Lessons From Recent History

So here's the low down, apparently my beloved country (Philippines) is in dispute over the whole RH Bill issue over at the legislature. The No's versus the Yes'es. Personally, I'm a nodder for this one. I like to think that it's a step our nation is taking towards changing times and values of the people (and of the globe). Don't worry though, if you're against it, you won't be receiving any unanswered, heavy breathing phone calls from me or I won't even bully you with cyber demonic spells, that would be unfair. I mean, don't you just love this mess? I find it amazing that the people are squandering on issues that actually matter, not like previous Kapamilya or Kapuso wars making people decide on which sexy leading lady to drool on or which noon time show to have lunch with. It's a real issue people, and it's one raging with controversies.

It's so controversial in fact, that our country's religions are all trying to dip in this legal pool. It really is unfair for these institutions to use moral leverage in winning its flock's opinions. Tugging on spiritual strings? That's practically intimidation and black mailing all in one. Do not use the name of the Lord in vain (as commandment number 2 of the catholic order states), it is somewhat the same as dropping the H-bomb over television network wars. IT IS UNCALLED FOR. Yeah I'm pro-RH Bill, and you're against it, so what, we both have the right to think so don't we? No matter the issue, respect is respect and that's that. The song may be sang a million renditions but Aretha (and all the rest) still sings it R-E-S-P-E-C-T! I mean, isn't that what great nations thrive on, passage of opinion so that the very soul of this nation be quenched, the very soul of which is democracy. We are not just a country of crosses or veils, we are people of this country, the very reason why we are called Filipinos. We are of this country and having a different say on public matters means we are of thinking decent, with empathy for our beloved soil. In this occasion's rarities must we be proud of ourselves for having a stand, pro or against, we should not make anything personal out of it and think of it as doing a favor for the betterment of the laws of the land. In this dispute must we put faith in our public leaders to summon the rightest decision. But needless to say, yes or no, you are making yourself useful by joining public opinion dialogues. And aren't we people united in spectacle over what will happen?

Of course talking about unity in this country has changed over its run on history. Katipunan, that's so last century and EDSA People Power Revolution is so 80's. When we talk about unity while staying in the current context, unity is Manny Pacquiao and his fights. Time stops for Pacquiao fights, a golden moment not only for TV networks but for our sacred Filipino pride as well. I recently watched Pacman's biography via Bio (TV channel) and was amazed at how he triumphed over all odds even if it means fighting some battles twice, Erik Morales and politics.

Just like achieving unity these days, politics has taken a shape-shifting mold, too. Weird enough that the celebrity-turned-politicians culture is accepted here, weirder is the fact that politicians are turning into celebrities. Take the President himself, Benigno Aquino III, or Noynoy. Using the name Noynoy, doesn't that speak of something else? It's a nickname, we address our president by his nickname. Is it to breathe in a sense that he is one with the people, to make him seem someone easy to relate to? Last time I checked, the other president who enjoys such name calling was a drunkard and got ousted by the people, and in fact, a former celebrity. And now the tides have turned and the presidency itself is turning the man a celebrity. Don't get me wrong, the Aquino's are no stranger to the lime light. His sister Kris is the Queen of All Media, and a Queen stands higher from a president. Its the Queen, you have to curtsy and all, and the president? Oh, everyone's on nickname basis with that one.

We even follow him on his personal affairs. A double headline for the papers, both the front page and the entertainment section. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy (my ballot in 2010 says so otherwise), he's not the most hardworking or the brainiest president of the republic ever, but he is an honest man. One of the many speculated reasons why he won is because he was seen the least evil (are we in hell?) of the presidential candidates. Mr. President is a nice man so much in fact that we trail him around town, and also make a celebrity out of the next woman he rubs skin with. The presidential paparazzi stake-outs need to stop.

But the real issue here is why we get to choose people who are the "least evil" of the bunch? Have the standards dropped so low that instead of choosing the BEST we gravitate towards the least evil one? Are we that drunk in corruption that the dizzy is making us swoon for could be's rather than should be's? Is the situation that bad that actual skills to run the country are overlooked because we choose people who are nice enough not to take our money? So if I run as president, being innocent *wink wink* and uncorrupt, will I be the least evil, will I win?

Our jacked up reality has got the steams of our morality blowing in the wrong holes.