David vs Goliath
An exercise of tough love is what I’d like to call the process the whole family went through before finally deciding to join Dad as yet a new challenge unfolds in his life of public service.
It was tough because (well at least for my part), I feared two things. First, knowing how dirty Philippine politics can get, there was always the fear for Dad’s safety lingering at the back of my mind. We were about to set foot in unfamiliar territory in the sense that this time, the scope was larger, the rival stronger and the financial requirements admittedly higher. We were certainly in for an uphill battle.
Secondly and more importantly, there was that fear of the possibility of being tangled up in the ins and outs of our [cacique] democracy. And being quite the neophyte compared to the incumbent, this fear of ultimately getting devoured by the culture of corruption (read: dishonesty magnified a trillion times) the government is infamous for cannot be discarded. For really, it is not easy to work against such prevailing systems that have even led others to come to the sad conclusion that once you dip your hands into Philippine politics, there’s nowhere else to go but with the flow.
I told my Dad I will be his foremost critic (okay, probably next to my grandparents and my Mom) – that the challenge was to be the light in a dark, vast ocean of seasoned politicos so that when I talk about good governance to fellow youth I know I’d still have a Dad whom I can give as an example.
And I guess the Davidic spirit saw itself through and here we are, the whole family in full force, in support of our beloved Junjun Davide.
In the course of running this campaign, I try to be as actively involved in other ways, refusing to just be the kid who sings during her Dad’s rallies. Because really there is more to us voters than being mere lookers-on to this much awaited democratic “spectacle,” as my Politics and Governance prof RR Raneses would put it. It pains me to see that many are still stuck in such a mindset. The most common example, in my experience, goes something like this: upon handing a flyer, the person asks, “Miss, wa’y pakapin?” (Isn't there anything that comes with this) only to get a “Sorry, dili baya mi tig-hatag ug kwarta” (Sorry, we do not give money) to which they’d rebut “Ay, kalain.”
You see kalain in Bisaya has a negative connotation - an expression of disappointment or of one feeling bad about something. But if taken literally, it means “different.” Yes, Dad is different. And I trust he cannot afford to screw up and tarnish the good name his grandfather and father have worked hard to build, just as I trust Mr. Aquino to uphold the legacy both his parents had left. (I will deal with issues thrown against Noynoy in my next post)
After all, every public servant should know very well that public office is a public trust. Thus, Sipag at Tiyaga and Galing at Talino just aren’t enough for government to function properly. Which is why the fight against corruption, a core issue involving public trust (or the apparent lack thereof), is the first big step. And it takes a man of moral courage to slowly but surely restore this trust. Allow me to share my grandpa’s thoughts on this:
“It is rather unfortunate that the Filipino ingenuity that has produced useful innovations such as the jeepney has also created increasingly complicated schemes of graft and corruption. Some may even find amusement in the intricate complexities that have been invented by unscrupulous civil servants. But this is no laughing matter. The country loses billions of pesos through graft and corruption. This is money that could have very well changed the lives of many of our poor countrymen and put the economy as a model of good governance. Every service rendered by government is now susceptible to being sold to those who need it most. The honorable vocation of public service is now nearly reduced to dishonorable trade. Stealth usually accompanies the commission of graft and corrupt activities and the perpetrators know enough to cover their tracks. In order to prevent detect, and prosecute every instance of graft and corruption, the government must device new strategies.
The forthcoming elections on 10 May can be a process to reverse its culture of corruption and to install a new regime of honesty and integrity in the government service. The people, in the exercise of their right of suffrage must install leaders who are not just experienced, competent and managerial experts, but men of integrity.”
On a lighter note, looks like Gen Y is on a roll. I have never been so proud to be part of this generation since Ondoy. Seeing how many of my friends have come out and spoke their minds and hearts out no matter what their political color makes me just want to tell naysayers “In your face, b****es!” Contrary to what’s always been thrown at us, we are not apathetic. This is the kind of citizenry needed in the PH. I can only hope the hype does not end on 10 May. I pray the energy will be sustained even beyond this elections so that when new leaders are sworn into office, we will remain ever vigilant, ever in the know.
To end this already long entry, I’d like to echo what I’d written in my previous post:
Many a time, the youth’s ideals are shattered the moment they get a taste of what the ‘real’ world is like. In a society where injustice, graft and corruption and oppression have become so institutionalized, working for a better Philippines and staying true to one’s principles might seem like a futile endeavor. With society’s pressures felt all around, it is very difficult to think you are not alone. But if there’s one thing I learned during the 1st Cebuano Young Leaders Summit last May it was this: to be a hope warrior.
There I got to talk to fellow twenty-something’s who have had their share of working for the government (e.g. under the Office of the President, the Senate) and an interesting insight was that a hope warrior would not decide not to work for the government simply because he has lost all trust and respect for it that he has grown apathetic. As a matter of fact, he is saying he has lost all hope. A true hope warrior will take a chance and while there, work hard so as not to get eaten up by the system. And when need be, he will stand up for what he believes in no mater what the cost (in this case, he was asked to vacate the position he held). It is a tough job, but as they say, someone’s got to do it. And it is in knowing that there still are people of this great a moral courage that I find inspiration. Changing a world that refuses to change for the better is one big challenge. But the thought of having others who share your sentiments is reassuring enough to keep you going.
I have not lost hope because it was also in this campaign that I saw how there really are people who care for this lovely country of ours - volunteering, selflessly offering their time and energy all in the name of change. Being surrounded by them just keeps my spirit alive. And for that, I thank them.
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P.S. Dad, I haven’t seen you grow more white hair in a very short span of time than now. I haven’t seen you grow as much as a leader and as a person in wisdom, courage, diligence and discipline in the last five months either. For that I am so proud. Know that Team DVD is right behind you.