JOURNAL | Social Revolution

Social Revolution

The Philippines.

It's really interesting to hear how foreign people see this small country. 

The way they see it is totally different from what I know.

They can easily spot the dark patches in the green field, which for some reason we already know but just refuse to accept it as a fact.

Social Class

The Philippines has been so divided- the rich vs. the poor. The rich remains to be rich and the poor don't get any chance to climb the ladder. 

This is what we have received from our ancestors- a society of stratified people. 

What makes this worse is the fact that rich people tend to abuse the poor. Justice system is not even fair, for justice in the Philippines is synonymous to money. Medical care is only available to those who can pay. If you're poor, then you are assured of a very difficult suffering from illness. Shelter is not a basic need for poor people can just sleep anywhere.

Opportunity in the Philippines is lopsided. Rich people can get good jobs because they know people in their industry and they don't need to be that smart to get a good job. It's the connection that rich people have rolled up their sleeves which unfortunately, poor people are lacking of.

In the words of my German friend, this is the product of a post-colonial rule. The values and culture are passed on to the present thus resulting to corruption.

Corruption leads to poverty.

Poverty leads to crime.

Crime leads to chaos.

The Answer

But the real challenge is what people have done to change this landscape.
I told my German friend that Filipinos are naturally passive.
We try to avoid conflict as much as we can.

But the question is WHY? Why are we allowing this to happen?

If there is something wrong, we need to speak up and not let it happen.

Otherwise, it will continue and probably be reinforced.

In Germany, people are sanctioned if they commit an offense.

If we want change in our society, then we have to start it. Initiate it. The leaders are supposed to do this. But as we can see, Philippines leaders have been so caught up with their arguments for the sake of arguing.

The real essence of leadership has been clouded. The real objective has been set aside. Politicians are not elected to effect reforms anymore. They have been reduced to public figures. Nothing more.

If we'd like to see change, then light the fire and set ablaze the field. What we need now is a revolution. Only then can we achieve true social reforms. 

My German friend would half-heartedly suggest killing the rich people since they are the ones who're monopolozing the wealth of the country.

He even said that it is necessary to step out of the line of violence if that is needed to curb corruption. Well, he's probably right. We just have to execute people who have been proven guilty of oppression.