Trip gone wrong
I don't want to dwell on the details because you can read about it everywhere. And it really makes me want to throw-up. That's just how sick it is. It reflects how deep-seated the corruption is in the Philippine system -- considering the defense/military receives the biggest budget allotment as always. Who's to blame? That's a question similar to the egg and chicken dilemma. One needs to dive into history books that recounts what ancient historians thought to be significant and to be worth writing. Some say it's the Spaniards who started it all while Miriam Defensor-Santiago said it was the Chinese. I don't know. But I think finger-pointing at this time won't resolve anything. The most important thing to remember, NO ONE wanted this to happen.
Reasonable rage
The Chinese's rage is bone-deep. It's an expected emotional response from someone deeply-wounded. Chinese people have all the rights to be angry. They can rally in the Philippine embassies in Hongkong and China all they want. It's a human right for speech. They can draw caricature Noynoy and make fun of it. It's a normal part of newpapers here in the Philippines to see funny and degrading caricature of (put a name of a local/foreign politician here). It's a right. They can make effigies of Noynoy and burn it in front of the media. It's a normal part of the program of a rally here in the Philippines especially during Arroyo's term. They can publish articles, blogs or even simple comments in any form of media they want expressing their angst and indignation. It's their right.
We, too, are angry you know
All of us (my family that is) were thinking of the same thing while watching the intense blow-by-blow account of the media that night - we all were hoping that Robocop or Superman or even Doraemon will come out from nowhere to put an end to the drama. Mama found it hard to concentrate in cooking dinner because she was to and fro the kitchen and living area keeping tabs on the news. There was a point we were pushing her to just stay put in the kitchen and try not to listen because she was totally affected. It seemed like she can't breathe properly, stamping her feet requesting us to turn the television off because of the intensity of the situation. She was totally worried on how it will end. It was too much for her to handle. It applied to all of us. We just held on the news because we want to know how it was going. And the joy we felt when we saw moving figures inside the bus -- we were all clapping and thanking God.
Why Filipinos in general?
Given, it's reasonable to be outraged but why to ALL Filipinos? It's not just to blame all Filipinos to what happened. We condemn that act. We condemn the suspect. It's not the fault of the innocent domestic worker in Hongkong why those innocent people died. Is it really how narrow-minded Chinese people are to think that all Filipinos will do the same thing? Will one psychopath's fault destroy the thread-thin reputation of the country? Using emotion as a reason is bullshit. As leaders they should have thought better. They should go a mile farther in understanding the situation.
It happens all the time
8 people dying really is a huge blow. But as one DJ from a radio station explained, there are also many Filipinos die outside the country mainly because of abuse, maltreatment and in some cases executed as ordered by a foreign court. It can be in Dubai, Singapore, Saudi, Hongkong, name it. Is there a difference? NO. But for some, yes there is. One, it can be easily solved. It's just that Filipino policemen seemed amateur that they were not able to handle the situation without turning into a bloodshed. Maybe it was a major news because 8 casualties in a single incident compared to just one Filipino who died because her employer tied her with a rope then dragged her with his car. The point is, countless Filipinos die because of UNREASONABLE behavior of numerous foreigners but Filipinos NEVER hated an entire country because of it. And the world never considered it as a big news even if the way of death is way more sickening compared to the death of 8.
Let's compare!
Losing 8 lives from the Chinese population is a big thing. As I said, it was sensationalized by the media that's why. What about looking at how some Chinese operate in the Philippines and its effects for example. Ever heard of a big drug syndicate roaming the Philippines making illegal drugs available almost everywhere? I wonder how many families were destroyed, how many crimes were committed because of suspects under the influence of illegal drugs? What about pirated DVDs? I wonder how it affected the Filipino movie industry?Fake LV bags? Fake money? What about contaminated milk formula? Nasty. Dangerous beauty products? I wonder how many Filipinos are affected because of these 'activities' of the Chinese? I'm not saying only Chinese people are the mechanism in these 'activities'. If Filipinos are irrational people, not a single Chinese is living here in the Philippines.
Aftermath
Now the Philippines is hanging by a thread. Of all countries we messed up with China. I'm not politically and economically knowledgeable about the relationship between the two but I know China plays a big part.
I have a few Chinese friends, some acquaintances. I don't hate Chinese people in general. Though I admit I don't trust Chinese products and I hate some Chinese businessmen like Lucio Tan. I also hate Chinese movies for a reason irrelevant to this blog. I just want to prove my point that we should not generalize and all nationalities have their own rotten sides. I know I also had a tendency to generalize but it was something I learned the hard way. It's just plain ridiculous for one man's fault to create a gap between the two countries.
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