Timely and stirring appeal

Several weeks ago, I received in my e-mail a letter addressed to “all Filipinos everywhere” written by a brave woman apparently disgruntled but not disheartened by the turn of events in our country. With the current happenings that seem to be getting worse, I feel it is timely to reproduce portions of what she wrote as follows:

“I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty? But recent events tell me this isn’t 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 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 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 appalling that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!

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 the entire 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 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’s, 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 associated with crooks? Congressmen who accept bribes? Big time lawyers on the side of injustice? ….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 to work in other countries?

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgusts. 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 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 offer petitions every time we celebrate Mass. We can ask others to pray too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, 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.                      

(To be continued)