Quick Buck Fountains

Last week, in this very same space, Andy Leuterio related how a friend of his had succumbed to the temptation of the quick fix solution. Arguments were made and the deeds were done. However, the whole scenario our good columnist/writer had painted got this writer thinking as well. How many times have each of us made willing sources of ourselves for a quick buck for our law enforcers and government agency workers? In this writer’s humble estimate, far too many.

Think about it. Each time you see a law enforcer flag a motorist down and argue about an alleged traffic violation committed by the motorist, what’s the first thing that goes through your head? Do you think, "Ah, a law breaker, he’ll have to go through the entire process of retrieving his license now," or do you think, "Is it lunch time? Could the law enforcer be hungry at this time?" The sad state of affairs in this country has people assuming that everyday on the streets an act of corruption happens on a far too regular basis. We’ve grown so jaded with not just our system but also our way of life that we’ve come to expect corruption from even common folk — like cops and motorists. We don’t even have to look up to our high and mighty politicians to find rotten apples anymore. The rotten apples drive along the streets with us and they wait in the wings of these same streets for us to make the tiniest of errors to pin us down and practice extortion. And — admit it — sometimes the rotten apples are us.

For some reason, the lure of the quick buck seems simply irresistible to the average Filipino. It’s a disease that’s killing our sense of honor. It’s a disease that’s killing our work ethic. Worst of all, it’s a disease that we happily feed since it provides us with an easy way out of the kinds of dilemmas that we make for ourselves in the first place.

Consider this: Why are there "fixers" to begin with? Would there be fixers if there were no motorists who feed their dubious livelihoods? And the darn disease is not specific to our road users. Almost every Filipino is enamored by the idea of the quick buck. Why do you think the stampede at the Philsports Arena occurred in the first place? Too many Filipinos are blinded by the lure of the quick buck — and too many Filipinos feed this insane fixation. Too many to incite mob frenzies, apparently. But I digress.

The fact of the matter is that people can and will participate in feeding the quick buck mentality because we’ve already burned our sense of what is right and wrong. And we’ve happily replaced it with what simplifies things for us. We justify the wrong we do with a crap-load of excuses. I will pay a "service fee" because, 1) I don’t believe in the system; 2) they’ll only make things more difficult for me; 3) I have to pay the premium for the extra services that’ll be rendered to me; 4) I could use the time to be more productive, etc. Lots of considerations, lots of justifications. How about this, though? The moment I pay a "service fee" I feed this person’s dependence on the quick buck mentality and I screw his perspective of how hard work pays off in the long run.

And let’s not be sanctimonious hypocrites here. We’ve all done it at one point in time or another. We’ve all fed our poor countrymen’s twisted perspective on the innate insignificance of the quick buck — making them believe it’s all fine and dandy in the process. We’ve all paid our way through messes we’ve made for ourselves — just to get away easy. Yes. Myself included. The question is, do we have the will to stop it at its source?

The saddest thing about this entire fact, however, is that a single column condemning this mentality can only go so far. I can raise my voice to the highest heavens, condemn our collective urge to feed the quick buck mentality then go back to my comfortable old office and know for sure that a Filipino is paying his way through a road related mess no matter what I have written. The outpouring of support for this condemnation won’t nearly be as strong as when James Deakin ranted on the rotten MAPSA practices because this time the enemy is within. We’ll readily condemn the MAPSA because a lot of us see them as vultures preying on innocents. We won’t condemn the wrongdoer if his name is "me".

We will, however, just keep paying law enforcement officers and government agency workers who promise to make life easier for us through under the table transactions — and the cash from these kinds of transactions will just keep on flowing. We’ll feed the rotten practice and condemn our congressmen, our senators and our president for being corrupt and morally bankrupt like we’re faultless angels — high and mighty in our self-righteous pedestals. Then we — the quick buck fountains that we are — will just keep feeding the corruption of the mere mortals that we share our streets with.

At least that’s what I think. Of course you can prove me wrong. In fact, I sincerely hope that you do.

Issues. Issues. We never run out of them here in this column…

Whatever happened to our anti-smoke belching law? Every Saturday and Sunday, violators still ply our roads, especially along EDSA. — 09228021513

Please take note of the passenger load of buses plying EDSA even during rush hour. Do they even have passengers? It’s about time for them so cease. — 09182387792

Stupid is the U-turn slot put up in front of the La Vista gate along Katipunan Avenue. It allows vehicles to cross Katipunan, causing traffic. — 09209503833

I want to buy a Toyota Grandia but I learned that its engine displacement is only 2.7. When will Toyota come up with a 3.0 Grandia? — 09279296236 (Sorry. Toyota hasn’t revealed any plans to come up with a new Grandia variant.)

When will the all new breed of Strada come to Philippine shores? I’m very excited and I think it ought to be one of the best in its class. — 09213049117 (Soon. As in before this year is through. We can’t pre-empt the manufacturers, though, so we can’t tell you the exact date.)

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