Corruption

Today, I STOOD AGAINST CORRUPTION. 


Two guys came in our house to set up the telephone line and the internet connection. Now days ahead of that, i asked my mother if there is any fee i should pay in case they come, and she said that all fees will reflect in our telephone bill. However one of the repairmen came up to me and told me they'd have to change and add wires because the location of the boarding house is quite far from the main road. So they have extra wire that they will use.... blah blah. My head started to spin so I interrupted him, "so what should i do about that?" He was stunned. then he said something about extra charge, so I started asking more specifically. If i finally get his explanation right, He said he's gonna need to charge me because they will have extra wires... (lets just skip this part.) As i was in the middle of my blur, I had a thought, isnt all these are computed by the PLDT, why the hell should i pay? I only have 50 pesos here, and Dang, he better give me a good reason why should i give it to him. Unfortunately, I found out he's just messing with my intellectual ability. There's no point in paying him after all. Its a scam.


I try to make it my daily habit to stand against corruption, even in little ways. My advocacy started  a few days ago (which soon i regret for not noting the date, I didnt know it would be such a significant day in my life) When I paid the fair for the jeepney, but the driver just stared at me for a few seconds, and ignored my signals that i am waiting for my change. It seems normal for everyone, I could even attest to that. My transportation fair from antipolo to lrt station is 18 pesos, but everytime i hand over 20 peso bill, 2 out of 10 chances that i would get my 2 peso change. That has been a regular part of my morning routine. it annoys me yes, but i felt there's nothing i can do about it. 


Now i stare at this driver who wont give me my change back. Why is he different from the other drivers (and conductors) that stole a few coins from me? why do i suddenly feel all heated up? Then i remember the talk i heard in the Christian Life Program i am attending at SFC antipolo. "when sin is around us, when wrong doings are done by most people, we become oblivious to it, we shut our eyes and refuse to differ that it is wrong." With that thought entering my mind, I knew that it was time. I played blind all these time. 


That's it.


I prayed, and I said,


"Manong, can i get my change, please?"


He stared at me for a while before handing the 1 peso change. i held tightly that 1 peso, that 1 peso that changed my life, changed my ways.


Being a filipino, I am not proud when i say this, the filipino culture is indeed mixed up with the ways of corruption. Its harsh yes, its too straightforward, yes. But how long shall i deny it? I see it happening, I see it everyday in the streets, in school, in tv, everywhere. I am so exposed to it that i even had a hard time identifying if it is a form of corruption. All these time, I thought that 'ah, thats how it should be eh." I dont want to make excuses anymore. Sure i wont become a president of the Philippines to fight corruption, because all these time, I learned that the real power to stop corruption is within the common citizens. 


My call to you is,


Let us stop corruption in simple ways. Let us bring back the dignified Filipino culture that we lost a long time ago.
  Do not bribe; taking shortcuts by paying fixers, paying that police traffic enforcers, or giving something to your little brother so he wont tell you is a form of bribery. WE all try to bribe so we can skip the long and tedious consequences for us. 


follow the due process. This is connected with the first. If we have the will to follow the due process at the first place, we wont even think about bribing. Here's a fact:  we are actually creating not shortcuts, but long cuts. If there is no one bribing, all the processes in offices are put in order, no one will try to delay because there would be no point at doing it, when everybody knows that corruption is not tolerated there. soon enough, people will be focusing on making plans on how to speeden the system, rather than coming up with plans how to 'fix' the system caused by the damage of ill ways. 


THINK. Who haven't heard the saying "walang maloloko, kung walang papaloko?" Its true. Most people target those people who are easily intimidated. If an aggressor thinks he can make you fold and resolve to abusing you, he'll do it. The repairman who visited my house gave me a very complicated explanation on why he should charge me for the telephone services. I didnt understand him of course, but if i didnt ask him to explain it to me, if i didnt ask every single questionable statement he gave me, he would have fooled me in giving him money. its not expected of us to become more knowledgeable than them, we cant be masters at everything, but showing them you are eager to know all this will alarm them. Remember; they dont expect you to fully understand that they are scamming you, but they dont also expect you to put effort in understanding, so TRY TO UNDERSTAND


! and most importantly, PRAY. It can get very intimidating and scary to stand up against the man. It can cause you humiliation, time, and sometimes even your life. But if you believe in yourself that you can do it, all you have to do is to ask for God's Grace, He will not abandon you for doing what is good. I admit that i am a coward, i am opinionated, but i am the type that keep it to myself, but that time that the jeepney driver tried to  intimidate me, I asked for God's grace. "Lord, I am about to ask this big driver to give me my change, please help me move according to what is right, say it properly that i will not hurt him, please give me the courage to do it. amen."  


These are my few advices based on my experience. You see, i dont have much. I' have just started my fight against corruption, and yes, i will start small. I will try my very best to commit to it as much as possible. I can feel that the Lord God will not abandon me now that i am in this fight against corruption. What is in it for you, you ask?


The feeling is beyond words. But what i can assure you is that, it feels so good to actually try and do something, rather than just complain and do nothing. its worth a try, I promise.


If a coward like me can do it, why cant you?