RHODORA M. PALINAR

Time and Tide, People’s Digest Newsweekly February 19-25, 2008

STREET protesters may rally down the streets of Makati and Metro Manila; Jun Lozada may be grilled at the Senate on a daily basis before the whole country on national television; former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos may be singing his tune “off key” as he pathetically struggles to get off the hook from the national broadband network scandal – and yet, here in the province of Pangasinan and in most other provinces – life goes on.

I can tell, I can feel. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is going to finish her term in 2010. The current issue that implicates her husband is not enough to sustain a nationwide uprising. Not that she is involved in corruption of lesser degree from that of former President Joseph Estrada. In fact, in Arroyo’s case, the bribe money involved is more staggering than that of Erap’s. And what hurts more is that – with Arroyo, the money involved directly comes from the people’s money – their bloodied taxes.

But why the seeming “indifference” of still a majority of Filipinos on this controversy? And if and when the allegations of Jun Lozada are proved and should consequently merit impeachment proceedings against the president, will the Filipino once more show collective force to bring her down from power? I so doubt it.

The Filipinos, it seems, are tried and tired. It’s like they just want to go on with their lives. They care not anymore who sits in power. They care not anymore which official stole how much from the government coffers. They just want to eat their meals, have roofs over their heads, have threads to cover their bodies, and if so permitting – get some education for the children.

So, alright – admittedly – we gawked at the TV while Jun Lozada recited what he knew about the aborted ZTE contract that for a while the Senate hearing became a main course for lunch. But after watching his testimony, what next? Immediately sparks died down. The ordinary working Filipino went out to break his back once more to labor for his money. Tired. Tried. “Pare-pareho lang ‘yan.” Why join rallies and protests? “Di naman ako kikita ng pera diyan.”

Rallies, protests, speeches, Senate hearings and all that jazz. As in previous national controversies, these too, shall pass. Manhid na ang masang Pilipino. And yet they can’t be blamed for having this kind of attitude at all.