Comic flair

In a world where we are bombarded with grave problems, issues, and concerns that we reach to a point that we feel choked and cannot anymore breathe, we want to surrender. Giving up is for some the only viable alternative to end such sufferings. Day by day, we are confronted with so many major concerns, seemingly insurmountable, that we think of yielding. And depending on the level of one's flexibility, relatively, one can respond to problems so calmly while others can also respond so heavily.

And think of one who is not only attending to personal concerns but also of others-the entire country. This would be something that puts one in gargantuan task. Take one who has to face national major issues like poverty and national security. When one would look after the security of the entire country's population, he must be overwhelmed. And that is why one really has to think of some coping mechanisms to put things on a bearable state without losing sight of the gravity of the issues at hand.

During the State of the Nation Address when President Duterte passed by Senator Leila de Lima, who has strong opposition to how the president is handling his campaign against drug problem, shook her hands has somehow provided a relief of the tension between them. That was an unexpected move from the president that also made the audience smile.

Such in the case of our claim over the South China Sea, and though we have already the exclusive sovereign rights per the decision of the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal but still doesn't give us the final relief as China refused to heed the decision. And during his meeting with the former presidents regarding national security, this is something that one would expect for an environment of extreme formality and statesmanship. And considering one former president has, in one way or another, issues with the other president, one would expect some moments of awkwardness.

President Duterte provided an air of relief to break an atmosphere of formality. Cracking jokes at some point to break the long and formal discussion of the matter. This is one characteristic of this president that would break the monotony.

As Filipinos, this unique characteristic has proven to be our instrument to combat successive and severe challenges in our lives. Our miseries are taken to a level where we combat them with a light heart. And in a way would make us still in contact with our sanity. We still find a way to treat every challenging moment as a way of challenging both our resoluteness and flexibility as a people. We have survived natural and man-made disasters. We managed to smile and laugh despite what we have been through.

An ordinary Filipino looks at a trying time in a different way-viewing life in a sympathetic dimension. One would regard it in a positive and optimistic manner. If one would think too deeply about the problems, it would only get one down and stop him from doing anything - or make one wants to leave. 

Cracking jokes can be a remedy to offset the awkwardness that is already there. It's a defense mechanism, without a doubt, but it helps. It helps one to get through those uncomfortable moments like a loss of a loved one, strained relationships and many others. That instead of dwelling on unfortunate pasts, we would rather regard them as lessons for moving on.