As we sip our morning cup in the comforts of our warm and cozy homes, the day has already started for millions of people living below the poverty line. Even before sunrise, their bodies are already drenched in sweat, muscles overworked, emphasizing the immensity of their efforts only to earn measly amounts of cash. Despite their perseverance, uncertainty is still prominent. They will still have to worry about another day; of another way to gain money once more. It is never a matter of quality for them. All that matters is that there is enough.
And as our parents bring us to school with the most luxurious vehicles, children from the far stretches of the rural communities start their journey, oftentimes barefoot and with little food in their puny tummies. Their escapade ends when they reach their schools which seem to be forgotten by time, utilized only because there aren’t enough funds for new infrastructure. Don’t even mention the lack of teachers working to nurture the young minds of today.
As we log on to social networking sites and play our sought-out games like Farmville and Cityville, farmers all over the country are tilling lands, planting seeds which will soon sprout into abundant crops, only to have more powerful forces claim authority over their properties and bagging the products of their hard work. They are left with nothing, inferior and slaved, they are. And to think that the lands where they built their homes, where they kept their families had been with them even before land titles and formal boundaries existed. It’s hard, unmoving and stagnant they are, without even an opportunity to gain better things in life.
As air conditioning units, fluorescent lights and loud boom boxes are turned on in the sprawling establishments of major cities, thousands of families make use of alcohol lamps and coals just to shed light on their dark nights, unreached by the coiled electric lines of power companies.
On the other hand, while this is happening, trees are also being cut down, plastic bags and garbage are being burnt and hectares of dump yards are filled with urban decaying matter. This will eventually cause calamities of natural and manmade causes. But no one wants to get pointed at. No one would want to take the blame.
As we play with the newest and most innovative gadgets, somewhere in the slum areas, a child plays with an improvised toy of materials from the nearby dumpsite, using what he could. Styrofoam become boats, bottle caps as wheels and plastic sheets are accents. Unaware of the harm that these pose on him, the little child smiles, happily contented with the little amusement that his little contraption gives him.
And as we sleep, thousands of mother and fathers board their flights, unready nonetheless have no choice but to embark on a seemingly endless venture for financial assurance. They’re part of the millions who have given up on the low wages offered and the lack of proper job openings in our nation. Hence, they endure everything, from being strangers in countries of different races to leaving their children and loved ones, missing and longing for their warm smiles and hugs. Some are lucky, getting hired into high-paying jobs but some have been chosen and tested by fate, facing exploitation, illegal recruitment, being taken advantage of and receiving deliberate foolishness from deceiving employers.
This is reality. It is true that every day, every hour and every minute, there is suffering, generously scattered all over our archipelago. And as the times progress, their anguish and misery increases, only to feel trapped in a vicious net of never-ending harshness.
We need profound change. We need a transformation that could withstand the tests of centuries. We need to feel, we need the concretization of a good government: one that sees through the societal status of its citizens, hence, giving everyone equal chances; one whose eyes discover chances of development where others found a way to corruption; one that is governed by leaders of principles and strong implementation of the sacred law; one that knows no bounds when it comes to the truth, the just and the fair; and one that will harvest the treasuries of the nation, utilize and cultivate it to provide a better place, of greater and equal chances for all.
Yes, good government means a conversion of the putrid and criticized norm. It means realizing the faults and mistakes of the past and using these as learning experiences to make brighter futures. It should be an institution of light, making itself shine in the dark and murky tunnel that is our current situation. It will break the barriers between the supremely privileged and financially challenged, connecting them to organize a bond that will serve as a catalyst for sharing, helping and unity. It will go beyond what seems to be limited, pushing everything to the most positive of ways.
Good government is what we need. For years, we had been continuously battling with fraud, graft, corruption and traditional politics. Words and articulations, here and there; the continuous debates and pointing of fingers are becoming all too familiar. All they do is talk, boast and outweigh each other’s philosophy. Most of them always promise with words of great allure, only for the people to realize that their intentions weren’t pure and conscientious.
To raise the state of our progression is therefore becoming a herculean task, almost stripping us of hope that we so clung unto. The taxes that our parents burnt energy just to pay for should be justified with the necessary benefits, government services, concrete infrastructure and noticeable movement. And only good governance could make this possible.
With good governance, we can wake up with brighter skies, clearer visions and fresher air; of a greater promise of tomorrow. The immoral shortcut of greedy men will be inexistent, thus, they shall learn how to use the righteous detour. Our natural resources would be preserved and used for our own good and not just other country’s indulgent desires.
The poor can raise their heads up high and get motivation to work even harder because they would eventually see the fruits of their hard labor. Education will be restored to its natural meaning: a right and not a privilege. Everyone, no matter how gifted financially or not, will get quality schooling, to hone themselves, become better persons and contributing to a greater, more powerful economy. We could bid our farewells to the current system, the one that has been limiting us. Statistics would become a reason to smile, a reason to rejoice and not just misleading data, forcing us to think that the country’s gross is increasing when only the giants are gaining.
For every child, a reason to be happy-wide parks, a safe place to live in and the opportunity for a better future. For every student, a potential to gain knowledge and promote one’s talents, ideals and skills which can be used for decades and for contribution to the development of the nation. For every mother and father, the guarantee of a means of finances, of chances to become good providers, of a choice to stay with their loved ones and see their growth. For every farmer, land to build their homes, build their dreams and share the desires for a better tomorrow. For every fisherman, not just fish, but a net to learn to stand on their own feet and indemnity of bluer sees with abundant natural wildlife. For every starving family, food and a way to be self-sustaining. For every barangay, a chance to bond and unite. For every city and municipality, a capacity to hone its citizens. For every Filipino, a reason to wake up in the morning with the greatest of moods. For the Philippines, a reason to believe in change, in transformation substantial enough for sustainability.
A good government will take note of and provide these, and maybe even give more.
