There is a problem with the way we Filipinos think. We are driven by emotions rather than by logic supported by facts and data. Our ego is too big. We do not want to accept that we are wrong. Instead we strengthen our stand by raising our voice, rallying in the streets and going crazy harassing people until we get what we want.
The news that we read and hear are clear indicators of the way our leaders think. The discussions they have and decisions they make are mostly a result of ego-tripping. Take the feud between the two factions arguing about who lost the West Philippine Sea to the Chinese. Have we really lost it? Or have we just given up our fight? The way the present DFA officials think shows how weak we are. They continue to carry the Filipino mentality brought about by colonialism – that of submitting to richer neighbors and just keeping quiet. On the other hand, the group that wants to fight for our rights is too extreme to the point of losing ground.
In a democracy it is always healthy to have many sides. But what is more important is that we listen to one another and create the best solutions instead of being too proud, too know-it-all, too boastful. When do you insist on your own beliefs, when do you stop and listen, when do you build on your ideas/ decisions after listening and achieving the best answer but most important when should we achieve unity, peace and harmony.
Since all our government officials seem to know everything to the point of manifesting narcissism, then why is the country still poor, filthy, inefficient, full of criminals from the cadres of government? Why hasn’t corruption stopped in every barangay, municipal office, government agency including in the judiciary and legislative branches of government?
The recent headlines on the P6.8B worth of shabu slipping past Customs officials is not new at all. Customs officials have had a reputation of acting dumb to make money out of different shipments. It is embedded in their mentality that they will try to make money out of every shipment. They will find ways to make things difficult for the person who either receives or sends parcels away. They will even create technical issues to the point of bullying the clients. Come hell or high waters, they will do their best to extort money even from Juan dela Cruz who barely even has money to feed their whims. This mentality is happening in every government office, both local and national level, in private companies as well. It begins with us. Remember the fiscal who refused to be ticketed for illegal parking last week? She was wrong and yet she and her husband were rude and arrogant in trying to get away with the law.
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Last week, the President issued Proclamation No. 556, Declaring Tuesday, 21 August 2018, a regular holiday throughout the country, in observance of the EID’L ADHA (Feast of Sacrifice) without mentioning the commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day which is a special holiday by law. Susmariosep! Talk about party politics.
The Ninoy Aquino Day is a national non-working holiday in the country created by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo thru Republic Act 9256. It was signed on February 25, 2004. Why did President Duterte drop it like a hot potato? Why is the President doing this? Why is he confusing us? Is he using his emotions over objectivity? As a matter of fact, Eid’l Adha celebration falls on a Wednesday (August 22). Although it starts after sunset on Tuesday (August 21), the world will celebrate this Islamic festival on Wednesday while Filipinos are now forced to celebrate it a day before.
By the way, why is it so easy for the government (national and local) to proclaim holidays or no class/work days? In Quezon City, Mayor Bautista suddenly declared the suspension of classes on all levels today to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of President Manuel L. Quezon. This announcement only came last Friday, August 17. And just like that classes are suspended. Aside from the number of days classes have been suspended due to the weather, the Mayor whimsically decides to suspend classes to remember a Philippine president on his birth anniversary. Can’t the students commemorate this in the schools? How sure is he that students will even put their energies in trying to remember Quezon? I’m sure there will be more students in the malls today. Another day put to waste!
The Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education should start to intervene. They have the authority over the youth of this land. We are talking about the future of our country continuously disturbed and distracted by all these holidays. Why can’t we celebrate significant events in school? Many academic schedules are interrupted by holidays. I think we are one of the countries with the most number of holidays, thus, leaving us lagging behind in achieving academic excellence. How do you expect the young to be competitive in the world when they lack number of days in school? The government does not seem to prioritize education at all?
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Talk about the Filipino mentality. I don’t understand how the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) came up with the High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Policy in EDSA? What a dumb proposal. Can all their MMDA officers and personnel live by the rule? If they can, then there is ground for it. But clearly, not even senators and congressmen who have drivers and bodyguards can fathom it. So what gives? Why think in such moronic, senseless, ridiculous manner?
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The “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tag of the Department of Tourism is losing ground. Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo should quickly change this tag before it’s too late. Even as you push the tagline, it’s not funny anymore. There are way too many inefficiencies. Tourists are not happy anymore even if you want to believe otherwise. The only saving grace for tourism in this country are the natural wonders that abound us.
Take the misfortune that happened last week when travellers were welcomed by an international plane (ironically a Chinese plane) that skidded off the NAIA runway causing colossal problems. Yes, the plane mishap was an accident. But boy did it take more than a day for the problem to be solved. NAIA management wasn’t ready. They were incompetent. They didn’t know how to handle the accident. They didn’t have enough equipment ready on standby to get the job done. Where was the crisis center? Was there proper coordination with the airport team, the airlines teams and other aviation representatives? The passengers were suffocating inside the airports in Manila, Clark and Cebu for 36 hours. There was chaos and confusion. No order, no system, no sympathy, no efficiency at all at the ground level. Sanamagan!
We better get our act together. We must learn from all these catastrophic experiences. We need to start to think big! Think out of the box! Think country!
As our National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Josè put it: There should never be any room for mediocrity in all that we do. We are a very talented people, capable of excellence, what we often term as “world-class.” Although this excellence may go unrecognized, we must continue to strive for it to produce better products, more food, a better government, and eventually and prayerfully, a much better, prosperous and just country. This striving for excellence must be complemented by a strong tradition in criticism, learned, profound but understandable so that our larger public will be enlightened.