Note to the President

After having watched the live footage, listened when people talked and read the comments on the internet, I came up with my own version of a commentary and a solution. I have never given any unsolicited advice to the new Philippine President anywhere (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and I didn't plan on doing it now because I don’t know if he will get the chance to read this—I’m sure he’s been reading all sorts of reactions and advice as of late and wouldn’t know where to start, if he is thinking of starting to find a solution at all. I just need to get this off my chest and move on. So be prepared for a long read.

But first, I have a question: How much does the average policeman in the US (or Australia or even Hongkong) earn in a month?

In the aftermath of Monday's hostage-taking drama in Manila, the subject has been thoroughly discussed and ruminated on. You can't open your inbox or Facebook account or Google site without seeing a note that refers back to it. There are also so many links on how the tragedy could have been avoided being posted on every social networking site that it’s difficult to ignore. So if you're a generally optimistic person (which I am), you'd be experiencing a relatively depressed emotion right about now (which I do).

But this melancholy didn't happen all at once. It started with disgust when the hostage-taker-- a policeman trained to protect the lives of innocent people-- shot his innocent hostages in the end and got himself killed by a sharpshooter. (If he was so sharp, how come he couldn’t have done it sooner? But that’s another story.) It didn’t help that the entire episode was televised live for over 10 hours and that the whole world was watching with breath drawn and hearts pounding. It didn’t help that the first people off the bus were the Filipino tour guide (released as negotiating point) and driver (fled the scene after escaping out the window), leaving their hapless foreign guests to the mercy of the armed man. It didn’t help to watch the growing number of policemen, S.W.A.T. and media standing around, reporting the incident, running back and forth… in essence, DOING NOTHING to help neutralize the situation. Yep, I was disgusted and irritated that I had to get up intermittently because it was chafing to watch.

My antipathy grew when noted that none of our newly-elected political figures, except for the vice mayor of Manila (who, by the way, I commend for at least trying to show that he was doing his duty but who wouldn’t really know what to do in situations like this), were present, not even virtually, not even a phone call. If this had happened in the province somewhere in the boondocks, then yes, maybe it would be understandable to say they couldn’t get there on time. But this happened in the Capital City of Manila, in a parking lot big enough to hold a helicopter or two. What happened? They didn’t think the situation didn’t require their immediate attention? They thought the local police could handle it themselves? Anyway, I don’t get it.

My anguish grew when, after reading some articles and theories and stories behind the case, I was shocked to learn that the policeman involved—a senior inspector or captain and a well-decorated one at that—was only earning about P19,000-20,000 a month! He was a highly skilled government employee, permitted to carry a weapon and use it in the efficient performance of his duty, and he put his life on the line EVERYDAY. And yet I earn more than he did by simply sitting in front of a computer and occasionally going out and telling visitors about the beauty of my country. No wonder he went crazy when his only source of income as well as all future benefits that would come from his retirement was abruptly taken away.

Upset slowly set in when the world condemned the Philippines as a whole because of the lack of training and equipment in a highly-specialized field of law- enforcement. Travel advisories (Hong Kong has blacklisted us) were declared against our country, cautioning their citizens to be wary when traveling around here (France). Filipinos abroad, in Hong Kong especially, are today being looked upon as the lowest beings on earth (if not already). News reports about Filipinos being maltreated BECAUSE OF what happened are filtering in. In an article on Tuesday about the incident (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/08/24/bloomberg1376-L7NB8M6TTDS501-2UQKD4Q7O0QACV35AOVTARVN6B.DTL#ixzz0xaqQVnMB), the Philippines is ranked #130 out of 149 countries with the worst peace and order management evaluation (Global Peace Index).

All this, because an underpaid, overworked, upstanding citizen, sworn to protect and serve his country, was removed from active duty for something he claimed not to have done (the case is still under investigation, I hope). And it all boils down to the fact that the illegal act of extortion would not have become such a controversially public issue (it’s done out in the open and without shame on the part of the authorities) if our law-enforcement agencies were being properly compensated for the skill and training they go through in their line of duty. I mean, is the pork barrel absolutely necessary? Can any of our politicians honestly say that the wage they earn is not enough that they have to be reimbursed many times over for projects they think up for the country they are elected to serve? Can’t some of it be budgeted for a long-overdue salary increase for all those men and women who have to resort to harassing the ordinary citizen to be able to pay for things such as basic needs?

As I see it, we are at the lowest point in all history of modern-day Philippines. I believe the challenge is not just to President Noy, but also to the Filipinos as a whole. All of us. Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad today should do it. Now. Change the image. Change the process. Change ourselves. Is that too much to ask?

This video was posted on Youtube and Facebok and was made by, of all people, a Korean, someone who is a visitor to our country and has decided to settle here because they saw it was a good place to live… until now.

To Filipinos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpiaLQOB4zo