Posted on April 18, 2011 09:03:35 PM
To Take A Stand -- By Gus Lagman
No matter how one says it -- doing good, being generous, paying forward, giving back, helping others, volunteering one’s time for a good cause -- it’s always nice to hear and, assuredly, very inspiring.
In developing countries like the Philippines, one will never run out of examples to cite, because, by definition, there are just so many things that are left undone. Governments in these countries cannot afford to provide for all necessities -- not even the minimum services that the citizenry expects -- until such time that they become economically capable, until such time that they become, well ... developed.
Given this situation, one will always find people -- there must be tens of thousands of Filipinos -- who have the wherewithal, whether in terms of funds and/or time, and, more important, who have the heart, to help others more wanting in life.
Let me cite some examples of outreach programs in the Philippines -- at least those I’m quite familiar with, having been personally involved with most of them: community projects of Rotary clubs nationwide -- they are far too many to name; specifically, Rotary Club of Makati-North’s feeding program in a barangay in Makati; its medical missions to a community of Aetas in Botolan, Zambales; Childhope’s informal training sessions for streetchildren; ATRIEV’s PC classes for the blind and visually-impaired; NOVA Foundation’s livelihood programs for PWDs; Efren Peñaflorida’s kariton classes; and of course, the most widespread and perhaps the project with the most impact on the poor -- Tony Meloto’s Gawad Kalinga.
People admire those who spend time, and even money, helping others. More than earning the admiration of others, those who help acquire a great sense of fulfillment -- such feeling having no monetary equivalent. Just watching those one has helped break into smiles is more than enough payment for one’s efforts.
Truly, doing good things is very rewarding and heart-warming.
But how is doing good things different from "doing the right things"?
The latter is not your usual good Samaritan act. Rather, it is correcting, or at least, exposing what one sees as wrong things. While doing that may gain the respect, even admiration of others, it can, on the other hand, be very hazardous. Let’s look at some examples:
Jun Lozada did the right thing when he exposed the anomalies in the NBN-ZTE deal and for that, he and his family had to live under constant threat and had to submit themselves under the care and security of the religious for some four years.
Ensign Philip Pestaño did the right thing when he planned to expose the illegal cargo (illegally cut bakawan logs, shabu, and military weapons for sale to the Abu Sayyaf) that their logistics ship transported and for that, he was slain.
Namfrel volunteers did the right thing by protecting the ballot during the snap presidential elections and succeeding elections after, and for that, four of them were killed by still unknown perpetrators.
Clarissa Ocampo did the right thing when she told the truth about the Jose Velarde bank account and for that, she had to make herself scarce for some time.
Acsa Ramirez exposed the corruption in a government agency and for that, it was she who was incarcerated for several months. (Such irony!)
Dinky Soliman and Enteng Romano did the right thing in protesting Arroyo’s alleged involvement in the "Hello Garci" scandal and for that, they were hauled to the police station and had to defend themselves in court for a number of years.
Heidi Mendoza has been doing the right things and, as we all know, she put her life and those of her family at risk. What’s even more admirable is that she quit a well-paying job at ADB to be a truth-teller.
Journalists, especially radio commentatiors, have been doing the right thing in exposing anomalies being committed by government officials, and for regularly doing that, scores of them have paid with their lives.
We did the right thing when we exposed the anomalies in the Comelec bidding process for Automated Counting Machines, and resulting from that, I have been attending court hearings for almost four years now on two libel cases filed against me by the supplier, Mega Pacific.
It is therefore small wonder that many would rather look the other way and pretend that nothing bad is happening. Taking steps to expose anomalies is fraught with risks, putting in danger not only one’s life, but also those of his family.
But unfortunately, as Burke said, "The best way for evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing." This is exactly how our country attained our ranking as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia, if not the world.
Unchecked, corruption will continue to thrive, as it has in the Philippines.
But there is a way of reducing the risks, perhaps even eliminating them ... and that is, through collective action. We are the pioneers in peaceful revolutions. EDSA I and II. But, for some reason, we got tired during the Arroyo administration and so things got worse. "Let’s just move on" became the popular by-word.
Doing good, doing right.
What many do not realize is that if doing the right things could correct the pathetic situation we’re in, then there might be very little need for us to have to do good things. If the money lost to corruption could be channeled to the alleviation of poverty, to housing the poor, for instance, then we may not even need projects like Gawad Kalinga.
"Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap."
Given this situation, one will always find people -- there must be tens of thousands of Filipinos -- who have the wherewithal, whether in terms of funds and/or time, and, more important, who have the heart, to help others more wanting in life.
Let me cite some examples of outreach programs in the Philippines -- at least those I’m quite familiar with, having been personally involved with most of them: community projects of Rotary clubs nationwide -- they are far too many to name; specifically, Rotary Club of Makati-North’s feeding program in a barangay in Makati; its medical missions to a community of Aetas in Botolan, Zambales; Childhope’s informal training sessions for streetchildren; ATRIEV’s PC classes for the blind and visually-impaired; NOVA Foundation’s livelihood programs for PWDs; Efren Peñaflorida’s kariton classes; and of course, the most widespread and perhaps the project with the most impact on the poor -- Tony Meloto’s Gawad Kalinga.
People admire those who spend time, and even money, helping others. More than earning the admiration of others, those who help acquire a great sense of fulfillment -- such feeling having no monetary equivalent. Just watching those one has helped break into smiles is more than enough payment for one’s efforts.
Truly, doing good things is very rewarding and heart-warming.
But how is doing good things different from "doing the right things"?
The latter is not your usual good Samaritan act. Rather, it is correcting, or at least, exposing what one sees as wrong things. While doing that may gain the respect, even admiration of others, it can, on the other hand, be very hazardous. Let’s look at some examples:
Jun Lozada did the right thing when he exposed the anomalies in the NBN-ZTE deal and for that, he and his family had to live under constant threat and had to submit themselves under the care and security of the religious for some four years.
Ensign Philip Pestaño did the right thing when he planned to expose the illegal cargo (illegally cut bakawan logs, shabu, and military weapons for sale to the Abu Sayyaf) that their logistics ship transported and for that, he was slain.
Namfrel volunteers did the right thing by protecting the ballot during the snap presidential elections and succeeding elections after, and for that, four of them were killed by still unknown perpetrators.
Clarissa Ocampo did the right thing when she told the truth about the Jose Velarde bank account and for that, she had to make herself scarce for some time.
Acsa Ramirez exposed the corruption in a government agency and for that, it was she who was incarcerated for several months. (Such irony!)
Dinky Soliman and Enteng Romano did the right thing in protesting Arroyo’s alleged involvement in the "Hello Garci" scandal and for that, they were hauled to the police station and had to defend themselves in court for a number of years.
Heidi Mendoza has been doing the right things and, as we all know, she put her life and those of her family at risk. What’s even more admirable is that she quit a well-paying job at ADB to be a truth-teller.
Journalists, especially radio commentatiors, have been doing the right thing in exposing anomalies being committed by government officials, and for regularly doing that, scores of them have paid with their lives.
We did the right thing when we exposed the anomalies in the Comelec bidding process for Automated Counting Machines, and resulting from that, I have been attending court hearings for almost four years now on two libel cases filed against me by the supplier, Mega Pacific.
It is therefore small wonder that many would rather look the other way and pretend that nothing bad is happening. Taking steps to expose anomalies is fraught with risks, putting in danger not only one’s life, but also those of his family.
But unfortunately, as Burke said, "The best way for evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing." This is exactly how our country attained our ranking as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia, if not the world.
Unchecked, corruption will continue to thrive, as it has in the Philippines.
But there is a way of reducing the risks, perhaps even eliminating them ... and that is, through collective action. We are the pioneers in peaceful revolutions. EDSA I and II. But, for some reason, we got tired during the Arroyo administration and so things got worse. "Let’s just move on" became the popular by-word.
Doing good, doing right.
What many do not realize is that if doing the right things could correct the pathetic situation we’re in, then there might be very little need for us to have to do good things. If the money lost to corruption could be channeled to the alleviation of poverty, to housing the poor, for instance, then we may not even need projects like Gawad Kalinga.
"Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap."
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