I was thinking before writing this article that I shouldn’t write it anymore because I for one should not give a damn about the situation of the country. I for one should be the one telling “I told you so” and after deciding on leaving the country and leaving the mass to decide on their own or to own what they deserve then perhaps it is just high time for me to shut up.
But these past few days I was being constantly pestered by my muses to write something and write it with the same pedantic irony and pragmatism as it should be viewing it from the perspective of a hopeless Filipino, somebody who has literally given up the idea that there could still be change, to someone who’s fed up with the idea of losing hope and is trying to renew his loyalty to ones faith that is to the country and to its people.
Just recently I was able to read some accounts on the life of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, coupled with some slight brush ups with my favorite writer and marxist Renato Constantino Sr. And I ask myself in between gulps of liquor what made them do what they did and what would they have done if they were here.
Then I look at Jim Paredes who valiantly decided to take a vacation from being a Filipino and look for his path outside of the country.
Judging from these people and their experiences I was able to come up with two conclusions:
1. You can’t judge the country as a whole just by looking at its problems and imperfections.
2. You can’t judge the people as a whole because things aren’t working out the way it “ought” to work.
Now given the above-conclusions I asked myself who am I to give up for something that I have valiantly fought for and failed and who am I to judge for something that is universally changing?
Thing is I gave up because I thought that this country is going to the dogs as long as the powers that be are on the top controlling the poor and the downtrodden and there’s nothing I can do or anyone to that effect to change that and for all means I was right (or so I think as of current time).
I thought it was prudent and wise to let the future generation do the talking as my time has passed for I can only get as far as my intelligence could afford me (see my write up on my failing on two law entrance exams)
Then I thought you cannot explain the intricacies of human nature just by understanding the law, and neither can the law explain the unseen bonds between the poor and the rich and how they feed on each other to exist.
I realize the law can only interpret what is right and what is wrong but it cannot point out the motivation behind why things are what they are.
So for the average man it is either you realize this or you try to explain the mysteries of Philippine Society in the context of the law then I tell you that if it were even possible then our country is better well off than what we are now.
I also realize that Filipinos have habits, they have a habit of understanding what is wrong and yet turning a blind eye to it, yet we possess a very kind heart at that it’s just too hard for us to work without having a model to pattern our actions with.
We’d rather have somebody point out to us what we have to do rather than have it done ourselves. This mutual respect between the follower and the followed is what I consider the last vestiges of the colonial mentality imposed upon us by our educational system and what has been hampering our students to truly think for themselves giving them the power to decide. And I say in the words of the great Bob Marley “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds” are as true as ever.
Other than that we also have a penchant on acting at the last moment.
Filipinos also judge people by their character and not by the weight of their words nor the rationality behind their arguments, who ever took a taxi drivers word over a university professor notwithstanding the fact that the taxi driver have more access to the price of diesel than a professor teaching theories that are written out in the books he’s passing out that could just be read by his students.
So I ask you this, what does Ninoy Aquino, Renato Constantino and Jim Paredes and me all have in common?
We all are finding our own path on making this country better even at times it frustrates us to the bone when we shout our lungs out til we cough up blood and we have more sleepless nights than anyone can ever imagine. And sometimes looking at the country from the outside is somewhat better than looking at it from within, while doing something from within and having no reaction from anyone either or appreciating that act is more painful altogether than having to watch a SONA gone wrong.
Which brings me to remember the words of the priest who visited Ninoy in his cell when he was protesting while fasting for a long time it cost him his health. “If you want to do Gods’ will, then you should never go against his will.” That was when Ninoy realized he should have a good health and die for the country and follow God’s will.
So in God’s name…Help me stop Con-Ass.
(kudos to Dean Jorge Bocobo for the image)
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