EDITORIAL  – 'Pamoyboy'

The Cebuano term “ boyboy “ roughly translates into holding someone to account for favors done in the past. It is a trait that is neither endearing nor exemplary. A person who engages in “ pamoyboy “ exposes himself as insincere, to say the least.

A person who engages in “ pamoyboy “ is essentially calling another person an ingrate.

Even granting that the other person is, in fact, an ingrate, to make “ pamoyboy “ does not make a person better than the other.

On the contrary, an ingrate person, one who, by omission or by design forgets to even acknowledge a past favor or debt, may end up slightly less reprehensible than the person who dispenses favors with an eye toward exacting repayments later.

That person is what is called in Cebuano as a “ boyboyan nga pagkatawo. “ And it is even worse if that person makes his “ pamoyboy “ in public, especially if he does that just so he could save his own neck.

To the great misfortune of Filipinos, such reprehensible behavior was displayed by no less that Jose de Venecia, the erstwhile speaker, in a privilege speech he made on the night he was ousted.

His speech, as well the entire proceedings, was beamed lived on nationwide television and was probably picked up by foreign networks for distribution worldwide. Such an ugly scene, starring no less than the speaker, tarnished the image of the Filipino immeasurably.

With arms flailing, his mouth almost frothing with anger and disdain, de Venecia lambasted Malacañang and its occupant for allegedly orchestrating moves to oust him despite the many past favors and acts of support and accommodation he has given them.

What an ugly scene it was, pregnant with all sorts of unflattering meanings the world can weave about the Filipino and his innate character. It may not be the rule, of course, but if the speaker can exhibit such a trait, how different could lesser Filipino mortals be?