In review and in prospect
Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine team competing in this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup mirrors everything that is wrong with the way Filipinos go about things. Hosting the FIBA World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase the Philippines and its cultural capital. Yet it is evident that investment in the form of preparation and cultivation of talent — in this basketball-crazy country, no less — was sorely lacking.
How Filipinos, yet again, find themselves facing dim prospects of a dignified showing in these FIBA games is a microcosm of Philippine history. Pwede-na-yan (“that’ll do”) mentality coupled with a consistently weak ability to channel vast resources coupled — again — with a penchant for entering into commitments one is inherently incapable of honouring (a pride incommensurate with ability) produces the impoverishment we see today. It is the very definition of poverty itself.
We see this pattern at both micro and macro scales crowned by a limp economy backdropped by an abundance of natural resources — including human resources to the tune of 110 million. National artist Nick Joaquin himself famously lamented this chronic national-scale productivity deficit in his seminal essay “A Heritage of Smallness”.
The Filipino who travels abroad gets to thinking that his is the hardest working country in the world. By six or seven in the morning we are already up on our way to work, shops and markets are open; the wheels of industry are already agrind. Abroad, especially in the West, if you go out at seven in the morning you’re in a dead-town. Everybody’s still in bed; everything’s still closed up. Activity doesn’t begin till nine or ten– and ceases promptly at five p.m. By six, the business sections are dead towns again. The entire cities go to sleep on weekends. They have a shorter working day, a shorter working week. Yet they pile up more mileage than we who work all day and all week.
More for less, smart work over “hard work”. Filipinos seem to be missing a chip when it comes to capitalising their otherwise rich country.
Last week’s blog posts
VP Sara Duterte’s Ouster Imminent
August 28, 2023 by Oman
"Inday Sara is clearly becoming more and more of a liability — it is just a matter of time before Marcos jettisons her into the South China Sea."
Is #GilasPilipinas coach Chot Reyes cursed by his support for Leni Robredo?
August 26, 2023 by benign0
"Chot Reyes does a disservice to the sport by dipping into a realm that can only bring trouble for him. Worse, it could bring bad luck for a team that Filipinos would like to have faith in."
Trillanes Lists Dutertes Sixteen Acts of Betrayal
August 24, 2023 by Oman
"The entry of Chinese POGO workers in large numbers has been a contentious issue in recent years. Trillanes believes that allowing their entry without proper scrutiny may have inadvertently allowed Chinese soldiers to enter the country."
The Two Padrinos of Transpo Sec Jaime Bautista
August 23, 2023 by E Fayarowel
"Bautista should realize that ignoring the public’s suffering at this point would be seen as psychopathic. It would be more compassionate and patriotic for him to step aside and allow someone more qualified to take over..."
China to Reward Digong, Inday Sara, and Quiboloy with Asylum?
August 22, 2023 by Oman
"Duterte’s China visit has provided us with a bewildering tale of intrigue, conspiracy, and comedy. From the unexpected presence of Quiboloy to the criminal allegations surrounding both men, it’s hard not to be captivated by this bizarre episode."