May iniisip ka?
Oo.
Ano?
Ayaw kong sabihin. Baka magkatotoo.
Dahil makulit ka
Kilala kita. Oo, ikaw 'yun: Nagkasalubong na tayo minsan, sa LRT, sa Gotohan, sa kanto ng Aurora at Katipunan. Nagkatinginan tayo. Hindi mo ako kinausap, pero alam ko, nakilala mo rin ako. Kaya ka narito, di ba? Para sabihing, Oo, oo, ikaw nga 'yun. Naaalala kita.
na, mula noong 24 Enero, 2006, ang nakitambay dito
ewan ko, a...
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Ewan ko, a, pero matapos mabasa ang dalawang forwarded email na 'to, pakiramdam ko tungkulin kong i-post ito dito, e. Kaya saka na ang kuwento: saka na 'yung kuwento ni Mang Erning na drayber ng taxi na nasakyan ko nu'ng isang gabi; saka na 'yung kuwento ko tungkol sa lumang kopya ng Lord of the Flies na nakita ko sa bahay; saka na 'yung kuwento ko.
May mga bagay na mas importante, sa totoo lang.
(Hindi ko na ginalaw ito; kaya du'n sa mga mas maselan pagdating sa balarila, pasensiya na lang muna. At saka alam ko namang malamang e marami na sa inyo ang nakabasa nito.)
***
Walang Kwenta ang Pilipinas
by: jawbreaker (isang ordinaryong office worker na ayaw na magbayad ng tax…ever!)
Hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko. Sukang-suka na ko sa mga nangyayari sa bansang 'to!
Walang katapusang corruption, walang kamatayang pangbabatikos, pagbabatuhan ng tae at pagpapa-taasan ng ihi ng mga pulitiko sa bawat isa, walang tigil na imbestigasyon ng kung ano-anong isyu pero wala namang matinong resolusyon, walang puknat na pag-aagawan ng kapangyarihan sa pagitan ng mga partido, patuloy na pagdami ng tamad at tangang pilipino, patuloy na pakikipaglaban ng ideolohiyang wala namang silbi.
Ang gobyerno ng pilipinas, talo pa ang septic tank na hinihigop ng malabanan – saksakan ng dumi at napakabaho. Kaya hindi nakakapagtaka na ang pilipinas ang isa sa pinakamahirap at
corrupt na bansa sa mundo. Kasi lahat sila bulok, lahat sila walang kwenta. Lahat sila sugapa sa kapangyarihan at sa pera.
Anak ng teteng! &!* @!!
Kahit kristiyano ako, hindi ko mapigilang magmura at hilingin sa diyos (minsan nga pati sa demonyo) na mamatay na silang lahat at i-bbq sila ng habang-buhay sa impierno.
Sinong "sila"? Eh di mga corrupt na government officials and workers, mga tambay na pilipino na ang lalaki ng katawan pero hindi naman nagtratrabaho at hindi nagbabayad ng tax, mga mayayaman at aristang tax evaders, pati mga aktibista, npa at iba pang ideological groups na hindi nagbabayad ng tax pero pang-gulo Mamatay na kayo Lagi na lang sinasabi ng mga pulitiko: ipaglaban ang masa! Tulungan ang masa! Mahalin ang masa!
Punyeta! Masa lang ba ang tao sa pilipinas?
Sino ba talaga ang bumubuhay sa punyetang bansang to?
Saan ba galing ang pangpagawa ng mga tulay at kalye? Saan ba galing ang pork barrel? Saan ba galing ang perang kinukurakot nyo?
Kami na mga manggagawa at middle class na bago pa makuha ang sweldo bawas na – kami ang bumubuhay sa walang kwentang bansa na 'to.
Bakit yang bang mga masang yan na lagi na lang sentro ng plataporma ng mga pulitiko eh nagbabayad ba ng tax???!
F**k you! Kahit isa sa mga nag-ra-rallying mga squatter na yan, kahit singko hindi nag-re-remit yan sa bir! Pero pinapakinggan ba kami ng gobyerno?
Lagi na lang opinyon ng masa ang iniintindi ng gobyerno. Kung sino ang nag-ra-rally, sa edsa, sila ang nasusunod.
Kung sino ang mas malakas sumigaw pero wala naming economic contribution, sila lagi ang focus pag may problema.
Sila lagi ang bida.
Kaming mga ordinaryong office workers, ofw's, laborers at iba pang nag-tra-trabaho at nagbabayad ng tax – kami ang nagpapakahirap para buhayin ang pilipinas. Kami ang mga tunay na bayani ng bansa.
Tuwing nakikita ko ang payslip ko, nag-iinit ang ulo ko at gusto kong maiyak sa inis. Napakalaki ng tax na binabawas sa akin pero ginagamit lang sa walang kwentang bagay ang perang pinaghirapan ko.
Lahat ng pagtitipid ginagawa ko para suportahan ang sarili ko, pamilya ko at ang punyetang bansang to. Ni hindi ako makabili ng chicken and spaghetti meal sa jollibee kahit gutom na
gutom na ko. Nag-tya-tyaga ako sa waffle na tig-p10, o kaya pag may konting pera, junior bola-bola siopao sa mini-stop sa halangang p20.
Eh kung yung pera ko na pinapangbabayad sa tax sa kin na lang napunta, eh di sana nakakapanood pa ko ng sine at least 2 beses sa isang buwan. Nakabili na sana ako ng bagong rubber shoes. Nakapagpagawa na sana ako ng sarili kong bahay.
Yung tax na binabayad ko, karamihan nun derecho sa bulsa ng mga corrupt na mga government officials at workers. Habang hirap na hirap akong i-budget ang pera ko, sila naman nagpapakasarap sa mga mansyon. Suv's at luxury cars pa ang dina-drive nila, samantalang ako sa pedicab lang sumasakay!
Putang-ina! Pera ko yang pinapagpapasasaan nyo!!
Yung tax na binabayad ko, pinapangsuporta sa mga mahihirap. Saan ba galing ang pera pangpagawa ng housing at pagtulong sa mga mahihirap, di ba sa mga manggagawa na nagbabayad ng buwis! Pero karamihan ng mahihirap, kung umasta kala mo inaapi sila ng sobra.
Sa totoo lang no, kaya ang mga mahihirap lalong naghihirap kasi mga tamad!
Ang daming mga tambay sa kalye na walang trabaho pero ang laki ng katawan. Eh kung sila ba nagkargador sa pier eh di sana may pera sila.
Tapos wala na ngang pera, anak pa ng anak!
Punyeta! Lalo nyo lang pinapadami ang tamad at tanga sa mundo!!
Naaawa ako sa mga batang pakalat-kalat sa kalye at namamalimos. Imbes na nag-aaral, dumadagdag lang sila sa bilang ng mga future criminals sa pinas. Hindi ako magtataka na yung batang nakita kong namamalimos sa cubao, pagkatapos ng ilang taon cellphone snatcher na.
Yung mga magulang naman dyan, common sense lang! Hirap na hirap na nga kayo sa buhay, mangdadamay pa kayo ng iba?! Paparamihan nyo pa lahi nyo!
Palibhasa walang mga trabaho at walang pinagkaka-abalahan, kaya nagkakalabitan at nagsusundutan na lang maghapon, magdamag. Sa totoo lang, nakakabilib. Kasi kahit sa ilalim ng tulay o sa kariton lang, nakakabuo pa rin ng bata! Ibig sabihin, maabilidad ang mga pinoy. Kung gugustuhin, gagawan ng paraan. Kahit sa makipot, mabaho at maduming lugar – solve!
Isa pang mga grupo ng tao na nakakainis, yung mga aktibista, npa at kung ano-ano pang ideological political groups. Sabi nila, mahal na mahal nila ang pilipinas kaya pinagpalalaban nila ang kanilang mga adhikain.
Punyeta! Eh hindi rin kayo nagbabayad ng tax! Ang kakapal rin ng mga mukha nyo!
Mga ipokrito! Mahal daw ang pilipinas ayaw naman magbayad ng buwis!
Bakit may bir collector ba sa gitna ng mendiola at edsa?! May tax collection ba sa bundok?!
Wala din naman kayong mga trabaho! Kung may trabaho talaga kayo, hindi kayo mag-ra-rally dahil sayang ang sweldo nyo pag absent kayo!
Paano nyo maipapakita ang pagmamahal nyo sa pilipinas kung wala na kayong gawang matino kundi mag-rally at mamundok??
Isa pa yang mga mayayaman at mga artista, na nangdadaya at hindi nagbabayad ng buwis. Ang kakapal ng mukha nyo! Ang dami nyo na ngang pera nangdadaya pa kayo sa tax! Hindi nyo naman madadala sa impierno yang mga kayaman nyo. Masusunog lang dun yan.
Kaya lalong bumabagsak ang negosyo dito sa pilipinas, kasi mga negosyante mandaraya. Pati showbiz industry, bagsak na din. Karma ang tawag dyan. Mga balasubas kasi.
Sana magkaron ng political and national cleansing.
Alisin (mas maganda kung patayin na lang) ang lahat ng pulitiko at political families sa puwesto. Tibagin ang lahat ng mapanirang organizations at grupo. Itapon sa malayong
isla o kaya i-pwersa ng hard labor ang mga sobrang tamad na mga pilipino. Ihiwalay ang mga bata sa kanilang mga tamad at tangang magulang upang makapag-aral sila at maturuan na maging mabuting tao at mamamayan. Magkaron ng bagong lider na walang political ties at utang na loob sa kahit sino. At higit sa lahat, dapat tax payers lang ang pwedeng bumoto!
Kung kinakailangang magka-giyera para magtino ang mga pilipino, ayos lang. Masyado na kasing matigas ang ulo ng mga tao dito. Gusto ng kalayaan, pero hindi naman handang panagutan ang responsibilidad ng pagiging malaya. Meron daw pinaglalaban na prinsipyo at adhikain pero takot namang mamatay para dito.
(sa mga nakaka-alam sa anime na gundam wing, yan ang inspirasyon ko sa new pinas hehe. I love you zechs! I love you treize!)
Hangga't hindi nagkakaron ng radical change, patuloy na walang kwenta ang pilipinas at patuloy na magiging tanga ang majority ng mga pilipino.
Sa dami ng nag-mi-migrate na pilipino sa ibang bansa, dadating ang panahon na minority na lang ng population sa pilipinas ang may utak. Yung mga magagaling na pilipino, malamang maubos na. Sobra na kasi silang na-fru-frustrate at na-de-depress sa mga nakikita nila.
Ilang taon pa at aalis na rin ako sa pilipinas. Wala kong balak na magkaron ng pamilya sa isang bansa na hindi pinapahalagahan ang kontribusyon ng mga taong tunay na bumubuhay dito. Kawawa naman ang magiging anak ko kung dito sya mabubuhay.
Sa totoo lang, broken hearted ako. Minahal ko din ang bansang ito. Pilit kong pinagtatanggol kahit bulok. Nakarating na ko ng ibang bansa, pero pinili kong bumalik. Pero ngayon, ayoko na. Suko na ko. Sayang lang ako sa bansang to. Simple lang naman ang hiling ko. Gusto ko lang mabuhay ng tahimik at maayos. Gusto ko na kahit paano eh maipagmalaki ang pilipinas. Pero wala eh. Doomed to be jologs ang bansang to.
Alam ko marami pa ang umaasa at naniniwala sa pagbabago. Good luck and god bless! Sana tama kayo at mali ako.
We The Jologs: A Reaction to "Walang Kwenta and Pilipinas" by Jawbreaker
by ionaks
I am working class, I pay my taxes, I am an "ordinary office worker," I know how it feels..... but this person, whoever he or she is, does not speak for me. While the writer did not claim that he was speaking for anyone but himself, the same passion that compelled him to compose his message is the same passion which compels me now to say my piece.
I write this for several reasons. First, the email (or more accurately, the blog entry) now circulating, as strongly-worded as it is, is bound to reach more and more people and lest more are led to believe that most of us think in the same vein, I have to say that we do not, or at least I don't. Second, many of his statements do a great many Filipino grave disservice. Third, it is time to speak.
I am just as sick of the corruption and the scandals and the politicking. Pagod, sawa, at sukang-suka sa walang katapusang pagbabangayan, tama siya doon! Ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas ay saksakan ng dumi at baho... tama ulit! We are all sick of watching these politicians fight over positions in goverment like rabied dogs, all in the name of public service kuno when in fact the only interest they ever serve is their own. But this issue goes so far beyond politics! Sino nga bang kawawa sa mga nangyayari ngayon? Kahit naman anong mangyari doon sa itaas, wala naman sa kanila ang maghihirap. Even if Gloria resigns or is removed from office, she's not going to end up anywhere near the poor house scrounging for a daily living. Lahat sila, administrasyon, oposisyon, militar, the big business players... all those powers that be who seem to be driving the country further and further into the depths of oblivion... they have nothing to lose except the opportunity to accumulate more wealth at our expense. If this country does self-destruct, all they have to do is hop on an airplane and fly, business class at that, to some other country.
At sino ang maiiwan dito? Tayo. The so-called "middle-class"... and the so-called "masa". Sama-sama tayong maiiwan dito to drown in the muck. And because of this, I see no distinction between the purported middle-class and the masa anymore, definitely not one that will help us in these trying times. To hang on to the notion that our interests are different is myopic. To believe that the middle-class have more at stake is arrogant. To continue to keep a line between "them" and "us" is elitist and wrong. It also borders on prejudice, which is unacceptable. This kind of hatred is just as bad as greed.
Look around you. Unless you are surnamed Ayala (exception na lang siguro si Joey Ayala) or Cojuancgo or Gokongwei or what have you.... working or not, MASA ka rin! So what if you dress better, or went to a private school, can speak decent English, or listen to Coldplay instead of April Boy? Does it make you more of a person? Does it make you more deserving of a better life? Does it make you more entitled to decent service from an honest government? All it makes you is, well, better-dressed and eligible for a higher tax bracket.
You know what the real differences are? The real difference between "us" and "them" is that while "we" complain about not being able to afford a fancy dinner at some expensive restaurant or buy a new pair of sneakers or get the latest cellphone, "they" worry about where to get money for their next meal. "They" worry about diseases like pneumonia and TB and not having even a hundred bucks to even go to a doctor to ask for prescription that they won't be able to afford to buy anyway. Our children give up going to the movies; their children give up fare money and walk to school, if they are able to still go to school in the first place. The taxes that you pay may mean an out-of-town family vacation. The taxes that according to you they don't pay could spell the difference between life or death. THAT is the difference.
Paying your taxes does not make you better than anyone else. Haven't you thought about the fact that so many Filipinos are exempt from paying taxes precisely because they are too poor to pay any tax?
And for sure, kahit kailan hindi sila naging bida. Kahit kailan, hindi sila nasunod. Kahit kailan, hindi sila ever pinakinggan ng gobyerno. Pinarada si Mang Pandoy dati, yung tatlong bata naman nung panahon ni Gloria, pero nasaan na sila ngayon? The Government has always claimed to but has NEVER actually championed their cause. EDSA I? Mind you, hindi yun laban ng mga jologs na masa. Laban yun ng lahat ng Pilipino, led foremost by the middle-class! Lalo naman ang EDSA II which put Gloria in power? That was almost a purely middle-class movement. Maybe you're talking about the so called mob which rally to support Erap at every opportunity, but they have not been heard. More importantly, they do not properly represent the poor of this country. The "masa" can be found not only in Metro Manila; they are scattered all across these 7,107 islands of ours. High tide or low tide, they have never been empowered. They remain desolate and neglected and oppressed. True, pag kampanya sila ang bida sa plataporma, pero pagkatapos hindi ba yung mga crony na business tycoons at foreign investors din naman and naghahari? And you will deny them their right to basic government service? No need, because the Government never served them anyway.
And besides, OO, tayong working class ang nagbabayad ng buwis at OO dahil dun nabubuhay ang Pilipinas. But do you know who really keeps this country afloat, albeit barely? The farmers! The fishermen! Those people who still somehow keep the agricultural sector going. They feed you and me. Literal pa yan! Economically, agriculture is still our major industry. By traditional definitions, I'm sure kasama sila sa masa na sobrang kinagagalitan mo? Will you deny them their proper place in keeping this country alive for all of us? They probably contribute more than both you and I do. Besides, the way things are going right now, meron pa bang tao na hindi nagbabayad ng buwis one way or the other?
Yung mga big-time tax evaders, tama, sa kanila ka magalit. Pero wag doon sa maliliit na wala naming magawa.
Totoo, nakakainis ang mga tamad. At totoo naman na maraming tamad sa Pilipinas. But the poor do not have a monopoly of the indolence in this country. At sa totoo lang, hindi sila mahirap dahil tamad sila. I find it tyrannical, and such a terrifying recall to the Spanish colonial era, that some people still seem to think so. As much as there are lazy people in the squatters of Tondo, there are just as many lazy people in Forbes Park. The only difference is that they have Daddy's money to disguise their lack of productivity. At kahit tamad sila, hindi sila nagugutom.
Totoo, may mahihirap na hindi umaangat kasi tamad. Pero karamihan sa mahihirap humihirap dahil kahit anong gawin nila, hindi sila nabibigyan ng pagkakataong umayos ang buhay. Do we really believe the poor are content with their poverty and do not try to do all in their power to change their fate? Tell that to the driver of the next pedicab you ride.
The bare naked truth is, in most cases, they are simply not given the opportunity to prosper. For one, Government does not give them the education they need and deserve to equip and empower them to do better. And there's the capitalist economy of consumption and excess, where profit is the end that justifies any means, which simply will not let anyone other than the key players and investors and top-level executives have any share of the wealth. I find it strange that you shouldn't see this. You are the best example of what I mean. You complain of having to content yourself with a 10 peso waffledog at Mini-stop instead of your favorite value meal at Jollibee… yet you work your butt off, don't you? Hindi ka tamad, pero yumaman ka na ba? Like I said, masa ka rin. The simple fact is, for poor people like us, there is a much bigger hurdle than the fight against one's own "tamaditis."
You also attack those activitists who take to the streets. Unang-una, sana ihiwalay mo yung mga tunay na aktibista dun sa mga binayaran lang ng kung sinong pulitiko para manggulo. Hindi lahat ng nakikipaglaban sa kalsada walang trabaho at tamad at hindi nagbabayad ng buwis at nagbibilad sa araw para lang manggulo. There are those of them, and believe me there are many, who are decent hard-working people. They sacrifice time that could otherwise have been spent with their families to fight for what they believe in. They sacrifice the daily wages they might otherwise earn precisely because they feel that it is the future of their children at stake. And it is precisely because they are the disadvantaged lot that their sacrifices are even more proportionately significant. More than income, they have sacrificed life and limb for this country, and will do so again if the need arises. For anyone to scoff at this, no matter how much we disagree with the form their ideology takes, is disrespectful and cruel. It is an insult to those who have made such sacrifices, to their families who have made the sacrifices with them, and to those of us who still believe that this country, damned as it seems to be, is still worth fighting for.
Besides, ano nga bang masama sa ideolohiya? You use it like it was a bad word. What is ideology, really, but a principle by which we aspire to achieve our ideals? And what are our ideals? Better lives for ourselves and our families? A better future for our children? To live in a peaceful and just society, where there is enough for all and no one is hungry or poor or uneducated? To be called a great nation and take pride in our citizenship? Isn't that the ideal we all strive for? Ikaw, yun lang din naman ang gusto mo di ba? The ideologies may vary, but still, the ideals are the same. Bottomline: we all want the same thing. Masa man o middle class, (kahit nga yung mga mayayaman at corrupt na pulitiko, nasobrahan lang sila), we all want the same thing. Kelan ba kasi naging synonymous ang ideology sa idealismo at ang idealismo sa imposible? It is precisely because we have abandoned our ideals and idealism that we are in the muck. It is precisely because we have been so frustrated by our experiences that just the mere mention of the word "ideology" makes us cringe and turn away. But if all these ideologies die, then how will we even start to strive for our ideals? Siguro nga tama ka, mamatay na nga silang kumakapit pa sa prinsipyo at ideolohiya. Mamatay na tayong lahat.
We have different ways of fighting for what we believe in, different ways of contributing. Some of us take to the streets, some of us stand quietly by but in our hearts we protest the injustices that surround us and in our own ways, we do what we can. But I say, better do something than nothing at all. To give up now will do nothing but assure our doom.
The present political crisis is more than just political. True, this needs to be resolved and at the soonest possible time. But however which way this plays out… what we need to assure is that we do not let this happen again. Like I said, tayo ang kawawa. Buti sana if the effects of these political upheavals are contained only amongst those people who keep on playing musical chairs with the seats of power. Pero hindi eh. Lahat tayo, apektado. From ordinary office workers to the jobless man with five mouths to feed waiting at home, tamad man o hindi, we are the ones who suffer. These political maneuverings have translated into decades of poverty for so many and that makes me sick and livid with anger. It makes my heart break. And we are all accountable for that. Yes, all of us. And merely paying our taxes does not make us blameless.
We are accountable in so many ways that may seem innocuous but are just as dangerous nonetheless. We are accountable when we vote for a person because of nothing else than kababayan natin siya, or tatay siya ng kaklase natin sa elementary, o nakikita natin siya sa pelikula, o gwapo siya o maganda. We are accountable when we go to the LTO and bribe the employees there so we don't have to spend two hours in line. We are accountable when we solicit favors from politicians and public servants and contribute to the prevalence of patronage politics. We are accountable when we allow our friends or relatives to solicit (or grant!) those favors. We are accountable when we engage in business practices that deprive laborers of their fair and just wages just so we could keep our profit levels as high as we possibly can with nary a thought of how we owe to our employees not just to give them wages but to raise their quality of life. We are accountable when, in the name of job and investment generation, we develop industries and technologies that wreak havoc on the environment and the health of local communities thereby effectively pushing them once and for all into a place of irrevocable poverty and true disenfranchisement.
More so we are accountable when we sit by and say nothing or do nothing to register our dissent and make things change. We are our own worst enemies. But, we could also be our own best friends.
I say this to you in fellowship and with respect for the great love you have for our country, which is obvious in spite of your disillusion and decision to give up. Go. Be the proverbial rat who abandons the sinking ship. Save yourself and pursue the life you want. You have a right to it. Iwan mo kaming bayan ng mga jologs.
Like I said, I respect your opinion. Hindi kita inaaway, and if I sound like it, I apologize. Actually, ito naman talaga ang punto ko: Hindi tayo ang magkaaway dito, just as much as I believe na hindi yung mga aktibista sa kalye o mahihirap na hindi makapagbayad ng buwis and kaaway mo. I cannot accept that they should deserve this kind of ire. And I find it counterproductive, to say the least, to put the impoverished majority of this country on the other side of the fence. You are angry, which is how most of us feel, but your anger is somewhat misdirected. Para sa akin, nakakatakot kung ganyan ngang mag-isip talaga ang lahat ng "middle-class." Rage against the corrupt and greedy people in power and I will rage with you. Rage against those who resort to murder and resort to terrorism to get what they want. But please, spare the rest of us who just like you, flawed as we are, are just victims here.
And herein lies the crux: we may be victims here, but we are not helpless. We have to fight together. We must exercise discernment and distinguish propaganda from truth. Now is not the time to point fingers at each other and call each other names and wish each other one-way trips to hell. We must identify who and what the real enemies are; and in my heart of hearts, I know that I will not find them in the shantytowns of Manila.
There is so much that ails our country. There is something so terribly wrong when you live in a society where some people can afford 700,000 peso TV sets while just a few feet away there are children dying of malnutrition. The fact that even people with the greatest love for this country give up and leave, is the saddest commentary of all. As urgent as the need to change the people who govern us, is the need to change so many of the intrinsic things that make our systems and institutions so vulnerable to manipulation by the few. Not the least of these things is our own individual tolerance. There is much work to be done. And it must start, now.
You're right. What we need is radical change. A revolution is in order. A real one. One that will go beyond changing the names of the people we empower to abuse us. Take that statement however which way you want. Take it to the streets, if you will. But my real prayer is that you take it to your heart. Evaluate. Discern. Participate. Change. Sacrifice. Hope. Act.
And yes, leave if you must. I wish you the best of luck, too. And one day, I hope that you will come back to a Philippines that we, the jologs, will have rebuilt to make you proud.
it's just a matter of choice. the classic question of to be or not to be. the farce democracy we have should be overthrown by a genuine revolution. it is not enough to speak because our times call for action. hopelessness is not an option, it is only for those who are willing to lick the ass of foreign capital anywhere in the world in exchange of selfish comforts. anyway, the present mess only strengthens the national democratic revolution. it may not take long for the present status quo to be relegated to the dustbin of our history.
actually my take on the shit, we the people have forgotten to re-imagine our country. we just complain and complain without adding anything new and anything insightful. i do agree with the anonymous post. but for every revolution to get off the grand, there must be an internal revolution in all of us.
"we just complain and complain without adding anything new and anything insightful."
but then again, has anything changed since 1946?
i don't believe that activists seek overnight change; what they seek, though, is overdue change.
"we the people have forgotten to re-imagine our country."
go tell that to the person who dreams of a truly free filipino people. go tell that to the person who dreams of not having to subsist on imported rice. go tell that to the person who dreams of having enough to eat.
and after speaking to him/her, go listen to what he/she has to say.
I am adding you to my reasons why I never lost hope for the Philippines because the crisis seems to draw the best in us, Filipinos.
Jawbreaker has expressed in more direct language his exasperation over how politics has really affected the Filipinos’ way of life. His very strong and emotional account of his experiences and observations has pointedly draw us to the responsibilities and the works that need to be done to make the Philippines, at least, a place where Filipinos can take pride.
Like jonacs and jawbreaker, we so dearly love our country. We are on the same boat in hating the politicians who are masquerading as public servants. We hate it when taxes are spent elsewhere (like fatten the pockets of politicians) rather than being used to improve the lot of all of us.
But what separates us or, in this case Jonaks and Jawbreaker, is the kind of attitude we keep in dealing with the challenges that confront our country. Do we resign in rage of the injustice done to us or do we keep the passion, the hope and the spirit to fight for a better life that we deserve. Of course, righting a wrong is not an overnight sensation. It could take longer even after what little that was left of our guts had been consumed fighting for the ideals, before we can see the fruits of this painstaking task.
A reaction to the reaction on Jawbreaker.’s letter titled “Walang kwenta ang Pilipinas”
I come from a “Just-above-average, income family” My father was into planting sugar. He inherited some land from his father. My mother’s family on the other hand, was into banking.
During the first half of my existence, I lived a sheltered life. Yes, I can say that I lived a relatively comfortable life while growing up. I never had to worry whether our house was strong enough every time a storm was due to blow by. I never worried about basic necessities, nor was I made to worry about doing basic chores such as cleaning my room or washing my clothes. Only upon reaching college here in Manila, did I learn how to ride our public transportation, did I learn what a Registrar is, and what registering for a school term is all about. Before then, everything was pretty much done for us.
Don’t get me wrong. I was not entirely oblivious to the hardships around me. I spent a significant amount of time-albeit playing, nevertheless, time with the children of our farm workers. This meant going to their houses, some of which you won’t even classify as one, and listen to the fights of the parents, the gripes, and generally witness their day to day business of surviving. I also did some work in the farm (Post college) for about 2 years under the employ of my parents.
Sometime in my later years, things abruptly changed. The sugar industry because of years of kurakot and poor financial practices on the part of most planters began experiencing major problems. Lady luck frowned at the same time on our family. Our house in Bacolod burned down where in we lost every thing. Then, several business ventures my family was involved in, collapsed. At the same time, three of us siblings were abroad and were in part, (Since we could not work legally) still dependent on the subsistence sent from back home. Our financial exposures were such that soon we were literally on survival mode. We had literally lost everything in a span of several years.
I came back from the states 1997 after 9 years. I will be the first to admit that I accomplished little if nothing at all though, I was employed on my 2nd year till I came back. Having to experience life there though, changed me a little bit. I cannot point out exactly what this change was. Maybe how individuals were respected in a certain way? Whatever it was, this change brought me in a collision course with my parents. Looking back, I too, failed to recognize the tremendous financial pressures bearing down on them at that time.
One day, things went out of control. We went way past our boiling points and we escalated to world war 3. A lot of things were said and done, and that very day, I moved out of the house. To some, I was kicked out (Depending on whose version) and was promptly declared “Persona non grata” with a promise to campaign and warn all - relatives and non-relatives against helping me…This promise was carried out quite efficiently, since I broke culture and spoke exactly what was on my mind. Not a single relative thought I had any right. I was forced to become a nomad for some time, transferring from one place to another. I lived in the slum areas, in farms, asking for help (Begging was more like it) whenever and wherever I could. I worked odd jobs here and there until finally, several relatives felt they had to intervene and they did. I went home after 3 years. We kissed and made up and we all became friends again and the rest is history.
I had to give you a little background of myself to show you where I was coming from. There were things you said, where I strongly feel, I should argue against. Anyway, let me give it a shot.
First, let us talk about the “Masa” of whom you “seem” to defend with a passion. My first question is: When will we ever stop blaming the “Spaniards”, and for once, take responsibility for our shortcomings? We seem to have this habit of blaming just about every thing and everybody, every time something goes wrong. We blame the Americans, the Spaniards, the corrupt system, democracy etc., etc. We never stop and just look at ourselves.
I have heard this rhetoric about our “colonial masters” since time in memorial. It is true, that people like the Spaniards left us with a lot of “bad” habits and practices, and we have suffered because we carried these bad traits through the generations but when will we just STOP, ASSESS, ADAPT and OVERCOME??? How many generations more did you plan to keep blaming Spain? 2? 5? 10 generations more before we say enough is enough?
I take offense when you imply that our people are destined to be “stupid” and “lazy” because they were made to be just that….
Reading Jawbreaker’s frustration that there are so many able-bodied Filipinos lazing around instead of working, and thus in a small way, be able to contribute to society, makes me want to go out and convey that very message and challenge these very people to contibute because they are certainly capable of much, much more.
On the other hand, reading your response offends me deeply, you are in effect writing off the common tao as “No good”, incapable of improving, branding them as hopeless, and worse, insult them by asking people to pity them? Because of certain factors like the Spaniards… etc! Where is the self-respect we are trying to teach here?
You were just short of predicting that their children’s children are already bound to be poor and thus, incapable of anything else because of excuse number 1, 2, 3, 4…. Man, certainly, this is not the message I’d want to convey. You have just given them a blanket excuse not to do well.
Did I just misunderstand your message Or you really intend it to be this way?
The Elite – I can feel your contempt and disgust when you address this group. I also felt this contempt spill over to what we would understand today as the “Middle class”. In a sense, you were mocking jawbreaker’s notion of him being in this group since, he is capable of paying taxes. To sum-up this part, you even posed this question: “Trabaho ka ng Trabaho – yumaman ka na ba?” Excuse me for asking, but isn’t Jawbreaker’s position of having a steady job, a million times better than doing nothing at all? What are you trying to teach - If you won’t get filthy rich might as well sit and scratch your stomach?
In essence, you ridicule the efforts of the likes of jawbreaker and his taxpaying abilities and would rather condone the act of doing nothing because to you, the “masa” is destined to be unproductive? – Again, what kind of values do you want our brothers and sisters to learn?
Hey, while I’m at it, forgive me for mentioning this… Please don’t look with contempt at people who dress-up better than some. It may be a form of expression or pride. It is in no way elitist. It may encourage people to strive for more… If you might, in some stroke of luck – be in power in the near future…just promise me, you won’t make everybody wear gray-like-pajamas as some sort of national outfit just so there won’t be any class distinction. I still have to see a socialist or a communist society that has no elites.
Before I continue, (Has no bearing to what I want to convey here) let me ask you one thing. I am just curious. Is it wrong for people to accumulate wealth thru hard work? If not, let us say you were an exceptional businessman and you made it rich, what will be your immediate goal? Is it to pass on to your children the fruits of what you have labored so hard for? If again true, should your children’s generation despise your children for inheriting wealth from you? - Unless of course you believe that whatever a person accumulate's during his or her lifetime should be returned back to the state. (Upon death…)
I agree with you that education is our biggest hope, if not our only way of advancing ourselves. I don’t agree though that government made it hard for our people to get educated as you said. I also don’t agree that the reason why there are a lot of illiterates is because of economic reasons. It is just not so… I have lived inside shanty communities (squatters) and believe me, money does circulate.
In every society, there are the extreme rich and the extreme poor. Of course, I know what you are talking about when you say "the kind of poor who are spread-out on our 7100 islands". C’mon, before, we think about them, let us first, get those that can go to school – into school! If we keep dwelling about our poorest –we will never move forward. The use of being poor is such an over used excuse already.
If you want proof to what I am saying, - easy! just ask your friendly taxi-driver, basurero, your house hold help, your taho guy, your fisherman, whoever. Just pose this question: “kahirapan ba ang dahilan kung bakit ang daming bata hindi nag-a-aral?” – I assure you, you will get a quick response to the contrary. They will even laugh at the notion that people are still using "ang paghihirap" as a reason for not sending their child to school. Now, I am not denying the fact that there are really people who are the poorest of the poor. Every country has these and this has to be addressed as a separate issue and be treated in a special manner.
Taxes - I am sure deep inside you, you know that this should be our stately obligation to our country. We should pay our taxes and thus demand better governance. Let us not discuss where our taxes go for the moment. I agree with you that we should hunt down those corrupt officials who pocket the money. Anyway, I also think that it is both your obligation and mine to teach the value of paying taxes to all our brothers and sisters. To do the opposite is irresponsible and should be considered an act of treason. We should instill to the people that paying taxes is a good thing. You don’t need to give to charities or what not, unless, it is really needed (extra action) Just paying the right taxes, you would have done your share as a Filipino. It is something to be proud of.
I understand your distress when Jawbreaker seemed to vent his ire and target those non-tax payers, and those able-bodied, non-productive persons. You even try to re-direct these frustrations at those corrupt officials and what have you… Have we not been doing this (Pointing fingers) for the longest time? Is it not time that we start the change within ourselves and the rest will follow? We just need to raise our social consciousness to levels we have never been to before and that can only come from within us. It is really irritating to see these non-productive persons be the first to demand this and that but they have no concept of what contribution is all about.
Yes, you talked about the farmers…I guess, I know about them too. Of course, they contribute a lot. To be commended are some of them that have placed value on getting their children to school. They understand that farming will get them only so far. Now, these children are successful and are bringing out their families from poverty. There are those that ascribe to your thinking. All they want to do is to dwell on what should have been instead of just buckling down and planning wisely their efforts. They become poorer and poorer because they are made to believe that they are capable of nothing more. In the end they are made to believe that the gun is the only way…. old story. Old trick – I should say….
By the way, there is a saying out in the countryside that nobody dies of hunger. You just need to plant and reap the benefits. Taking hunger out of the equation, they just need to ensure that their children go to school.
It is really hard work; we are lucky that my grandfather thought of putting up a school when he was alive. I think a lot about the children who come from other farms to go to school in our place. Imagine, what they have to go through. They have to pass several farms before they could reach ours. The temptation of being side tracked with play is big. Then I see a few of these parents, day-in, day-out, bringing their children to school and picking them up. They ensure that their children go in and study. Now, I hear these very children I have observed before are now successful with stable jobs here in Manila and a few outside of the country. Tell me if these were the very people you have written off as “No-chance” because of being “Poor”.
Ideology – No problem, I respect whatever ideology you adhere to. In the countryside the usual rhetoric’s being peddled is this: Said in a sympathetic coupled with deep empathy – As if they are defending the oppressed – but the end result is that you ask the people to fight for you.
“ To all the people, do not blame yourself if you are poor because the landlords made you so. All this land is actually yours. Therefore, (In short) you should fight (Kill) for it.”
No difference with what you are trying to say: “You people (masa) will always amount to nothing because of reasons no.1, 2, 3, 4, - don’t forget the “Spaniards”. It is not your fault that you are stupid and lazy. Here, you are only good to hold a gun. Let’s do a revolution…”
What is sad here is – you are actually willing to spill the blood of the Filipino people just to advance your ideology? – What is the matter with you???
I cannot believe. I know you are a learned man with the way you wrote your reaction. But then,is “Revolution” the only answer you can come up with because other solutions seemed so much work? Are you just looking for a Shortcut?
You are of the intellect group. Who do you think will be the “Elite” if let us say your goals of a revolution are achieved? And who will still be the “Massa”?
True stories from the countryside: -What is poor? To me, poor was when we were so hungry without any money and it was late at night. We got some stones from the clean portion of the sea wall. We then placed them in a can and boiled water over it. This was enough to calm our stomachs for a couple of hours. The reason for the stones was for our soup to have a taste of the sea.
- 10 people were given land as a trial run for land reform. Just after 8 mos. There were only 2 big owners left standing. The rest just sub-leased their share for easy money and soon enough were back into complaining about how life was hard.
- Parents of farmers encourage their children to work in the fields for low pay because the money was paid weekly sometimes daily. (Quick return)
- Parents of farmers expect their children to work for them. Treating their children as their retirement package. That is why the more children the merrier.
- Parents more often than not are the first to claim the wages of the children. Often times wasting this away by drinking at night. (Both male and female)
*breathless*
wow.