Poor in spirit, mired in poverty

Boo Chanco quoted passages in an essay written by Ninoy Aquino in 1981:  “[W]e are a nation of traumatic contrasts… a few are spectacularly rich while the masses remain abjectly poor; a land consecrated to democracy but run by an entrenched plutocracy… a republic dedicated to equality but mired in an archaic system of caste.”

What is happening to our country? While neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and

Indonesia are well on their way to progress, we continue to lag behind. What has hindered us from going the way of more progressive neighbors?

Perceptive writers have given their views about this. Dr. Lourdes Carandang, in her book “The Filipino Family Surviving the World,” says “[O]ur children see adults in high positions who they are supposed to respect and look up to as role models do wrong but are not punished. In fact, they do not even admit that they are wrong. They show little remorse and deny their wrongdoing. Wrongdoers are not punished but are even rewarded at times.”  Conrado de Quiros agrees with Carandang, adding that we find no compelling need for retribution to follow crime, “which in the end makes us victims of the culture of impunity.”

F. Sionil Jose is more specific in identifying the factors that make us who we are. He believes “[I]t is poverty which has forced so many to steal… also hypocrisy which is inherent in Filipino relationships… pakikisama wherein we do not ostracize the corrupt, and even cowardice… all of which basically obstruct the creation of a just society.”

American writer and journalist James Fallows sums it up: We have a damaged culture. Perhaps the efforts and influences of our significant institutions—the family, school and the church—have not been enough.

Consider the family. Do parents still find time to remind their young about the virtues of honesty, hard work, fair play, sharing and helping others?

Aside from teaching good manners and right conduct, are our schools imparting to our youth the tenets of good citizenship: responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, so that when they are called to serve in government or work as private citizens, they may be relied upon to do what is right?

And the church? Should it not focus more on instilling Christian values, less on ritualistic practices? Was Nick Joaquin speaking the truth when he said: “The Christian Filipino winces when he hears his country described as the only Christian nation in the Far East. He looks around, sees only greed, graft, vileness and violence. Questioning the value of religious instruction, he sneers, is this Christianity?”

—OSCAR “KA OCA” SANTOS,

chairman emeritus,

Coconut Industry Reform (COIR) Movement Inc.

[email protected]