What would Lolo Pepe say?

Sep 4, '09 5:47 AM

for everyone

Got this from Jessica Zafras website. She

opened an essay contest about what would Jose Rizal say about the Philippines if he was alive
today.
I fell in love with this contest entry when I read it (the writer eventually won the contest: a fresh
copy of Noli Me Tangere. Oh, how I wanted one). I could imagine our national hero, Jose Rizal,
actually delivering a speech in front of millions of Filipino people at present time. I suddenly
wonder how our Filipino heroes would feel about the countrys state today if they were still alive.
***
Lolo Pepes resignation.
Though I am flattered that my countrymen would see me as a hero, never once did I feel like one. I
never did anything because it would get me recognition. Everything I have done, was because I
believed that despite all of this countrys flaws, we had promise. We still do. But now I realize that
I fell in love with the idea of this country. How can I not? It was and is such a beautiful idea. But
more than a hundred years since, an idea it still remains. I remember pragmatically predicting, that
a hundred years after our independence from Spain, we would still remain impoverished. I wrote
this out of fear, thinking that providing some foresight, might cause our people to make sure that
the prediction never became true. That as a people united we will say with one voice: Enough of
this poverty and injustice!
But we did not. If anything the message you gave me is clear, that you have no problems about how
things are today. Why else after removing a family of tyrants from power, a family who plundered
your future, and murdered your own, you would welcome them back, and return them to positions
of authority. Why then would you choose a philandering leader who gambles using public funds, and
pickles his body with alcohol? I guess it is not that you like the odor of corruption and moral
degradation wafting around in our air, youve just grown accustomed to it.
I doubt I ever will.
A hundred years ago, I was able to figure out the source of our nations problems: the backward
clergy, the corrupt politicians, the imperialistic elite families. It was just a simple matter of
excising these unwanted tumors, instead you waited until they plasticized like cancer. Now they
are stronger than ever, and have already hijacked your democracy. What I dont understand is why
you dont do anything, or when you do successfully remove them, you hand the power right back to
them. I and so many others, paid the ultimate price, because we had faith in your ability to make
the right choices. But you as a nation chose the wrong choices, not just once, but again and again
over the course of a century.
Sorry, but Im through. Please consider this as my two weeks notice, I am officially retiring from

being your hero, my country. You do not treat your heroes well. Were our lives so worthless that
you thought it alright as to choose decisions that would lead to obvious failure? Did you choose this
future because you wanted to spite us, to show us that you dont care?
So many of us believed back then, that Filipinos will find themselves in struggle, instead you found
yourselves lacking. I have given everything, and while I would like to help today, I find that I have
nothing left to sacrifice. God watch over your endeavors, for I no longer will.
Thank you and goodbye.

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