How ‘maabilidad’ and ‘wais’ pull down Filipino society

Hot off the press is the book “Ang Bagong Pinoy: An Ethical Framework for the New Filipino.” The heavy-sounding title notwithstanding, its chapters offer simple ways for Filipinos to improve their lot. Very timely in these desperate days.

Author Ernesto “Boogie” Boydon is of a generation that wishes to witness big change before passing on. That generation is impatient. It includes teenage radicals of the ‘70s who stormed Malacañang and Congress, and are now corporate execs who devote profit to uplift the masa. As well, colonels who comprised Reform AFP Movement and lieutenants of Young Officers Union who instigated People Power ’86.

Boogie had brought his eldest one-year-old son to EDSA during those four gripping days that promised new beginnings. In 2005, when that son graduated from college, Filipinos’ lives seemed to not have changed much. Boogie redoubled personal efforts for society. He composed allegories, launched Ang Bagong Pinoy Global Movement, and expanded involvement with Couples for Christ.

Chapter 16 is Boogie’s plea for what countrymen must do: “Loving our Neighbor is at the Heart of Rebuilding our Nation”. Excerpting this portion by way of a teaser:

“The likes of Fernando Poe Jr., ‘Da King’ of Philippine movies and other reel heroes of the same genre, showed us that we can withstand all ridicule, suffering and persecution, knowing that before ‘The End,’ we will get to deliver the final, most quotable lines, while our tormentors get the comeuppance they so richly deserve. ‘May araw ka din’ (Your day will come) is what we mutter under our breath to all the Paquito and Romy Diazes and Max Alvarados of our lives.

“Post-war Filipino Baby Boomers and Generation X-ers have grown up exposed to the likes of Mang Nano played by actor-comedian Pugo in the daily 1960’s sitcoms, ‘Tang-ta-rang-tang’ and ‘Si Tatang Kasi’ who flaunt their abilities to put one over their neighbors as simply being ‘ma-abilidad’ or ‘wa-is’ (clever). And it’s not just Mang Nano we owe this to. Decades of comedians after him have practically come up with acts rehashed from the same formula that it is not wrong to do something bad for as long as one can get away with it.

“We have glamorized these parts of their comical repertoire and have even adapted these to real life. For instance, when we find ourselves at the end of a long queue, we easily surrender to the temptation of asking a friend or even a ‘fixer’ to facilitate things so that we can jump the queue or bypass it altogether. We even gloat over our resourcefulness without realizing that for our convenience, we have inconvenienced others by making them wait longer since the time, which should have been spent on their transactions, was spent on ours. As Erly de Guzman of Galing Pilipino often says, ‘Ang gulang naging galing’ (our taking advantage becomes an asset). Do we think that being able to put one over our neighbor, as a sign of our being ‘maabilidad’ and ‘wa-is,’ is an achievement to be proud of?

“A quick search of what’s out there in the internet on Mang Nano yielded the write-up below on the 1960 movie ‘Nukso nang Nukso’: ‘In Nukso nang Nukso, Pugo is Mang Nano Batekabesa, the wily but lovable manggagantso who concocts the most ingenious scams to finance his little vices, like jueteng or cockfighting.’ Talk about role models and screen heroes!

“Combining all of the aforementioned examples, a clearer picture emerges. We want to rise from our impoverished or disadvantaged state, but either:

? We feel that somebody ought to do it for us, so we long for a superhero to rescue us from our sorry state; or

? We hope to do it ourselves but are too lazy to work hard for it and hope instead for a quick fix that will magically transform our lives.”

Ang Bagong Pinoy contains 211 pages. To place an order click: https://forms.gle/zSGZQ1Qcuvr2XG5f6. Or email [email protected]

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FAMAS and Gawad Plaridel awardee Manuel “Jun” Urbano was awed by the huge volume of likes, comments and shares of Mr. Shooli’s speech “Wha’ happen to you Pinoys?” (Gotcha, 1 Nov. 2023). For that, he thanks readers and offers an answer to the oft repeated question, “What’s wrong with the Philippines?” Watch: https://bit.ly/Jun-Urbano

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Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8 to 10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM). Follow me on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/Jarius-Bondoc