Filipinos’ ‘baffling’ attitude: Where is the fire?

In case you didn’t know, Hong Kong citizens are reaping worldwide admiration for the bravery, unity and patriotism they have been displaying for months now against an obstinate government.

Hong Kong citizens, who are, in fact, Chinese, do not want to have anything to do with mainland China when it comes to Hong Kong laws, rights and freedom. And yes, they abhor their leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who is obviously a lapdog of China’s Xi Jinping. Protesting in the streets is the way Hong Kong citizens want to let their feelings known — to demand the absolute withdrawal of an extradition bill, the immediate resignation of Lam, and the release and exoneration of arrested protesters, among other demands.

Still, it’s funny to think that what the Hong Kong government is being accused of right now is nothing compared to what the Philippine government has done and is continuously doing. Yet here we are, Filipinos, letting our own government do silly things on a daily basis, allowing our leaders to mock our Constitution and our laws time and again, and all these being done right in front of our eyes. Yet we lie down comfortably in our homes and sit idly in front of our monitor and keyboard, unperturbed.

Since 2016, our government has had a soft stance toward China on the West Philippine Sea dispute, despite getting a favorable international arbitral ruling. Our government likewise keeps mum on sightings of Chinese naval base construction, illegal fishing, coral poaching and warships lurking in our territorial waters. What about the gas-rich Recto Bank being used as collateral for a $62-million loan agreement with China? Add to that the influx of Chinese workers into our country due to the loosely regulated Philippine offshore gaming operators.

To top it all, our government had a surprisingly dismissive take on the sinking of a Philippine boat by a Chinese ship in the West Philippine Sea, and with the Filipino boat thereafter abandoned by the Chinese vessel, instead of rescuing the distressed Filipino fishermen.

These things are not just conjecture or baseless fears. These things are actually happening, and their implications seem irreversible. It’s tough that a foreign nation like China is being given royal treatment, to the detriment of Filipino citizens.
But then again, we Filipinos lie down comfortably and sit idly by while all these are happening. Baffling, isn’t it?

Is it because we, as a nation, have become sick and tired of another people’s revolution? Or maybe we do not like the alternative, the so-called “dilawan” faction? Or perhaps the majority of Filipinos really like what the Duterte administration is doing,
and the minority is just being loud and whiny?

This has to be the biggest conundrum in Philippine history.

OLIVER CACHAPERO JR.,
[email protected]