| SHE SAYS |
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| Dinah S. Ventura |
At a breakfast buffet in a hotel somewhere in Manila, a young Filipino businessman is minding his own business, waiting for his bread to pop out of the toaster. A large Caucasian suddenly wedges his way in front of him, filling his plate with food. After a moment, the man glances back and looks at the young man, feels his back pocket ostensibly to check if his wallet is still there, and walks away.
The Filipino does not know whether to get mad or feel sad — he has, after all, been insulted in his own country by a man who must think that all Pinoys are out to rob him. Fresh in his mind, no doubt, is that recent fiasco of a hostage rescue, which up to now remains hot topic — one that burns us in more ways than one, in fact.
The hostage-taking crisis that took the lives of innocent tourists is not something we can relegate to the back burner, just as we have done about many issues and controversies the Philippines has had to face. We cannot simply feel regretful and sorrowful about what had transpired at the Quirino Grandstand and be done with it.
The issue goes far deeper, and it pricks us to the core of our being. Yes, we know that the rage many Hong Kong residents and Chinese people feel is unreasonably turned toward all Filipinos and the Philippines as a whole. It is an unfair and nearsighted view, to be sure, but somehow we understand the roiling emotion. Goodness knows we have felt a similar anger toward those in whose countries Filipinos have unjustly died.
.... MORESource: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100901com8.html
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