People can't blame the government for everything
The natural tendency of irresponsible people is to blame the government for every disaster, accident, and problem, even their own poverty. They do not realize they partly create the problems or complicate it by refusing to become part of the solutions. The government cannot do everything, it is not God. It cannot control all events, prevent all disasters, avoid all accidents. The people have a major role to play, and a lot to contribute. A mature nation is not a finger-pointing nation. It is a nation with one goal. A nation of hard-working, persevering people. As we start 2018, we need to ponder on all these.
If someone is born poor, it is not his fault. But if he dies poor, it is his fault. Manny Pangilinan, Manny Villar, and Manny Pacquiao were born poor, but look at them now. They are billionaires. Why blame the government if you are poor yet beget ten or twelve children and create social problems on housing, public health, education and unemployment, and traffic? You cannot blame the government for the mountains of garbage when the people themselves throw trash anywhere and everywhere.
Poor jobless people usually pressure their hardworking relatives to lend them money. They drink by the roadside even early in the morning. They gamble, smoke, do nothing to gain knowledge or skills, and they have the gall to badmouth the government for the high unemployment and underemployment rates. When they are given work, they complain about hard working conditions when all they can do is manual labor. They demand high pay and benefits, driving investors away and exacerbating unemployment. They never accept they are part of the problem. They create the problems and do nothing to seek solutions.
I was the eldest son of a very poor couple who had 18 children. Due to poverty ten of my siblings died. I left our mountain village at 12 and worked as a cargador, houseboy, janitor, and working student. I became a lawyer at 24, employed by San Miguel Corp., Petron, and Pepsi Cola. I was appointed by the president as labor arbiter at 27, and as Undersecretary of DOLE on my own merits, without any political backing. I was deployed as a diplomat to three countries, and shared my life story to OFWs who found inspiration in my hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. I neither blame the government nor credit it for what I have achieved. I take responsibility for my own life and destiny. This country cannot achieve greatness by finger-pointing but by becoming responsible.
I have sent all my five kids to quality universities. They are now on their own. I have acquired assets and improved my net worth. I am sending some scholars to schools now. I have proven that each one should take responsibility for his own fortune. No one else will, not even the government. In 2018, let us all start being responsible. Let us create solutions, not problems.
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