Of the Country, Of the Man

HELLO RANTers!!! Did you all miss me? I sure did miss each of you!

How was your week last week? Did you have any flooding within your area? I’m just being a worry-wart (Not the genital kind of wart, at least) here.

So anyway, since I’ve been gone for such a time (Even though it was only two weeks.) I’ll be doing a very L-O-N-G (I know you love long things as much as I do.) blog post today. It’s gonna be like two blog posts in one single post (Two-In-One coffee?).

Let’s get started on RANTing!...

Yesterday, Sir Alvin Dakis posted in our Philippine Health Bloggers Society (PHBS) Facebook Group saying that he has two FREE tickets to the PETA’s theatrical play entitled “PAMANA” in the Meralco Theater.

The post that got me ECSTATIC.

And since I will be meeting my friend’s youngest sister that time, I’ve put on a comment saying that I would love to go.

I was so D-A-R-N excited! I just couldn’t wait for it. I mean, it has been such a long time since I last watched a theatrical play. And being a thespian that I am (I really am. P-R-O-M-I-S-E!), I really am E-C-S-T-A-T-I-C (“Excited” doesn’t really describe my feeling) that time.

So much for the excitement part.

“PAMANA” is about what happened before, during, and after the Marcos regime. Or rather, what each Filipino felt for the country with the influence of the Aquinos.

Lola Azon and Lolo Turo portrayed that freedom in our country is worth fighting for. Trina, the granddaughter of Lola Azon and Lolo Turo, portrayed that there is still hope for our country and change can actually happen in our generation. Edgar, the son of Lola Azon and Lolo Turo, portrayed HOPELESNESS for our country by saying that corruption did not end with the Marcos but rather it only got worse.

But has it R-E-A-L-L-Y gotten worse

In my own opinion, corruption did get worse BUT, just like what Trina said, it isn’t hopeless for our country.

As you may all know, for the past few weeks there had been a NATIONAL issue with regards to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) a.k.a. the PORK BARREL. The PDAF/PORK BARREL is the fund of each government official for their own project/s and this fund came from the taxes that we have been paying. In other words, the PORK BARREL came from the money of the Filipino Citizens.

Now, it has been found out that some government officials are getting their pocket money out of this fund. And the name that has been ENORMOUSLY (And to think I love enormous things too.) linked to the misuse of PDAF is Janet Lim-Napoles.

Just imagine your own tax money being used for this kind of thing…

Video not owned by blogger.

Isn’t it fantabulous? Instead of the PDAF being used for the development of our own country, it was WASTED for some selfish thing that not one good Filipino Citizen could benefit from.

So what am I trying to get here?

Is Edgar of “PAMANA” correct? That corruption DID NOT ACTUALLY DIE WITH FERDINAND MARCOS and it only got worse? That nothing has changed and we’re only going around in circles with no end to this?

Perhaps he is right.

But then again perhaps Trina is more correct. Yes corruption did get worse but we’re not hopeless when it comes to this. Corruption is just one of the TRASHES that we need to dispose of.

With that in thought I just remembered an anecdote that my Tita told me (It’s actually one of the many anecdotes she’s told me so far. You can’t actually shut her mouth once she starts talking.).

Their Uncle is a KATIPUNERO and the job of their uncle during the Spanish Era is to handle the money of the country (Kaban ng Bayan). With that in mind my Tita, who was still a child back then, asked their uncle, “Bakit hindi mo na lang itinakbo yung pera?” (“Why didn’t you run off with the money?”). Then their Uncle replied with this, “Hindi ko pera yun, anak. Pera ng bayan yun.” (“It’s not my money, my dear child. It’s the country’s money.”)

Those exact words keep on ringing in my mind EVERY SINGLE TIME that money is being discussed in our government. It makes me proud of my lineage.

Just what was told by Ninoy Aquino, which was shown in the play, their Uncle’s candle may melted away with time now but with the same wax that that candle was made, I WILL try to mold a new candle and place a new wick to keep that light shining. After all, it’s just the KATIPUNERO BLOOD raging inside me just waiting to come out. I really am a RAINBOW IBARRA.