“Pearl of the Orient Seas”

That’s how we call the Philippines before. But aren’t pearls represent opulence? Why on earth more than 70% of our population live below the poverty line, despite the rich natural resources?

Are pearls associated with landslides, flash-floods and typhoons? Are we pearl no more?

“Love of country”

The Preamble of the 1987 Constitution contains the line “Love of Country”. Most, if not all, of other country’s constitutions do not include love of country in their preamble or other parts thereof. And the result? We belong to the Top 20 among the most corrupt government, according to Transparency International’s survey.

The recent typhoons that hit Northern Luzon magnified the effects of corruption. We had the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) cramming on their feet to cope with the onslaught of emergency calls from all sectors. Even the national capital Manila, rescue equipments were so few, compared with the number of flood victims that needed to be rescued. Evacuation quarters were available, but how would rescuers transport the evacuees over rushing flood-waters? Reflecting from all of these, one can say that what happened was a disaster from the beginning. Ironically, the P50 billion-peso annual budget for NDCC was reduced to P10 M pesos at the time of the disaster.

I’m not saying that other countries are not corrupt. Mostly have their own version of corruption. The difference is – they truly love their country…Love of country is not mere lip service…It must be practiced…

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

We boast of the fact that the IRRI is situated in our country. Why are we importing rice from Vietnam and Thailand? To think that these countries used to send their agriculturists to IRRI, to study and attend trainings on rice research. Now, they are supplying us with the product we taught them to research…

Highest literacy rate in Asia

We used to identify ourselves to have the highest literacy rate in Asia. But where are these bright guys now? Why can’t they solve the endemic corrupt system in the government? Why do we have to send our human resources abroad when they are needed here most?

We’re history. Neighboring ASEAN countries now edged the Philippines in terms of education and literacy rate…Our country is experiencing “brain drain” due to graft and corrupt governance…

Philippine Airlines (PAL)

PAL was once our national flag carrier. We pride ourselves to have PAL as the first airline in Asia. Ironically, PAL is now privatized. Only minimal shares are owned by the government and the rest belong to the Lucio Tan Group of companies and other private shareholders…

Is this our idea of national pride? Selling government properties to private entities because, according to our leaders, management will be better in private hands? Why are we privatizing government properties and businesses in the first place? Isn’t that a government under able hands acquire properties and take over businesses of private entities? Whatever happened to the theory of “Reinventing the Government” by Osborne and Gaebler?

English language proficient

Among Asian countries, we are one of the most proficient, if not the best, to speak and write the English Language, considered as the universal language. in fact, we send our local English teachers to other countries to educate them of the language.

If only our leaders translate this unique skill in following the letters of the law on legal ethics, morality, and nationalism, we can have a better Philippines.

Conclusion

These and other things not mentioned are manifestations of poor governance and corrupt practices. We are a people of versatile skill. Our Overseas Workers are preferred over other nationals because of such traits. We are a people of unique talent. We have the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Charisse Pempengco and Lea Salonga, to name a few, that gave us national pride in their fields of excellence…

We are indeed a nation of ironies and inconsistencies. We have it but we refuse to have it. Its all there all along, but we failed to make use of it. Love of country, that’s the bottomline. If only our leaders will pause for a while, stop thinking of enriching themselves and think of what they could do for their country, we can have a better Filipino nation. They can even declare a national holiday called “love of country day” and spend the whole day thinking or doing things for our beleaguered country, then, presumably, we can better off than today.

We should see opportunity in adversity…We must unite in diversity…This coming elections, our voice will be counted. Let us vote for somebody who loves our country…And let us hope that this somebody files his/her certificate of candidacy…

Thank You for reading at Bottom Lines. I look forward to your return visit.