by Rev. Dr. Mariano C. Apilado
It is really disheartening! Shameless! Embarrassing! Humiliating! Degrading! Demeaning! Deadening!
Listen to the presidentiables and their campaign spokespersons. Watch their propaganda. Read their advertisements.
They have the same message. The Philippines is number one in two things: poverty and corruption! That is bad enough.
Worse, watch and listen to the way they picture how unworthy, how disgusting, how corrupt, how untrustworthy the other candidates are – what worse ignominy can a people be brought into!
Especially now, before the May 10 crucial elections, we should take a serious look at ourselves. There is goodness in us! Honesty among us!
Let us remember Sparta! Get united! Get our act together!
Sparta was one of the strongest, if not the strongest and best defended cities of the ancient world, its city walls almost impregnable.
A visitor came to pay his respects one day to the Spartan king, who guided him to a window to view the strong fortress.
The visitor noticed that the city had no brick walls for protection from marauders and invaders, unlike other cities.
The king led his visitor to another window and showed him ten thousand well-disciplined soldiers.
“They are our walls for protection, and they are much, much stronger than brick walls.”
We can all join hands together and declare, “We can do all things for ourselves, for our country and for the future generations when we band together and create a bond of goodness, courage and honesty.”
We can be honest again. We can be moral again. We can be trustworthy again. We can unite again.
We can convince ourselves again and courageously declare, “Away with all these demeaning caricatures of ourselves as painted by politicians.”
Remember the ancient Spartans. Honest. Courageous. Loyal. United. We are the walls for protection and enhancement, and we can be much, much stronger than brick walls, than any other force in the world!
You and I, Filipinos together. Nobody could be stronger. Nobody could be more powerful in rebuilding our country from the ruins and rubble we have been brought into by the corrupt and unscrupulous!
Filipinos unite. You have nothing to lose but your corruption!
