Overindulgent use of ‘poor’
It is only fitting for churchmen to speak of the poor per se as a reflection of their way of life or in sympathy with the poor. Quite differently, people from other nations and cultures are discreet in using the word “poor” in their everyday language, it being understood by them as a scourge or something to be ashamed of.
In this country, however, Filipinos have become overindulgent in using the term—either as a noun or as an adjective—maybe not in its real sense but as a tool to drive home a point promoting a hidden agenda.
“Erap para sa mahirap” and “Kung walang kurap walang mahirap” are the battle cries of politicians who get their message across—unwarranted they may be, to the frustration of the poor who remain poor, or become even poorer during the watch of these politicians.
No matter, we, readers and listeners, await the twists and turns of word power but not without the conditional “if” (whether or not) the main issues, in addition to the Priority Development Assistance Fund, the Development Acceleration Program and other pork barrel scams, are tackled and answered.
—LOURDES OBEN SANTOS,
