Can our politicians please heed this wise and simple advice: Talk less and listen more to others.
If we can only export the aggregate volume of debates, heated arguments or over-production of verbiage spewed out by our political leaders, legislators, radio and TV commentators, hordes of lawyers, activists and others, I dare say the Philippines can easily become the wealthiest nation on earth overnight. There is simply too much distracting, nauseating and unproductive chatter flooding Philippine society. We badly need chatter change or else we shall drown in filth.
It is a mystery to me why our leaders are not accustomed to more introspective silence? Is it because many of them do not have the discipline, the IQ, EQ or the intellectual wherewithal to think? Who among our know-it-all and self-righteous politicians are good listeners? Instead of ramming their corrupt agendas and faulty schemes down our throats, why don’t they heed the plaints, cries, sentiments, real needs, and true aspirations of the people? Listen!
President GMA should lead by example and push the urgent need for chatter change, not just charter change. Last Oct. 13, at the closing session of the three-day Philippine Business Conference (PBC) chaired by Anvil Business Club chairman George Siy, the President renewed her ongoing word war against the Senate, lambasting opposition legislators for their alleged plots to grab power and attacking what she called "degenerated politics."
Madame President, I learned that responding with humble silence is often the best way to decelerate emotions and diffuse anger. You should promote dialogue. Right or wrong, less chatter is often an effective and humble way to disarm the anger of others and to promote blissful harmony.
Nobody really wins an argument. Both sides will eventually end up as losers if no one wants to be the first to stop the blistering chatter. Isn’t it the admonition of Jesus Christ that if a person slaps our cheek, we shouldn’t retaliate angrily, but turn the other cheek in silence?
Honestly, I would rather prefer marital rule. I believe marital rule is better in its worst form than martial law in its most sublime lofty pretensions, because the latter might transform the Philippines into a corrupt, decadent and unstable Latin American banana republic.
No, this is not a typographical error, I really mean marital rule, not martial law. It’s funny how many of the most famous women of the Philippines, like President GMA, or the infamous ones, like the feisty Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, seemed to have effective martial and marital laws imposed in their households with husbands who publicly defer to them.
When I told my friend Aileen Uygongco-Ongkauko my enjoyable dates with my girlfriend and how I cannot muster the guts to propose marriage, the feisty businesswoman and my former Ateneo schoolmate said, "Just close your eyes and go for it! Marry. There is nobody perfect."
Another strong-willed woman, Summit Media publisher Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng also recently admonished that I should propose marriage or else I might regret it in the future. Even my feisty younger sister Marilou Flores-So often reprimands me for not yet marrying the beautiful woman I have been courting.
Paging the court jester and Injustice Secretary Raul Gonzales, who is infamous for infuriating strong women like Cory Aquino, Susan Roces and Kris Aquino in his bumbling attempts to ingratiate himself with his strong woman boss GMA: I wish to report a destabilization plot! It seems there’s a wonderful conspiracy to have me quickly under the manacles of marital law, to insidiously destabilize my state of blissful independence and carefree bachelor freedom. Help!