Post by The Main Man on Aug 2, 2006 0:39:35 GMT 8
I got this through the email and thought I would forward it ...I have no
idea who wrote it...
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the our local government does not pick up the garbage and does
not manage well the cleanliness of the land.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the traffic is a joke, mails never
reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a
face - YOURS.
YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In
Singapore YOU don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the
stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are. YOU pay $5
(approx. Pesos 60) to drive through Orchard Road (Equiv. to EDSA) between 5
PM and 8 PM. YOU comeback to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket
if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of
your status or identity. In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU?
YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai. YOU would not
dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.
YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London
at 10 pounds (Pesos 720) a month to, "see to it that my STD and ISD calls
are billed to someone else."
YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 kmph) in Washington and then
tell the traffic cop, "Alam mo kung sino ako ? (Do you know who I am?). I
am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost." Why don't YOU spit
and throw your cigarette butts on the streets of Tokyo? Why don't YOU use
buy fake certificates in Boston like you do in Recto? We are still talking
of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in
other countries but cannot in your own. YOU who will throw papers and
cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Philippine ground.
If YOU can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country why
cannot you be the same in the Philippines. Once in an interview, the famous
Subic administrator, Gordon had a point to make. "Rich people's dogs are
walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the
place," he said. "And then the same people turn around to criticize and
blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they
expect the officers to do!? Go down with a broom everytime the dog feels
the pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up
after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan. Will the Filipino citizen do
that here?" He's right.
We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all
responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the
government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally
negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop
chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stoop to pick up a
stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin.
When it comes to burning social issues like those related to extra marital
relationship, unwed mothers, pre-marital sex and others, we make loud
drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. The
moment we feel lonely outside the Philippines we seek pleasure to others,
commonly to fellow Filipinos WITHOUT minding the commitment we made back
home to our true family. Then we blame the government for juvenile
VIOLENCE, drug addiction, etc. but we started it ourselves by neglecting
the need of our sons and daugthers of real paternal guidance and
responsibility. Our excuse? "It's the whole system which has to change, how
will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry." So who's
going to change the system?
What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our
neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the
government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually
making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with
our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far
away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a
majestic sweep of his hand. Or we leave the country and run away.
Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their
glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to
Japan or HONGKONG. When HongKong experiences unemployment, we take the next
flight out to the Middle East. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be
rescued and brought home by the Philippine government. Everybody is out to
abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our
conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear fellow filipinos, The article is highly thought-inductive, calls for a
great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too.... I am
echoing J.F.Kennedy's words to his fellow Americans to relate to us
Filipinos.. "ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR COUNTRY PHILIPPINES AND DO WHAT HAS
TO BE DONE TO MAKE PHILIPPINES WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE
TODAY" I say to myself, that my forthcoming vacation this september....at
least, for the time being I can be A SINGAPOREAN , AN EMIRATI, A SAUDIAN,
an AMERICAN citizen in the Philippines. Lets do what Philippine needs from
us. Forward this mail to each Filipino.