Radio gaga

I was riding a cab one very hot afternoon. The driver was listening to a radio show. The hosts were discussing the dearth of choices among the candidates running for government posts. No one is worth voting for, a cynical caller commented.

"Do you know of a government institution that is not tainted by corruption?" the driver asked me.

"I guess," I mumbled. I was really not in the mood to talk about politics and how badly our country was being run.

"There aren’t any," he declared. "Even the judiciary, the last hope of the people, is corrupt," he added.

Curious about his take on justice, I asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Because there are two systems of justice. When an ordinary person is caught stealing, he gets beaten up by the persons who arrest him and then goes to jail. When a government official steals, he remains in his air-conditioned office and we continue to pay him through our taxes," he replied.

In law school, we talked about how the black letter law, or what the statute books say, may not always be consistent with the operational code, or how things are actually done. The cab driver’s opinion was a folksy version of this observation.

The cab driver continued ranting about how awfully he was treated at various government offices. He complained about how impossible it was to get government employees to do their jobs without having to give them a bribe. His voice was getting louder the more passionate he became. He drove faster and hit the brakes more forcefully than necessary. I worried that his cab would collide with other vehicles. I also worried that he would do a Ducat. "Taxi driver snaps, holds passenger hostage" I imagined the tabloid headlines the next day.

Thankfully, I reached my destination safely. I wondered how many other passengers that cab driver had subjected to a ride as harrowing as mine. I also wondered how many other Filipinos feel the frustration and desperation he felt.

When my friends and I get together, we usually end up talking about whether we would be better off if we migrated and started a new life abroad. We discuss what kind of future our children would have if we remained in the Philippines. A common sentiment is that they would have improved chances of a "better" life abroad. I never try to dissuade those who want to leave from leaving. I cannot imagine myself doing so though.

Years ago, my family and I visited the United States. A relative told us to avoid certain routes because the Klu Klux Klan was having a rally and that some streets were clogged. I was incredulous. This was the 1990’s. I thought they no longer existed.

"Better" is a relative term. While it would be great to have the amenities of a First World country (including museums, parks, and more shoe choices), I am certain that I would never feel at ease in a place where I will always be among the "others" and that there would be groups formally organized for the purpose of excluding minorities like me.

I choose to be stuck here. It’s not always easy but it’s mine. I just hope that the weather eases up soon. Maybe taxi drivers don’t take out their desperation on hapless passengers on cooler days.