Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Filipino Children and Infomercials


This is what I believe : Mar Roxas’ TV infomercial is nothing but a cheap attempt to identify himself with the masses, the common people. But I do not intend to single out the good senator. I am against ALL infomercials and commercial endorsements by politicians. I seldom go with Meriam Defensor –Santiago’s mind (?) but this time I believe her when she said that, “Politicians conducting premature campaigns under the pretense of commercial endorsements violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution.” She even urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make a “categorical interpretation” of the Omnibus Election Code to prevent “rich and powerful candidates” from enjoying unfair advantage over poor candidates. All the traditional politicians are putting premature political trash on television even at the expense of poor and marginalized children.

No matter how cute and compassionate are his words to that pedicab boy and his sister (”Ilang taon ka na”.. “Anak, itabi mo. Ako na..”), when people are tired of traditional politicians and their politicking, they cannot easily be blinded by such words. We have all the reasons in the world to doubt their motives behind said infomercials. How the heck can they afford to be big time killjoys in the middle of an exciting episode of our favorite soap opera? While I hate traditional politicians, I salute the poor Filipino children,- like the thirteen year-old pedicab boy and his six-year-old sister, for their resilience. Resilience in psychology is the positive capacity of people to cope with stress and catastrophe. Stressful and catastrophic events that can be traced back to the practice of the nation‘s biggest bane called “politics”.

Here in Occidental Mindoro most of the children are from poor farmer families. Despite life’s hardship, the Spartan spirit resides in them. It is very usual scenario in my province watching a boy say, ten years of age, operates a hand tractor or a power tiller where its handles are too tall for the boy. At an early age, they already managed to survive and be economic partners of their parents. Even some of their rights as children are neglected by their parents. Our local politicians are partly to blame in this sad plight of our children.

According to Dr. Norman Garmezy, a psychologist from University of Minnesota, “Resilience is competence and the inner strength to work well, play well, love well and expect well despite the presence of considerable adversities..” Indeed children has the capacity to be self-reliant and self- governing.

DZVT,- a local AM radio station where I am part of its news and public affairs department, caters a program called “Bidang Bulilit” where interested children/youth were trained on preparing radio program where they produce their own script related to children’s rights and issues faced by children .The airing is done regularly. It is a forum where children also invite and interview resource persons, adults and children, related to children’s issues. Their views are asked on the issues, solutions and how they contribute in addressing such issues. This is a block time program sponsored by Plan, International-San Jose Office.

Filipino children have the ability to see things as impermanent. They hope for a time when they be able to prevail life’s difficulties and fulfill their dreams. Take Tutay for example, my sixteen-year old middle child. Her usual expression amidst domestic financial crisis is this: “Huwag kang mag-alala. Ako ang mag-papayaman sa inyo, ‘Tay” (Don’t worry. I will make you rich, Father).

Children in my country also had a firm sense of what is right and what is wrong. In our anti-mining initiatives, we give information and education campaign among school children in the barrios. And from this kind of activity and dialogue we could sense well their perception of what is ethical and what is moral.

Yes, Filipino children has something that is innate to a person or an inborn trait that can be learned or developed. A spirit within that must be enhanced and nurtured by all of us adults and not only from those we regularly see on television lately…

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(Photo from SSC File taken by Ms. Thess Tacderan)

16 comments:

  1. likened the bamboo, Filipinos are resilient. We can go freely with the tide; in all adversities we can claim survival. However, being resilient has also its negative impact. We can categorize it as a state of being "accepting", like the acceptance of fate. It reinforces the "value" of "bahala na" or giving it all to the unforeseen forces.
    I also hate Mar Roxas' infomercial the same hatred I felt when I heard many years back how a female politician used her daughter in airing sentiments, greetings on air. (i think it was played repeatedly also in DZVT? but that was way back).
    I want my children to be resilient in the same manner that I want them unresistant to changes. Their resilience must not be the kind that just go with the tide or the majority. I hope they will resist the evils of this society and some so-called development stance like mining. Same resistance we are doing now.

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  2. Dear Eunice:

    But hey, your comment reminded me also about her political rival na idinamay ang katatayuan sa pamilya ng kawawang batang ito in one of his campaign speeches during the last time they contended for the same post.

    Tsk, tsk, poor child......

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  3. i agree... at ok ang blog mo ha. interesting. sana mabasa ito ni mar roxas. wala na namang bago sa mga pulitiko ngayon eh. keep up the good work! ang galing nito. :)

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  4. Dear Marian:

    Salamat sa pagbisita. Pasyal din ako sa blog mo....

    ReplyDelete
  5. WHO IS THE WINNER IN OMECO DISTRICT 11 BOD ELECTION -2009

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  6. Dear Anonymous:

    In San Jose District II its Ferdie Mercene by more or less 500 votes agains the incumbent and BOD Chair Jerry Villanada. In-coming BOD Member Eliseo M. Lising, Jr. (of District 1)and Mercene will take oath and assume office on May 24, 2009 after OMECO's General Assembly in San Jose.

    For other Omeco updates click "OMECO Scandal" category of "Pamatok". Thanks for the visit ang God bless...

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  7. hey dude. wats d all caps for? in the net using all capital letters is same as shouting. pleze dude dont shout wen u ask

    -Mindoro Turk

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  8. Dear Turk:

    It's just okay for me. And I do not mind being shouted at. Get used to it already,.. especially at home (he,he,he).

    Thank you, Turk and welcome back....

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  9. What happened to the owner of ADVOCATUS SOCIALIS,i used to visit his blog site before...

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  10. Dear Anonymous:

    I have no idea. I just included his blog in my blogroll when I stumbled upon it. Try also reading the blogs in my blogroll especially those of Kairos, Moron Savant, Manong Ed and Tirador.

    Thanks for the visit, anyway.

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  11. pray for the peace of soul of the owner of advocatus socialis...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Anonymous:

    Seconds ago in my blogroll I immediately changed "Remembering Didaskalos" to "In Memory of Didaskalos".

    Thank you for the news. May he RIP...

    ReplyDelete
  13. is didaskalos really dead?
    what caused his death?

    ReplyDelete
  14. kaya po pla nawala naglaho si ddaskalos sa san jose, pumunta sya sa Mexico...

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete