By Greg Macabenta
“Ingrato!”
To be called that is to be a pariah in our country.
Gratitude is considered an enduring virtue among us, as a people. It said in the same breath with loyalty, faithfulness, constancy, nobility, the Bayanihan Spirit.
Because we owe our community for the good life we live, and we owe God for his blessings, and we owe our parents for raising us, and our country for nurturing us, we are sworn to be ever grateful to them and to demonstrate this in thought, word and deed.
Gratitude is the underpinning of the dollar remittance bonanza that keeps the Philippine economy above water. Overseas Pinoys feel they owe a debt of gratitude to their parents and relatives, which they must repay with financial support.
Gratitude is also the glue that keeps the extended family intact, and the reason why Filipino parents need not worry about saving up for retirement, the way senior citizens in America do. We feel we owe it to our parents to take care of them in their old age. Because American children are left on their own upon reaching the age of maturity, they don’t consider themselves as indebted to their parents as Pinoys are.
Unfortunately, this virtue of gratitude also happens to be one of the most formidable obstacles that Noynoy Aquino must overcome if he is to fulfill his vow to rid our country of corruption.
In many cases, there will be no win-win option for him. In order to pin down and convict some of the culprits, he may have to be ungrateful or disloyal to them. Even his own relatives may not like him for it.
Gratitude is one of the main causes of corruption in our country. We are grateful to a fault. We feel compelled to repay a debt of gratitude, whether right or wrong. For good or ill.
Take it from Clarita Garcia, wife of accused multi-million peso plunderer, Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia (who is probably “very grateful” to certain quarters in the office of the Ombudsman for a controversial sweetheart plea bargain).
In explaining to U.S. authorities the unexplainable wealth amassed by her husband, she stated, quite candidly: “My husband… receives gifts and gratitude money from several Philippine companies that are awarded military contracts to build roads, bridges and military housing….my husband is the final signature for funding the contracts…My husband will always thank the person that provides the gratitude. If someone stops by the house with a gift or gratitude, my husband insists that their name and telephone number be taken so they may be called and personally thanked.”
“Gratitude money” may sound like a less vulgar way to describe a bribe, certainly more innocent sounding than “kickback” or “padulas” or “lagay.” But it’s just as destructive.
Despite all the vows of Noynoy Aquino and his fellow “reformers” to “go after the crooks” and to “clean up the bureaucracy,” the harsh reality is that the culture of gratitude will likely prevail. It is simply against the nature of the Pinoy to be ungrateful.
Indeed, a Chain of Gratitude links nearly sector of Philippine society and of government, influencing the way decisions are made, contracts are awarded, the law is enforced and alliances are sealed.
Civil servants owe their jobs to a padrino who is either a politician, a local official or a very influential businessman. So, why shouldn’t they show their gratitude by giving them special treatment?
Jueteng lords are grateful to local officials and police authorities for their unhampered operations. The officials are, in turn, grateful to the gambling lords for their wealth and their profligate lifestyle.
Princes of the church are grateful to politicians for their patronage. Parish priests are grateful to gambling lords for their donations. The politicians and gambling lords are, in turn, grateful to the church officials for their prayers and blessings.
Politicians are grateful to their big business financiers for their campaign funds. The financiers are, turn, grateful to the politicians for the public works contracts and for bending the law and the rules in their favor.
Businesses are grateful to the BIR and customs officials for the growth of their enterprises and their huge savings in taxes. The officials are, in turn, grateful to the businessmen for the payoffs.
The Game of Gratitude operates above the law, under the law and around the law. Everything is possible, allowable and negotiable in the name of gratitude. In fact, one does not even need to directly owe somebody in order to express appropriate gratitude. In our system of compadres, ninongs, ninangs, kamag-anaks, kaklase, ka-propesyon and ka-shooting range partner, we have the equivalent of America’s Old Boy network.
It is pervasive. And because it is so effective, the process of establishing a Chain of Gratitude doesn’t happen by accident. It is done according to a grand design. Through intermarriage. Business partnerships. Political alliances. Wedding and baptismal sponsorships. Golf club memberships. And even religious affiliations.
Of course, the fastest way to gain other people’s gratitude is with loads of money. Gratitude can always be bought. For instance, the members of Congress are grateful to the president for approving their pork barrel allocations. The president, on the other hand, is grateful to the solons for their cooperation and support.
The most grateful was Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was spared several impeachment attempts with the support of a grateful House of Representatives.
But in our culture, money isn’t the only factor that strengthens the Chain of Gratitude. Once a relationship is established, the mutually beneficial relationship becomes personal and intimate, and so does the corresponding gratitude that comes with it.
Thus, it is considered an act of treachery for one to allow his loyalty to be bought by a higher bidder. The debt of gratitude to the original benefactor is often stronger than the lure of cash.
Gratitude also influences the perception of right and wrong. In our culture, it is sometimes more right to break or bend the law than to allow the arrest or conviction of someone to whom a debt of gratitude is owed.
And, of course, there are always ways of rationalizing the way the law is bent or interpreted or even misinterpreted.
This brings us to the series of decisions that the members of the Supreme Court have rendered that appear to favor their benefactor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Are the justices of the Supreme Court simply being grateful? And isn’t it the right thing to do?
After all, how can a Supreme Court justice bear the shame of being dubbed “Ingrato”?
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
“Ingrato!”
To be called that is to be a pariah in our country.
Gratitude is considered an enduring virtue among us, as a people. It said in the same breath with loyalty, faithfulness, constancy, nobility, the Bayanihan Spirit.
Because we owe our community for the good life we live, and we owe God for his blessings, and we owe our parents for raising us, and our country for nurturing us, we are sworn to be ever grateful to them and to demonstrate this in thought, word and deed.
Gratitude is the underpinning of the dollar remittance bonanza that keeps the Philippine economy above water. Overseas Pinoys feel they owe a debt of gratitude to their parents and relatives, which they must repay with financial support.
Gratitude is also the glue that keeps the extended family intact, and the reason why Filipino parents need not worry about saving up for retirement, the way senior citizens in America do. We feel we owe it to our parents to take care of them in their old age. Because American children are left on their own upon reaching the age of maturity, they don’t consider themselves as indebted to their parents as Pinoys are.
Unfortunately, this virtue of gratitude also happens to be one of the most formidable obstacles that Noynoy Aquino must overcome if he is to fulfill his vow to rid our country of corruption.
In many cases, there will be no win-win option for him. In order to pin down and convict some of the culprits, he may have to be ungrateful or disloyal to them. Even his own relatives may not like him for it.
Gratitude is one of the main causes of corruption in our country. We are grateful to a fault. We feel compelled to repay a debt of gratitude, whether right or wrong. For good or ill.
Take it from Clarita Garcia, wife of accused multi-million peso plunderer, Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia (who is probably “very grateful” to certain quarters in the office of the Ombudsman for a controversial sweetheart plea bargain).
In explaining to U.S. authorities the unexplainable wealth amassed by her husband, she stated, quite candidly: “My husband… receives gifts and gratitude money from several Philippine companies that are awarded military contracts to build roads, bridges and military housing….my husband is the final signature for funding the contracts…My husband will always thank the person that provides the gratitude. If someone stops by the house with a gift or gratitude, my husband insists that their name and telephone number be taken so they may be called and personally thanked.”
“Gratitude money” may sound like a less vulgar way to describe a bribe, certainly more innocent sounding than “kickback” or “padulas” or “lagay.” But it’s just as destructive.
Despite all the vows of Noynoy Aquino and his fellow “reformers” to “go after the crooks” and to “clean up the bureaucracy,” the harsh reality is that the culture of gratitude will likely prevail. It is simply against the nature of the Pinoy to be ungrateful.
Indeed, a Chain of Gratitude links nearly sector of Philippine society and of government, influencing the way decisions are made, contracts are awarded, the law is enforced and alliances are sealed.
Civil servants owe their jobs to a padrino who is either a politician, a local official or a very influential businessman. So, why shouldn’t they show their gratitude by giving them special treatment?
Jueteng lords are grateful to local officials and police authorities for their unhampered operations. The officials are, in turn, grateful to the gambling lords for their wealth and their profligate lifestyle.
Princes of the church are grateful to politicians for their patronage. Parish priests are grateful to gambling lords for their donations. The politicians and gambling lords are, in turn, grateful to the church officials for their prayers and blessings.
Politicians are grateful to their big business financiers for their campaign funds. The financiers are, turn, grateful to the politicians for the public works contracts and for bending the law and the rules in their favor.
Businesses are grateful to the BIR and customs officials for the growth of their enterprises and their huge savings in taxes. The officials are, in turn, grateful to the businessmen for the payoffs.
The Game of Gratitude operates above the law, under the law and around the law. Everything is possible, allowable and negotiable in the name of gratitude. In fact, one does not even need to directly owe somebody in order to express appropriate gratitude. In our system of compadres, ninongs, ninangs, kamag-anaks, kaklase, ka-propesyon and ka-shooting range partner, we have the equivalent of America’s Old Boy network.
It is pervasive. And because it is so effective, the process of establishing a Chain of Gratitude doesn’t happen by accident. It is done according to a grand design. Through intermarriage. Business partnerships. Political alliances. Wedding and baptismal sponsorships. Golf club memberships. And even religious affiliations.
Of course, the fastest way to gain other people’s gratitude is with loads of money. Gratitude can always be bought. For instance, the members of Congress are grateful to the president for approving their pork barrel allocations. The president, on the other hand, is grateful to the solons for their cooperation and support.
The most grateful was Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was spared several impeachment attempts with the support of a grateful House of Representatives.
But in our culture, money isn’t the only factor that strengthens the Chain of Gratitude. Once a relationship is established, the mutually beneficial relationship becomes personal and intimate, and so does the corresponding gratitude that comes with it.
Thus, it is considered an act of treachery for one to allow his loyalty to be bought by a higher bidder. The debt of gratitude to the original benefactor is often stronger than the lure of cash.
Gratitude also influences the perception of right and wrong. In our culture, it is sometimes more right to break or bend the law than to allow the arrest or conviction of someone to whom a debt of gratitude is owed.
And, of course, there are always ways of rationalizing the way the law is bent or interpreted or even misinterpreted.
This brings us to the series of decisions that the members of the Supreme Court have rendered that appear to favor their benefactor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Are the justices of the Supreme Court simply being grateful? And isn’t it the right thing to do?
After all, how can a Supreme Court justice bear the shame of being dubbed “Ingrato”?
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
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