Why This Will Still Drag On Despite Showing and Admitting the Obvious

I was never a big fan of local and national news. While I was out of my hometown for five years working somewhere, I was deprived of the modest opportunity to watch any of the available shows, both foreign and local, on a tube. Deprived, yes, but never felt left out, because, in those in-between moments when I needed to come home, I get to see the same news over and over again. It gets to that sickening level that you no longer want to see any part of it, yet, surprisingly, a lot of people are still hooked into it. Hooked, mesmerized, amazed and ecstatic to see a minute of their favorite news.

Which, to my own understanding, is part and parcel of the political problem that we now see arising from the pork barrel scam. Now I do not want to be just a advocacy pretend hiding behind the cloak of a bandwagon, but here lies the most straightforward hint of a flaw and no one seemed to take it as a grave concern - that despite something becoming SO obvious, we seem very tolerable, very forgiving, of corruption and political evilness.

And I don't seem surprised why I dislike getting excited watching national news.

It's the one thing I hate doing and the one thing that sucks life out of me - to say that the flaw is blamed on our culture. Why this keeps dragging us almost to a drain is because of our inability to show patriotism and loyalty to our country. I believe patriotism is what we lacked, the genuine love for our country.

When some accused get to be scrutinized in public, we cry the cry of a victim. We go out and show placards and let people know what we feel about it. Nothing's wrong with it, but like one political analyst said, we lack a follow-up, the next step, that critical ACTION ITEM. We are so good at showing emotions, yet suck at taking something out of it. Connecting the dots, I can only generalize that the fault is on the following:

1) The culture we have has spoiled us to be activists not revolutionists. Even history gave us a hint of that conflict - the legacy of the revolution was tainted by a conflict amongst the revolutionist and the reformists, even taking it to the extreme by sacrificing one Andres Bonifacio so the "other Filipino" can take the spotlight only by himself. That was many years ago, and we're still seeing the same thing. When did we start to grow up?

2) We do not like to take the lead, yet so pushy at telling people what they need to do. It's like everyone wants to be an advocate but no one wants to take a little "bom-bits" in the butthole on behalf of everyone. I like the Million Man March, but no one seemed to take anything out of it.

3) The only option we like having is to take it to the streets. We forget that there are other options. When you feel sick and tired of the same old same old, leave other lines blank in your ballot during elections; it is not mandatory to fill all the positions out. If you feel that ONLY one candidate deserves your vote, then write only one name. That is, of course, ONLY if the thought crosses your mind.

4) We put humor into something serious the wrongest way. They say there is a spark of smile and enthusiasm in every challenge, but I say there shouldn't be any room for parody when the welfare of the country is at stake. There really isn't anything funny about pork barrel, so there's no need for undermining, unnecessary and stupid sense of humor.

5) There is too many government agencies, yet not one of them know how to do their jobs. COA had in its disposal the audit report and investigation for years, yet never did anything to address the issues. Yes, COA is for auditing from its name alone, but NO, it also has a responsibility to recommend actions to address what it thinks are irregularities. It's as simple as knowing what you are supposed to do and let other agencies know what they need to do about it. People rely on its government to do its job, and we hate it that it takes begging from the people before anyone from the government does something on an issue.

6) In times of crisis and disaster, we fail to realize that they owe us help. Not the kind of help that's given only when a bridge is damaged, but the kind that is given all year, when roads should have been repaired many years ago, when drainage was top priority when there wasn't any flood, when a Barangay Hall was more important than a basketball court. Sad thing is that Filipinos like patches instead of a long-term solution, which is reflective of how we solve problems on our own. We like substandard products, Class B gadgets, and it also shows in our polity.

7) Despite showing the obvious, we are still tolerable of corruption. Very tolerable that even when a Senator admitted mishandling the PDAF, we blame it on Napoles. Have we not realized it yet that each lawmaker has the responsibility of spending the money wisely, and if I were Napoles, I would most likely throw back a rebuttal "eh bat nyo kasi binigay sa akin?" We like scapegoats, and we easily can find one from an unlikely source.

 No sense of patriotism. There is not a genuine love for our country. I say this because I see that people no longer appreciate and respect the small things. Traffic lights get ignored, we pass against one way streets, we jaywalk like Luke (Skywalker, if you get the humor), we Wang-Wang even when a Presidential Decree has been in place since Marcos' regime, we make fun of our National Anthem (..."Ang mamatay ng may bulak"...f*** you if you do this), when given the chance to work abroad we brag about things we saw in another country and compare it with anything local (I hear a lot of people so proud of saying "idiay kastoy nga lugar, mayat ti kastoy ken kasdiay, ngem ditoy ket pulos nga blah blah" or something to that effect). And then there is the problem with camaraderie. Other countries have worse kinds of conflicts. They hate each other for a lot of wrong reasons. But at the end of the day, they find ways to make sure their country is intact and no one, not even their own kind, will put it down a rubble. It's this sense of love for country that we lack. Back in my elementary days, I saw that politics can get into a person as early as grade school. I saw that when kids needed to learn the beauty of governance by running for school organizations, they bribe their schoolmates with bookmarks and giveaways, then when it was labo-labo, their parents intervene by donating school materials or facilities. Because we only like taking care of our welfare, we become oblivious of our responsibility of making sure our culture does not get tainted with selfishness. I also realized that Filipinos have the funny habit of being the overnight critic on politicians yet when placed in the same position, will do the same thing, or even worse. The crab mentality has evolved into a modern "don't wanna left behind" mindset. So the trend goes on and on.

I like making a list of things that bother me, because with a list, I become more aware of what's happening around me. I am neither an anti-Philippines, a rebel without a cause, or an advocacy pretend, although I wished I can be one of those. But at the end of the day, the only advocacy we can be or should be part of, is the advocacy of getting stuck with this country and realizing we owe it big time the sense of appreciation and making sure we take care of it like we take care of our personal intentions. 

Sayang, the country has lots of potential, 20.44B PDAF, to be more specific.

A Canon 60D and I Can Die Anytime

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http://www.gofundme.com/414u3w

This is intended as a "just my two cents" article, but if it catches on to something, I'd be grateful.

Middle Man

From experience, the hardest part to being the designated middle man is that not one side is willing enough to take a compromise. This is rightfully true not only in the industry of making profit but also in personal matters, interpersonal relationships and even dealing with oneself.

I personally believe that every human being is born a self-righteous one. And as he grows up, the righteousness becomes a sort of a choice, a pivotal attitude test. He either becomes a victim of his own ego or a controlling one who makes everything measured and balanced. In the business of dealing with people, one may feel the desire to brag and boast, or even gesticulate an idea for the purpose of making an impression. Often, people who get stuck in the middle become the most unselfish people because they get to see two extreme sides of a situation.

This is where the difficult task of a middle man comes in.

People are the hardest to please, and not that there is another set of species.

Why I Think Filipinos Hate Nancy Binay

(Disclaimer: This is, in no way, hitching the bandwagon of news and trends surrounding the "cursed" Senator elect. The opinions stated here are purely from my own observation and understanding, and I will try to sound so educated about the issue.)

1) We think she represents the katangahan in us.

But given the benefit of the doubt, we made mistakes of electing attorneys, or topnotch graduates, or former soldiers and police superintendents who had more of the talk than the walk. Why is electing a Ms. Binay such a big deal now when we have a history of getting stupidly swayed by charm before? I believe casting judgment on a Ms. Binay who, in my own humblest understanding, is only trying to make a statement even before she does her work is like telling a university graduate that he does not represent the so-called "masa." So it boils down to this - does her image even satisfy the voter in us, or are we merely playing too cerebral on the issue because she can always be an easy scapegoat?

2) She is an easy target.

Unlike rich politicians who can probably pay for yoru impressions of them, or celebrities whose shining smiles can overshadow their lack of acting skills and inexperience in politics, Ms. Binay does not embody your typical appealing politician, and in the world of Phillippine politics, being yourself is both a curse and a blessing. I bet, when Kris Aquino runs for the Senate, you would not even dare say when one sucks at acting, she definitely will suck at anything.

3) Election Day is the only day in three years where both the "magagaling" and "genuine tangas" become tanga at one given instance.

From what I have seen so far, Filipinos are so easy convinced by hearsays and satires and all those memes that it is already difficult for anyone to check the authenticity of published materials. I so love what I have observed in FB the past few days - people falling easily into that trap where an alleged "early press conference" took place where Ms. Binay challenged the people to not vote for her. Now, if this is the sort of intellectual beings that we have become, thank you for sarcasm coz I can now use it.

4) Ms. Binay is caught between those who like to vote because of a trend and those who suddenly became honorary members of an Editorial Board, being TOO trigger happy on comments and opinions without looking into the need to dig first into the facts. Lemons from lemonades, I always put it.

Did anyone care to ask why we still and now have in our disposal a Senator Legarda, a Senator (!) Bam Aquino, a Senator Angara, or a Senator Ejercito who merely used the legacy of their fathers or dreaded fame to get into the core of our unconscious mind? How different are these Senadors from a Ms. Binay? If I were to answer my own question - not so different. I feel a hint of suspicion - am I just merely a Binay advocate? For the record, I did not vote any of the candidates mentioned. Again, lemons from lemonades.

To cap, I can list reasons why it might be a good opportunity to have a Ms. Binay in the Senate pool:

1) Poe, Binay and (Hontiveros) would have or will represent a surge in a new political trend, of trying to change the landscape of the traditional (I wish it was easy for me to use TRAPO in the same statement, but I could never forgive myself). We're dipping into an experimental phase of Philippine politics, and I consider that a good thing, a transition where the "looking forward to" is something to look forward to. Our thinking might not synch with our expectations, but this isn't supposed to be a big of a deal. Remember GMA? We (though I am not included, I'd like to speak in the collective context) thought we were giving our country a chance of redeeming itself from the Erap nightmare, yet made the biggest mistake of our lives. Filipinos, a failed Ms. Binay is easier to suck up than GMA's. But with wishful thinking, I do hope she doesn't. That's where we as citizens come in.

2) The practical thinking prevailed in this election. Clearly, this is an indication of something pivotal. People no longer get carried away by advertisements but by public image, in the national scene, at least, coz I heard some cities still had to elect the same mayors when they already sucked the first time. How did Poe top the list? She merely played the good public image part without probably having to spend as much as any Senatorial candidate (I'm merely guessing here, coz I don't have the research and budget for digging deep to back this up). As an advocate of advertising and the arts, it sucks to see advocacies tossed around during elections without research and meaningful insights. But as advertisements would so willingly allow it, once done with a product, you decide to stick with it or move on to another when not satisfied.

3) Ms. Binay and the other low-profile candidates triggered the Filipino in you, both in the good and bad way. So, nagising ka na Pinoy, gawin mo na yung nararapat. Pero please man lang, wag mo na sanang idaan sa satires and memes sa Wordpress. Lagi mong iisipin, with your tactics, you are feeding progress-hungry Filipinos desperate for some changes, kaya madali silang nadadala sa sinisimulan mong kalokohan, so ingat ingat lang sa mga pinapalabas mong articles.

Our Fear of Conformity

In the 2010 Elections, I cast my vote for Gibo, because I knew he was the ONLY presidential candidate who made sense and who knew what he was saying; others were merely hitching the bandwagon of their own fame and their father's failed legacy. Even when I knew he was not going to win, I rooted for him. 

Back in 2007, I picked Lacson. It might raise some eyebrows, but I was thrilled with the idea of having someone on top who can get rid of the TANGA without having to play so diplomatic about it; somehow I knew it was what we needed, during those times when the right was far-fetched and everyone was so busy trying to be part of the majority, without even knowing why. Again, I knew he was not going to win; still I voted for him, because it was the best way to get some decency out of me.

When everyone else is a Miami Heat fan, by choice, I was rooting for Chicago Bulls (the only NBA games I download and watch are Bulls games, from the regular season to the first round playoffs, and beyond, crossing fingers). They were weak, they only had two All-Star players this year, they were burdened with injuries all year, but I still rooted for them, and will still, even if going against the Heat is going to be a tough one. 

It's been like this the whole time - I chose St. Louis Cardinals over Texas, I became an instant Red Bull Racing fan back in 2009 even when they didn't win the championships, I bought a Honda Dash when everyone else is a Rouser and CBR (for crying out loud, a Rouser is a SMALL BIKE wearing a BIG BIKE's pajamas, and has the same 110cc as a Dash, so rub it in your face, pwet ng manok), I was Android 1.6 back in 2010 when everyone was a 4.3 and Nokia. 

Now the cliche - life is sometimes a no-brainer, but the majority isn't ALWAYS right. Sometimes, our fear of conformity forces us to make a choice, and because the majority is in the same page, even if it was a mistake, we feel sorry for the person who was otherwise, because no one vouched with him. 

When they ousted ERAP and replaced him with, well, someone worse, did anyone care to say "shoot, mali pala tayo"?

Commenting on an FB Post

Haters will always be haters, I must say. Filipinos are born haters. They have no single iota of appreciation and acknowledgment for the things that make sense, regardless of who said it and how it was said.

To what this post is conveying...

Yes, there is something terribly wrong with our country. And I don't say this because of the increasing burden on poverty and corruption. There are other poorer, much poorer, countries. There are countries far more corrupt than us, yet this seem to still have that sense of doing it right and sticking together when needed.

It's called Patriotism. And Loyalty to one's country.

The idea, and the advocacy, of loving a country should never be taught, nor should it be forced in us. It should come out naturally, like how you would love your own parents or your favorite pet Bantay.

When you see Americans sing their national anthem, you see them silent and crying while singing. When you watch Japanese videos in Youtube, you laugh because they only know their own language, and it becomes most of the time a laughing stock. When Koreans make movies, as much as they can, they will focus on the melodrama of their country, of the things that make their place unique, without having to use a foreign language or shoot in foreign lands.

What makes other culture better than our culture is that, for some reasons, despite the lure of corruption, they can manage to be loyal to their country.

When our national anthem is played anywhere, I stop and put hand in my chest. When inside the cinema before a last full show, I stand and sing while the national anthem is played, and when someone is doing otherwise, I let them feel the wrath of my disgust; magpaparinig ako sa kanila until they stand up. When I see a Korean on the street, I don't stare at him, because despite being whiter and taller than myself, hindi siya celebrity.

When Americans do their presidential election, I envy them because it does not take that long to arrive at a decision. I heard some news that their election system isn't really straightforward, probably not as straightforward and transparent as ours, yet, they can find time to bow down to the decision when it is already out. That's patriotism in play. Even if the argue or hurt each other in worst ways possible, at the end of the day, they cannot go against their fellow American.

When Koreans visit our country, they find it hard to choose between their own language and English. They only get forced to use English because that's why they are hear, to learn it.

When a Pinoy goes stateside, and comes back home only after a month, himala, di na alam mag-Tagalog.

When I see the red light at 3am, I stop, even when others aren't. And FYI, I only ride a 50cc scooter/moped.

There are things around which we intentionally ignore, kasi akala natin, it's not cool doing all those things. What's creating most of our problems is that the uncool wants to be cool the wrong way and the cool ones force the uncool to be cool the opposite way.

Hindi po sinisisi sa gobyerno ang kadamihan ng problema  natin. If we are mature enough, we will realize that until we get that decency to admit that it's our fault, we're just going to walk around in circles. :(