The past few days, whenever I pass Guadalupe, northbound on Edsa, I think of the same thing. So now I'm posting about it.
I happened to tune in to a radio station one morning which had Bayani Fernando as a guest. During his morning show interview, he talked about his projects around the metro, sang a song, declared his running for presidency (again), and answered some calls.
One caller was irate when she got through to him. She was asking why provincial buses can't stop at Edsa. In her eyes, it only took a few seconds for a bus to stop wherever in Edsa and drop her off. The new rule was unfair and stupid cause it meant that her already long journey had to become a little longer as she would now be dropped off at the terminal.
That opinion shows the root of traffic in the Philippines. It also gives a glimpse of one of the fundamental flaws of Filipinos.
Obviously, the caller was only thinking of herself and her convenience. It never dawned upon her that a couple dozen buses stopping wherever they want, taking over three to four lanes, is what causes traffic in Edsa. For smaller streets, the same holds true for jeepneys and trikes. Filipinos think that they are entitled to that sort of convenience. They are brought to believe that there are certain conveniences that if are taken away from them means that the government is not doing its job.
What's wrong with bus stops, jeepney stops, and terminals? Why do Filipinos love the bahala na system that makes an organized transportation system so hard to adopt? Can you say that we are a united people when all we really care about is our own wellbeing? Crab mentality is a reality and it is the root of our downfall.
Another example of the Filipino's misplaced sense of entitlement is how they always complain about their poor state of living. (This bad characteristic is shamelessly exploited by the less talented in media, but that's another story) For any problem or wrong doing (even for their bad behavior) it's always the fault of the government, or of the rich, or of whoever is in power.
It's never our fault.
Why can't the Filipino stand on his own feet and admit that whatever happens to him is his own doing? Why is it that the first instinct is to blame the government? I think (perhaps except for the filthy rich) that all Filipinos experience being maltreated by the government. But not everyone blames the government all the time.
In some conversations, this trail of thought will boil down to the Philippines's problem with corruption (and that's another post as well). There are a lot of times when whatever is wrong with our country will ultimately be blamed on the corruption in the government. Yes, it is true that corruption is apparent in our government, but why does the blame, or the solution, have to end there?
It will always boil down to us. Our daily decisions and small actions define our nation and people. As I grow older, it becomes clearer to me that many Filipinos care about our country and are willing to do something about it. I just hope that this optimism blossoms further (through our generation) and that in our lifetimes we will find a Philippines that we can be even more proud of.
I happened to tune in to a radio station one morning which had Bayani Fernando as a guest. During his morning show interview, he talked about his projects around the metro, sang a song, declared his running for presidency (again), and answered some calls.
One caller was irate when she got through to him. She was asking why provincial buses can't stop at Edsa. In her eyes, it only took a few seconds for a bus to stop wherever in Edsa and drop her off. The new rule was unfair and stupid cause it meant that her already long journey had to become a little longer as she would now be dropped off at the terminal.
That opinion shows the root of traffic in the Philippines. It also gives a glimpse of one of the fundamental flaws of Filipinos.
Obviously, the caller was only thinking of herself and her convenience. It never dawned upon her that a couple dozen buses stopping wherever they want, taking over three to four lanes, is what causes traffic in Edsa. For smaller streets, the same holds true for jeepneys and trikes. Filipinos think that they are entitled to that sort of convenience. They are brought to believe that there are certain conveniences that if are taken away from them means that the government is not doing its job.
What's wrong with bus stops, jeepney stops, and terminals? Why do Filipinos love the bahala na system that makes an organized transportation system so hard to adopt? Can you say that we are a united people when all we really care about is our own wellbeing? Crab mentality is a reality and it is the root of our downfall.
Another example of the Filipino's misplaced sense of entitlement is how they always complain about their poor state of living. (This bad characteristic is shamelessly exploited by the less talented in media, but that's another story) For any problem or wrong doing (even for their bad behavior) it's always the fault of the government, or of the rich, or of whoever is in power.
It's never our fault.
Why can't the Filipino stand on his own feet and admit that whatever happens to him is his own doing? Why is it that the first instinct is to blame the government? I think (perhaps except for the filthy rich) that all Filipinos experience being maltreated by the government. But not everyone blames the government all the time.
In some conversations, this trail of thought will boil down to the Philippines's problem with corruption (and that's another post as well). There are a lot of times when whatever is wrong with our country will ultimately be blamed on the corruption in the government. Yes, it is true that corruption is apparent in our government, but why does the blame, or the solution, have to end there?
It will always boil down to us. Our daily decisions and small actions define our nation and people. As I grow older, it becomes clearer to me that many Filipinos care about our country and are willing to do something about it. I just hope that this optimism blossoms further (through our generation) and that in our lifetimes we will find a Philippines that we can be even more proud of.
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