With some quotes from Boo Chanco
Patience is supposed to be a virtue. But as far as the Filipino people are concerned, it has long been proven that patience is a vice. Patience never got us anywhere through three centuries of Spanish rule, half a century of the Americans and some 60 years with our home grown tyrants.
I am not sure if the pre-Spanish tribesmen in these islands that became the Philippines were naturally patient. But I am almost sure the kind of patience we have today has colonial roots. It was nurtured by the Spaniards and later, the Americans and our Ilustrados to subdue our masa for easier exploitation.
Perhaps our poor are resigned to the realities of their miserable existence. They live by the day and are ready to vote for the source of their next meal.
This should be embarrassing to all of us who take pride in being the only Christian nation in our region. But it isn’t. We, too, are resigned to this fact of life. Hunger and poverty and self-flagellation are in the realm of background noise for most of home-based Pinoys.
There are some 10 million Pinoys abroad and more former OFWs who have absorbed the varied cultures of their adopted communities. They are experiencing the good and bad life in other countries.
These are the people who would thoughtlessly parry criticism about inconveniences and inefficiencies in our country by saying: “This is the Philippines. What do you expect.”
This irresponsible high-handed attitude is shared by many of our overseas countrymen including media practitioners. You can just read broadsheet’s opinion pages.
So, how can the people rid themselves of decades old obstructive “patience” – when even “responsible” media succumbs to irresponsible impatience?
The country needs everyone’s cooperation to erase negative patience and to push significant gains already achieved. Let me name some:
· The high GDP numbers per quarter which can only be achieved by effective economic reforms.
· The increased ranking of the country in the Global competitive Index from 85th place to 65th place.
· The record-breaking growth of Foreign Direct Investments to 2.8 billion dollars, outpacing Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.
· The record-high performances of Philippines Stock Exchange.
· The lowest recorded inflation rate in five years and lower than the average inflation rates in Indonesia, Singapore, India, and Vietnam.
· The Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s conferred investment grade status (BBB-) to the country and the Japan Credit Rating Agency upgraded the country one notch above investment grade (BBB).
Critics may say that all of these achievements in numbers are nothing if the economic growth can't be felt by ordinary Filipinos, yes that's true but the task is not easy as they make it appear. They should not expect the government to give out mansions and jobs directly to anyone who hasn't even gone to school.
Lifting the poor people of our country needs more than just saying the "Erap Para Sa Mahirap" or "Gaganda ang Buhay kay Binay" slogan. It starts with concrete economic plans and patiently doing the right things to implement them.
As the experts have said, it needs at least 10-15 years of sustained GDP at 6% - 7% of the Philippines to make the masses feel the economic growth.
But first, to get to that point we need to support the efforts of the government which are good. When something good is done, we need to support it and drop the opposing political agendas we have. It is the only way to change our decades old patient complacency.
We need to drop crab mentality and give credit where credit is due.
