Wake up, Philippines!
Dear Editor,
Why do some pundits appear to have castigated some senators in their “unutterable” words when they recently rebuked fellow officials for doing things wrongly and for performing badly? What’s bad about calling a spade a spade? Passing a million bills in Congress on a single and final reading isn’t equal to accomplishment and is not something to be proud of.
Quality above quantity. Action above pledge. Service above self. People above party mates. Probity above partisanship or kinship. God above all. — Proverbs 3:5-7.
Where were the complainers when the former president ranted at almost everybody when he openly cursed and spewed venomous words? Silent in dungeons. “Hyperbolic,” they said. Forthrightness, however, was what was admirable about Rodrigo Duterte. It set him apart from others in a positive way. He just overdid it and did it the wrong way, for the wrong reasons.
Look at what “civility” has done to our country. It continues to lead our leaders and people deeper into liturgy, apathy, and inaction — even amidst sanctioned abuses, ruthlessness, shamelessness, and crookedness. “Civility” with each other among our officials can be equated to numbness and callousness, even heartlessness a ‘la Mafia conspiracy among its cabals.
Political “trapo.” How many do we have them in our Cha-cha dancing government — Sila na mga pangiti-ngiti, palakad-lakad at paikot-ikot lang sa kanilang upuan nang tila walang ibang iniisip kundi pulitika at pamumulitika lamang (Those who smile, walk around and turn around in their seats as if they don’t think about anything but politics and politics). But go ahead, Sirs and Madams, issuing a subpoena to the “Son of God” is in order.
As much as we want to always be “civil” to everyone in all circumstances, we cannot and should not. With the destructiveness being wrought by official inanities, one administration after another, since time immemorial, the nation needs some truthshaking — a temblor with maximum magnitude so that justice and righteousness would rise in and rule over our land.
I am not encouraging bruteness, but for Christ’s sake, we need boldness and courage to be awakened from slumber. “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” — Proverbs 27:5-7