The Best and the Worst in Us

"When everything else is taken away, broken, battered, soaked, raw, stripped, bare, you see things, you see people as they really are. This week in Tacloban, Samar and Cebu, amidst the hunger and thirst, the chaos and confusion, we've seen the best in the Filipino people, their strength, and their courage. I can't get it out of my mind. Imagine the strength it takes for a mother to search alone for her missing kids, the strength to sleep on the street near the body of her child. We've seen people with every reason to despair, every right to be angry, (but) instead find ways to laugh, to love, to stand up, to move forward.  A storm breaks wood and bone, brings hurt and heartbreak. In the end, the wind, the water, the horror it brings is not the end of the story. With aid and assistance, compassion and care, this place, these people...they will make it through. They already survived the worst." 

These were the words of CNN Anchorman Anderson Cooper who was in Tacloban following the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda.  Indeed, the help coming from the 4 corners of the world has been overwhelming.  At the Closing Mass for the Year of Faith this Sunday, a special collection will be held for the typhoon victims. According to the Vatican, this is the first of its kind in a papal Mass.  Grazie, Papa Francesco! For me, this is ending the holy year in style!

Apart from the help the country has received or will be receiving from other countries and charities, we've all witnessed that indomitable spirit of the Filipino.  I was watching BBC News a few days after typhoon Yolanda made a landfall.  A woman was being interviewed.  Devastation was all over the place and yet there she was smiling.  Just a while ago, I saw on Facebook photos of young men playing basketball amidst the rubble.  

These are our best moments!

However, the typhoon has sadly become an occasion for some quarters to be, well, repulsive. Cooper, as many netizens would know by now, crossed swords with ABS-CBN Anchorwoman Korina Sanchez.  Sanchez, who is the wife of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, mentioned in a blind item a blonde CNN reporter who doesn't know what he was saying.  Cooper challenged her to go to Tacloban.  Sanchez got the ire of netizens for her arrogance.  As of this writing, she took a week's leave of absence although rumor has it that she was actually suspended.  

Sanchez's husband came under fire too for allegedly bullying Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez. There were reports that Roxas wanted Romualdez to write a letter to President Aquino informing him that he can no longer act as hizzoner of the ravaged city.  A mere political appointee trying to unseat someone who got his mandate from the people?  My favorite Inquirer Columnist Conrado de Quiros wrote an article entitled "Get him (Roxas) out of there".

Apart from politicizing at the wrong place and at the wrong time, we've heard too that aid that should have gone to the victims were intercepted by insurgents.  There was also looting of groceries.  I could, in a way, understand the fight for survival, but what surprised me was that even policemen joined in the fray.

Trials and tribulations could make or break us.  They can be occasions for us to shine or to stink.  They can bring the best or the worst in us.

***

Meanwhile, in Manila, the Supreme Court has declared the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) unconstitutional last Tuesday November 19.  I'm glad that the High Court has gave its verdict on this. Furthermore, that this third branch of our country's government has lived to its true self as the people's last resort.  As Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago puts it "There is a God, after all".  

Legal expert Fr Joaquin Bernas, SJ, in his latest column in the Inquirer, wrote "The decision Tuesday of the Supreme Court restores the normal constitutional order of handling public money. The first destination of money coming in for the public, either as taxes or other forms of income, is the public treasury. And such money stays in the treasury until Congress determines how it is to be used. As the Constitution says, “No money shall be paid out of the Treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law.” The appropriation can be either through the general appropriations law or through special appropriations. This provision prevents members of Congress, and the President, from indiscriminately spending unappropriated money."

With this ruling, politicians and political wannabes alike should think twice: Is government service really for me? Will running for the presidency be my right move?  How can I work with Congress if I don't have any pork barrel to dangle them with? Will a position in government be an opportunity for me to serve or an occasion of sin?

***

At the House of Representatives, the anti-dynasty bill has been approved - at committee level.  How this will make its way to the plenary session of both houses of Congress (fully packed by  legislators belonging to same affinity) is something that remains to be seen.  Senator Nancy Binay has already criticized such bill - for very obvious reasons.    Abangan ang susunod na kabanata!

Persevere, Change, Witness

Last Monday, August 26, a great crowd of Filipinos marched to Luneta to protest the corruption besetting the government.  The PDAF (a.k.a. pork barrel) scam was on top of the list of the most hated forms of corruption that involved a number of legislators on both houses of Congress. Previous to the Million Man March, President Aquino announced that he is abolishing the pork barrel. I am against the pork barrel since I first started to hear about it when I was in college as it reeks of corruption and traditional politics.  For me, it should be the governors and mayors who must dispose this to their constituents. After all, they are the ones who get in direct contact with people. Not the legislators who, by the nature of their job, must create laws.

When P-Noy made the announcement, I was overjoyed that I posted on Facebook that he is abolishing it.  My excitement backfired.  P-Noy won't abolish it until 2015. And his own pork will not be covered by the abolition!

At any rate, people marched to the streets to air their protest. As a sign of unity with them, Chiara and I wore white that day, the color of the protester's attire.

A day after that protest, we celebrated the feast of St Monica.  This great saint is known for her perseverance in prayer. Her sacrifices bore fruit - first, the conversion of her pagan and adulterous husband Patricius and later, the conversion of her restless and unsettled son Augustine.  

Imitating St Monica, Filipinos need to persevere, to be vigilant lest the Evil One outmanoeuvres us. Lest the pork becomes bacon, sisig, bagnet or lechon for the corrupt and callous-faced politicians and their minions.

Following St Monica's feast day, is her son St Augustine's fiesta. After his metanoia, this "son of many tears" (as what St Ambrose described Augustine in his previous life) would later become a bishop and doctor of the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has mentioned quite a lot of St Augustine's writings.

As a nation, like St Augustine, we need to have that metanoia, that change of heart.  Giving funds at the politicians' discretion is an occasion for sin.  Issuing statements that belie irresponsibility and incompetence is uncalled for.  Incidentally, PDAF scam matermind Janet Lim-Napoles has turned herself over to P-Noy on St Augustine's Day. This is a good sign of conversion. I hope others concerned would do the same.

As of this writing, the Church commemorates the Passion of St John the Baptist.  The Lord's cousin and forerunner called a spade a spade.  His humility and truthfulness were the foundations of his call for repentance. His brutal frankness annoyed Herod and especially Herodias. Later on, this incestuous woman had her way of having this great prophet beheaded.

"Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi, ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo", goes the final line of our National Anthem.  Following the footsteps of St John let us bear witness to the truth even to the point of shedding our blood for it.

Persevere. Change. Witness.  Three essential course of action the Philippines has to take to be saved, to be renewed.

***

Talking about the Philippines, you may or may not heard the news that the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino passed a resolution way back in April to use "Filipinas" instead of "Pilipinas" to recognize our history and development as a nation.  When I was in high school, the subject Pilipino was changed to Filipino because the modern alphabet has already included 'F' in its roster.  Fair enough!  But I am sceptic about changing how we call our country. Imagine changing the seal of the President into "Sagisag ng Pangulo ng Filipinas". How about "Pambansang Awit ng Filipinas"? Or (when communicating with a compatriot) "Saan ka sa Filipinas?".   I am comfortable with Pilipinas!

Domesticated Truth

Being a Martial Law baby, everything that I could see on TV, read on the newspapers, or hear from the radio were good - the economy was doing well, there was peace and order, everyone  seemed happy. Ferdinand Marcos was our champion. He was the country's savior.

That mindset was shattered that fateful 21st day of August 1983.  It was a Sunday and as I watching TV, there was this scene of a lifeless man clad in white on the tarmac of what was then the Manila International Airport.  I heard from the newscaster that the man was assassinated (that word was new to me then!).   Who was this man I slowly found out as the days went by.

Angelicum School (now College), where my brother, cousins, and I were studying at that time suddenly became encircled by a rosary of people making their way to neighboring Sto. Domingo Church where this man's remains lied in state.

I read in the papers that he was Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr, a senator of the Philippines until Martial Law abolished Congress, gagged media, and trampled on human rights.  But what made my eyes really open were accounts I heard from Manong Teddyboy, my first cousin who was older than me. 

Manong Teddyboy, being the eldest among the magpipinsan, would discuss with us (while riding our grandparents' Ford Fiera to and from school) who Ninoy was and his struggles. If I remember it correctly, my cousin didn't mince words to say that the dictator was the one responsible for Ninoy's assassination.  At first, I was shocked. Could Marcos, the country's champion, do it?  

In spite of that shock, I gradually started to look at our country with a different pair of eyes.  The truth that was domesticated by the dictatorship, the kind of truth that is in favor of Marcos' Bagong Lipunan has been replaced by the real truth embodied Ninoy's bloodied corpse. Doña Aurora Aquino, Ninoy's mother, when asked why she didn't have the remains cleansed and dressed up, said she wanted people to see what Ninoy's adversaries did to him.

Distressing as it may be to the beholder, people viewing Ninoy took away with them a true sense of the nation's situation, a nation that was in tatters not the one that Imelda tried to portray via her fine terno, jewelry, and signature umbrella.  That fateful day in August 30 years ago sparked the need for change. It took three more years for that to happen when Marcos fled and Cory assumed the presidency.

Through Ninoy's death, democracy was restored. And so, since 1986 we have been enjoying freedom of the press, check and balance of the three branches of government, our right to elect, etc.  It is annoying to hear people say "Walang nangyayaring ganyan noong panahon ni Marcos" (Nothing of that sort happened during Marcos' time.). Well, our media was gagged during his time and so only the domesticated truths are known. To say that nothing vile happened during the dictatorship is 100% non-sense!

We complain about the corruption and callousness of our leaders, the PDAF scam, etc.  Who said that the truth will all be pleasant and favorable?  Even Jesus told His disciples that the road to salvation isn't easy.  Didn't John the Baptist forewarn his audience that the Promised Messiah will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire (ouch!)?

Let's face it. Democracy has its defects. It may not cure graft and corruption. Investigations may go on ad nauseam.  The truth it promotes or aspires to uphold may be ugly, painful, or divisive.  Still, it is the truth. Live with it!