By Apolinario Villalobos

Better are those born of a simple family

            For later, they shall not wallow in sinful luxury.

Better are those who grew up on simple gruel

            For later, they shall not despise a meatless meal.

Better are those who grow clothed in simple trappings

            For later, they shall not be desirous of worldly things.

Better are those whose wants are simple

            For later, they shall not unnecessarily crave for more.

Better are those who earn by dints of hard work and honesty

            For later, they are assured of unquestionable integrity.

Better are those who are not exposed to the frivolous city life

            For later, they will not be swayed by even just a simple strife.

Better are those who pray to God with private sincerity

            For theirs is a voice, pure and not tinted with hypocrisy.

Better are those who give with honest intention

            For they do not expect anything in return.

Better are the couples who don’t flaunt their love for each other

            For they know that they need not be ostentatious, if they are sincere.

Better are those who readily admit their faults and failure

            For they know that doing so, lessons are learned for the future.

Better are those whose love for God is not defined by cults or religions

            For they know that God’s infinity is boundless as shown by his creations. 

Better are those whose love to others is unconditional

            For they know that they can only be just as such –

            Giving enough of what they have, and not so much.

                       

On the Philippine Leadership’s Integrity                           

By Apolinario Villalobos

The world is ruled in pockets by different kinds of government. They differ in ideology, as while some espouse democracy, others adhere to communism. Some are found to be effective, but some are beset with unrest, indication of their constituents’ mistrust. The people’s trust is hinged on the integrity of leadership. These are shown by giant nations such as Russia, the People’s Republic of China, and North Korea, all of which have leaders who had a steadfast hold on to their mandate because of their people’s trust. On the democratic side, worth mentioning are the United States of America and Japan. Command responsibility as the kernel of leadership makes the leader feel that his being at the helm of his nation could cost his life and honor.

Lately, the leader of Korea vacated his post due to the sensational mishap that involved the sinking of a ferry carrying students on their way to an island. Japan is no stranger to this honorable observance of “command responsibility”, even the Chinese and the Americans. But in the Philippines, although, the evidences of crimes committed by government officials would cram the pages of dailies, as well as, testimonies straight from the lips of their cohorts, they still hold on shamelessly to their posts. Even the conditional leave of absence while investigations are going on, is far from their mind. This attitude that smacks of egocentricity puts the whole nation in a dubious situation in the eyes of the whole world.

In the Philippines, the justice system is shamelessly abused by personalities with doubtful integrity – they, who are supposed to be models of righteousness, well-educated, progenies of some respectable families whose names even grace the pages of the country’s history. Unfortunately, they have become the stains of the Filipino race. 

Every time the current president speaks about accomplishment or difficulty to move on, he always mentions the supposed corruptions of the previous administration. But unconsciously, as he points one accusing finger at the previous administration, three fingers of the same hand are pointing at him…his own administration which is cowering due to simultaneous investigations of his people on the same issue – corruption. And, yet, he has the courage to ask the Filipinos to choose the right person who will replace him, a person who would continue what he started. Those who read in dailies his rhetoric just raise their eyebrows, as they have yet to know what he did worthy of what he is asking for.