A nation in denial and resistance

We are a nation in denial. And the recent State of the Nation address by President Aquino did not help in clearing the air.


Let's be fair though. Let's give credit where it is due.


The economy has improved a lot since its dismal performance during the past nine years. Credit that to the renewed confidence of the business community behind Aquino. It is no secret that the reason why these businessmen continue to heap praise upon Aquino is the fact that this administration opened the economy further for trade. The neo-liberal and pro-capital policies of this administration allowed businesses to thrive. As businesses thrive, it is expected, so do other areas of the economy.


No. There is no such thing in the Philippines.


Oil prices may go south, yet prices of basic commodities remain beyond the reach of ordinary Filipinos. The thing about the economic system where we are in, gains from production do not trickle down the economic pipeline, no. It stays where the holder of the capital wants it to be. 


This explains why we need legislation and some government intervention to allow at least some kind of trickle down effect. This is where we need government. The thing is, government is unable to help us, ordinary citizens, simply because it has partnered with Big Business in keeping or perpetuating the status quo. In capitalist system, what works, stays. What does not, becomes waste. However, even wastes are managed. 


Government also tries to generate its own revenue by going the corporatist route, something which is good at the short-term yet, extremely dangerous for the long term. Corporatism means selling off assets. When you sell off public assets to Big Business, you change the very lives of the people--you further their enslavement to Big Business.


As we continue to be slaves of the System, several of us remain in denial while others resist. 


Those who resist, they are those who try to destroy the system by creating violence. Those who are not resisting, they express themselves through commission of crimes.


Crimes are rising due to people's inability to cope with the financial demands of the system. The system has turned the environment into a concrete jungle of sorts, where the Strong remains stronger still, and the weak, weaker. In desperation, those who are weak resort to chaos and violence, as their way of surviving the violence wrought upon them by the system. 


Every single day, we, ordinary citizens, experience violence wrought by an uncaring government. 


When we go to supermarkets, we see violence everywhere, what with exorbitant prices of basic commodities and the realization that the few pesos we hold in our hands are inadequate to buy us the food we need. 


When we walk our streets, we see people turning into monsters on survival mode, ready to devour other people just to stay alive.


In the highest rungs of our society, we see even the Rich perennially thinking of ways to circumvent the system for his own interests.