Work

Work is love made manifest.  It used to be dole-out mindset characterizing all there is in work.  But after the downfall of  humanity’s first parent Adam and Eve  from the temptation, it was all real work again  needed or you would be starved to death.  We have seen in Genesis 3:19 God reminding them from then on to eke out their own living.  From the sweat of their brow you could only reap and savor  whatever fruit there is on the ground.  They too would soon realized that they have to go back to the ground where they were taken from.

We saw that from the perspective of history of salvation.  Even then the more its reality staring right before our faces if we look at it from humanism secularism point of view.  Resources anyway abounds all over the place.  But you must have  fertile hands to exploit its productivity or making the land productive.  This what  then CSC Commissioner Alma de Leon cleared when Mt. Pinatubo settlers  holed in at Kapodtara Resettlement area, Kalilangan, Bukidnon as official settlers. Ranting however in the end was all what the administrators would hear from the difficulty and burden of living in such public land area away from civilization. 

Was there any choice?  None except to toil the farm given through DAR making them productive to  live decent life eating three square meals a day for good. Whatever happened now to that Resettlement area could not be ascertained  as concerned settlers were like desperate Tatanic passengers jumping out from an abandoned ship for survival.  The rest diverted their journey establishing their residence in cities.  Those who didn't  survive volunteered going back home in Pampanga. Few remained and worked or they too would suffer identity crisis and waste away the resources extended by the government.  Good for the latter that they give justice returning back the compliment extended to them by the government.

Such is called coping mechanism, valuable attitude among Filipinos, any social scientist would account. Good enough validating Filipinos are pliant like bamboos.  They could live under any harsh condition wading through many difficulties through thick and think until they survived tough and stronger.  Yes Filipinos really can. No and never he is indolent, Jose Rizal already cleared that issue many decades past.  Give him the playing field the same level other players are in. Provide necessary  support and participation and he will show he could also that competitive. He can really show his excellence to the world.  The present OFW are proof of this. Why are they at par with other races?  It’s because one Filipino OFW working is equivalent to many other OFWs out there from other countries.  A driver for instance could also excel in other work, like carpentry, communication and yes entertainment.  Rosanna  Osang Fostanes, the recent champion of Israel Got Talent is the best example. Caregiver cum entertainer.  Where in the world you could find that.  Ergo, it all in the mind.  And any Filipinos could deliver that with convincing results.

 How much more given the higher  stake  supporting  to live meaning life today getting higher and higher given the highly competitive lifestyles today.  Karaniwang tao or common people Joey Ayala would see it justifying what kind of stuff Filipinos are made of.  He has his exploits revealed in that song:

“Ako po’y karaniwang tao lamang, Kayod-kabayo, ‘yan ang alam.

Karaniwang hanap-buhay. Karaniwan ang problema

Pagkain, damit at tirahan . . .  Karaniwang tao, saan ka tatakbo.

Kapag nawasak iisang mundo. Karaniwang tao, anong magagawa

Upang bantayan ang kalikaan. “

On my personal journey  working with the government, I would say it was a heck of roller-coaster ride.  First, the reality that you are there not to enrich yourself.  Second, need of living modest life and third; to avoid the trap of easy to fall with but hard to get rid from that is   graft and corruption.  This could be the best thing that ever happened to me. Rightly so, because other than the bread and butter I derived my work, working with DAR was my first family.  Most importantly, the lesson learned if you have to secure identity and survival capacity is Don’t rock the boat baby. Eyes always on the board, this if translated at Local Government Unit in municipality where you have to swallow your saliva accepting  hook, line and sinker whatever tirades your Mayor throws at.  Or you would be branded belong to other side of political fence. In which case you would be treated as second citizen or rendered Persona-non-Grata through his subservient Sangguniang Bayan officials. Sad reality indeed   in  Bureaucracy.  But what could you do you are just part of that government where fighting against the government that feeds you is anathema!

Overbearing Chief Executives – there are too many of them abounding both in national and local offices.  Would you like to make it even? Wait until you take on their shoes when time comes, they would beg the question.  But if working in such environment is not your cup of coffee, then wait until their crossover. They would die sooner or later anyway.

Or if you can manage it, doing your own way, the better.  This what I did recently retiring from the government to restore sanity and order working where I feel I could make best giving psychological satisfaction far better maybe from the material possession I have received from the government. 

(28^th Entry to My 500 Words Daily Jeff Goings Challenge)