Good things we can do for the country

This is a continuation of my column on the book 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country by Alexander L. Lacson.

No. 6 is “Do not litter. Dispose of your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.” We see this, even among the so-called educated Filipinos – people throwing litter from their cars, or leaving their food wrappers on benches, or just scattering them on the streets. We seem not to have a notion of community or civic duty. What is important for us is the family and friends; what about the community beyond the front yard of the house, and the country that surrounds us?

When you shop, do not ask for plastic bags if you already have a wrapper for the goodies you bought. If you use plastic, recycle: turn them into garbage bags at home.

No. 7 is “Support your church.” I do not know about you, but I still go to church, and when I do, I give money – not coins – as an offering. The Church is not the enemy – the enemy is hypocrisy, whether of the churchgoer or the atheist, as Pope Francis just reminded us the other day.

No. 8 is “During elections, do your solemn duty.” Listen to Mr. Lacson: “If we have bad leaders today and in the past, it is not the fault of the many who know less, but the fault of the few who know more but who do nothing, or who don’t do enough.” COMELEC records show this. In electoral precincts of the rich communities, the voters’ turnout is always dismal, while in the precincts of the poor communities, the voter turnout is astronomically high. Dr. Jose Rizal said it eloquently more than 100 years ago: “It is enough for good people to do nothing, for the evil ones to succeed.”

Many years ago, I read the late Miriam Defensor Santiago’s book, The Cutting Edge of Philippine Politics. Funny, caustic and true, the book said that you know you are a winning candidate when messengers come to you, offering bribes – er, bearing gifts. One day, in God’s own good time, I will write a book of “fiction” about the gifts offered to me beginning in November of 2009 – to join a big political party, or not to run anymore for this or that political position. The so-called gifts included cold cash – P30 million – enough for me to retire in the US. The offer was delivered to my condo in green duffel bags at night. The political operators text you at night, call you at night, bring the money at night. It is always done at night, also the time when bats come out of their lairs. I politely turned it down.

In my mind, I remember two things. One is the law of karma, which said I might have five condo units but what if I lose my eyesight? One of the dictator Marcos’ former ministers died blind, another died painfully. The strongman himself died of lupus erythematosus, which meant he was being eaten up from the inside – desiccated – by something that billions of pesos could not cure.

Rule 9 is “Pay your employees well.” When I was managing a bakeshop 20 years ago, I made sure all the workers were paid the minimum wage and had social security. I once resigned from a magazine when I learned that they were paying me top rates but were paying their workers just half the minimum wage. The rule with money is that the more you share it, the more it will grow.

Rule 10 is “Pay your taxes.” We who belong to the middle classes have our taxes automatically withheld every payday. I know of doctors, businessmen, and lawyers – with houses bigger than mine and vehicles newer than ours – who pay taxes of, what, P10,000 every year? I paid almost half a million pesos last year, enough to buy a small car, and my rich friends paid something less than the cost of a Botox injection. As Shakespeare would put it: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

Rule 11 is “Adopt a scholar, or adopt a poor child.” Sending poor, bright kids to school is still the best. Pool resources with your friends to send money to the parents or the school principal, so the poor but bright students could go to high school. It doesn’t take a lot to send kids to public high schools. That, for my money, gives more pleasure than buying another pair of Blahniks.

National Book Store has a project that allows you to buy notebooks in their stores, to be given away to public school students. There are ways and ways, and I am telling you, this is good for your karma and your heart as well.

And the last, rule 12: “Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and to love our country.” I have an adopted kid and I raised my nephew as well, and I tell them to follow their teacher, know the rules of the school, and be kind to their classmates. But if their classmates bully them, or their teacher is unfair – then, give them hell. By this, I mean argue with them until they see the justness of your argument. I also bring them to museums for kids, after which they go home truly happy. Much better than another day at the mall.

I have received lots of e-mail regarding Mr. Lacson’s important book. The book is available at National Book Store – a book that may be small in size, but is nevertheless full of heart. Read on.

Comments can be sent to [email protected]. “Remoto Control” goes on air at Radyo 5, 92.3 News FM, from Monday to Friday at 7-9 p.m. It goes on air at 9 p.m. on PBA nights. Livestream at www.news5.com.ph and Facebook Live at radyo singko 92.3 news FM fan page.