YPS

When I see the headlines or watch the news, sometimes I don't know whether to believe it or not - - well, the answer may seem obvious to some but the play on the thoughts of people as well as the disguises made on the truth gets more and more disturbing as each day passes.

From the Jonas Burgos case to the recent bombing at the House of Representatives, (and to every other case in between) there seems to be no real answer, no real solution. How long will this go on, or to rephrase that question, how long will we allow the disguises to happen? And to add to that - what can we actually do about it? That question, which I believe is on the minds of every able Filipino out there seems to end up in a dead end to which they revert to doing their own thing. Why bother with something you can't do anything about?

Sometimes I want to skip reading the papers altogether. The latest news about Mariannet Amper, the 12 year old who committed suicide due to extreme poverty, seems to be all too convenient - - that she was raped and murdered definitely lifts the pressure and shame from the government (or so they think). The fact that the Glorietta case is still technically a mystery or that the recent bombing that immediately had three suspects die in a shoot-out or that there are suddenly many "owners" of the brown bags given away in Malacanang all seem to be hurried solutions to cover up something even dirtier to begin with.

The network of lies, crime, pay-offs and bribes is just so vast that I get lost just thinking about it. I hate to say that it's part of our culture but the way it has proliferated in such a shameless manner over the past few years (and moreso over the past few months) is evidence of the kind of leadership that we have. Is this the kind of nation and people we want to nurture and build? Have we become so materialistic and so out of tune with the truth that it is now so easy buy and sell our principles? It seems that you can get away with anything with the right amount and what is worse is that people will actually line up to do your bidding for any amount. In our case, they don't even have to ask anymore, it's given for free! You just have to remember to return the favor when the time comes.

And so where does this leave us? I truly am aghast at some of our government officials and the gall at which they can lie direct to our faces without even a blink. I just hope that people see them for what they truly are and read behind the well practiced lines. We Filipinos are more intelligent than that aren't we? I want to believe that the people will be moved to do something. There is no reason for silence any longer. I believe that we will one day see the truth.