The Art of Changemaking

Note: This piece was written two weeks ago, on Independence Day, and originally intended for Blogwatch.ph. Since it has not been published there, I am taking the liberty of publishing it here instead. ~ NTZ

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When Will the Philippines Learn to Grow Up?

By Niña Terol-Zialcita

Back when I was in college, some friends and I were debating about the state of the Philippines (and this was in the late ’90s, in the Age of Ramos to Erap, so there was a lot to debate about). I had made the assertion that we needed to cut the country some slack because it was still a teenage nation–not as old and as mature as centuries-old states such as the United Kingdom, Germany, or the United States; not quite as young as post-war states such as Malaysia or Singapore (who, of course, have overtaken us by leaps and bounds already).

The Philippines, I had said, was in a very awkward moment in its life and was still experiencing the identity crisis and the angst that are characteristic of the adolescent years. It was still defining itself and its role in the world, was still defiant of authority–which then, to my naïve mind, explained why Filipinos were terrible at governing themselves and ensuring the rule of law–and was still very much dependent on its elders, hence the ballooning debt and over-reliance on foreign aid. I also defended the failure of our democratic systems because I had thought then that the trauma from the Martial Law years would have been enough to cripple anyone. Surely, we would recover in time, I thought.

Fast forward to 12 years later. My post-college years saw the rise and fall of The Wristbanded One, of Edsa Dos and the Moled One, of FPJ and Hello Garci, of NBN-ZTE and “tong-pats”, of Ampatuan and backhoes, of PCOS and fondled CF cards.

Over a decade since my then-proud assertion of an über-optimistic theory, the Philippines has regressed and then some. It has been overtaken by countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey, and Vietnam; it has slid way down in the world’s list of the most corrupt states; and in late 2009 was named “the most dangerous peacetime place for journalists,” trumping Iraq and Afghanistan in the terror factor.

The outgoing administration had A LOT to do with that, to be sure (after all, it accounted for nine out of those 12 years). But I can’t help but feel that the country is where it is because WE, THE PEOPLE, have refused to grow up.

A mature person is one who recognizes her roles in society, assumes full responsibility for her actions, understands that every action has an effect and a consequence, and knows what’s right–and does it. A mature person has a fully developed EQ, understands social cues, and takes steps to act as is appropriate to the situation. A mature person knows that every right and liberty is joined at the hip by some responsibility, and she knows that there is never really such a thing as a free lunch. A mature person knows how to be accountable, how to sincerely say sorry, and she knows better than to commit the same mistakes over and over again.

The Philippines, on the other hand, is like a giant sandbox where babies of all shapes and sizes converge to play in the dirt, dig up mud, build castles on the sand, and bicker and pull at each other’s hair all day long. It is a country where laws and promises mean nothing, where lawmakers and law enforcers–instead of representing the country’s best and brightest–are the scum of the land. It is where the answer to a traffic violation is a scratch on the head, where criminals go to Congress and not to jail, where the answer to poverty is scrubbing someone else’s toilet, a million miles away.

Our country is one where people do not follow laws and pay taxes–and then wonder why the country is so messed up. We drink and drive, refusing to buckle up and wear helmets when riding motorcycles, then we cry in anguish when loved ones lose their lives in our daily dose of road accidents. We demand more competent law enforcers, then we scratch our heads and try to weasel out of a ticket after turning on a no-U-turn zone. We throw trash everywhere and tolerate mountains of garbage all around the country, then we scramble for safety when the next landslide or flash flood hits. We elect criminals, goons, cronies, and kingpins into office and then we wonder why our government is in such terrible shape. We look the other way when people commit crimes, making up all sorts of excuses and justifications for their actions, then we cry foul when justice is denied US. We tolerate piracy and bootlegging and then we cry for help because our artists and creative industries are dying. As a people, we do not respect other people’s time; we do not respect our own laws; we do not respect rights and liberties if they are not ours.

I used to think that all our country’s ills were born simply out of the fact that we are a young nation and have yet to learn the ropes. Now I’m convinced that, for the most part, our country is where it is because we, as a people, have failed to mature and be worthy of the independence that our forefathers had fought and died for. Many of those who should know better dumb our people down anyway because to suppress is to rule over, and some people and institutions are simply too addicted to power.

However, let this piece not be a song of doom, for THERE IS A SLIVER OF HOPE. For in May we said no to politics as usual and elected into office a President who will take a bullet to fight for integrity and be a model of decency and moral fortitude. For our youth are no longer just falling into the ways of their elders and, instead, are carving out their own paths to informed empowerment and creative action. For we are learning to assert ourselves intelligently and think critically against the often-paralyzing power of dogma and age-old tradition. For we are learning to look beyond governments, corporations and formal institutions for answers, taking it upon ourselves to be the very heroes that we need. For we now recognize that, for us to be truly free, we have to think collectively and start CARING about others first.

As we celebrate another Independence Day, I carry with me the hope that things will be better soon because WE will make it better. Because we will do justice to the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifices that have accompanied our independence from colonial rule and abusive dictators. Because we will use our hard-fought freedoms wisely to protect the helpless and innocent and fight the evil and corrupt. Because we will obey laws great and small. Because we will not tolerate crime and we WILL prosecute wrongdoings. Because we will install good people in government and give people the kind of service that they deserve. Because we will think more critically; because we won’t accept lame excuses and perpetuate business and politics (and life) as usual. Because we will see that there REALLY is no such thing as a free lunch.

Because, finally, we will take responsibility for our actions and for the direction of our country and GROW UP.

On our nation’s 112th birthday, it’s about time.