Malasakit and the 12% VAT On Toll

Picture a water-filled landscape with people living in their rooftops, all waiting for some form of rescue, but finding none. Picture a devastated Metro Manila, with phone lines cut and basic services still in 40% optimal performance. Imagine a housewife going to the grocery and finding that fish and vegetable prices have shot up, and with barely something in her hands for a week's food supply. And imagine hundreds of souls walking along streets and highways in the Metros scrimping for fare because they can't afford to even ride a jeepney.


These are every day scenes not of gloom but of glory. Filipinos are trying very hard to suffer these things in silence. Some of us, who know better, militate, like what those PALEA members do. They know any better. They know that if they shout now, if they fight it now, they'll stop companies from victimizing even their sons and grandsons in the future. 


People have been asking the palace to help them, do something, intervene, so that oil prices will not shoot up, and food prices will remain low. 


It seems though that the ones in power are so obsessed with shaking hands with Obama or enjoying the spring of Japan that they forgot they have an obligation to the people, and that is ease their burdens.


Let this be a warning to Malacanang and those who reside in the corridors of power---a revolutionary situation is in the offing. 


Three elements that make us a successful revolution are beginning to synthesize dialectically to form a maelstrom stronger that Quiel or Ondoy or Pedring. Poverty is being made worse by the lack of malasakit of those in Malacanang. This is being compounded by a natural crisis, troublesome because of its length and scope and of a fast eroding social structure made feeble and weak by a lack of a unifying cultural element.


Like what happened on May 1, 2002,these things would just suddenly develop into a monstrous beauty that would eat up the government. These elements will fester, and seethe, and develop into a full blown revolt come January or February of next year when the global stresses of a weakening world financial system matures and breaks into numerous boils in regional financial systems. 


I hate to say it but the imposition today of the 12% VAT on toll, will further worsen the already worsening economic situation in the countrysides. This imposition is really unfair and unjust simply because it is to be implemented at a time of great tragedy, when society is still reeling from the face of twin typhoon disasters and a continuing economic crisis compounded by natural crises. 


President Noynoy Aquino is acting like a spoiled tyrant, a heartless man, who loves the company of Big Business more than the company of a suffering many whose financial problems are now reaching their very own rooftops, like those rushing flash floods brought by the rains. 


Aquino should heed the warnings of several analysts that he is courting a major social revolt, one that he will regret creating. I am tired of giving hints and tips to these people in Malacanang. Let the heavens fall.