“What’s happening to our country, General?”

In a world of social and economic conflicts, where the cost of living has become too high, it is extremely hard to be at peace or happy. There have been too many killings and every community is being threatened by drugs and summary executions. Every day we count victims, drug suspects, anti-drug authorities, policemen, lawyers, judges, and prosecutors killed in broad daylight and before the eyes of the community. While the government has been relentless in its drug war, drug-induced killings still seem to occur with alarming frequency.

The environment is dirty and nature had been ravaged. The seas, lakes and rivers polluted. Potable water is scarce and expensive. Trees are few and the forests denuded. Global warming is causing floods and many weather incongruities make life unbearable especially for those in squatter colonies. Nature is on a rampage of revenge against man. And yet, man can never be outdone in his recklessness. Garbage is scattered everywhere and diseases are becoming endemic. People spit and urinate anywhere and still nobody cares.

Government does not care for the people, and the people hate the government. Public officials steal millions from public coffers, and these demagogues and rascals insist on being called “honorable.” Politicians transform public offices into their private moneymaking mechanisms. Family dynasties transform the provinces, cities, and municipalities into virtual family corporations. The father is the mayor, the wife the congresswoman, the son the number one councilor, and the daughter the vice mayor. The SK chairman is the eldest grandson, and the barangay captain is the son-in-law. These shameless trapos appear on national TV as if they are God's gifts to the people with divine rights of kings. Some of them have pending plunder cases yet still try to hide under the highly anomalous Aguinaldo Doctrine.

They demand taxpayers pay honestly and on time, so that they shall have public funds to rob. Congressmen and mayors connive with contractors and suppliers to rig public biddings in preparation for the next elections. And elections are nothing but a mockery of democracy. Votes are sold to the highest bidders. Rascals and scoundrels win against the truly deserving who cannot match gold with gold, guns with guns, and goons with goons. The way we hold our elections is like the way we choose barangay beauty queens, by means of money. Even the ugliest can win over the prettiest if she has more money. And so, politicians will never serve the people because they bought their positions from the people.

“What is happening to our country, General?” This was asked by the late vice president Emmanuel Pelaez when ambushed in Muntinlupa. The general should have answered: “The country is going to the dogs, sir,” and we should all be ashamed of ourselves.