Twenty Five

The minute hand of the clock pointed at exactly twelve o'clock midnight, welcoming the eight of November 2010 to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of my first breathing in this world after nine months of maturation and confinement inside my mother's womb. The overflowing of birthday greetings on my cellphone, on my facebook and friendster coming from friends, officemates and cyberfriends was commonplace. While the banter and teases from my boardmates for a cake and ice cream treat were inevitable.

It was twenty five years back when I was cast into this world after my beloved mother patiently and laboriously awaited for the patter of the tiny feet of her first born child. It was twenty five years ago when I burst my first cry after being detached from the wonted abode, to the extreme delight and excitement of my mom and dad after finally seeing me alive and healthy in my birthday suit. My mother would usually reminisce about how sacrificial those nights were during those days of my infancy as I would not drift off to sleep unless they scoop me into their arms with a lullaby.

Time flies so swiftly that the one who was once a toddler with runny nose and dirty hands and feet has unwillingly aged twenty five now. Once I was asked how old I am that it took me time to muster up the energy to respond and reluctantly say I am twenty four now. I wish I were only in my teenage years if only I could turn the clock back because the older I become in age, the stronger the pressure of existence becomes and the bigger my responsibility is as an individual. Not only that, because the the fact that I'm getting older in age, I could not help but ponder on the dreadful idea that my twilight years are nearing.

Every passing year in our earthly subsistence unfolds another chapter of the drama of life with a cornucopia of challenges, pitfalls, struggles, joy and resentment, heartaches, victory and fiasco and disillusionment; irrefutable realities which make the story more thrilling and compelling. Every birthday that comes signifies another milestone as we continue composing the story of our journey on earth. We are the lead actors of our own footlights and only He who knows when we shall stop acting as He finally closes the stage curtain to signal the cessation of our life.

For practical reason, I celebrated my natal day without throwing off a lavish party though the pressure around on that day was intense. I proffered my co-roomers with three liters of coke (since they were having their lunch) which I bought from a nearby sari-sari store upon my arrival from office. I went to church then to hear the Sunday mass and to share with Him the overwhelming jubilation I felt in my heart on that day and to express my gratitude to Him for the continuous gift of life and for making the candlelight of my life unremittingly aglow with His presence.

I am twenty five years young now (not twenty five years OLD because kalabaw lang ang tumatanda as the Tagalog adage states it) which means that I have embraced the kingdom of adulthood and maturity. Gone were those days of infantile and gibberish talks. I shall learn to stand on my own as I am honed by experiences; as I am made pliable by letdowns; and as I am made steadfast and unrelenting by my ambitions.

Life must go on so long as the waves never cease to kiss the sand in the seashore.

Jaywalking

There can be no exacerbating experience than getting caught flatfooted for violating the anti-jaywalking ordinance. Aside from the belittlement you feel, you get pissed at the many faces of bystanders and pedestrians whose eyes are glued on you with mockery. You look like a dumb-ass and you feel as if your total well-being is melting down because of embarrassment.

My experience was extremely exasperating because aside from the shame I raked upon myself, I was badly inconvenienced for the fact that I was having marathon with time then trying to buy all the things that I was bringing home for a fiesta vacation. It was on that day when I had the time to go for a shopping spree because I was scheduled to leave for Leyte via Lite Shipping at 11:00 am the next day. So when the traffic enforcer honked his whistle on me, my brow knitted in disgust and anger and my blood started to boil hot. Instead of getting terrified, I immediately approached him and started to let loose a barrage of verbal fireworks giving him little time to get in.

After our altercation which lasted for almost forty minutes, the traffic enforcer upon my request brought me together with the other two youngsters who were caught before me to where his chief and other traffic officers where situated. Before i requested to speak with their chief, I did challenge his knowledge about the ordinance. I was asking him to tell me the very detail of that law he was tasked to implement- the city councilor who authored it, the date of its effectivity, and the specific provisions embodied in it as well as its parameters. Surprisingly, all he could say was, “Mao ni and ordinansa and wala jud koy mahimo ana kay gi-violate man mu. Mobayad jud ka ug 50 pesos. Kun di mobayad ug 50 pesos, mo-attend jud ka sa orientation for four hours.”

I almost strained his patience because he was telling me that if I wont stop, he might be forced to lay a big hand on me. I just replied, “I’m not afraid of that because there’s human rights. You will surely battle with your bread and butter if you harm me.”

Now here is the issue: If our law enforcers, especially those who manage the flow of traffic, do not have sufficient knowledge about the law they are implementing, how can they effectively effectuate it? How can the expected result be achieved. Isn’t it a waste of time and even money assigning them to enforce that ordinance but then if they are questioned they cannot give any valid answers? If this would always be the case then these traffic regulators are putting their credibility at risk.

When I got the opportunity to speak with their chief, I vulgarly iterated that their traffic regulators be re-educated about the ordinance because it seemed that they did not know what they were doing. They were only good at catching for violators but when they are provoked, they cannot defend themselves anymore and all they could say is this is the law and you have to follow. That’s it!

Exactly, we are bound to follow the letters of the law. This is a part of our duties and responsibilities as Filipino citizens. And an ordinance to be implemented well, those who are tasked to do so should have an intensive knowledge about its provisions and parameters. Otherwise, it will simply become a mere calligraphy scribbled in a white sheet of paper that will lost its luster in time.

A Challenge to Our Public Administrators

The present economic turmoil that has beset the globe can be a testing point of our resilience in times of crisis. More so, this can be again another gauge for measuring the ability of our public administrators to formulate policies that would at least minimize its impact on the people.

For a country like the Philippines which still undergoing transformation, this economic downturn that we are experiencing right now can put much pressure especially on the back of those who manage the government. What policy our government administrators can come up with is still a big question which remains unanswered. And that the policy constituted should not just meet the pressing demands of the current situation. It should also cater to the needs that may arise in the long-run.

Consider the rice shortage for instance. This has certainly tried out the aptitude of our government officials to craft palliative solutions that would at least downsize its effect on the commonalty. The government was greatly agitated by the situation for the fact that rice, which is the staple food of Filipinos has fallen short of its supply and that its deficiency would mean rumbling of empty stomachs.

The said crisis has served as a constant reminder for those who man the government that its high time we have to put greater emphasis on agriculture to boost up rice production in order to feed millions of Filipino people without depending much on imported rice. That government should give high priority to agricultural advancement in order to induce greater output.

And now here we are again snared in a vicious trap of an ailing economy. Unemployment has hit Asian shores already and its rate has certainly gone up as companies, unable to endure in the burdensome effect of a dilapidated economy, are forced to put their operations to a halt; which has eventually resulted to an increased number of jobless people.

It’s good to know however, that the Philippine government is doubling its effort to come up with measures that would alleviate the impact of unemployment. Government agencies’ savings are tapped to support the program of providing emergency jobs for those who are seriously affected.

All of us are faced with the challenges of our times. Challenges that would put us down to mire if we fail to survive. As for our public administrators, these challenges are eye-openers for them to take their responsibilities seriously and with ardor. There’s no more time for groping and condemning others’ failure. Every moment should count. National interest should be taken into consideration and private interest should be barred aside.

Now that the national appropriation for the year 2009 has been approved already, we just hope that the intended purposes are met and the objectives are lawfully carried out.

The present economic slump would create a worse and debilitating impact on our country; therefore the task of our public managers is to work double-time on formulating policies that would salvage us all from a certain predicament.