! The already filthy
rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or
their great grandchildren could ever spend in a
lifetime. Joker caught red-handed. Defensor rendered
defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping.
Security men providing anything but a sense of
security. And it’s all about money, money, money that
the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in
his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining
decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work
in other countries?

And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a
power-hungry president whose addiction has her
clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. "Love
(of power) is blind" takes a whole new meaning when
PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband’s
shady financial deals. And still blinded with all that
is happening, she opts to traipse around the world
with her cohorts in tow while her country is in
shambles.

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the
Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust.
I don’t agree. Many like me feel anger at the
brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment
to share the same nationality with them, frustration
for our nation and helplessness at my own
ineffectuality. It is not that I won’t make a stand.
It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be
futile. After all, these monsters are capable of
anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already
have, though I may not yet feel it.

But I am writing this because I need to do something
concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary
citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that
would later affect me and my children. I want to make
it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of
something better for the Philippines. I want them to
know that my country is not filled with scalawags and
crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens
left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to
speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the
people we have trusted to lead us that they have
abused their power and that it is time for them to
step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell
because it is the only country I call mine and it is
my responsibility to make sure I have done what I
could for it.

Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or
position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in
the government can summon the power of good. We can
pray. We can do this with our families every night.
We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives
and friends here and overseas, just so we get the
message to Him of our desperation in ridding our
nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more
powerful than God!

I implore mothers out there to raise your children the
best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish
them with too much of the material comforts of life
even if you can well afford them. Teach them that
there are more important things in this world. I beg
all fathers to spend time with their children, to
teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair
play, sharing, dignity and compassion right from the
sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own.
Not just in your homes, but at work, in school,
everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining
examples for your children so they will learn to be
responsible adults who will carry and pass on your
family name with pride and honor.

I call on educators and teachers; we always
underestimate the power of your influence on the minds
of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is
happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a
love of their country, inculcate in them the value of
perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile
knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable
men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and
brightest, to do what they can to lift this country
from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us
into. The youth is our future and it would be largely
because of you, our educators, that we will be able to
repopulate the seats of power with good leaders,
presidents, senators, congressmen, justices,
lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.

I ask all students, young people and young
professionals everywhere to look around and get
involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth
be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with
the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make
you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh
perspective just as you need the wisdom of your
elders. YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Let your voices be
heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you
your ancestors and your heritage. Use technology and
all available resources at hand to spread good. Text
meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try
your best to fight moral decay because I promise you
will not regret it when you become parents yourselves.
You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that
your children will do better than you did.

Remember that there are a few handful who are capable
of running this country. You can join their ranks and
make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old
trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will
think of the greater good before anything else. Do
your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good
lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs,
engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are
called to serve in government, you will have
credibility and a record that can speak for itself.

For love of this country, for the future of our
children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to
uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what
you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for
the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us
to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our
country even more.