This first week of December, Christmas should be in the air – but not this year, apparently.
The reason is all too plain and simple: no matter where we turn, we Filipinos are confronted with the awful reality that life for the ordinary “masa” is still “isang kahig, isang tuka.”
Not to mention the ever-snowballing revelations and counter-revelations that only confirms what the people have decried for far too long: that this country has been robbed again and again and again by corrupt (which isn’t even strong a word) public officials.
We see the ultimate results of unfettered greed: in the high prices of basic goods and commodities, in the everyday struggle of the ordinary Filipinos just to get to work and school and back to their homes safe, in the continuing stream of natural calamities that has totally exhausted the Filipinos’ capacity for resilience.
Let’s face the truth: the Filipino is too tired.
Too tired to even find a reason to celebrate the holidays.
Too tired to even go through all the traditions and customs that now seemed to be just another burden rather than a way of “paying back” the blessings of the past year.
And when the people are too tired, this is when our officials should tremble in fear.
For deep inside the tired populace is anger – just anger and frustration and rage.
Rage – that is the apt word to describe the feelings right now. The series of protest actions in the past few months are an indication of how fatigue, ironically, is fueling the concerted message of the people: Tama na, sobra na, palitan na.
Perhaps this Christmas, all these feelings of rage may be subdued, tempered as we gather once again to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, whose coming holds the promise of redeeming mankind from sin and death.
But we must also remember this: Jesus Christ also raged against corruption and injustice.
The rage against corruption may be tempered by the holidays, but it will never be extinguished as long as we are confronted by the everyday consequences.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonEditorial