Pinoy Power

 Power is the heart and soul of politics. In the Philippines, it seems politics is both heart-less and soul-less. I may sound so very paranoid. But I cannot help it with the endless corruption and political bickerings that are eating up   the whole system.

 

Are these politicos be the ones to be blamed? Not really. Much less, these politicos do not really blame themselves. They are actually blaming the voters who are endlessly asking them for favors. The voters, who always want them to dance with their brand of music.   Here in the province, the curacha – that is a folk dance in which the pair almost jump in unison to make people happier while casting away so many paper bills to the overjoyed patrons, the voters. In other words, politicos have to be always pleasing and gullible to every people`s wish no matter if it erodes their integrity and make them lameducks, afraid to exercise political rationality, afraid to impose political will in order to maintain and expand vast following. Politicos have to tolerate the drug addicts and dealers, the gamblers, the swindlers in their offices, the crooks, the pimps, and the smugglers.  Or else, malaking boto ang mawawala.

 

Politicos would admit, “We are corrupt. But hell, damn the voters. They are paid for making us crooks.” Voters would reply, “It is better to sell my vote to have at least a little share of their loot. Anyway, they only visit us during the campaign.”

 

So there goes the Pinoy politics. People sell their votes. Politicos collect their loots, that is, on tubo muna, bago puhunan basis.

 

It is really a sad fact. Philippine politics has grown to be a bigger show and a business. Invest now with millions of money during the campaign. Sooner, enjoy the perks of the office that come in billions.

 

Through proper packaging, pretend to be a person of integrity. Make a show of your honesty. Appear to be makamasa and makatao. The media will do it for you. The people will believe you even if these are all just rhetoric and dramas.

 

I daresay political power in the Philippines is nothing more than a piece of a bone hounded by politicos who are ups for the grabs of whatever is little flesh left in it. By hook or by crook, every politico wants to hold the financial coffers. Hence, during elections every candidate desperately declares himself a winner. Walang natalo pero may nadaya.

 

Nobody can tell when will these political circus ends. People today would remark, “kahit sinong ilagay mo sa posisyon, the situation will never change. Lalo lang lumalala.” And these are the very same people who put these shenanigans in power.

 

During the pre-independence move in the mid 30’s, Manuel L. Quezon argued “Better be ran by Filipinos like hell than run by Americans like heaven.” Well, impiyerno nga.

 

Filipinos are proud to say that the country is the first republic and democratic state in Asia. Yet, they can never be prouder over how this thriving democraziness led its country to.

 

As of the moment our beloved country seemed to be ungovernable. Every body wants to have a share of the piece of pie. Lahat gustong maging pangulo. Everybody wants to be called magaling, hence the tendency to have that “I am right, they are wrong” attitude. I would simply call it the culture of fingerpointing, definitively characterized as blaming the blameless. Thus, mudslinging is already becoming a national sport, ending up with all of us groping in mud.

 

The media people blame everybody as they play an adversarial role towards anybody who is newsworthy. Street protesters blame the politicos, Uncle Sam, and globalization. The youth blames the oldies for doing nothing for such a deteriorating system. Church leaders blame the immorality of the people. Politicos blame the people for demanding so much from them.

 

Enough of it all!

 

Amidst all these fuss, the funny thing is that we all forget to blame ourselves. (10-10-03)