I have had enough of the promises made by the government. I do not understand why they cannot get things done. My pet peeve right now is the NAIA-3 Terminal which began more than five years ago. I am sure another “corrupt” deal took place somewhere down the road – like always. That is why several parties involved are gnashing their teeth to get some form of justice. Hay naku! Just goes to show how corrupt our countrymen in government are. What is sad is that our President is not lifting a finger to fight this problem. She continues to give instructions left and right to her men to resolve problems. Handing down the problems to the hands of the Ombudsman or the Supreme Court will not do. Madame, take some action for once. Do not leave such critical issues to your men. Show us your grit!
I get so depressed whenever I go to any of our Philippine airports. Kawawa naman tayo! This is what our government has done. It has stripped us of our dignity as Pinoys. C’mon! Ace Durano you know the problem – why not make a stand and fix it! How can you sell the Philippines and boast about WOW! Philippines when our airports suck? We need good airports if we intend to attract more tourists to visit our country.
The sad part is that most government bigwigs who travel at least 3 to 6 times a year do not get to see and experience the real condition of the airports. Why? They do not go through the areas that the masa passes through. Instead they are welcomed in the VIP room of the airport that is quite a contrast from the ‘pigpen’ outside. A room only fit for the kings huh? Yes, that is exactly how we Pinoys feel – we are being enslaved by our government. You make us work hard, pay taxes doubly increased with the E-VAT a few years back thinking our basic services and infrastructure would improve, but to date nothing has changed. You have stripped us of our pride. You continue to cheat, steal and lie to us. How dare you! And mind you the Ramos and Estrada governments have contributed to this deterioration. They should be blamed as well. So, if I were Erap I would stop dreaming of becoming President again.
A few weeks ago I went to Vietnam with a group of friends from work. I have never been to Vietnam but heard so many good things about her. I recall my father telling me that I must visit Vietnam and see how the communist-based government is making a difference in that country. In fact, he said that he had many Filipino friends who have already moved their companies from the Philippines to Vietnam. He told me to closely observe how Vietnam will soon overtake the Philippines. And to this day, even after his death, his words proved to be true. Indeed, Vietnam is growing. It is developing so rapidly that I am afraid the Philippines will lag behind her very soon.
As we landed in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), we were greeted by a beautiful and modern airport. Super talaga! I was dumb-founded and in total disbelief that the airport is 100 times better than ours. Even their customs and immigration officers were all young and pleasant. The baggage claim area was so organized with brand new trolleys, signs to guide visitors properly, flowers and greens all around. The restaurants are clean and smell fresh unlike the one at the NAIA which is full of stench (yes, the one located at the third floor of NAIA). Their duty-free shops are so full of goodies. The restrooms are hi-tech and clean quite a contrast from our filthy ones. And mind you, they are building a better airport. They surely give importance and priority to their travelers and tourists.
If our airports continue to be the way they are in all parts of the country – I surely cannot understand then, how government officials especially GMA, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano and DFA Secretary Romulo can still present themselves or look straight into the eyes of our foreign visitors and diplomats. Don’t they have any shame? I guess ganoon na kamanhid (thick-skinned) sila. We have no political will whatsoever – don’t tell me they have no power and influence to do anything about it.
As we went around Ho Chi Minh city, I was even more impressed. The streets are clean, the parks are well kept, even the WC (comfort rooms) around the city are tidy. The food was delicious and always served by respectful and friendly waiters and waitresses. You see building and road constructions everywhere. No dilapidated or rundown infrastructures in sight. The architecture is very much influenced by the French. Shopping malls are well organized. The motorbikes in the main streets are a sight to behold. In their museums, you can see how they have preserved their culture and how proud they are of their history and what they have become.
Vietnam was under Chinese control for a thousand years before becoming a nation-state in the 10th century. Dynasties had flourished long before it was colonized by the French. In the mid-20th century when the French were finally expelled, the nation was left divided politically into two countries (North and South Vietnam). The Americans tried to break the strong communist forces but the agility and wit of the guerilla army during the infamous Vietnam War proved the communist victory in 1975.
From being a war torn nation, once politically isolated, Vietnam has finally entered into diplomatic relations with other nations. With its strong commitment in rebuilding the country, its economic growth had been rated among the highest in the world in the past decade. In 2007, Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization and in 2008 has become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Way to go! That just spells out political will – which we have lost somewhere down the road.
If Vietnam was able to rise after their fall, why can’t we? I guess greed has taken over our system. As a result, we are destroying our country instead of building it. Actually, we do not need to listen to more promises. What we need now is commitment. Does anyone in public service have it?
