Decentralizing

It was quite a pang in my ears when I heard a colleague from Baguio telling me that we were the same, we were both from the province. Really?

To add salt to the wound, she stressed on how backwards both cities are compared to the already bustling Metro Manila. She wished there would be more progress in both our cities, so we would be more like Manila, it's booming. At the back of my mind I was thinking, the progress she referred to would have meant more traffic, more people, less jobs, less opportunities. If I could just talk back, I would have said "no, thanks." But out of courtesy I kept my mouth shut and listened to what she said.

The concept of regionalism has never been erased even if we have a new President who is from Mindanao. There is still this notion that those who come from the capital region have the edge among others, because they are after all, at the center of all. They think that those who are not trying out their luck in Manila have less in compensation, knowledge and skills. Their basis would include their high-rise buildings, businesses and the never-ending development that seem to stay in one area.

The Philippines has more than 7,000 islands; all with the potential of harnessing a great market if done right. There is beauty in the many islands that we have, with people all willing to work hand in hand. The problem now is that everything is still at the national level. There is no movement if no approval from the national offices, as if they know everything. We are faced with a reality that those who are far from the center receive less in terms of budget and attention. Even the poorest barangays are found in the furthest areas.

Debunking the norm is quite a challenge for us Cebuanos but we have managed. A couple of our fellowmen has made it to the map in the different areas of their expertise. But no, we are not trying to compete against the center. It is just a message saying, "we can also do what we can." I do not see any difference between people from different regions, except for the languages that we speak. Why is there always a negative notion when a Bisaya-speaking person is in Manila? The typical stereotype is that they are made for blue-collared jobs, and that Dodong and Inday are terms for modern-day slaves. I beg to disagree, please. The Cebuano language has terms and endearments according to age.

They will never appreciate the entirety of the nation if all eyes are fixed on imperial Manila and the elites. The entirety which speaks for the beauty of the cultures cut across regions is a must for every Filipino to see, but it is often shelved to mind-setting that it is only in the north where progress is. I have always believed that we are one and the same, a people housed in the country we call the Philippines. History tells us how we have lost our concept of oneness, hero after hero fighting for one's agenda. The same rabid cycle goes on until today, we see politicians switching sides to their advantage.

With the new wind breathing through the new leadership, I guess it is time to reassess our positions in the society, or if there is really a need to be superior because we come from whatever city. If there is a perfect time to unite it should be now, while the oligarchs are shunned away for the next six years. Well, six years could be just a number. Who knows, we can drastically decentralize our mindsets for the time being.