IT IS NOT OUR GOVERNMENT: IT IS “WE” THE PROBLEM OF THE PHILIPPINES

It was quite obvious seeing the authoritarian and conformist culture pervaded in the country made lives miserable. One writer explained how Filipino authoritarian and old- school parenting is apt to produce wimps. It is also reasoned that the voters are heavily influenced by the media and mostly by anti- intellectual messages because some of our collective behavior appreciates that.

My saying “not the government” is because people are saying “patalsikin si Gloria” (kicked-out Gloria) or “patalsikin siya”., whoever is in power. People now are focusing on the wrong things as “patalsik”. Who we elect is our fault. It is a product of our culture.

Some Filipinos would primarily say how proud they are with their culture because it is caring, loving, and beautiful culture. Yet when one deeply analyzes that it somehow possesses intolerant, inflexible, anti- intellectual and oppressive, and therefore ugly collective behavior. Some may find a doing right because of majority is doing the same when it is in fact all wrong. Then, suddenly they scratch their head wondering what they’ve done wrong.
Proof of this is seen everywhere.

When Erap became the president, some people were claiming that a gambler, drunkard, womanizer and crime lord was elected to the highest office of the land. But what does it tell to our collective behavior? We elect a leader who believe will follows people’s will, but later on, the people will go on the streets wanting he president to resign. So when Erap left, GMA took over and now nearly everyone wants her out. It’s funny since GMA had even more votes than Erap when she was elected for vice- president.

We have a culture of hypocrite masculinity. We have a religious culture, and we have men who can pray the rosary and go to mass everyday. Yet on the later part of the day, they get drunk, they hit the neighbor’s wives, bear many children, and then blame the government for not supporting them.

Children today, when they grow-up wanted to be like an artistas instead of becoming true blooded artists, graphic designers, computer engineers, and doctors. All thanks to local TV entertainment shows that are manipulative in molding kids to become stupid.

We have a behavior wherein shouting is the only means to use a cellphone when inside a public vehicle or even the mass or service is going on. Moreover, we, instead of excellence, still pursue “pwede na yan” “bahala na” and impunity.
And thus we have a behavior wherein we blame the government for our problems, but we fail to realize that we ourselves have corruption and thus responsible for our condition.

Yes, there are some Filipino culture that itself one of the most tyrannical elements of the country and is helping keep it backwards. We should realize to use our will to decide which collective behavior is right and wrong. Don’t blame anything or anyone for our misfortunes; it is in our hands we can help contribute in the development of our country- PHILIPPINES.