My Ten Wishes for Juan dela Cruz (Edited Edition)

Posted 5717/09 7:24 PM

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1. I wish that all evening news will give equal period on negative reports and inspiring stories. Yes, being in a democratic country, we have the right to know the issues about political upheavals, problems on poverty and job employment, government’s unresolved battle with different group of bandits etc. However, wouldn’t it be nice if after hearing these depressing facts about the Philippines we would meet an altruistic Filipino in a busy metropolis, see a wonderful natural scenic spot and witness persevering athletes prepare for an international competition? There are so much more amazing things to discover about the Philippines and we should all take pride of that. 
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2. I wish that every Filipino would learn to save even at least P5.00 a day. If we multiply that in 365 days we will have P1,825.00 at the end of a year. Small? Maybe for some people. But isn’t it better to have P1,825.00 than to have nothing to pull out in your pocket? According to a psychologist the word habit is associated with the word “automatic.” My advice: Make SAVING a habit.

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3. I wish that news and public affairs documentaries like I-Witness, Reporter’s Notebook, The Probe and The Correspondence will be shown in an earlier timeslot. Sometimes, I pity the people behind these worth-watching tv programs since only few viewers would make an effort to stay awake until midnight just to watch it.

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4. I wish that people who do not give any amount of money to beggars will learn to keep their mouth shut (esp. if they have nothing good to say). I believe that not giving anything to the poor does not make a person selfish, but to make an unjust judgment or negative criticism after refusing to donate a coin or a few Peso bill is a big crime. Some opinions about cadgers might be true but that does not give us the authority to step on their character. The key word here is – RESPECT.

5. I wish that effective and efficient employees/laborers will not be left unnoticed. These are the people who truly work hard towards the realization of company’s goal/s while in most cases the company owner is just sitting in his office, signing documents and answering important phonecalls. In short, deserving people must be rewarded. They are heroes in their own right. But these people do not need to have their own monuments in EDSA. Monuments are nice but they need cash (hehe!).

6. I wish that more bibliophiles or bookstore residents would actually care to read (and hopefully buy) the works of Filipino writers. Being one of National Bookstore’s certified stand-bys, I notice that a lot of brilliant minds are waiting to be heard. Let us support them so other aspiring writers will also be encouraged to publish their masterpiece.

7. I wish that more Filipinos will be interested in sports that do not require height. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the country. But as far as international competitions are concerned, our national team are usually having a hard time winning. Why? Because basketball requires height (something that we cannot change). Since most Filipinos are born not too tall or too short, we should take advantage on the things that we could still work on. There are other sports (e.g. billiard, swimming, soccer etc) that purely rely on skills and positive attitude. And we, Filipinos, have that. (P.S. I didn't include boxing because I'm not really a boxing fanatic and it requires a body as hard as a rock. Nevertheless, I'm proud of Pacman and all Filipino boxers).

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8. I wish that every Filipino would learn to put their trash on the garbage bin specially when they are in public places. Metro Aides are not there to clean the roads 24 hours because in reality we all have responsibility to take care of our environment. The result: every corner of this country would be a great scenery. 

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9. I wish that entrepreneurs would all realize that a business is not created just for the purpose of earning profit. Nowadays, it is very noticeable that a lot of private companies or some public sectors are now seemingly becoming oblivious of their responsibility to their clients. It’s always “Business as Usual.” In private schools for example aside from high tuition fee, students are sometimes required to buy school supplies from the school while students can purchase the same items at a lower rate in the market. And when you check the quality of the product/s? I doubt if it will last until the end of the school year. And when you assess the quality of education? Hmmm... No comment. In some private hospitals, when you’re poor you won’t get admitted regardless if your body is shaking like a leaf or your blood is already flowing in the street. No Cash - No Entry.

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10. I wish Filipinos would learn to elect public servants and not just simply government officials. Election is near. I hope we won’t get blinded by the fine-looking mask that running officials will be putting on their faces. Let’s be careful and honest with what we truly believe in. Let’s stand for what is right and for is good. In the long run it is us, voters who will get the most benefit.