by Rev. Dr. Mariano C. Apilado
It is quite disturbing to our values and insulting to our sensibilities as a people that we continue to have headlines like, “Pre-need firm dupes 15,000 Dabawenyos” in last Sunday’s (August 30, 2009) issue of this paper. Let me be clear about what I mean.
The headline and the news item are disturbing and downright insulting. Headlines and news items like those proclaim to the whole world how gullible we are as a people so that we can easily be duped, and worse, how deceitful, fraudulent and dishonest we have become that we betray our brothers and sisters, many of whom are poor and needy.
The publication of the headline and the news item must be commended, however, because they express outrage and indignation over practices that betray a people’s trust and take advantage of a people’s innocence in trusting. They can be instruments for the citizenry to be educated and encouraged to expose and publicize frauds, corruption and dishonest practices.
This column expresses a similar feeling of outrage and commendation over last Sunday’s Philippine Daily Inquirer’s (August 3, 2009) headline news, “Palace: Neri’s on his own. Time to tell the truth now, bishop urges ex-Neda chief.” This writer wishes that citizens should have the courage to demand such accountability and to be determined to be satisfied only with the truth!
This wish is not meant to encroach into the prerogatives of government and business to identify and to eradicate such corrupt practices and relentlessly go after corrupt officials. The positions expressed in the headlines of both the EdgeDavao and PDI are examples of a people’s faith in the goodness of their society and government.
They are courageous manifestations of a people’s outrage over betrayals of people’s trust and confidence in such goodness. They certify that Filipinos are entitled to good government and good business practices. They also show that we still have faith that corrective measures could still be instituted.
This faith, this manifestation and this entitlement are indications of our being a nation founded upon the goodness and righteousness of God. We practice good government and good business because we believe our nation is founded upon God. Both the Christian God and the Muslim God look at government and business as established for the welfare of the citizens.
Heirs of the prophetic teachings of the Jewish people, both Christians and Muslims have the spiritual heritage of goodness, justice, mercy and humility. For instance, there is a prophetic call in the Christian heritage. “He (God) has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your good.” (Micah 6: 8). Goodness and righteousness are essential parts of our spiritual heritage. Deceit and corruption are not.
The call, therefore, in this column is for everyone in government and in business to recall this spiritual heritage and be faithful. The gospel of faithfulness is our heritage. Let there be no betrayal of this faithfulness. Where unfaithfulness and betrayals of this heritage are attempted and shown, the citizens should express indignation, outrage and determination not to be satisfied with less than the truth in government service and in business practice.
Practices of duplicity and corruption in government and in business are embarrassments that should awaken citizens to outrage and indignation. They insult our goodness as a people. Publication of these evils must continually be encouraged so that corrective measures may be identified and pursued through active participation of citizens. Citizen brigades for good government and responsible business should be organized to identify these evils and prosecute those responsible.
The goals and practices of good government and good business should further be guided by Jesus’ statement, “I came that they have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10: 10). Government and the private business have been established with the goal to provide services to assure everyone good and abundant life. The gospel of faithfulness calls for both government and private business to pursue this goal faithfully. Where this is being done, wholehearted support must be given. Where this is not being done, outrage and indignation must be expressed.
