Tutulog-tulog sa Pancitan!

TUTULOG-TULOG SA PANCITAN!

by Anton Antonio

April 25, 2015

Last April 13, 2015, I posted these photos (taken by my granddaughter Z Antonio-Perez) on my Facebook wall.  Posting these pictures of me sleeping on a bench on social media was first intended just for laughs… and I’m sure my Facebook friends got some form of entertainment out of them.  I even captioned them: “Tutulog-tulog sa Pancitan” which means (in the Pilipino language) “indolently (meaning:  lazy or purposely avoiding work and duty) sleeping on the job”.  Unknown to many, however, these pictures are microcosms (meaning:  a situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger) of sad realities amongst us.

What then is the microcosm of these photos?

Before I get crucified for what I am about to say, please allow me to state “na ako po ay isang Pilipino at buong lugod kong pinagmamalaki ang aking bayan at lahi… at higit sa lahat, mahal ko ang bayan kong Pilipinas” (that I am a Filipino and declare with loyalty that I am proud of my country and race… above anything else, I love the Philippines).

Sa pamumuno ni dating Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos, ang Fort Bonifacio ay isinapribado upang makalikom ng sapat na pundo upang maisakatuparan ang AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Modernization Program.  Dalawang pangulo (Joseph E. Estrada at Gloria M. Macapagal-Arroyo) na ang nanungkulan bilang lider ng ating bayan pagkatapos ni Pangulong Ramos ngunit wala ni isa sa kanila ang nagpatuloy sa programang ito.  At ang naging resulta ay ang ating pangkasalukuyang sandatahang lakas na pinakamahina sa ASEAN Region.  Sa ilalim ni Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III, ganito pa rin ang kalagayan natin… pero di natin sya nasisi dahil sa kakulangan ng pundo ng gobyernong minana nya.  Tinatakot, dinuduro, kinukutya at binabale-wala tayo ng Malaysia sa usaping Muslim Mindanao at China sa usaping Spratly.  Kung sana moderno ang ating sandatahang lakas, hindi sana tayo napunta sa kaawa-awang kalagayang ganito.

Isa sa mga pangunahing gawain ng isang pangulo ay pangalagaan ang ating kasarinlan at lupain.  Kung sila man ay katulad kong tutulog-tulog sa pancitan, obligasyon natin bilang mamamayan ang gisingin sila at ipabatid sa kanila ang ating damdamin.  Ang pangulo, higit sa pagiging bahagi ng suliranin, ay pwede nating maging kakampi sa pagbalangkas ng solusyon.  Bukod-tanging sya ang may kakayanang ibahagi ang ating yaman sa mga bagay na tunay na kapakipakinabang.

Kung tayo ay nagkaisa sa mga usaping EDSA 1 at 2, corruption, PDAP at DAP scams, atbp., hindi ba natin kayang magkaisa muli para sa nationalismo laban sa mga banyaga?  Hindi ba natin kayang maginggay para sa nationalismo laban sa manlulupig?  Ipabatid na po natin ang ating saloobin… o tularan na lang po ninyo ako na tutulog-tulog sa pancitan.”

(Under the leadership of former President Fidel V. Ramos, Fort Bonifacio was privatized in an effort to raise enough funds for the AFP Modernization Program.  Two presidents came after President Ramos (Joseph E. Estrada and Gloria M. Macapagal-Arroyo) but not one of them pursued this program.  As a result, our armed forces remain to be the weakest in the ASEAN Region.  Under the leadership of President Benigno S. Aquino III, we are still in the same predicament… but who could really blame him for inheriting a bankrupt government.  We are being threatened, bullied, mocked and disregarded by Malaysia and China on the issues of Muslim Mindanao and Spratly Islands respectively.  If only we had a modern armed force, we would not be in this pathetic situation.  The president, more than being part of the problem, could be our ally in the solution.  He has the power to put our resources where they count and make a difference.

One of the primary duties of the President is to protect our nation’s sovereignty and territory.  If they are sleeping on the job, it is our obligation as citizens to wake them up, remind them and let them know how we feel.

If we were able to unite on issues like EDSA 1 and 2, corruption, PDAP and DAP scams, etc. can’t we not unite in the name of nationalism against foreign interest?  Can’t we make the same noise for nationalism against foreign intervention?  Let us all speak up now or would you rather be like me who is indolently sleeping on the job?)

Just my little thoughts…

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