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What would Lolo Pepe say?Sep 4, '09 5:47 AM

for everyone

Got this from Jessica Zafras website. Sheopened an essay contest about what would Jose Rizal say about the Philippines if he was alivetoday.

I fell in love with this contest entry when I read it (the writer eventually won the contest: a freshcopy of Noli Me Tangere. Oh, how I wanted one). I could imagine our national hero, Jose Rizal,actually delivering a speech in front of millions of Filipino people at present time. I suddenlywonder how our Filipino heroes would feel about the countrys state today if they were still alive.

***Lolo Pepes resignation.

Though I am flattered that my countrymen would see me as a hero, never once did I feel like one. I

never did anything because it would get me recognition. Everything I have done, was because Ibelieved that despite all of this countrys flaws, we had promise. We still do. But now I realize thatI fell in love with the idea of this country. How can I not? It was and is such a beautiful idea. Butmore than a hundred years since, an idea it still remains. I remember pragmatically predicting, thata hundred years after our independence from Spain, we would still remain impoverished. I wrotethis out of fear, thinking that providing some foresight, might cause our people to make sure thatthe prediction never became true. That as a people united we will say with one voice: Enough ofthis poverty and injustice!

But we did not. If anything the message you gave me is clear, that you have no problems about howthings are today. Why else after removing a family of tyrants from power, a family who plunderedyour future, and murdered your own, you would welcome them back, and return them to positionsof authority. Why then would you choose a philandering leader who gambles using public funds, and

pickles his body with alcohol? I guess it is not that you like the odor of corruption and moraldegradation wafting around in our air, youve just grown accustomed to it.

I doubt I ever will.

A hundred years ago, I was able to figure out the source of our nations problems: the backwardclergy, the corrupt politicians, the imperialistic elite families. It was just a simple matter ofexcising these unwanted tumors, instead you waited until they plasticized like cancer. Now theyare stronger than ever, and have already hijacked your democracy. What I dont understand is whyyou dont do anything, or when you do successfully remove them, you hand the power right back tothem. I and so many others, paid the ultimate price, because we had faith in your ability to makethe right choices. But you as a nation chose the wrong choices, not just once, but again and againover the course of a century.

Sorry, but Im through. Please consider this as my two weeks notice, I am officially retiring from

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7/23/2019 What would Lolo Pepe say.pdf

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being your hero, my country. You do not treat your heroes well. Were our lives so worthless thatyou thought it alright as to choose decisions that would lead to obvious failure? Did you choose thisfuture because you wanted to spite us, to show us that you dont care?

So many of us believed back then, that Filipinos will find themselves in struggle, instead you foundyourselves lacking. I have given everything, and while I would like to help today, I find that I have

nothing left to sacrifice. God watch over your endeavors, for I no longer will.

Thank you and goodbye.

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