I AM a Filipino and I will die a Filipino. I am one of the Filipinos etched with personal and vicarious experiences that even my school and my ABC knowledge from the Americans impressed on me (on us) only went skin deep.
Many will not agree with me, especially those who have not experienced the cycle of "hand to mouth life" or simply... those who pretended that they will be able to cheat reality and make themselves the real cheaters.
Anyway, there are always Filipinos who directly experience exploitation and deprivation.
Some Filipinos are in the social structures that subvert their own interest, of laws that work against them, of democracy (unilateral or the future federal) with little meaning in their lives.
As citizens of this country, we see the devastation and crumbling of the social order brought upon by fellow Filipinos (and those who dictate behind them) who did not help any.
The downtrodden Filipinos, who will grab (with greed) what they can, when they can and if they can, will go back to what the colonizing Spaniards and Americans tagged us... undisciplined, unprincipled, irresponsible, and lazy (the Juan Tamad type).
Even in forming a line at the department store, some of us are pushing and shouldering our way to reach the cashier. We have a pedestrian lane, why jaywalk as if you own the road? Why does an obedient citizen suddenly turn into a cursing maniac on the road after he has been irritated by a more maniac driving the other car?
Our oppressed mentality is telling us that life is a race. Even the children (brothers and sisters) in the slums have to eat fast during meal time... or else they may not have a share of little rice in front of them.
Even the "haves" who are also deprived of social justice carry the mentality of the oppressed.
Even in government offices, someone will pad a receipt for a refund. The 300-peso worth of something will be added with zero to make it 3000. It is an ancient practice but it is still repeated.
Others are made to sign a ghost payroll. Government employees always look for a role model among their division chiefs or department heads. What do they get?
It is alleged that in a government set-up, graft and corruption are endemic. One who is there is considered stupid if he refuses or does not ask for a commission. This could just be an allegation of a perception.
Truth and reality hurt.
Even in first-class movie houses, good-looking moviegoers leave their burger wrappers, peanut shells, and their used facial tissue paper. They also do that inside the taxi or bus.
Someone with oppressed mentality may toss his garbage bag in front of his neighbor's sidewalk. His mind speaks, "That could be the problem of the street cleaners. Anyway, he is paid by the government."
Many of us piss against the wall and many of us are lazy to flush a toilet bowl (especially in public toilets). It's an irony, "Why should I flush when that thing (where everybody squats) is execrably filthy.
Anyway, that flush is out of order for more than a year." From the farm where someone comes the toilet is anywhere.
It is fact that even up to now, there are Filipinos who are in the departure area who have not seen a water-sealed toilet. This could be a challenge to government officials to make "Project: a toilet for All" a must in all barangays, sitios and puroks.
Residents with good toilets can remember generous politicians during election time.
In the Philippines, workers are slow workers, "Slow men working". Once I went to my master cutter (barong cutter) for an important date and I needed a smart barong Tagalog. I paid him cash ahead of time but he never made it. That could be the attitude of someone with oppressed mentality.
I still have hope for Filipino workers. Given better (or best) pay and working conditions like those in America, Europe or the Middle East, the Filipinos have been proven to be the best men for the job.
That oppressed mentality has been a part of our culture. We can still do something about it.
