Sentidokomon

By Joy B. Miranda

(Tinig Pinoy- Pinay Sense September 2009 issue)

I received an email again from one of our avid readers Mr. Pambos Kourtoulos and I was honestly touched by its content. As we dont have space for the “Letters from the readers section in this issue, I would just answer it here, sharing my own personal view. The email below, viz:

Dear Joy, I hope you had a good summer break. I read your article regarding Cory Aquino (Pinay Sense – August 2009 Issue), and I agree with everything you say. I am sure I was not the only one who watched the TFC channel everyday, watching the daily news leading to the vidual and the final rest of Cory. The people liked her as a president because of her honesty and her willingness to get things done. With the up coming elections in 2010, I can only say to the pinoys here and the rest of the world that just because someone can sing, or someone is a great actor or even can punch an opponent into the ground in a boxing ring, does NOT give them full knowledge of how to run a country. Cory Aquino was a diamond, the filipino people should accept no less next year. Regards, Pambos Kourtoulos

To Pambos, unfortunately, Filipinos are generally soft-hearted people, and this soft-heartedness sometimes leads to being naively stubborn or worst, unknowingly stupids. First, by electing actors, entertainers and candidates with less academic background or no political experience, into government offices. Second, by refusing to take lessons from the past, the mistakes of choosing incompetent, holy corrupt and greedily ambitious candidates. Third, by simply having short memories, forgetting in one day the years of exploitations done by manipulative elected officials that we reelect them again. Fourth, Majority of Filipinos, sad to say, are just like that, blinded martyrs and unwise willing victims. On the contrary, however, Filipinos are non-judgemental and natural forgivers, and as we forgive, we also believe. Like we forgive a less- educated or less experienced candidate who aspires for a government seat. Apparently, Filipinos believe that one’s lacked of education is pardonable, and that everyone should be given a chance. There are people who are successful in this category. Take for instance the multi-awarded actress Vilma Santos. She has no college degree. She was criticized, under-estimated and even laughed at that most people said she is only good in acting and dancing. Yet, where is this woman tagged as “the star for all seasons” in Philippine show-business now? Three terms as Lipa City Mayor and currently Batangas Governor and recently been wooed to run for vice – presidential post in 2010 elections. I have a list of people like Vilma Santos who were not born politicians, yet destined to be true public servants. This, I believe, is what the rest of Filipino people, especially the majority of the poor people, the most vulnerable and most taken advantaged sector,  hope to see in every candidate, educated or not, experienced or not, moneyed or not, just be a true public servant. In my early years as a media practitioner, I got the chance to brush elbows with a lot of local and national politicians, but I stopped participating in any election after Cory Aquino. Suffice it to say but my country, Philippines, is a very rich, beautiful country. I already lost count on how many articles about politics that I wrote in the past, yet in all those times of featuring politicians, I have not so far known anyone who is as honest as Cory, and it is a shameful truth indeed, that we keep on repeating history, re-installing those that are opportunists and only after their personal gains. If you try to study the presidentiables, they are all the same, highly educated, well-experienced politicians, but, do we see a better change for the rest of Filipinos? Why are we here digging other people’s dirt for a living? Why should we be separated from our families just to support, feed and educate our children? Why local workers are receiving very low wages while rich people become even more richer? Corruption is one of the oldest issues and believe me, it is there and will be in the future, unless, there is another Cory Aquino or the people will finally be wise enough to put a halt to this never-ending sad, boring story of Philippine politics. I guess, Filipinos just continue to hope. I may not vote, still, I continue to hope, that we shall have one day a kind of government that is honest in serving its people. I know it is not easy running a government office, but what makes it even more difficult is not the previous occupation nor social standing of an elected official, but the inability to act, justify and meet the demands of the office they chose to be elected upon.