The 19th century German philosopher Nietzsche said that adversity builds character. “ That which doesn’t kill you , he said,”will make you strong.”
This much was conveyed by Jose Rizal in his prophetic “The Filipinos, A Century Hence.” His people, he said, will emerge eventually, triumphant from the yoke of colonization. It didn’t occur to him that massive corruption will be front and center in the nation’s life in the future.
Today, that historical piece of work by the national hero would have been considered a satire by Filipino film makers in the same vein that the historic life of Manuel Quezon has been portrayed, to the consternation of the former president’s living literates, cinematic or not.
Where did history begin and fiction end or vice versa? The distinction is blurred by literary style, fiction bumping out facts.
Was People Power a fact, fiction or lie? The first Marcos presidency was thrown out of power in February 1986. The second Marcos presidency has removed the EDSA celebration from the national list of holidays starting this year. Do political victors rewrite history, notwithstanding the facts or lies?
The alleged author of 1972 martial law, who’s fighting for dear life in an undisclosed hospital, was to have said in a media interview that the ambush on him that eventually triggered the dictatorship was a fake one when fake ones were still a dream. The senator who broke out the sad news with a bleeding heart is facing charges of corruption, among others, based on fiction? The courts will know, for a fact.
Centuries later, a cynic of a wag or vice versa suggested that the Philippines can export local crooks instead of the Filipino overseas workers (OFWs), a vital lifeline to the economy, to rid the nation of such deep malaise. Does the end justify the means?
There’s a catch to this insane proposal though. The countr y will also pay a heavy price in tariff imposed by the Donald Trump on all imports. Recall that even President Bongbong Marcos had to visit the White House to negotiate a lower tariff. Trump extolled PBBM , a solid north denizen, as a genius or a cheapskate for haggling a one percent discount. Beggars are no choosers.
Needless to say, economic experts and other pundits on all sides of the globe continue to extrapolate the numbers if the concept is a fair ex change, considering, for one, how valuable Filipino nurses and other workers are to their wellbeing. Besides, Filipino crooks are a different creatures altogether. Caveat emptor
Once upon a not so distant past, a political leader or his spimasters came up with a bright slogan while Mt Pinatubo was spewing volcanic ash left and write and burying places. “ Eko magmalun, the uplifting message spread across the land, mibangun tamu kgn Pinatubo” “Do not mourn, we will bounce back frm Pinatubo.”
The general but xistential threat which was deemed a political correct assessment was that Pampanga has only one option then : pack up, leave and move to a higher place. The politician was not a philosopher but his message hewed close to NIetzsche’s hope that the trial due to a natural calamity will bring out a stronger, better people from the disaster.
But not before leaders and movers who were facing the real threat quietly threw invectives and wrong motives against those in national government for kowtowing with the idea that I)nature must take its course and 2) there’s serendipity somewhere in a nearby province which, in the light of the recent typhoon proved to be a bad idea. Sight becomes faith.
Well, the squeaky wheels get the oil. Eventually, a multi-million mega dike was built to protect the province’s capital city and others against the inundating lahar flow. But not before some political leaders from somewhere complaining it was getting more than its fair share from government.
Then former Senator Blas Ople, a well-admirers of Kapampanganj journalist, brought sanity into the insane discussion. What if the same natural event happened to those who opposed the megadike, would they not ask for the same treatment? End of the argument.
The protester lived happily after the megadike and unsung heroes suddenly sprung from nowhere. Pampanga, which used to be number one in industrial growth rate before Pinatubo erupted, soon regained its economic footing. It, still, is a leading growth environment.
It’s not because of the Clark Economic Zone, although it helps a lot, according to its woman spearhead, but because of the unique character of the people, Has Pinatubo created a stronger, better people because of the natural disaster? Or has it merely validated what has been in the people’s DNA from the start?
In the meantime,PBBM is running a race against time to deal with the myriad corruption issues exposed by the massive flooding and other natural events which are still being uncovered. It’s not new, this corruption in public works. Some say PBBM did not discover it; it screwed him and his duty to do justice everyone constrains him to do his job. Words are cheap.
. His father, lamented or not, once taunted opponents. “ I’m already in the saddle but you are still on the stirrup or, worse, problby without a this horse. Protesters from all walks of life are planning to pressure PBBM in multiple rallies November 16 to test the stability of his saddle. Certain groups are waiting for him to get off or fall from the horse, and leave it to somebody else, which is anybody’s right guess.
Hopefully, like many Filipinos who dream of a better future, PBBM has grown up in the presidency and should know where the buck stops and why. Never mind Machiavelli who belonged in another time and space, even if he relishes him like pizza. The taste of the pudding is in the eating.
