Here and There
Pinoys work hard but never together
By Gerry Garcia
Our octogenarian balikbayan friend still remembers the unforgettable outburst of the late MLQ (1st president of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935) who said he’d prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to one that is run like heaven by Americans.
Our friend then probably having the nationalistic fervor of his idol, also agreed it was only Pinoys who could rule fellow-Filipinos rightly and carve the kind of life they want — in hell or in heaven.
Unfortunately, it was a Filipino executive in the Senate some years later who laid down and confirmed the kind of government he and his fellows intended to set up. It was then Senate President Jose Avelino who let out the undying words: What are we in power for?
* * * * *
Today, after more than half a century, a controversial question is raised by the skeptics: Will it take 159 years more before this country can become First World?
Fully developed industrialized countries, like the USA, Japan, or Britain, belong to the First World.
Pinoyland, being two notches below, like Bangladesh, is Third World. We’ve been chained to this gutter since the 60s together with Singapore and its rickshaws. Singapore today now off the Third World block, has become independent, richer and progressive because its leaders worked hard. But above all, what mattered was they worked together.
Unlike us, our balikbayan friend now says, where we work hard in government not together but only for our own greedy selves. This is corruption. And the unity it breeds becomes necessary because the gang is not complete. Only bribes and tong-its can come together to complete the gang.
This is how, in a nutshell, graft and corruption work in government. Rub my back and I’ll rub yours.
(Readers may reach columnist at sundaypunch2@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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