Viewpoints
Poor Pitiful Pinoys
By +Oscar V. Cruz. JCD
AFTER a travel abroad, someone announced with Pomp, Pride, and Pleasure – after having been Prepared, Prompted, and Propelled by foreigners to seek a Cloud 9 National Development Plan – the institution of the so-called the “PPP” (Public, Private, Partnership) for the certain and certified socio-economic progress of the Philippines. Sad but true, the fact is that there are now instead more Poor Pitiful Pinoys! This is the living and vibrant reality in the country. After so many promising pronouncements, after so many heavenly speeches, after so very long State of the Nation Addresses, more and more Filipinos are jobless, poor, hungry, impatient, hopeless, and angry. And they have all the reasons to be restless in search for a change.
Change the aspiration for and tenure of public office for self-service and for family advantage instead of rendering public service for public welfare. Change the perception of politics as good business, the affiliation with political parties for self-advantage plus self-protection. Change the destiny of public funds for the common good, not for private pockets. Change the thinking that public officials give to the people because they in fact take from the people instead.
Change the progressively established errant finality of public utilities being converted into entities for private gains. Change the mentality of the government that is intended to make money for its officials instead of providing gains for the citizens. Change the mentality of the administration that avidly promotes gambling by the use of deceiving words “Amusement” and “Charity” simply in order to have money for its lavish disposal. Change the mantra of “Matuwid na Daan” to the reality of “Lihis na Daan.”
Change the exploitative taxing system where not only gains but also expenses are taxed. Salaries are taxed. Incomes and profits are taxed. Revenues and gains are taxed. More: When babies need alcohol and powder, cotton and milk, when children need clothes to wear, pencils to write with and notebooks to write on, when youngsters but fast foods, drink colas and the like, they are also forcibly made to pay indirect tax.
Otherwise, the honest-to-goodness PPP – Poor Pitiful Pinoys – are destined to become more immersed in poverty and more deserving of pity. Otherwise, when Filipinos pretend to be blind, deaf, and dumb, then they deserve what they are now and even worse later. Otherwise, they would be the servants of the government, the agents used by the government, the workers for the good, interest, and welfare of the government.
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