The Philippine Online Chronicles

As individuals, we are defined by our choices.  By the books we read, by the food we eat, by the stuff we shop for, by the friends we hang around with, and the idols we choose to emulate.  That’s why any parent worth his spurs is on his guard making sure his young sons and daughters do not fall into bad company and get exposed to questionable influences.  You must surely remember the injunction we have been brain-washed with since we first learned how to walk and talk– the “tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are” la-di-dah.

As a people, we are defined by our collective fortunes, our collective action, our collective image to the world.  And yes, our collective choices.

The Philippines is an underdeveloped country.  More precisely, we are an underdeveloped country always on the verge of an economic take off always eventually – and almost laughably if it were not so pathetic -- aborted by some episode or another. That is our collective fortune.  Or misfortune.

Filipinos are hospitable, friendly and warm.    We are infinitely adaptable – swaying this way and that like the proverbial bamboo.  That is our collective image to the world. Or at least the good side of our collective face that bears both pretty and ugly features.

Filipinos are patient but not when that patience is stretched too far (another fine aspect to our sweet-sour image).  EDSA (People Power) 1 and 2 are a testament to how that patience could break.  And break magnificently. Our collective show of impatience – I like to call it a collective tantrum -- led to the Pinoy taking things into their own hands and to the eventual ousting of leaders that taxed their patience far too long and too hard.  Yes, the two EDSA’s are two shining moments that defined us well and beautifully as a people.<

But unfortunately, we are also defined by the lessons we refuse to learn.

The euphoria of EDSA 1 and 2 both is short-lived.  After the euphoria, we pick up the pieces.  One always hopes that that among the bits and shards picked up are a lesson or two.  Or are we so enamored with people power uprisings that we would choose to make mistakes again and again so we could stage another peaceful coup and still another?

Perhaps it will be good to be reminded we are also defined by the people we elect to office.  Our collective choices

And defined too by the value we attach to electing them – the oh-so-crucial process of choosing the names we would write down on the ballot sheet.

Crucial because, after all, these people whose names we write will eventually determine our collective fortunes or misfortunes.

No, we cannot say that we are a poor and underdeveloped people because, alas and alack, we have bad governments or governors.

We cannot lay the whole blame on that door.

It is the government we chose.  The face of that corrupt and dishonest leader is also reflected on ours.

Photos by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado. Some rights reserved.

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