Cynic!

1 August 2013

A “cynic” is “A person whose outlook is scornfully and habitually negative.” This is among the definitions given in the 4^th edition of “The American Heritage of Dictionary of the English Language.” And looking further into the history of the word showed that it also means “faultfinder” (www.thefreedictionary .com /_/dict.aspx ?rd=1 &word=cynic).

I took a special interest in the word because it was the first one that crossed my mind while reading some commentaries pertaining to the now famous “customs bashing” that President Noynoy did during his 4^th SONA. The same word once more turned up in my mind during a conversation with a lawyer-friend, a few nights back, while waiting for other participants to arrive in a meeting we were both attending.

A commentary that caught my interest was one which, in my view, tried hard to project objectivity, but eventually, crudely traced back the fault for the current sorry state of the Bureau of Customs to the President, and even goaded him to come up with substantial results in fighting corruption in the agency. What I found humorous and sad at the same time is on how a conclusion was reached, putting blame for the agency’s unchecked corruption on the President of the Republic, on the basis of only about 110 words in 5 sentences. It is to me such a shallow, if not irresponsible treatment of such an important and sensitive issue.

And, also, prodding the President to come up with substantial results in fighting corruption somehow strikes me as reckless, if not callous. The commenting onlooker must have forgotten that the President and his administration took over at the start of the 2^nd half of 2010 flying the anti-corruption banner, and has so far gained significant achievements. Such feats include not only successes against corruption in other units of the government, but also in terms of improvement in some other aspects of governance, as well as, in the enhancement of the country’s prestige. And these achievements were made to occur despite the dragging effect of obstacles installed by those who oppose him.

To my mind, the President’s action last July 22 moved the effort against corruption in the BoC (as well as in the other corruption infested agencies) from “presidential inducement” to “shove”; with the “inducement” initiated during the agency’s 110^th founding anniversary last February 6, 2012 (where the President addressed the bureau’s personnel; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho93Akd5r38), and turned into the shove during his 4^th SONA last July 22.

As regards my lawyer-friend, our conversation shifted from our common complaints about traffic into the nationally broadcasted public scolding that the President did to the Bureau of Customs. This friend, who is a certified PNoy critic, opined on how unfair the President’s action was, given that it was witnessed nationwide, and wondered how the customs personnel, their spouses, as well as their children felt while watching, or listening, to the President. He wondered how they can now face their neighbors and friends.

To this I commented that I agree with what the President did and that it’s high time that such harsh treatment was given the bureau because the fact is that most mature Filipinos accept it as a corrupt agency.  Another friend who by that time was already with us agreed and even related of two brand new high-end SUVs usually being parked on the road beside the house of a subdivision neighbor, but these two vehicles suddenly vanished after the President’s SONA.

My lawyer-friend retorted that so many are disgruntled, and that someone might start taking advantage of this to create bigger trouble, and to which I opined that such possibility seem remote, given the very high, and rising, trust rating of the President. At this point, unfortunately, other participants in the meeting started arriving causing us to discontinue with the topic, and turn to the business we were there for.

I believe criticism is important as it is needed to keep the feet of government officials on the ground, and that it could be as harsh as can be. Since it counts also as a form of check and balance, everyone who cares to criticize must be encouraged to do so. However, I also believe that such should be honest, given with an open mind (i.e. being responsive still to a different view) and constructive (because solutions are suggested) to be of value.

Criticisms given just for the sake of criticizing, damaging, pursuing a sinister agenda and given with a closed mind, like what cynics do, just pose as stumbling blocks in our country’s effort to bring prosperity to everyone. Cynics will always be around, but they can be neutralized by identifying them, and disregarding them.

Comments/reactions will be appreciated and can be sent through this writer’s email (sl3.mekaniko @gmail.com) or through this writer’s blog (http://mekaniko-sl3.blogspot.com).