Ms Solita Monsod posed the question in her “Glory and shame in 2018” column (12/29/18): “Do you think [President Duterte] has brought glory to the Philippines, or shame?”
I must say that, like the magician who has a bagful of tricks, this President can dig deep into his pocket for trashy, shameless utterances, the latest of which was about molesting a maid in his youth. This to me is one of the most outrageous stories to come from him. Here we are trying to dignify the livelihood of a domestic helper by calling them “kasambahay,” not “utusan” or “alila,” and trying to secure their future by giving them SSS protection.
And what does our President do? Debase them with his narrative about turning a human being into an animal that can be played and toyed around with.
Like other utterances meant to move those who hear him into emulating his mindset and methods, the President’s story can have grave consequences. We can expect more domestic helper molestations not only here but also abroad, just as the extrajudicial killings and murders of politicians, priests and journalists; disrespect for the female sex; and bullying by those in authority and more have increased.
Where is the outrage, like that shown toward the student bully of a prestigious school? What, no outrage when the highest official in the land pronounces he has molested a maid? What a shame!
REYNALDO PEREZ, Quezon City