Punchline
Woe is the next generation after this
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
PERHAPS my fears for the future may be unwarranted and baseless but given what I am seeing today, the virulent hostilities being waged by and between ‘Dutertards’ and ‘Yellowtards’ in social media (and slowly finding their way into the mainstream media), attempts to destabilize our government by zealous detractors will continue long after President Duterte steps down – either ousted, resigned or at the end of his six-year term.
In case you have not noticed, I have not seen a more polarized generation than today.
Duterte loyalists are not like the Marcos, Aquino, Arroyo loyalists. They have given a new meaning to what it means to be a Duterte loyalist. It borders on “Somos o no somos” (You are with us or against us – no middle ground)! Not a few friendships have been lost, relatives have severed ties, business alliances broken, etc. because one loved PDU30, the other hated him.
Neither can the once emotional anti-Marcos movement that cried for Marcos blood or any political opposition in the past can match the rabid yellow army of the LP that surfaced to counter Duterte’s election and administration. It won’t hesitate to throw everything (whether true or fake) at their target (PDU30) but the kitchen sink to topple the Duterte administration!
If one cares to read the diatribes on Facebook and other social media chat boxes, one would think that any norm of decency in our civilized state has been thrown out the window.
If words can only kill, there’d be a lot of charges and counter charges of EJK that even the International Circuit court would hesitate to investigate a single case. Add to it the flurry of charges and counter charges of cyber libel.
In my mind, there is only one scenario that can still bring out the best in us – to relearn the word ‘tolerance’ and the phrase ‘love of country’.
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WHY NOT CAMP PALARIS? Last month, PNP provincial director P/Sr. Superintendent Ronald Lee recommended to the provincial board to name the headquarters of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office as Camp Palaris.
The recommendation is worthy of consideration.
Indeed, as Lee said, among the four provincial headquarters of the PNP in Region 1, only the Pangasinan PPO has not honored a distinguished native of the province.
Ilocos Norte PPO’s headquarters was named after Captain Valentin S. Juan, Ilocos Sur PPO after President Elpidio Quirino, La Union PPO after a revolt leader Diego Silang, and the Police Regional Office 1 after the late PC Regional Commander, BGen Oscar M. Florendo.
Pangasinan is certainly not wanting in distinguished personalities and heroes. If the members of the provincial board are not so inclined to adopt Lee’s specific recommendation, it should still seek to give the PPO HQ a name befitting Pangasinan as a people. It can’t remain generic as it is today.
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DISAPPEARING SIDEWALKS. Whatever happened to Dagupan POSO’s campaign to keep sidewalks free and clear for pedestrians? The sidewalks along A.B. Fernandez alone are either being used as parking for motorcycles or extension of displays /repair services of stores.
These are happening right in front of POSO enforcers. Could POSO chief Carlito Ocampo is still waiting for a video uploaded on Facebook before he acts?
I surmise that POSO traffic enforcers are already too busy with chores on the streets to even bother with sidewalks and control pedestrian lanes.
So, may I forward this unsolicited suggestion if POSO is serious about keeping sidewalks free of obstructions.
POSO should form a mobile team of enforcers whose tasked is mainly to monitor and clear sidewalks at least along A.B. Fernandez Ave., Perez Boulevard, Rizal, Mayombo and Arellano Streets.
The task can be challenging since I don’t believe there is an ordinance that penalizes illegal occupation or obstructing access to sidewalks. (Paging city council!).
I say mobile because the team must be backed by motorcycle-riding enforcers that will need to make the rounds and a truck to transport seized illegally parked motorcycles, products of stores displayed on sidewalks, vendors’ items, vending carts, etc.
Short of these, frankly, I don’t see how the sidewalks can be cleared permanently with just the say so of Mr. Ocampo, or even Mayor Belen unless drastic measures are resorted to!
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OUR CULTURE OF RELATIVITY. When was the last time you heard someone: Please come on time…hwag Filipino time, ha!” I surmise that could have been yesterday.
What about the response to your question: “Malayo pa ba yong beach?” The answer one usually gets is “Malapit na yon… liko na lang kayo pag dating ng intersection!”
Then: “Anong oras ka darating bukas?” Answer: “Mga hapon na.”
What about: “Ano ba dapat gawin natin sa bata?” Answer: “Siguro dapat hwag papuntahin sa party.”
Did you notice anything common to our typical responses? Our answers are usually not definitive. Nothing exact. Nothing precise. Vague answers to questions make us comfortable because we leave it to receivers to discern our response.
Yet, we, as receivers, are also an uncomplaining lot even if we are usually left with the burden of wondering what the response was really all about.
For instance, what is it about Filipino time as a norm that makes us think it’s ok to be late 15 minutes or one hour (?)! It’s perhaps (there we again) because nobody is being made accountable, and nobody wants to be made accountable for not being on time.
Why must our response be “Malapit na yon… liko na lang kayo pag dating ng intersection!” when we can say: “Mga 1.5 kilometers na lang ang layo nyo…”
Why “Mga hapon na.” when we can say “3:30 p.m.”
And why “Siguro dapat hwag papuntahin sa party” when we can say ”Dapat hwag papuntahin….”
Indeed, why do we refuse to be more precise and direct in our responses?
Ask a politician what can be done about a situation, and he/she usually starts with “Siguro… baka dapat…” The politician is evidently playing safe with a non-committal response but it actually is an indication that he/she unsure of his response.
Sociologists and behavioral scientists attribute this to our “hiya” value. The fear of being called out wrong is the biggest of all. We’d rather be somewhat right but not very wrong in our statements and in our responses.
Like Q: “Maganda ba sya?” A: “Mabait!”
Next time you are asked a question, ponder a direct response because it enables people to move on quickly. Try it!
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