Peddling myth as fact

There is something eerie and disturbing going on in our country – our penchant to turn moles into molehills. We tend to make things look bigger than what they really are. We tend to exaggerate, sensationalize and – in the end – even make believe that what we are doing or saying is anchored on facts.

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What is truly bothersome is that we as a people are drifting towards the easy acceptance of myth as truth. We seem to have reached a point where we are overly engrossed with innuendoes and gossip, on speculation and rumors. Even the supposed news that we read every day in the newspapers or hear over television or radio is perceived as factual even though it is unsubstantiated. In other words, we are dangerously moving towards a make-believe world where myth rather than truth prevails.

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Look how we turned the story about First Gentleman Mike Arroyo’s alleged involvement in a P50-million telecom bribe into what seemed like factual news. As it turned out, the story was based on hearsay, as clarified by Bing Rodrigo herself.

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Yet, almost everyone immediately jumped into the conclusion that the story was a fact. Even supposedly responsible political leaders joined the fray, by using the story for their own personal agenda. And ironically, media, too, which is supposed to be the repository of truth and fact contributed to the perception that the story was based on fact.

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Some people may say that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was merely daydreaming when she spelled out her government’s specific targets in her State of the Nation Address. Because she listed down, in the clearest language possible, so many goals, together with the price tag needed for each target, her critics concluded that her SONA was mere rhetoric and that her specific goals would never ever be attained.

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But note that there is something distinctive about President GMA being an economist. She is familiar with how to deal with scarce resources, how to get optimum results out of what is available, and her feet are planted firmly on solid ground. Some people may see a sort of cockiness in her statement, "I know my arithmetic," but we have to give it to her.

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During her long stint as a public servant, President GMA has shown an uncanny ability to identify resources that can be tapped for economic growth. I am sure that even the so-called "underground economy" is part of her plan to raise needed resources. In the case of the De Soto principle, the underground economy has vast potentials for our country’s economic resurrection.

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There are three personalities from the private sector who figured prominently in what our country’s disabled sector calls the "ramp revolution." This refers to the ramps that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and wheelchair-users use whenever they move from place to place. And these ramps, especially in Metro Manila, have been put up in public places, such as malls, restaurants and other places open for public use. The three are George T. Yang of McDonald’s, then Far East Bank and Trust Company president Octavio Espiritu, and then Philippine National Bank chairman Edgardo Espiritu.

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It was about ten years ago when I had an early-morning breakfast with George Yang in a 5-star restaurant. There we discussed George’s plan of putting up ramps and other access facilities for PWDs in all outlets of McDonald’s. Eventually, the dream for PWDs came true — and all the architectural designs of McDonald’s outlets took into consideration the convenience of PWDs.

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As for O.V. Espiritu, I had the distinct privilege of working with him in staging the nationwide regional and national chess tournaments sponsored by Far East Bank. It was during my frequent interaction with him that led to the construction of ramps and other access facilities for PWDs in all branches of Far East Bank. Just like in the case of McDonald’s, O.V. Espiritu saw to it that all branches for Far East Bank are wheelchair-friendly.

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There was a wedding that I attended at San Agustin Church, with Ed Espiritu as one of the principal sponsors. Prior to the wedding march, Ed and I had the chance to chat at the church patio, while waiting for the wedding rites to begin. There, I took the opportunity to complain to Ed Espiritu about the absence of ramps and access features at the PNB branch at Paseo de Roxas. He promised then and there that he would do something about it.

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True enough, construction workers were soon seen putting up a winding ramp at the PNB Makati branch. And Ed Espiritu went further. He issued instructions to the PNB authorities to see to it that all PNB branches nationwide are accessible to PWDs and wheelchair-users.

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Happily for our country’s PWDs, the initiative of McDonald’s, Far East Bank, and PNB was emulated by other companies that transact with the general public. Soon, Jollibee and almost all other banks became wheelchair-friendly. Thus was born the "ramp revolution" for the PWDs.

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Paul de la Cruz, writing from Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, sent to me this thought-provoking item about "Things to be thankful for":

* The mess to clean after a party... because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
* The taxes I pay... because it means that I’m employed.
* The clothes that fit a little too snug... because it means I have enough to eat.
* My shadow who watches me work... because it means I am out in the sunshine.
* A lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing... because it means I have a home.
* All the complaining I hear about our government... because it means we have freedom of speech.
* The space I find at the far end of the parking lot... because it means I am capable of walking.
* My huge heating bill... because it means I am warm.
* The lady behind me in church who sings off key... because it means that I can hear.
* The piles of laundry and ironing... because it means I have clothes to wear.
* Weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day... because it means I have been productive.
* The alarm that goes off in the early morning hours... because it means that I’m alive.

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Thoughts For Today:

Let the face of the Lord
shine upon you today,
Let His hand protect you,
His presence inspire you,
His grace surround you,
and His power sustain you.
Enjoy His blessings.

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Life is only travelled once,
Today’s moment becomes tomorrow’s memory.
Enjoy every moment, good or bad,
because the gift of life is life itself.

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My e-mail addresses: <[email protected]> and <[email protected]>