No greater expression of selflessness

Again, the perennial question: Why does God take good men first and the wicked last?

It is not by chance that an intelligent man like “Sec Jess” has chosen service to others as a life-long mission.

I can’t help but make a stark contrast between the kindness and humility of the secretary and the biggest loan shark in our district. In the guise of helping those in need, she has since built towering edifices and acquired SUVs for all her children—all by the sweat and blood of poor teachers.

The tendency of mortals like us is to bow to the conspicuous dictate of human reason which prefers a bigger share of the pie. But Sec Jess was a man of character, an exception to this common rule—like Jose Abad Santos and Gregorio del Pilar before him.

With the death of Jesse Robredo, the Filipino people have lost not only a great leader, but also a great man who fought against the ills, evils and debauchery of Philippine politics. Leaders are everywhere and are aplenty in human history—Adolf Hitler, Julius Caesar and Joseph Stalin were great leaders. But great men are very few.

Thus, while the mention of Gloria Arroyo or of the RH bill reminds us of the great divide in this impoverished nation, the news about Robredo’s plane crash united a nation seeking its own soul.

Prayers poured for the good secretary. But it is us, rather, who should be prayed for. Whatever reason there is in the mind of God for taking away another man who selflessly dedicated his whole life for the country, I think the answer no longer matters now.

But just like that cosmic Cheshire cat, again, one ray of hope has been shattered. And in the days ahead, we Filipinos will be back to our own self-indulgent ways. Thus, I say, we should instead be praying for our own souls.

We have enough intelligent and brilliant men and women who can design ways to make the poor in this country live happy and contented lives. But we don’t have enough men and women of character. In short, millions among us, including those who are yet to be born, will remain a slave to the harsh reality of our oligarchic and elitist political culture.

The question is not even “how and why” for certainly our political experts have since figured things out. It is not even correct to say that we have to ask God about these things. If our country really matters to us, if we are to “stand and deliver” to express our love for our fellowmen, then, by all means, we have to do what is right.

Former East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta once said that any man who does not love his family cannot be expected to love his country. Indeed, there is no greater hypocrite than a politician who promises heaven to the people when he has only brought tears to his wife.

Jesse Robredo took that ill-fated plane because he wanted to watch his daughter receive a medal. There cannot be any greater expression of selflessness—a father’s love for his child.

—CHRISTOPHER RYAN MABOLOC,

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