Surviving Life

As the world’s camera focused its wide angle lens on the Philippines’ unbelievable "Poor People Rebellion," we Filipinos in America were at a loss when answering our non-Filipino friends when they asked, "What’s happening in your country now? Why?" Other Filipinos would just shrug their shoulders and say, "I do not know, I have been in America for so long I no longer follow what’s going on in the Philippines." Unfortunately, many of our kababayans in America are no longer interested in Philippine affairs for many personal reasons– like their own survival and their pursuit of the American dream.

Although Filipino-Americans are 10,000 miles away, we can see the unconscionable exploitation of Erap’s masa as they became the rich man’s shield and his mercenaries.

Thank God, that He continues to shower His protective love over the Filipino people even as the forces of good and evil clash. With our unflinching faith, we Filipinos in America are praying that goodwill eventually triumph over evil.

Yes, blood has been spilled in the recent clash of good and evil but I believe that it is a necessary sacrifice in order to exorcise our decadent society of its filth. Forest fires are often necessary as nature’s own way to rejuvenate itself, to crack new seeds, to clear the deadwood thereby making the soil more fertile. The trees that survive these forest fires eventually become stronger to live another hundred years! As my wife’s put it, you must break some eggs in order to have a nice omelet for breakfast.

When all is done and the dust has settled we must get down to the real work–solve the most pressing problem, the economy. A problem that has yet to be addressed seriously and intelligently since Estrada became president. Estrada had no vision nor mission on how to improve the country. Rather he was concerned with filling the pockets of his families and cronies. In the United States, the only thing that saved the presidency of Bill Clinton amid his Whitewatergate, Travelgate crises and the infamous Monica Lewinsky Sex Scandal was the robust economy during his eight-year term. As Americans put it, "It’s the economy, stupid!"

What is it that despite the crises in Washington, D.C. during the sad and divisive impeachment trial of Clinton, the economy continued to grow and expand? The answer: Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve Board chairman who is virtually an economic dictator. In the United States, when Alan Greenspan sneezes, everything stops. When he holds a press conference, every reporter listens to his every word and the economists watch his gestures and then interpret what’s next in the financial markets. When President George W. Bush holds a conference, the press and the cartoonists have a field day.

The new leadership of the Philippines must address the economic problem. Overhauling the Philippine economic model is long overdue. It is imperative to divorce politicians, who always act as chameleons anyway, from economic policies with a clear vision for the future and not just for an election year. We must leave the economy in the hands of genuine economic leaders who have unblemished integrity and proven track records.

The economy is the greatest engine of progress of any country. A healthy economy is the artery of peace and prosperity for our people.

This road will be quite bumpy but there is no other way. The downturn of the economy affects everyone, especially the poor. The collective welfare of all our citizens must be the number one goal of the government officials and leaders of industry. A bold political decision to overhaul our flawed economic system that has been subservient to the political whims of the powers that be should be done now.

I do not know nor have I met President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but with her Economics Degree coupled with her empathy and/or experience with the socially disadvantaged sector of our population as a Social Welfare secretary, she holds in her hands the real KEY that can unlock the door to more opportunities of the poor by creating an Economic Czar, with an independent power like Alan Greenspan who is not beholden to anyone.

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I watched the final episode of Survivor II, the most popular TV series this Spring. TV movies like Survivor become smash hits because they provide ventilation for our suppressed desires or simply feed our fantasy.

Survivor is indeed a triumph of creativity and understanding of human nature. Sixteen people were chosen from thousands of applicants to go to the Australian Outback and try to outlive each other for 42 days.

Tina Wesson, the ultimate survivor and a newly-minted millionaire, is not the smartest, or the strongest, or the most fit, or the most educated but she still won over the other 15. As a marketing person, I think, I know some of the reasons why. In real estate, everyone understands three things: location, location, location. In Survivor the three things that made her win were: strategy, strategy, strategy. We may call it with other names like alliances, manipulation, cooperation, collaboration or telling just half-truths or plain lies; they are all part and parcel of her strategy. Based on what I saw and heard, she deserved the crown, as voted 4-3 by her fellow Survivor participants.

The appeal and popularity of Survivor is very high because the stars of Survivor are us. We often become the victims or victors of the things we do, or the things we do not do.

To quote an old friend, Diana Griego Irwin, now a columnist of Sacramento Bee, "Which is it?" Does the world really follow the same rules that we had in kindergarten? Be nice. Work hard. Share. Be good. Help others. Smile. Does that lead to success? Or is it who you know, the alliances you build and covering your own tail. Does the cunning manipulator have the best chance of surviving? Is the real name of the game "Stick it to them before they stick it to you"?

In real life, many things happen without even us knowing it. But the law of the farm always comes into play. We always harvest what we sow. The best way to predict our future is to create its circumstance and make deliberate choices (decisions) from many the many possible responses to each stimulus that comes our way.

As my American business colleagues like Jeff Kirkpatrick, Mike Warner and Kirk Faussett indulge in animated conversation about Survivor, I can then offer an opinion. I predict that since Survivor I had about 28 million viewers, Survivor II had 40 million, Survivor III, which is slated to be shot on location in Africa, will have 70 million viewers. Most likely, I will be among them.

Empowering Thoughts To Live By :

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate;

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You’re a child of God – your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won’t feel insecure around you.

We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own candle shine, we consciously give others permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. – From the inaugural speech of Nelson Mandela in South Africa in 1994

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E-mail writer at [email protected] or [email protected]. Or visit his websites at http://www.progressivetimes.com or http://www.katipunan-usa.org.