Right now, the only alternative I use for commuting is the taxi. It's still a hassle and also expensive, but after going to China for a year for work, these filthy buses and passenger jeepneys don't work for me anymore. It disgusts me, I'm sorry. I've changed my standard, and so should my country, right? Instead, my country now is filthier, poverty-stricken and people are getting lazier than before. People in power are now comparable to people sleeping under the bridge, waiting for the working class to give them money because for the politicians, they "serve" us, for the people living under the bridge, we're better off than them. Or are we?
I always hail taxi at McDonald's Binondo Church because that's where most of the taxis stand-by. Everyday there are lots of barkers shouting "Ma'm Taxi!" I always refuse to let them help me hail a cab because it's not hard to hail a cab, right? Flip your arms, wave 'em and the taxi stops. Problem is, these people are like Juan Tamad waiting for the fruit to drop instead of picking it from the tree. If they can't get any cent from me, they harass the driver. There was once that the cab driver refused to accept a passenger but the barker guy still demanded for a coin, telling him that the next time he comes by, he won't ask him for any coin. Anyway, these past few days, the familiar barker (he's old and looks like he's on drugs) hailed a taxi for me continuously even if I refused to get help and once I even didn't ride on the taxi he hailed for me. But I was afraid he would do something in the future if I continued to oppose him. Two days ago, I gave in and put a 5 peso coin on his hand. Yesterday, I had no coin and so did the taxi driver, so he won't let us off. I told him that tomorrow morning I'll give it to him. Today, I totally forgot and I have no 5 peso coin in my wallet. I told him "next time". He said: "Ma'm naka dalawa na kayo sakin ha."
Yesterday, I spent a lot of time reading about the pork barrel, though we're talking about a multi-billion peso scandal, I cannot help but compare these people in power with the people living under the bridge. If you bribe them once, they'd go on forever, and it gets worst. This barker guy who harasses cab drivers and passengers running here and there asking for alms faking the act of kindness (hailing a taxi), he and his elected politicians have nothing different from each other. That's why they support each other. It doesn't matter if it's a multi-million scam or a 5-peso coin, they're all the same in my eyes. I felt that people love to do the things the easy way, loves shortcut to the point that they end up scamming those people who are hard workers.
I refuse to give bribes to policemen, Airport Customs Officers, including the now famous barkers (it just became popular and uso nowadays). Also, let's add giving alms to street children/family. It's a form of bribery to the government officials and a support to gangsters for the street children. I live with principle as a citizen of the Philippines, I pay my taxes religiously and it just goes somewhere else. Looking at my taxes and knowing what the government is capable of, I always say to myself that the government has no right to flip my things and tax me on the things I bring in as pasalubongs when I go out of the country. I don't have the obligation as well to bribe Customs officers not to flip my bag. This is just one situation, but on many situation, I shouldn't be told off by government officials whenever I need something urgent. They should always be on their desk, ready to serve me! I should also have a choice not to ride a hailed taxi and give the 5 peso coin to the barker. But the point is, if you oppose these people, they'll HARASS you, is there any way out? None! There is nothing good in Manila nowadays. Now, I'm contemplating if I should start thinking of migrating to other countries. I think the working class of the Philippines should start thinking about it too. The Philippines will not progress anymore with this Pork Barrel still on-going and as long as there are people under the bridge, the politicians won't go their way to send these people back to the provinces, so that when election campaign starts, they can give their promises (bribery) to them and in return, those people will vote for these politicians. It's a cycle that will never end. Those two classes Politicians and Class D people co-exist!!!
Anyway, you guys should read the blog, it's mind boggling! If the working class are out of the country, politicians and people living under the bridge will have no source of income. They'll die eventually, then we can come back! :)
Just a thought.
Support the Anonymous, read them!
"98% of your taxes goes to Pork Barrel, 2% goes to road repairs, potholes and small but visible projects." -Anonymous
Janet Napoles- Pork Barrel: Theft to a Nation
Anonymous Speaks: Pork Barrel Scams
