Pinoys don’t know how to handle power?

By Gonzalo Duque

ALTHOUGH we are in the US — at Macon, Georgia at the East Coast, particularly -thanks to our Ate Grace, now a Mrs. Dizon – our thoughts flew back to the Philippines, especially in our beloved Dagupan and Pangasinan, which, from the internet, is seething with hot chismis such as a lot of things, pro and against, about the distribution of shotguns by Governor Spines to barangay captains.

The opposition or resistance to the shotgun should be normal or expected. Know what? Most of us in Pinoyland do not know how to handle responsibility, or, yes, power.

Pag binigyan mo ng power ang isang Pinoy, as a general rule, a high position in government and, well, well, guns, shotguns or what have you, he becomes a psychic case. Onggatel so laman to. Mainit.Man-nerbiyos.

Naelew, agto amtay gawaen to.

That’s why we salute Guv Spines for having that much of faith in our barangay captains. But Spines could be right. Kaya lang, mabuti na yong nag-iingat.

We were thinking our barangay captains should be taught how to handle the gun and how to behave. Anggatel tay paltog ed laman. Ompiano, dakkel so nadisgraysya dahil diyan.

In our book, we need to tap some gun experts the likes of POSO’s Robert Erfe Mejia. Magaling ed paltog tan paltogan itan. Dapat mag-train ang mga kapitanes ed pangbenben na shotgun. Ampan say napaltog da et say asawa ra o anak da. We’re not joking. There are indications to the effect that well meaning people like the kapitanes might change overnight because of the gun that they are holding every day. Please pray that it won’t reach that point.

* * * *

This must be good news to our politicians. The two presidential candidates of the US namely Barrack Obama of the Democrats and John McCain of the Republicans recently displayed a virtue that is worth emulating by Filipinos. It is this: they both decided to observe a moratorium in the political or election campaign in favor of President Bush’s call that they help solve the worst economic crisis that has hit the US.

You see, when it came to the interest and welfare of the nation, the two most powerful candidates in America for president, agreed to shake hands and tackle first what is basic for the nation. You see, President Bush has just proposed a $700 billion salvation fund for the American economy, and the entire USA including many countries including the Philippines that depend on its economic well-being is now deeply worried. Because what happens to America will surely affect us.

Whatever comes out of America in its worst fight —after the depression — we have seen rather, we areimpressed that they, the leaders, place the national interest over and above their partisan or selfish agenda.

And so what now stands out as a model of governments is the spontaneous attitude of both Obama and McCain to give way to what is nationally most vital way, way beyond any selfish – or presidential — interest.

Nakainggit ang mga Kano, ano po? Dito sa atin, the standing policy is “me first.”

Just take a look at how our politicians behaved vis a vis the President’s SONA.

She hasn’t delivered her Sona, tinitira na. She called a national security council meeting, but our President gets snubbed by senators and congressmen.

Sana dahil malapit na ring magtapos ang presidency ni Ate Glo, baka pwede na siyang tulongan para sa kapakanan ng lahat.

What about it, gentlemen and ladies? Para naman may ipapakita tayo sa ating mga anak at mga apo bago may mangyari sa atin.

***

We’ve heard from the grapevine that Senator Dick Gordon is becoming very, very popular these days. Before we left for the US, he guested at our Lyceum, and was rousingly received. You know, Dick was our fellow Jaycee. But we saw his leadership traits in those days pa lang. Sabi ni Jun Vee, lalaban daw ng pagka presidente. Talaga? Magastos itan, we said. Sige, tignan natin, kaibigan natin lahat ang mga yan, but let’s see who has the staying power before election day comes. We won’t endorse him as yet. But he gets our respect and admiration. Ok na lider yan. May prueba na ang kanyang kakayahan at ng pagiging lider. Mabuhay ka, Dick.

(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/playing-with-fire/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments