Are you sad?

My friend Michael, a Chinese-American, came back to the Philippines three years ago to work for an international financial organization. He lived in Manila for almost a year in the mid-70s while working for a multinational bank. He spent a good number of his early childhood years in the Philippines, when his father was assigned here as a diplomat.

Because of all of these connections I give him some leeway to comment on the state of the nation without branding him a meddling imperialist. "It’s so sad," he says judiciously. "You could do so much, you know. So many wasted opportunities. If you don’t make it this time..."

This time refers to the new mandate the administration received in the elections last May, and promises of implementing needed although unpopular reforms, of the courage and political will to swallow the bitter pills and do what must be done. Congress is supposed to cooperate, to join forces in building the "Strong Republic" that is such a nice catchphrase.

A cursory look at the main events of the day on the national scene is hardly encouraging. Making the revelations of the Great Garcia Caper even worse is watching the freak show of an investigation that Congress has been providing, brought to us live and in color. Not only do I have to endure revelations of Park Avenue and East Side Manhattan apartments and fat dollar accounts while soldiers in the field make do with antiquated equipment, I have to listen to lawmakers trying very hard to sound intelligent in front of the cameras–and realize that it’s my hard-earned tax money that’s making it possible.

It’s enough to make one enroll in nursing or caregiving school and put in an application to Ireland, which desperately needs nurses–specifically Filipino nurses–even though you face the prospect of having to eat haggis. Or shell out P300,000 to go to Italy on less than legit papers to work as a supermarket bagger and earn more in a week than you earn here in months–if you’relucky to even have a job. Or attempt to sneak into Iraq, nevermind the dangers of war and the threat of beheading, and we no longer have 51 soldiers to pull out in exchange.

My friend is sad for us because of what we could be but are not–a progressive, dynamic country fully utilizing the talent and skills of an extremely talented people and the rich and abundant resources of the land. In the state we’re in our people can’t even afford to be sad; the demands of survival do not allow such luxury.