Headlines bannered the news that Congress scrapped their pork for the 2014 budget. Should we rejoice or not?
What made Congress suddenly decide to give up their millions? Did those in Congress suddenly become altruistic overnight or did they suddenly decide to listen to the loud cries of Filipinos for pork to be scrapped immediately?
It is too soon to rejoice. It will be best to wait some time for the real motives of Congress to be revealed.
Meanwhile, we repeat for the nth time. Public funds are for Filipino people. Public funds are not for Congress, not even for the president.
Public funds, therefore, deserve to be allocated and properly accounted for more effectively, in a very honest and responsible manner.
Now that the public funds are no longer in the hands of Congress, can we expect the funds to be used finally and directly for our people, especially the most disadvantaged, the children, women, elderly, the indigenous people among these?
Can the funds now be used to meet basic needs-accessible, safe food and water for the hungry? Can we look forward to more stable employment and better standardized income for all? Can our food producers receive genuine support and subsidy so that they are encouraged and inspired to provide sustainable and secure food supply?
Will the public funds now be used to provide decent shelter and proper sites for the homeless? Will better health services and sanitation be available for our people? Will our children have better education, quality education at that, and teachers inspired to teach because of genuine financial and resource support from government?
Will the honest, responsible disbursement, use and accounting of public funds bring out the best in more number of true and good Filipinos to provide quality public service? Will good, transparent, participatory governance finally dawn in this country?
Are we now experiencing the historic moment where genuine changes for the healing of our country and our people will finally take place? Will we all soon be singing our joyous and grateful thankful melodies that finally our much awaited and much deserved genuine changes for our people, for our land are here for all to witness and enjoy?
It may be too soon to look, to dream so right now. Given decades of abuse and plunder of our public funds by a few abusive and corrupt, we reserve our right to remain cautious and skeptical unless proven wrong. We also reserve some openness within us not to let go of all hopes that genuine changes can truly come about, if not soon, if not now, someday.
We also reserve and claim the right to remain vigilant, to remain watchful and protective of our public funds and resources. With everyone united and with God, in His time and in His way, we will surely see genuine changes dawn in our land because we deserve a better future, a better today, as soon as possible!
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Email: cherrybthe-thefreeman@yahoo.com