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| Photo courtesy of AP/Bullit Marquez. |
This
is sort of a follow up to my previous post: "Putting Our Best Foot Forward" last May 2, 2012.
"The government should face reality. If they don't, how will they know the problem, how will they solve the problem," said Renato Reyes, secretary general of the left-wing group
Bayan, regarding a recent effort by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to cover up slums on the side of a river which runs through the route of the delegates attending the 45th Asian Development Bank Summit this week.
“The
government should face reality." It's
funny he could say that without realizing the relativity of the concept.
Who should face reality here? Is it
the government, who spends billions on a Conditional Cash Transfer program to
help the poorest of the poor, arise from their destitute condition? Who works
with financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (among others)
to curb rampant poverty and deprivation in this country? Oh, we’ve seen reality
alright. We see it every day, and I think the ADB sees it too throughout their
years of being headquartered behind their walled compound in Ortigas Center.
In fact, we are already saturated by images of this reality on our TV channels
because they made an industry out of documenting about such reality. Hence, I
think it would be unreasonable to say that the government is not facing reality. In fact, it is a
belated statement, one that was made when some solutions have already been
implemented and are still being implemented today. It must be outrageous to think
that poverty would disappear in the days leading to the ADB summit, right Mr.
Reyes?
Back to my earlier question. If it
isn’t the government, who then should face the reality? Is it the upper class
who has invested heavily on our country’s economy, provided jobs for the
majority, and are taxed heavily? Is it the middle class, who has toiled to get
and finish a degree in order to contribute brains, sweat and time to the progress
of family and Motherland so that it may not live in indigence? Or is it the
poor, who are very much aware of the reality they are stuck with and yet have acted little in the face of such poverty?
Take the case of that community
under the bridge, whose view from the street was covered by sheets of
galvanized iron by the MMDA. Have they faced the reality that by living on
those banks, they are endangering themselves to floods and diseases, as well as
contributing to pollution because of the lack of proper sewage system for their
homes? I don’t think so. Have they faced the reality that by moving from the
province to this already crowded city they would live worse than their subsistence
existence in the province? I came from a tiny island in the Visayas
whose people have relied on farming and fishing for years and yet were able to
send their children to school and improve their lives. That is how we faced
reality there. I wonder how these poor people could simply look at reality in the
eye and do nothing.
The problem lies on the fact that
the poor think that it’s not their choice to be poor. Such belief is not
just passé, but also a huge moral flaw on their part. Exchanging a content and
sufficient agricultural life in the province is their choice. Getting in to
marriage without any plans early in life is their choice. Having sex without
protection, having too much sex and kids in the process – it’s all a choice.
The government, the upper class, and the middle class were not conspiratorial
to all these choices. And even if they are at some point, the choice is still
theirs. Do I want to be stuck in such reality for the rest of their lives
or am I going to exhaust all possible means to get ahead and rise from the
ladder? Such belief statements in life have to be let go by the poor if they
are to elevate themselves from the reality of poverty.
The odds are in favor of those who
dare. For decades, we, as a people have supported our brethren who dared to rise out of poverty. Whether people in government, the upper class,
the middle class -- we have made steps to assist and support those who are
willing to face the reality and solve it. But this doesn’t mean the end is on
sight. While ironic, Mr. Reyes’ words do serve as a wake up call. There are
still a lot of things to be done aside from covering the blemishes. But the
truth remains: those who saved themselves rather than waiting to be saved have
been rewarded well. Those who are eager to be saved have been given a helping
hand.
I wonder where Mr. Reyes was when
all of that was happening.
In another reality, I suppose. After
all, they are other group here who’s not facing reality (or rather, facing a
different reality – a rather violent and fast-paced one). Those in the
left-wing are well aware of such reality and yet what part have they done in
order to solve the problem? Have they organized fundraisers or charities for
the construction of homes for informal settlers? Have they worked with our
system of governance in order to put to justice elements in our society that
maligns the poor? Have they been kind to our benefactors in the fight against poverty and deprivation? Are they merely spotlighting the cons instead of highlight what is good in what we’ve
done as a nation too?
The left movement should face
reality. It’s time that they contribute to nation-building instead of nation-tearing.
It’s not that that they should turn 180 degrees on their beliefs. All I’m
saying is that they should try meeting the rest of the nation halfway. After all, we only have one common goal in mind, to convince the rest of the world that "It's More Fun [to live] in the Philippines!" TSS
