Halo-halo and Tinikling

In a country where views and opinions tend to be as varied and as colorful as the national refreshment: the halo-halo, having an opinion and expressing it publicly is tantamount to signing up to dance the “Tinikling”. Once you start you better keep moving and expect that someone is more interested in banging the bamboo poles and less concerned about crushing your ankles or your feet.

It is somewhat strange that for a nation of 7,100 islands or less, why many people particularly those who call themselves “educated”, don’t’ accept and respect the fact that it is but normal for us to have 7,100 different perspectives or views on a subject. I get the fact that our Spanish experience has influenced our passion and our zeal, but sometimes, even “passion” is a poor excuse for being bullies or dismissing other people’s views.

Just because you have an opinion or a belief does not mean I have to embrace it. We can share with others but not shoot down others or label them as the enemy if they don’t agree. If you disagree, lets eat halo-halo!

Over the weekend I pieced together a line that reflect “the other persons” views: “Just because I don’t agree with the “way”, does not mean I disagree with the “what”.

Last week two topics generated so much passion and fury but interestingly, each took a different form and direction. One was about the Impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona and the other was the newly launched campaign of the Department of Tourism: “Its’ More Fun In The Philippines”.

The impeachment issue from where I see it, has subdivided people into four groups: those who are all for it, those who strongly oppose it, those who actively choose to have no part in it because they see no real benefits in it and those who don’t care and are indifferent.

If we surveyed all four different groups, I have no doubt that they will all say that they are ALL AGAINST corruption. If we push some more buttons, maybe half or 3/4 of them might say that the previous administration was indeed full of corruption.

But once we get down to where “The ends justify the means”, it is but fair and reasonable that we split hairs or even part ways. People cannot start from moral ascendancy and then dirty their hands through political manipulation, numbers games and dirty tricks and then justify their actions because they are merely doing the same things that their enemies used against them. How different are we then from those we call corrupt?

Remember the phrase: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it”. (James 2:10)

If the very people involved in the process of impeachment have hurled charges of indiscretion, violation of procedures and down right political opportunism for popularity sake, is it a sin for others to wash their hands, as Pilate did and have nothing to do with it?

Let us all join hands against corruption, but we must also be willing to deal with the people and their acts that corrupt an honest cause. In like manner, our zeal must not be corrupted with emotion or loyalty that it blinds us from knowing between friend or foe.

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Unlike the negativity that has been generated by the Impeachment of CJ Corona, I am glad and amused at the public response to the latest campaign of the Department of Tourism entitled: “Its More Fun In The Philippines”.

Unlike blockbusters or instant hits, the “Fun” project slowly but clearly triggered a flood of creative and “positive” responses and reactions. Both pro and con have added or created their own mini-me slogans, visuals and tongue in-cheek one liners. But the good part is that, all of it has positively placed Philippine tourism in the minds of people.

There is no doubt in my mind that Secretary Mon Jimenez went through a mental and emotional rollercoaster in “selling” the idea to Key opinion Leaders, getting mixed reviews, and finally ending with an unexpected and unusual reception where Pro and Con did not tear each other out along with the campaign but instead, joined the trip and simply had fun even if some actually made fun and poked fun about having fun in the Philippines!

Unlike the last disastrous campaign, and in spite of a near hit from the Swiss cheese campaign, the DOT received an unexpected boost when people decided to join in and express their opinions or creativity. The lesson I see in all of this is that, some things are simply out of the box, beyond us and sometimes require a community or a country and its people.

We can come up with the so many marketing slogans but it would be folly and arrogance to believe that one company, one office or one department can bring life to what 7,100 islands, over a thousand dialects, 95 million people, several hundred years of culture and history really is all about. Because we all joined in, the campaign took off.

We are now having fun, promoting the fun, making fun of fun and poking fun at the campaign. Secretary Jimenez should thank his lucky stars that God blessed and rewarded all his hard work, but now all of us have to get behind the campaign. Whether by promoting tourism or being Turistang kanin in our own country, we must now go beyond having an opinion and start making a contribution.

This is the next Challenge for Secretary Mon Jimenez: to become our National Tour guide. Begin with Filipinos and lets all have FUN!

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