Author Archives: M.A.D. LIGAYA
Reunion (1)
(1st of 6 parts)
“Sa tabi lang amang.”
Marahan kong tinapakan ang preno. Dali-dali akong bumaba upang salubungin ang matandang babae na dahan-dahan at hirap na bumababa. Inalalayan ko rin siya nang sumampa siya sa jeep kong minamaneho. Tingin ko nama’y hindi minasama ng ibang mga pasahero ko ang kaunting abalang idinulot niyon sa kanila. Nakakaawa kasi si nanay. Sana man lang eh sinamahan siyang bumiyahe ng sinoman sa mga kamag-anak niya.
“Maraming salamat amang. Napakasuwerte ko at jeep mo ang aking natiyempuhang sakyan.”
“Wala pong ano man nanay. Salamat din po dahil kahit luma na itong jeep ko eh ito ang pinara ninyo.”
“Maayos pa naman ang jeep mo amang ah. Okay ka ring magmaneho.”
“Salamat po. Ingat po kayo nanay.”
Siya ang huling pasahero ko sa araw na iyon. Tinanggal ko na ang mga signboard na nakadikit sa salamin sa unahan ng jeep ko para wala nang pumara.
Pasado alas-dose pa lamang ng tanghali pero huminto na ako sa aking pasada. Magkikita kasi kami ng mga kaklase ko – sina Jay, Chris, at Mario. Sila ang mga sanggang dikit ko noon sa high school. Excited ako dahil iyon ang una naming pagkikita matapos ang higit-kumulang 20 taon. Parang reunion. Apat nga lang kami.
Si Jay ang nag-plano ng pagkikita-kita naming iyon. Noon isang linggo kasi eh may pumara sa akin na isang mama na tila nangka-aberya ang minamanehong kotse. Para kakong pamilyar sa akin ang mukha ng mamang iyon. Sa dahilang wala naman akong pasahero noon ay huminto ako upang tignan kung anong tulong ang maibibigay ko sa kanya.
Pagbabang-pagbaba ko ng sasakyan ay nagkatinginan kami at laking gulat ko nang tawagin akong ‘tol at sabihin ang aking pangalan ko. Siya pala si Jay. Katulad ng madalas naming gawin noon – nagkamayan kami ng mahigpit at pagkatapos ay nagkalawitan kami ng braso na animo kami’y magbubunong braso.
Buong sabik kaming nagkumustahan habang iniaayos ko ang na-discharge na baterya ng kanyang sasakyan. Nagmamadali si Jay noon dahil may meeting daw siyang dapat puntahan kaya’t hindi kami nakapagkuwentuhan ng matagal. Nang maayos ko ang problema ng kanyang sasakyan ay dumukot si Jay ng pera sa kanyang wallet at pilit iniaabot sa akin. Ito’y aking tinanggihan. Matapos siyang humingi ng paumanhin sa sinabi niyang abalang dulot sa akin eh kinuha niya ang kanyang cell phone at tinanong kung ano ang number ko. Matagal na daw talaga niya akong hinahanap. Ibinigay ko sa kanya ang aking number. Nag-miskol siya upang makuha ko naman ang sa kanya.. Isi-nave ko ito at matapos mangakong ako’y tatawagan eh kaagad siyang sumakay sa kanyang kotse at pinaharurot palayo. Mukha ngang siya’y nagmamadali.
Si Jay ay isa sa mga matatalino kong kaklase noong high school. Siya kung tutuusin ang lider ng aming grupo. Masayang-masaya ako at nagkita kami. Matagal ko na rin silang hinahanap.
Mukhang natupad ang mga pangarap ni Jay. Madalas niyang sabihin noon na gusto niyang makatapos ng pag-aaral, magkaroon ng magandang trabaho, kotse, at malaking bahay. May kotse na siya at naka coat and tie. Tila maganda ang kanyang trabaho. Hindi ko lang alam kung may bahay na siya at kung nagka-pamilya. Mas malamang na nagkaroon din siya ng sariling bahay. Pamilya? Iyon ang hindi ko matantiya. Sayang at hindi kami nakapag-usap ng matagal. Ni hindi ko natanong kung ano at saan siya nagtatrabaho.
Hanggang sa makauwi ako eh iniisip ko pa rin ang biglaang pagkikita namin ni Jay sa araw na iyon. Bigla kong naalaala ang dalawa pa naming kaybigan – sina Chris at Mario. Apat na taon din kaming nagkasama, mula first year hanggang grumadyewt kami ng high school. Halos pare-pareho sila ng mga sinasabi noon kapag napag-uusapan namin kung ano ang mga pangarap at gustong marating sa buhay. Gusto nilang makatapos ng pag-aaral, makapagtrabaho, makaipon ng maraming pera, magka-kotse, at magkaroon ng malaking bahay. Hindi ako sigurado pero parang si Mario yata ang nangarap sa amin na mag-abroad at doo’y magtrabaho. Natupad kaya niya iyon? Sana naman.
Nang tanungin nila ako noon kung ano ang pangarap ko sa buhay eh natawa sila sa sinabi ko – gusto ko lang na maging masaya at malusog ako at mamuhay ng maayos. Hindi ko alam kung bakit iyon ang sinabi ko. Mga bata pa kasi kami noon at hindi ko pa talaga alam kung ano ang gagawin ko pagkatapos namin ng high school. At ang isa pa ay hindi ako nakakatiyak noon kung makakatuntong ako sa kolehiyo. Hirap sa pera ang mga magulang ko noon.
Sa puntong iyong ay nag-ring ang aking cell phone. Katulad ng ipinangako niya’y tumawag si Jay.
Sandali din lang kaming nag-usap ni Jay. May bisita daw kasi siya. Tumawag lang siya para sabihing kinontak niya sina Chris at Mario at pumayag ang dalawang magkikita-kita kami sa susunod na linggo, araw ng Sabado. Sa dating tagpuan daw kami maghihintayan.
**********
At sa araw ngang iyon ay makakasama ko ulit ang mga kaybigan ko. Huminto muna ako sa isang karinderya. Alas-dos pa naman ang aming usapan kaya puwede pa akong kumain at magpahinga ng kaunti.
“Aling Tinay, menudo nga po at pinakbet. Huwag po ninyong lalagyan ng taba iyong menudo ko ha.”
“Naku Mon, bakit ba ayaw na ayaw mo ng taba? Tanging ikaw lang sa lahat ng customer ko ang ang ayaw kainin ito.”
“Umiiwas lang po ako sa cholesterol.”
“Sus, paminsan-minsan lang naman eh. Ilan ba kanin mo?”
“Ay isa lang po.”
“Dalawa ulam tapos isa lang ang kanin. Talaga naman. Masyadong health-conscious ang mamang driver. Hoy Manny, ipagsandok mo nga ng kanin ang kuya Mon mo. Huwag mong damihan at hindi din naman niya uubusin ‘yan.”
“Opo inay.” Ang sagot ng binatilyong anak ni aling Tinay.
Nangiti na lamang ko sa mga nadinig kong sinabi ni aling Tinay. Medyo kasi lumaki ang tiyan ko ng mag-edad 30 ako kaya kaunti na lang ang kinakain kong kanin. Nadinig ko kasi sa isang programa sa radyo na matinding magpalaki daw ng tiyan ang pagkain ng maraming kanin at delikado sa puso ang pagkain ng taba ng baboy. Pati nga daw ang madalas na pag-inom ng beer eh nakakalaki rin ng tiyan. Mabuti na lang at hindi talaga ako mahilig uminom. Pero tiyak sa pagkikita-kita naming magkakaybigan eh siguradong masusubo ako nito sa inuman. Lalo na nga’t darating din sina Chris at Mario. Hindi papayag ang mga iyon na walang inuman. Kami lang ni Jay ang hindi talaga pala-inom sa grupo.
“O heto ang tubig mo, walang yelo iyan. Alam kong hindi ka uminom ng malamig na tubig.”
“Salamat po aling Tinay.”
Iyon ang isang bagay kung bakit kahit maraming kainan akong nadadaanan eh sa karinderya ni aling Tinay ako pumupunta para mananghalian tuwing ako’y namamasada. Mabait at maasikaso siya sa mga kustomer niya.
“Sabi ni Manny eh mukhang nagdyi-gym ka rin tulad niya. Aba eh palaki ng palaki daw ang dibdib mo at namumutok ang braso mo sa suot mong t-shirt.”
“Hindi po. Magastos po mag-gym. May mga barbell at dumbbell lang ako sa bahay na gawa sa semento. Ginagamit ko tuwing umaga bago ako mamasada o lumusong sa bukid.”
Pasado ala-una na nang lumabas ako ng karinderya. Ipinagtimpla pa kasi ako ni aling Tinay ng kape. Libre iyon. Hindi ko daw kasi tinatanggap ang pamasahe niya tuwing natitiyempuhan na naisasakay ko siya galing sa palengke kaya tuwing kumakain ako doon eh may libre akong kape.
Bago ko pinaandar ang aking jeep eh nagpunas ako ng katawan gamit ang face towel na binasa ko ng alcohol. Nagpalit ako ng damit at nagsuot ng sapatos. May baon akong polo shirt at rubber shoes. Nakakahiya naman sa mga kaybigan ko kung amoy-pawis at grasa ang t-shirt ko at madungis na tsinelas ang suot ko kapag nagkita-kita kami. Nag-baon din ako ng shorts at sando upang may magamit ako halimbawang gusto nilang maglaro kami ng basketball.
Ilang minuto pa ay mararating ko na ang aming dating tagpuan – ang lumang basketball court sa sentro ng aming bayan. Magkakalapit lang naman ang mga barangay na tinitirhan naming magkakaybigan kaya mabilis namin itong napupuntahan kung gusto naming maglaro noon. Ang bahay namin ang pinakamalapit sa basketbolang iyon, halos isang kilometro lang.
Pero bakit nga ba ganoon katagal bago kami magkikita-kita gayong magkakalapit lang naman ang mga baryong tinitirhan namin. Ang unang dahilan siguro eh nagsipag-aral sila sa Maynila samantalang ako naman eh huminto na ng pag-aaral pagkatapos ng high school. Nang makatapos siguro sila ng pag-aaral eh nakahanap na ng trabaho doon na rin sila namalagi.
Nandoon na si Jay nang makarating ako sa aming hintayan. Nakita kong naka-park sa ilalim ng isang punong acacia ang kotse niyang nagkaaberya noong nakaraang linggo. Itinabi ko sa magarang kotse ni Jay ang aking lumang jeep.
Halik Sa Pisngi
Nagpaliwanag.
Humingi ng tawad.
Why English Proficiency Matters
Key findings of the Education First – English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) have strengthened further the position of the English language as the world’s lingua franca. The world becoming increasingly globalized made it necessary that people from different parts of the world speak a common language. English emerged as that common language. There may be more native speakers of Mandarin and Spanish than English but people living in most countries from the world’s different continents have English as their second language. What contributed to this were the facts that the United Kingdom, where the original Anglo-Saxon language evolved into the modern English language that it is now, used to be a colonial power that ruled many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America and the rise of English speaking countries, particularly the United States, to political and economic prominence when the colonial period ended. But as Borzykowski1 asserted, “English is for everyone. The shift [to English] is not a throwback to colonialism or a play for cultural superiority.”
The EF EPI ranks countries (annually since 2011) by the average level of English language skills among those adults who volunteered to take the EF tests. Critics have dismissed the results of the EF EPI saying that they are not credible and reliable. They (the critics) cited methodical flaws and sampling bias as the primary reasons why they are questioning the results. But this initiative of the Education First, an international education company that specializes in language training, educational travel, academic degree programs, and cultural exchange, is more than just ranking the English proficiency of participating countries. What could be considered as a more important objective of the endeavor is finding out the correlation between English proficiency and several economic, political, and social factors.
The annual ranking can be ignored (by those who disagree with it) but the key findings Education First would present after conducting the surveys are difficult to disregard. The said findings explain why becoming proficient in the English language is a must.
As reported in EF EPI’s 2011 edition, recruiters and HR managers around the world disclosed in a survey that preference is accorded to candidates with English skills above the local average and receive salaries 30-50% higher than similarly-qualified candidates without English skills2. This means that employees prefer to hire applicants who are more proficient in English and that they receive better salaries. These findings are supported by several studies that have established the correlation between English proficiency and employability and income3,4,5 & 6.
Highlights of the findings of the 2012 edition of EF EPI include the following: “English is a key component of economic wellbeing, both nationally and individually. Better English proficiency goes hand in hand with higher incomes, more exports, an easier environment for doing business, and more innovation7.” The following year (2103), results pointed out that while those with proficient English earn more, people who are poor at English may be passed over for promotion8. This is how important and necessary English proficiency has become.
Key findings of the succeeding editions of the EF EPI (from 2013 to 2017) have consistently shown the same – “that there exist strong correlations between English proficiency and income, quality of life, ease of doing business, Internet usage, and years of schooling. The 2017 edition specifically cited that “countries with higher levels of English proficiency tend to have more service exports, better Internet access, and more investment in research and development than countries with lower English proficiency9.” The report added that such strong correlations have been consistent across the 2011 to 2017 editions of the EF EPI.
The last two editions of EF EPI (2018 and 2019) have presented more reasons why English proficiency should be taken seriously.
The 2018 edition of EF EPI revealed that more scientific journals are published in English and cited a report that close to sixty percent of all multinational organizations already operate in English10. This serves as a confirmation that English is indeed the leading language not only in business but also in education. Proficiency in the language then is required not only to catch up to the competition but also to gain access to information, particularly important research findings. Therefore, in order to become (and remain competitive) in the business world and in the academe, it is important to gain proficiency in what has become the academic and corporate language – English.
In addition, the latest (2019) EF EPI stated that “English is the principal language of international collaboration11.” It is by speaking a lingua franca that would allow a manager or an employee from a particular country to work with other managers and employees from other countries. This edition of the EF EPI asserted that “English-speaking teams are able to attract more diverse talent and access ideas from around the world12.” It also cited recent studies showing that “companies with managers from many countries earn more of their revenues from innovation than their less diverse competitors13.” The more diverse are the nationalities of managers and employees of a company the more innovations are possible. But collaboration among those who speak different native languages would only be possible if they speak a common second language. This is the reason that, as reported by Borzykowski, “a growing number of global firms are using English as their main language – even if they are based in Japan or France14.”
What has been consistently mentioned across all the editions of the EF EPI is not only how English proficiency correlates to certain economic factors and education but also to various measures of investment in research and development (R&D). The significance of R&D to any areas of human existence is something that does not require further elaboration.
All of the foregoing discussions about why English proficiency is important and how necessary it is are things that professionals in any field of endeavors and university students preparing for any career in the future should take into serious consideration. But it should be noted that there is no shortcut to gaining proficiency in English. The 2019 edition of EF EPI debunked the “quick and easy way of becoming proficient in English” which blog and vlog posts in the Internet are trying to impress upon people. “The reality is that an adult who does not speak English will need at least 600 hours of high-quality instruction and 600 hours of speaking practice to master English well enough for the average workplace15.” The required number of hours could be more, the report added, for people whose native language is very different from English.
A study on the relationship between time spent on learning English and proficiency in the language verified that the number of years studying English significantly predict English ability16. On the other hand, the lack of time to study the language is considered a barrier in attaining proficiency in the language17.
REFERENCES
- https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170317-the-international-companies-using-only-english
- EF EPI 2011 – ef.com
- L. Blake, S. Mcleod, S. Verdon, F. Fuller, “The relationship between English proficiency and participation in higher education, employment and income” Int J Speech Lang Pathol., 20(3), 202-215, 2018.https://doi:10.1080/1754907.2016.1229031
- H. Ting, E. Marzuki, K.M. Chuah, J. Misieng, C.Jerome, “Employers’ views on the importance of English proficiency and communication skill for employability in Malaysia Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguis- tic, 7(2), 315-327, 2017. https://doi:dx.doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v7i2.8132.
- Zhen, “The effects of English proficiency on earnings of U.S. foreign-born Migrants: Does Gender matter?” Journal of Finance and Economics, 1(1), 2013. https://doi:10.12735/jfe.vlilp27
- Tam, K.W., Page, , “Effects of language proficiency on labor, social and health outcomes of immigrants in Australia” Economic, Analysis & Policy 2015, https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eap.2016. 08.003
- EF EPI 2012 – ef.com
- EF EPI 2013 – ef.com
- EF EPI 2017 – ef.com
- EF EPI 2018 – ef.com
- EF EPI 2019 – ef.com
- EF EPI 2019 – ef.com
- EF EPI 2019 – ef.com
- https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170317-the-international-companies-using-only-english
- EF EPI 2019 – ef.com
- Magno, “Korean Students’ Language Learning Strategies and Years of Studying English as Predictors of Proficiency in English” Teaching English to Speakers of Languages Journal, 2 (1): 39-61, 2008.https://doi. org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1997.tb02343.x
- S. Ibrahim, M.A. Hassali, F. Saleem, H. Aljadhey, “Perceptions and barriers towards English language proficiency among pharmacy under- graduates at Universiti Sains, Malaysia” Pharmacy Education 13 (1), 151-156, 2013.https://doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2014.07.098
SUPLING
Dulang may isang yugto (One-act play)
Mga Tauhan
Marco – ang tatay
Maxene – ang nanay
Marc Andrei – ang anak
Aling Baby, Aling Nida, Aling Susie – mga kapitbahay
Dolly – isang midwife
____________________
Ang Tanghalan
Sa bahay ng mag-asawang Marco at Maxene.
Hati ang entablado sa tatlong bahagi. Ang terrace, sala at kuwarto. Sa terrace ay may mahabang upuang yari sa nilagaring katawan ng pine tree na kasandal sa pader at may ilang halamang nasa paso na nakapatong sa pasimano. Sa salas naman ay makikita ang sala set at isang rack. Nasa ibabaw ng rack ang isang flat TV at sa ilalim nama’y may stereo at mga speakers. Sa bandang likuran ng sala ay makikita ang kusina ng bahay. Bahagya namang nakaangat ng 2 baytang ang kwarto na ang hagdanang papasok ay nasa likuran ng isang divan. Sa kwarto ’y makikita ang isang king size bed, aparador at isang tokador na may salamin sa ibabaw.
____________________
Panahon
Kasalukuyang panahon.
____________________
Click on the link below to continue reading…
What Do Filipinos Need to Realize (4)
(Last in a Series)
The first three parts of this series of articles identified our serious faults as Filipinos – we sell our votes, we use questionable standards when choosing leaders, we treat elections as if they are popularity contests allowing immensely popular but inexperienced and incompetent celebrities to win, and we either keep restoring from the “recycle bin” the same traditional politicians or replace them with a family member.
Our inability to choose the right leaders is clearly one of the factors preventing us from reaching our full socio-political and economic potential as a nation.
We know that the government plays the most essential role in leading all efforts to make this country progressive. We need the best leaders if we really want to become a “developed nation.” It is our responsibility as citizens to select the best ones to hold the reins of government. Unfortunately, we keep failing to do so.
The funny thing is that after we put them into power – the politicians who won because they have the money to buy votes, celebrities-turned-politicians who are inexperienced and incompetent, and “recycled politicians” and the members of their political dynasties – we expect them to perform well. After every election, we expect a better-performing government.
And why would we expect a different government – a more effective one – when we know that we keep electing the same politicians or use the same old rotten standards when choosing new leaders?
Let us revisit Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity – “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
But assuming that one day we restore our sanity and finally we refuse to sell our votes – finally we learn to elect into office the most deserving and most qualified among candidates – would the wheels of national development start rolling?
Not quite yet!
There’s one more problem, a problem more serious than our failure to vote wisely and conscientiously. The more serious problem of Filipinos, as mentioned in the first part of this series, is the mindset that that the leaders we elect are solely responsible in solving all of our society’s ills and nation’s problems.
We view our relationship with the state at the vantage point of “self-entitlement.” We think that it is the duty of our leaders to give us “this and that.” We say that the government should do “this and that” for us. See, we expect too much from leaders whom we don’t even choose using the best and most appropriate standards.
Is it the duty of the government to provide each citizen with food, cloths, and shelter?
Of course not!
What the government does, generally speaking, is to formulate, implement, and enforce the laws of the land, to build infrastructure, to ensure peace and order, and to create economic and other opportunities that would help its citizens enjoy the conveniences of life and have the best chance to get good education and find or create means of livelihood.
It is also not the duty of the government to provide everybody a job?
One of the functions of the government is to create an environment that would promote economic growth. They have to make sure that businessmen would be encouraged to invest and initiate businesses activities thus creating job opportunities. But jobs are not given in a silver platter. We have to search for job openings and apply and make sure that we have the required qualifications for the jobs we want. Getting ourselves ready for employment is a personal responsibility. The government will not deliver to our doorsteps the jobs that we want.
The government itself is also an employer but it cannot possibly provide each citizen with a job. It is also impossible for the private sector to employ everybody. That’s just the reality. Harsh it may be. Those who won’t get employed, or do not want to work for others because they have better plans for themselves, could perhaps succeed as entrepreneurs.
Not everybody would get a college degree. Not everybody are trained and destined to be in a workplace – either in the corporate world or in the academe. Some of us will be factory workers, sales clerks, farmers, fishermen, plumbers, drivers, gardeners, or what-have-you. It doesn’t matter whatever jobs we have for as long as they are decent and they allow us to earn a living honestly.
Don’t reason out that you came from a poor family and your parents could not send you to school to get a good education and have a better chance for a better life.
This is just how many of us Filipinos are. When we don’t succeed in life, when things don’t turn the way we expect them to, when we are not doing well in the different areas of our personal lives, we are always ready to check our “blame list” to find somebody or something to put the blame on. And our favorite whipping boy – the government. When we are done accusing our leaders for not doing their job well causing us to become losers, we next vent our ire on our parents saying that they did not work hard enough to ensure that we live a good life when we become adults.
We need to throw away that “blame list” for whether we like it or not we are personally responsible and accountable for our success and failure. There comes a time in our lives when we should become be self-sufficient, a time when we, not the government nor our parents, decide for ourselves and take full control of our destiny.
We Filipinos need to realize that unless we recognize our faults and change there’s no way our country becomes progressive and “developed.” We will never gain the respect of the community of nations if we remain the way that we are now.
Something was said by John F. Kennedy that we should reflect upon – “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
We Filipinos need to realize that there are two requirements for a country to become progressive and developed – good government and cooperative citizenry. Remove one and a country is doomed. The citizens and their leaders need to work harmoniously towards achieving national goals. There’s no other way. Both of them need to work hard. They have to work hand in hand.
What Do Filipinos Need To Realize (3)
(Third in a Series)
We’re complaining about political dynasties, right? But haven’t we Filipinos realized that we are so guilty of creating the political dynasties in the Philippines? Yes, we have to admit it. We allowed the same politicians and their family members to lord it over in the Philippine political landscape.
When a politician, let’s say a mayor, could no longer run for re-election due to term limits, what would the honorable gentleman do? Turn his back on politics? Of course not! Power is so addicting. So many of those who experienced to be at the helm of either local or national politics (and enjoyed the benefits, including those “passed under the table”) would not just quit politics nor pass the torch to another person.
So, what would happen?
His wife would run for the position he previously held. Then that politician would run for another post – as governor perhaps. Most of the time, Filipino voters would allow them to win and usually they would be able to mesmerize (or buy) the voters to luckily get re-elected until they reach their term limits. Would it be the end? Would their thirst for power (and the so-called “benefits”) be finally satiated?
HELL NO!
The couple would ask their son or daughter (or a grandson – or a granddaughter – or an in-law) to run for the positions they would vacate. The shocking thing (and you might not believe it), there are times that siblings, or even husbands and wives, would not give way to the other and so member of the same family would slug it out in the political arena. Anyway, this is not about family members squabbling in the political arena – this is about the political dynasty their families created.
Let’s continue then.
Let’s go back to the mother who just reached her term limit as mayor. Would she go back to being a full-time mother and wife? You were born only yesterday if you don’t know the answer to that question. Yes – she would run for the post vacated by the husband-politician. The husband would then aim for a higher position – run either as congressman or even senator. In case all family members win then for years that the power will change hands within the same family. The son (or daughter) is a mayor, the mother a governor and the father either as congressman or senator. When term limits are reached then they will just run for the position that a family member would vacate. Some siblings, and even in-laws, in the family are also occupying minor positions in the geographical units where they reside.
Did that family created their political dynasty? No! We ourselves did it. We Filipinos created the political dynasties in the Philippines.
And how did (have) these members of a few beholden families whom we allowed (are allowing) to exclusively hold the reins of our government – local to national – perform (been performing)?
You are either blind or dumb if you don’t know the answer to that question.
How many of the available positions in the Philippine government, local and national, are held by the same families who have been the gods and goddesses of Philippine politics since time immemorial? Most of them are offspring of the peninsulares who survived “America’s power grab” at the turn of the 20th century. They decided to stay in the country and reaped the dividends for doing so. And it’s not only the politics that they dominate. With the enormous fortune they inherited from their Spanish parents/grandparents (which the Americans allowed them to keep), they also control the country’s economy. That’s why Filipinos would sometimes jokingly ask – “Did the Spanish rule really end?”
Only a few pure-blooded Filipinos and foreign expatriates of Chinese origin who became wealthy when the Americans took their turn to colonize the Philippine had the financial resources to challenge the Spanish mestizos for political supremacy in the Philippines, especially after the American granted the Filipinos their independence after the World War II. Some of them succeeded and when they experienced how intoxicating power is, they (and their offsprings) kept running and we kept electing them as if nobody else were qualified.
It is no longer surprising to know that politicians occupying national positions have one, or two family members and in-laws occupying seats in the local government.
Filipinos might ask – “When would having the same people from the same families passing the reins of leadership to each other in both the national and local governments after elections end?”
That’s up to the Filipino voters.
So, we should not wonder why we as a nation could barely move the needle on socio-political stability and economic progress.
Socio-political stability and economic progress are the most important metrics that we ought to use when evaluating the performance of these leaders who are members of the few families whom we allowed to lord it over in Philipppine politics. We keep electing them then keep our fingers crossed that they will deliver.
According to Albert Einstein, “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Why in the world we expect a better-performing government when we keep electing the same politicians from the same families? Are we insane?
What Do Filipinos Need to Realize (2)
(Second in a Series)
We also need to exercise our right to vote seriously. Refusing to sell our votes is only the first step. It’s about time that we should also set certain standards that candidates should measure up to before we write their names in the ballot – standards that are over and beyond the qualifications set by our Constitution for candidates seeking a particular public office.
It’s time for us to realize also that some personalities are venturing into politics not because they want to serve the people but because they think that they are so popular and such popularity could easily catapult them into a public office. Fame, like power, is also addicting.
An interesting question to answer is, “How many showbiz and sports personalities holding public office now were elected not because they are both qualified and capable to lead but because they are popular?”
There are other questions that we need to answer as honestly as we should – “What did those actors, actresses, singers, TV personalities, basketball players, boxers, and other celebrities who used their popularity to win contribute to the improvement of the quality of life in the localities where they were elected?” Those among them who were lucky to become President, Vice President, Senators or Congressmen (or were given cabinet posts), did they contribute anything to national development?” “What good if any did their ‘star power’ bring to politics and governance in the Philippines?”
If all those seasoned and veteran politicians who have master’s and doctorate degrees in law, economics, political science, public administration, and business administration and have been in public service all their life could hardly move the needle forward on socio-economic development, what do we expect from showbiz, media, and sports personalities who suddenly turned into politicians only because they are immensely popular and that they know that Filipino voters could easily be deceived. Do they honestly think that the skills and knowledge needed to run a public office can be acquired by taking crash courses in leadership and management?
Sadly speaking, this is how politicians and celebrities-turned-politicians think of Filipino voters – they can not only be bought and but they are also unintelligent. Most of those running for public office consider the Filipino voters cheap and ignorant – cheap because they are willing to sell their votes for a small amount of cash and ignorant because they don’t know how to choose the right candidate for a position.
Choosing the most qualified and capable among sets of candidates is not a rocket science. We can evaluate their qualifications corresponding to the position they are seeking. We can check their track record. We can hear them talk during the campaign period both in person and through any form of media. We can determine who among them are eloquent and could articulate their platform of government and who are dumb and merely banking on their popularity so they could get the support of unsuspecting voters or they have truckloads of money to buy votes. If we find those celebrities truly qualified, capable, and sincere in their desire to serve this country and they are the best among the candidates vying for an elective position, then we should vote for them.
We have to separate the wheat from the chaff. We need to exercise due diligence in distinguishing the qualified and capable candidates from a pretenders. Electing leaders unto whom we give the mandate to lead – unto whom we pin our hopes for a better nation – is not a game. Elections are not popularity contests.
Governance is a serious business and should be done on a full-time basis. One cannot be a public servant on a part-time basis who would attend to her/his duties and obligations only when there are no shooting sessions for movies and TV shows or there are no practices or games to play as athletes in any sport.
We should never entrust a public office to clowns.
M.A.D. LIGAYA
M.A.D. L I G A Y A 