My Sense of National Pride

The headline in LONDON newspaper reads -- Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was caught traveling on a train without a ticket and any cash to pay the fare.

Blair was confronted by a ticket inspector as he traveled to London's Heathrow airport to catch a flight to the United States.

Ironically, Blair's wife Cherie, a judge, was fined after being caught riding a train without a ticket on her way to a court case in Luton, just north of London, in 2000.

This only shows how laws in progressive countries like Britain are implemented regardless of the personalities involved. In the Philippines, the poor implementation of our law; or simply the lack of it defines the sorry state of our beloved country.

Now, it is a common or past becoming an acceptable norm; (read as: Moderate Greed) that when a high profile personalities stashing and emptying the nation’s coffer at the expense of poor Juan dela Cruz; can only be remanded with an advice; that is, to moderate the greed. Yes, there are also whistle blowers here and there who themselves took part of the cahoots but suddenly become a self appointed righteous that profess on high heaven to spill everything he knows when his part of the loot is not as what was agreed. While others suddenly becomes an instant moralist urging for a Moral Revolution when they realized that their political agenda can no longer be sustained by their cohorts.

I read an article in a column written by one of my favorite columnists saying that what Philippines doesn’t have that other countries has is for the Filipino people to have a sense of national pride or sense of country. How about think positive? I, myself advocates positivism; Think Good – Speak Good about our Country. In fact, I wrote an article posted in my blogsite promoting positivism. But how can someone think positive when your stomach is gone empty? More so, to have a sense of national pride?

This is what I want to say to all our lawmakers, to those in the executive branch and the judiciary; make the law, implement to its full, and prosecute without prejudice. Run after these tax evaders, rice hoarders, drug lords, smugglers, corrupt government officials from top post down to the barangay levels and once you have done your part, then; let’s talk about my sense of national pride.