Bahala na kayo country

 I can now say that there is much truth to what the apostle James said about our tongue giving life to words. When Mar Roxas and P-Noy used the words Bahala Na….it did not take long before Netizens began connecting the phrase to real life situations in the Philippines. At the very least it is a testimony to the political wit and creativity of Filipinos and in terms of what is written in the book of James, it is proof that what we utter can sometimes form a life of its own.

Mar Roxas does not hold claim to being the author or originator of the term “Bahala na kayo sa buhay ninyo.” It is a common phrase of exasperation expressed mostly by elders or leaders to hardheaded people who insist on doing things their way. It is also a phrase used for exasperated surrender. In modern English its: “Whatever,” “You’re on your own,” “Your head not mine.”  Now it is used to portray the absence of leadership, government, or order in our country under the P-Noy administration or under one of his cabinet members.

So if you want to take the risk of being robbed or shot while watching a movie or doing Christmas shopping…Bahala na kayo sa buhay n’yo. If you dare to risk riding a taxi all by yourself…Bahala na kayo sa buhay n’yo. If you ride a bus and it falls off the Skyway Bahala na kayo sa buhay n’yo… If a super typhoon like Haiyan/Yolanda or a mega earthquake hits Metro Manila….yes, Bahala na kayo sa buhay ninyo because in truth our government does not have the adequate resources, personnel or trained leadership to deal with it. So P-Noy was right when he said: Bahala na si Lord sa inyo!              

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It would be so funny if it were not seriously bad.

I refer to the growing number of “games” that Netizens have created on Facebook, all of them poking fun at President Noynoy Aquino and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas. These “games” associate P-Noy and Roxas with recent incidents such as the robbery at SM North Edsa and the tragic accident involving the Don Mariano Bus that flew off the Skyway.

One “game” suggests “What are the Top 10 reasons” why P-Noy and Mar went to SM North EDSA after the Martilyo Gang robbery: There was a Super Sale, he was misinformed about a Super typhoon in the Mall, his PR agency wanted him to look like he cares, Mar needed a new yellow shirt, P-Noy needed a haircut, Walang magawa so pa Malling Malling lang, P-Noy was hoping on a chance meeting with Grace Lee, P-Noy forgot to buy a Christmas gift for sister Kris.

Then there is the “Spot the Pres. and DILG Sec. in the photo” featuring the Don Mariano bus that flipped off the Skyway. Viewers are invited to try and see if they can spot or find P-Noy and Mar Roxas at the scene of the accident just like they were at the mall robbery.

Add to that the game of “word association” as in associating serious situations or problems with the phrase “Bahala na kayo sa buhay niyo” or “Bahala na si Lord sa inyo,” thus resulting in the evolution of a new faction in Malacañang aside from the Balay and the Samar group. Now we also have the BNG or the “Bahala Na Gang.” This Christmas season expect to pick up some one-liners that are worthy of being film festival material:

“I don’t need to be debriefed from Typhoon Yolanda, I need debriefing from dumb and dumber.”

“Ang Kailangan namin ay Ama ng bayan hindi Amo ng bayan.”

“Man of Steel, pusong bato.”

“They are trying to undo what they failed to do.”

As I pointed out, many people with a sense of humor might find the quips and creative puns amusing or funny, except that this development has a very serious signal beneath it all: Disrespect.

It is one thing to be criticized it is another to become the butt of jokes. Between love and hate a leader can always say that somewhere, somehow he is recognized as significant. But when people who have no political color or alliance decide to write you off as comic material, it is safe to assume that respect has been thrown out the window. Unfortunately games and jokes are far more efficient at trivializing leaders and institutions. This is how they slowly but surely gnawed away at the presidency of Erap Estrada and unless P-Noy acknowledges the frustration of people, the disrespect will surely grow.

He can brush this all away or ignore them but in the shadow and legacy cast by his parents Ninoy and Cory, it would be wise for the President to consider that his attitude and not the way he handled Typhoon Yolanda will ultimately define his presidency.

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The most recent “flying bus” incident that killed so many passengers serves to remind us that whatever was done to manage or regulate buses in Metro Manila was not enough and very short lived. To put it more bluntly “ningas cogon” or brush fire efforts on the part of the LTFRB which failed to stop the many ill practices in the public transport industry.

For all their radio and TV appearances, the LTFRB has failed to put a stop to “straight set” driving where taxi drivers most especially, drive for 24 hours straight. Some admit actually falling asleep behind the wheel. From what I picked up from the news the Don Mariano bus driver had been driving all night and was on his second or third run.

For months the news has been peppered with features about cab drivers using chemicals to knock out female passengers but if the LTFRB inspected cabs they would find many cabs with no handles for the window riser, thus preventing passengers from opening windows. There is no acceptable reason for operators and drivers to remove those handles because that violates safety codes, but they do and the LTFRB has never highlighted that. So here we are again after 18 to 20 people confirmed dead the LTFRB once again says they will clamp down on the violators. Perhaps someone in the Senate or Congress should do the same thing to the LTFRB.

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