Column

Grieving nation

As Filipinos, it’s a part of our funeral traditions to venerate the dead by paying utmost respect and talking about the person’s left legacies, achievements, contributions, and impacts to the people whom he or she had meaningful relationships with. It is unlikely to hear criticisms and negative comments about the dead to give the grieving family time to mourn and recover (emotionally and psychologically) from losing a family member. But for the death of former President Benigno Aquino III, the 15th president of the country, critics and anti-liberals were never ashamed of throwing tirades and faultfinding about the previous administration. This may appear justifiable by asserting one’s right to freely express their opinions, but during the period of lamentation, people are expected to observe “basic courtesy.” 

Even President Duterte dignified former president PNoy by declaring June 24 to July 3 as national days of mourning through Proclamation No. 1169. This move was unexpected since President Duterte is a vocal critic of the previous Aquino administration. But it shows how Filipino leaders can empathize and unite during times when political differences are unnecessary – something that Filipinos forget. Unwittingly, we are so engrossed with creating borders and boundaries; gatekeeping those whose political stances are different; and “othering” those who cannot keep up with highly intellectual political discussions. Apart from losing a president, we are also slowly losing our chance to rebuild our country from structural and deep-rooted issues of graft and corruption, injustices and human rights violations, and deteriorating democratic institutions due to our growing individualistic tendencies.

Of course, showing courtesy and condolences to the bereaved Aquino family isn’t a departure from making PNoy accountable of his lapses. We can never forget the unresolved typhoon Yolanda controversies, the Mamasapano tragedy, the mishandled Luneta bus hostage incident, among others. But criticisms merely based on his political color and affiliations are misplaced, which certainly expose a greater problem: Filipinos no longer see political differences as opportunities for meaningful discourses and discussions.

To see the bigger picture and imagine what’s best for us, we need to re-evaluate our perspectives and political motives. Are our criticisms directed towards resolving the problem? Are our criticisms devoid of personal interests? Are our criticisms constructive enough to allow its recipients improve and resolve what is problematic? These questions have to be considered when we drop criticisms. Our goal, at the end of the day, is to resolve social problems and call on the leaders and lawmakers of our country to create and impose policies aimed at improving the lives of Filipinos. Beyond that, let us learn to restrain criticisms that usher hate, anger, or personal grudge. 

Right now, there is no time to play around ad hominem arguments and senseless rants. We need evidences. We need the opinions of experts. And we need to accentuate the importance of listening to each other