Ranting and Raving

What’s all the ranting about?

That was an unprecedented long weekend. What’s remarkable about it is not only students’ classes were suspended, but so too were report to government offices. That was amazing. If you’re thinking that gave government employees a chance to go on three to five day out-of-town vacations. No, they couldn’t because each day’s suspension was announced every day at around 5 pm. So, they wouldn’t be able to plan for those five consecutive days.

This is actually good. I hope that DILG would do this same sweeping suspension order the next time it’s necessary. Yeah, yea, the rains were not strong. In fact, there were times of the days when there was no rain at all. But, when do we run home? Do we run to safety when the downpour is so heavy and the floods are quickly rising? Do we start to save money when financial resources are already depleting? Do we start to rush when we have only a few minutes left? The best time to run for shelter is when the skies are still clear. The best time to save is when you still have good financial standing. The best time to move is when you still have a lot of time left.

Last year, during the deluge of Kristine, a considerable number of employees got stranded at the northbound jeepney terminal at Queborac. They rush to go there under heavy rains to hitch a jeepney ride home to Calabanga, only to find out that there were no more jeepneys. Of course, drivers who are also human, and also have families had to rush home. What complicated the incident was jeepneys, even if they were available, could not pass through because floods in Bombon were already high.

If only those employees were allowed to go home earlier, they would not have suffered that plight. They could have gone home earlier. They should have gone home when the skies were still clear. That’s how we run for safety. We don’t run for shelter from the rain by evacuating under heavy rains. That’s simply, ridiculously, paradoxically on the verge of being suicidal.

What about the children’s classes?, they ask. Don’t worry too much about that. Eventually, the rains would stop and the sun would be out so much that you would complain of the heat. We can do all the activities that were suspended, on those days to our hearts’ content. Those days would come sooner than you think. Pour out all that passion on those days. But, on days with typhoon or rainfall warning signals, let’s be safe by staying sheltered. Trust me, it will be sunny soon. Then, parents who want to maximize school days could send their children out all they want.

What’s all the raving about?

I hope this serves as a lesson to irresponsible verbal comments, especially those threatening any form of violence. No person (especially a government official, a local government chief executive for that matter) has any right to spit insults, and issue challenges of fistfights, as if it’s a privilege of aristocratic untouchability. That challenge which a supposed honorable government official recklessly spews from his/her uncontrollable oral cavities may very well be taken up by the challenged who is expected not to respond.

It could be a habit that a political leader inherited or is being emulated from his/her father who similarly thoughtlessly had puked out filthy remarks here and there, left and right, - the ones which his yes men habitually appeased the abused public with explanations that those offensive statements are mere jokes are meant to be taken in stride. Are we to be spat at, and just mindlessly wipe it off our faces because that’s just the way the untouchable privileged person is? Are we to be scattered with sticky mucus and just turn a blind eye because it’s only but natural. Are we just to take statements of beating up a PNP chief who is mocked as a monkey as a joke?

People may say that it’s all a publicity stunt, that it’s equally unethical and misplaced. But for me, it’s a valiant act of standing up to a bully who has long abused the Filipino public. In campuses, we look on to figures of authority to put bullies in their places. They may be teachers, security guards or police officers. This is only right because it’s the ultimate police officer of the nation – the Philippine National Police Chief putting this unwanted bully in his right place.

Now, where is that arrogance? He could make his scheduled leave as an excuse or scapegoat, but he could not escape the glaring fact that he proved to the whole nation that he’s just full of hot air.

Proverbs 3:34: “He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.”