Steering A Nation

Published in Cebu Gold Star Daily

If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.  

-- SENECA

Individual behavior is a result of the series and combinations of rewards and punishments a person receives throughout his or her life. In the most extreme, those who commit criminal acts are placed behind bars or fined while those who accomplish great things are rewarded by fame and fortune. In the center is a wide expanse of gray area of where minor behavioral nuances can no longer be micromanaged. Nonetheless, they can be generally steered by policy and law.


Taxation is the system of reward and punishment that leads the general populace to move towards certain behaviors while avoiding others. It is a process of soft obliteration, where undesired actions less than criminal are quelled. Imposing high taxes on certain industries like mining or logging can protect the ecology by some measure. Lowering taxes on green industries can encourage investment in these protective ventures.


Unfortunately, this behavioral control mechanism is not fully utilized in our islands. European countries, for example, charge very hefty luxury taxes on vices while keeping collections minimum for education. It sends a message to people that if you want to use your money for unproductive activities, you have to pay a high price for it. If you use it for something desirable, you will get some reprieve from the tax collector.


In our case, the government has already tried to impose greater taxes on book importations. It failed mainly due to political pressure, not sound judgment. Many legislators have proposed large ‘sin taxes’ but they keep getting stopped in their tracks by industry lobbyists, resulting in the cheapest liquor and tobacco to be found in the region.


Governance is one great social experiment, and although there is some leeway for creativity, there are general policies that ought to be maintained. Education must be supported while violence is to be eliminated. Productivity and hard work must be encouraged while destructive behavior must be penalized. Health is to be protected while environmental damage must be kept at a negligible minimum. 


For now, it is comforting to know that our Constitution has tax measures that protect educational, religious and civic interests. But even the solid foundations of our organic law are being grinded by our so-called ‘representatives’, who have very fat business interests. There are those intent in practically selling the country to foreign powers who have no interest other than profit, while local farmers walk on, landless. 


How do we steer national behavior when those who vote on these issues in our behalf have interests that conflict with ours – when those who command our tax collectors and cops give in to the temptations that such awesome powers provide? 


It all comes down to the populace and their ability to come together and express their frustrations and aspirations through their votes and their collective actions.


Democracy is not dead. It only remains misunderstood, misguided and unclaimed. In less than a year’s time, we will once again be collectively challenged to act with our best judgment. 


Let us steer the nation harder to a better place this time. 


No more excuses.

Philippine Emancipation

Published in Cebu Gold Star Daily


The Philippines is the oldest democracy in Asia. In our minds, we believe strongly in equality, freedom, justice and human rights. 


In our minds.


We are one of the poorest nations in the world and yet we have the most number of servants per household. We live in a country where it is customary to leave the care of our children and our homes to people we pay a very minimal amount of money and provide very few benefits to. 


The rich down to the middle class have become so accustomed to this social setup that they see no reason to stir the waters with inconvenient change. The poor who constitute the ‘informal service industry’ also do not complain, either because of innate Filipino meekness or simply because they feel ‘lucky’ to even have a job at all. 


Worse than the low wages are the ‘house rules and conditions’ we impose upon them. We confine them in our homes inside tiny living quarters with bad ventilation and nothing but a straw mat to sleep on, while we sleep soundly on soft mattresses inside air-conditioned rooms. They do nothing but work all day everyday and are always on call, often disturbed from their sleep late at night to open our gates as we come home from clubbing or a poker game. The next day, they wake up before the sun to water the plants, sweep the floor, cook breakfast and walk the dogs, so that when their masters wake up, everything is in perfect shape. We always eat before they do and provide them with either our leftovers or unhealthy canned goods and noodles. We give them a day off but expect them to come home in time to prepare supper. We prohibit them from dating because we fear losing their services should they decide found a family of their own. 


Sound familiar?


Of course, I speak of averages. The worst ‘masters’ among us shout at their helpers and even call them names. In the very worst scenarios, physical abuse is an everyday thing.


The best of us offer education and health benefits to our domestic companions and even give them opportunities to augment their income through livelihood programs. Some employers always have their helpers with them at the same table no matter where they choose to dine. Few even get to travel around the world for free. But this, of course, is an anecdotal rarity.


Nonetheless, most of our house helpers suffer the very worst working conditions in and outside the country. Even Philippine labor law treats them as sub-human workers who deserve much less than everyone else who works as hard or less.


This unspoken Filipino caste system has gone on for so long that we even export our helpers to every country in the world who would have them. Some foreign employers have inherited our habits and take the atrocities even further by confiscating their helper’s passport and locking them up in their houses. 


It is no revelation that foreigners see the Philippines as the number one outsourcer of help. Our people manage and maintain the households of thousands upon thousands of people all over the world, and they get very little in return. Few complain. Few earn enough to live decent lives and die with dignity. 


Why do we allow this? 


Because it is convenient.


This is something we do not bother to even talk about. Maybe it took a few heart piercing words by a Hong Kong writer to make us see our own errors. Indeed, the truth hurts. But what do we do about it? 


These are the people we trust with our most precious possessions: our homes and our children. Do we really want to treat them badly?