JRI Orion Batch 1963: A Comic Political Satire

Friday, June 5, 2009

A Comic Political Satire

This and that:

Thanks, Jo, for stirring me up.

5 comments:

Pilar Villegas Cuevas said...: Hi Hi Hi Hi Its funny.; June 5, 2009 at 6:45 PM
ErnestoDR said...: So they become official thieves! And nobody has the guts to catch them!
Where are the Police?
Oh, I remember the police are in their payroll.
Philippines, My Philippines!; June 6, 2009 at 1:05 PM
orionjri said...: We jest, Colonel, make jokes of it because the political reality about our government is just too tragic. We who can watch from a relatively safe distance can see, compare and moan bitterly about the moral and economic devastation now ravishing our country but we do so in vain.

They who are there, HAVE TO live it, generally either as willing and opportunistic participants, or quiet but helpless dissenters who can only hope against hope that someday, somehow someone will come and rescue the homeland. There are variant groups of course from either end of the spectrum. There are token loud opposers but given the chance, most of these opposers will do exactly the same. Greed is a persuasive motivator.

I would dare say that we of the Batch try our best to preserve the precious values we were blest to have been nurtured with and the deep love and pride with which we held our country, try our darnest to pass them on to our offsprings and those after them, hoping with all our hearts that somehow the very specialness that once made our homeland the pearl of the orient will live on. But I also dare say that this personal battle is getting tougher.

It is a sad indeed for our country that bravery is now renamed BRIBERY and decency THIEVERY.

No longer "Panatang Makabayan" but "Magkano and Lagayan".

Oh by the way, I heard that there are more instant multimillionaires in the country as a result of the current political move to change our form of government. Is that really so?

P.S. This affliction is of course not the sole domain of the Philippines. It is a global epidemic. It is just that for us who are residents of foreign countries, it does not strike at the very heart of us as it does where the Philippines, our home is concerned.; June 6, 2009 at 7:47 PM
ErnestoDR said...: Yes, Ms Orion JRI, we jest, we make fun of the tragic condition besetting our country! From a distance, we can only sigh and moan bitterly, and hope that someday Superman or Rambo will come to save the Phil. Ironically, the joke is also on us, because our roots are there!
You know with what nationalistic fervor I still got, it pains me to watch Sodom and Gomorrah on fire. There is something in me that yearns for a change. Pardon my being dramatic about it.
Graft and corruption in the Phil. has always been a subject of discussion in many fora I have attended. And every time I heard that, I always posed the question, "What are you doing about it?" and I could not get any definitive answer.
Knowing the problem is one, doing nothing about it is worse! This problem has to be faced squarely and courageously by all Filipinos. No one should remain a fence-sitter.
We all know it is systemic and structural, that a change in leader does not necessarily bring about change unless he/she is a person with good heart and soul.
What is important is that corrupt officials should be investigated, prosecuted and punished. Everyone has to be vigilant. Money stolen from the government is money stolen from the people especially the poor.
If the problem are the corrupt officials, we cannot leave the solutions to those officials. People have to come together in unity to combat this evil. They shouldn't be caught sleeping on this. They cannot be passive and uncaring.
While it is true that this problem afflicts other countries too, the main difference is that their system of putting the culprits to justice works, our judges are crooks themselves.
As it seems, the solutions lies in the hands of the people! Mind you, I am not suggesting revolution!
My fervent prayer is that we Filipinos truly live up to our Faith --- love of God and love of neighbors!
I enjoy reading your reactions, and admire your eloquence!
Please write more! Thanks!; June 9, 2009 at 2:53 AM
orionjri said...: Wow,Colonel, I'm gobsmacked with pleasure to read your comment, so much so that this blogger is now in danger of being catapulted from the bowels of dramatic despair into the stratosphere of absurdity.

Got me thinking what we, The Batch, could do to address our country's woeful situation. I have a suggestion, no, make it a brilliant idea:

How about, our leader, Mike, take on the helm of the government and you,the defence of the country from both internal and external enemies? Luz, Jo, Emma,Larps and others, can handle the media, Rizalino and Terry the natural resources. Ernie S and Aida the churches. Come to think of it, the batchers can well handle the duties as heads of various government offices. They will have the uncompromising integrity so lacking nowadays. And perhaps I may be allowed to take care of the Central Bank. If there is any gold bullions reserve left in the national vaults, I would like to know how it feels to sit on them. I promise on scouts' honour, not to ship them to Barbados nor to convert them into fancy jewelry.

Pardon the ravings of this certifiable loony. I am still wiping bitter tears off my kitchen floor as I have just heard that the Philippine government has just announced a bigger budget (guess where much of that will go); that a House resolution is calling for amendments to the Constitution (guess for whose benefit that will be); that a most honorable government official could be the first Prime Minister soon or at the very least, run for the House of Rep and by winning, create the biggest political clan in the country. The Gilded Mob seems to expand as fast as the Universe does.

Can a revolutionary movement be peacefully carried out? Who will lead the campaign for change? Who will have the financial, intellectual, political, strategic means, infrastructure and unassailable moral fortitude to lead this campaign?

Can you realistically see the situation changing for the better? Looking back from the time of our childhood, has the Philippines ever been at any stage better?; June 9, 2009 at 8:58 AM