The silly question of ‘ambag’

Never in the history of our country has the question of one’s “ambag” or contribution to society been so frequently asked than today. Yes, even President Duterte, in his address to the nation last April 17, couldn’t help but ask his critics what they have supposedly done for the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

First and foremost, it is our duty as responsible citizens not only to call for the cooperation of our countrymen to follow the quarantine guidelines, but also to call out the government for its incompetence and insensitivity to the plight of the masses.

It is silly to ask about one’s contribution to the fight against COVID-19 just because that citizen has chosen to speak out. Being silent in face of a grave public health crisis only gives the impression that nothing needs to be done and the Duterte administration is on top of the situation, even as medical frontliners are dying due to lack of protective equipment and the poor are going hungry waiting for economic relief.

Also, it would be impossible to quantify the contributions of people to society without a more centralized economic planning structure where their labor and talent are directed toward national development and progress. In fact, the government’s ineffective response to this pandemic can be attributed to its strict adherence to neoliberalism, which places us at the mercy of private corporations. Indeed, Mr. Duterte could learn a thing or two from Vietnam and Cuba.

Instead of asking “Ano ba’ng ambag mo?” I think we should ask ourselves: What can we do to build a better society where everyone will have an opportunity to contribute according to his or her capacity, and have access to health care and all other basic social services?

Daniel Aloc
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