By Rex Catubig

 

NOBLESSE oblige–nobility obliges. It is the trait of the highborn to regard the less privileged with generosity and kindness. In today’s context, to be more accepting and politically correct.

Robin Padilla’s topping the senatorial slate has the nation’s intelligentsia crying fucking shit. He has only a string of B movies for his credentials. How could the people overwhelmingly vote for him and cast aside the likes of Chel Diokno?

From the pedestal of those to the manor born, this is seen as an insult and assault to reason.

Yet, this is more an indictment of the perceived hypocrisy and snobbery of the elite. The absolute repudiation of their education-based power that has not alleviated the plight of the poor over the years.

In the euphoric days of the EDSA people power, there was much ado about galunggong, the poor man’s fish, then priced at about twenty pesos. The battle cry was that it would remain on the poor’s table. It has– but not for long. Before the poor could take a second bite, this lowly fish had joined the ranks of the expensive varieties and is now priced at over a hundred pesos, jumping out of reach of the wage earner’s pocket. Once more, salt is the stand by rice companion.

The same is true of other basic necessities. The bright technocrats and brilliant economists had done next to nothing to abet the skyrocketing cost of the living essentials.

For how long could the ‘masa’ tighten its belt and swallow its saliva?

While they kept quiet, they could no longer silence the grumbling stomach, the starving soul.

Then came Robin Padilla, whose name echoes that of the classic fighter for the poor. Whose movies depict the comeuppance of the oppressed.

The voters could not but relate to this imagined magnanimity that was sorely lacking in the academically loaded candidates.

The intelligentsia has misread the clamor of the electorate who are out there toiling day after day, just to put rice on the table. To whom a meager mouthful of food is squeezed out of a hard day’s labor that’s not getting easier nor paid higher.

The power elite, the nobility born of college education, have only their lofty rhetoric to offer, but  have not really identified with the voters. Flaunting academic credentials, and heaping a ton of blame on the adversaries did not sway the populace that their stomach would be fuller, their burden lighter.

If only the wannabe saviors spoke more to the hearts and guts of the electorate and bent down to hug and embrace them. If only they were more genuinely empathetic and felt their heartbeat, and not sought to wow those lacking in education with medals and credentials.

If only they had gotten down on their high horse, held hands and walked with Juan, offered him water and gently wiped the sweat off his brows.

If only, they had abided by the dictum of noblesse oblige.

I did not vote for Robin Padilla. But looking back, I should have voted for this Pinoy Robin Hood.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments