‘Gaikobi’

Rhona Canoy

SO… I read a post on Facebook, the source of all accurate news and information, which gave me pause for deep thought. It was a post generously shared by Bruh Cong Corrales which talked about the difference between a capitalist mentality and a welfare mentality.

This got me to thinking about our “unique” Filipino way of thinking, especially when it comes to the issue of poverty. It can’t be denied that Filipinos have been cultivated through gazillion years to accept the classification of poor and that as part of the poor, one is entitled to unlimited charity and privileges, from the government and from those who are deemed wealthy.

I constantly run across people who assume that my family is rolling in the bucks simply because of my father’s (and unfortunately also my) last name. And along with this assumption is the expectation that money can be freely tossed around because someone approaches me and says, “I’m poor so please give me money.”

Squatters—please don’t insult my dignity and my mentality by calling them “informal settlers” because that is a meaningless phrase—demand free housing because they are going to be driven out by the rightful landowner. And that they deserve it because they’re poor.

Sidewalk vendors, who aren’t allowed by law to occupy their public space because it impedes pedestrian access and safety, rise up in protest when they are driven away or transferred. A traffic enforcer was shot allegedly by angry vendors who were driven away. And people defended this act because they’re poor.

Our government officials thrive and prolong their political careers (who do you think came up with the idiotic phrase “informal settlers”?) by fostering this “poor” mentality with promises of doleouts, handouts, and whatever else kind of free –outs. And people believe and support these incompetents because they’re poor… the supporters, not the incompetents.

At the risk of being offensive let me say—we all have this side of the mentality. We like freebies, we demand that people feed us (“Bangkahi ko beh”) because they have something to celebrate. Birthdays and fiestas are stressful because, well… “Asa man ang lechon?” Christmas is the worst because people will shamelessly greet you with, “Pinaskuhan beh!” What the…?! Even if you tell me this is all in jest, I’m still going to counter with, “That’s a really inappropriate joke.”

I admire people who recycle, who will ask for trash and throwaways because they think they can still use them. And that’s not limited to people in need. It’s an exercise in environmental responsibility, and more importantly, one’s creativity.

But promises to alleviate poverty in our society are (I believe) actually a veiled strategy at brainwashing people into believing they are poor. There is a science known as neurolinguistics which, roughly explained, is founded on the premise that our language not only expresses what we feel and what we believe, but that our language also defines us, and we become the words we speak.

How many times have we heard people say, “Pobre ra man gud mi…” (We are mere poor folk.) Tell me, can you distinguish the vast difference between the following two statements? “I have lost my job and my home, and so I really need a job.” as opposed to “I am poor so give me a job.” There is dignity in only one of these. And I hope you have enough discernment to figure out which one.

We have allowed ourselves to become a nation of entitled beggars. And this mindset has nothing to do with being in need. I suppose not many people will take the time to think about this beyond reading the last word of this column. And I’m not saying I’m right… or being selfighteous for that matter. All I want is for you, my precious few readers, to consider these words and figure out where your line is drawn. I’m just as guilty as the rest, but my circumstances may be peculiar.

If I ever see you walking down the street eating an enviable fried banana, I will have no shame in approaching you and say, “Gaikobi!”