July 6, 2001, The Philippine Star, Op-Ed, Invisible terrorists, by Art A. Borjal,

July 6, 2001, The Philippine Star, Op-Ed, Invisible terrorists, by Art A. Borjal,

The Abu Sayyaf are not invisible beings who can hide themselves from the peering eyes of the curious. They have faces, arms, legs and other parts of the human body. Yet, strangely, in the lairs and jungles of Basilan and Sulu, the Abu Sayyaf seem to be invisible.
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There are possibly two main reasons why the Abu Sayyaf have succeeded in making themselves invisible from the pursuing troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. One, the people in Basilan and Sulu are apparently helping shield the Abu Sayyaf from the soldiers and policemen. And second, the people there do not want at all to give a helping hand to the government. In other words, they pretend not to see what they really see.
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The implication is that the visible government does not have the support of the people in the lairs where the Abu Sayyaf are hiding. Why? Probably because the government has done very little to show its loving, tender care for the people in Basilan and Sulu. And until the government succeeds in proving that its cares – by throwing the resources needed to uplift the lives of the people and develop the neglected communities – the Abu Sayyaf will remain invisible while they wreak havoc on the country’s image as they sow terrorism and death along their path.
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Lack of financial resources is the main reason for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s call for austerity and belt-tightening in the government service, especially among government institutions that are perceived to have a lot of money. If the economy were robust and healthy and our national treasury were oozing with money, President GMA would be the last one to call for a cut in the salaries of government executives.
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But times are hard and trying. There are simply so many basic services that have to be funded that the government is forced to get the needed budgetary requirements from all possible sources. As of now, the government financing institutions and the government-owned or controlled corporations are apparently the only entities that can be tapped to provide the funding.
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The officials of these GFIs and GOCCs have naturally been adversely affected by President GMA’s call for a salary cut and other austerity measures. But then, "patriotism" (the apt word used by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo) and the need for our country to survive come way, way ahead of the personal conveniences of these government executives. Hopefully, their sacrifice will only be temporary. For when the economy improves and things get better, President GMA would be the first to see to it that the government suffers no brain-drain.
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Have you ever wondered how so many aliens were able to get into the Philippines, and are now staying and working there on a permanent basis? Just drop by Divisoria’s Tutuban Mall and you will surely notice so many stalls run by aliens from China. Go to Greenhills, and you will see that many of the tiangges there are operated by aliens. And if you happen to be in the vicinity of Banawe or Araneta Avenue, near those shops specializing in the sale of automatic spare parts and other vehicle items, you will find out that the owners of those shops are aliens illegally staying here.
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Don’t think that the illegal aliens come only from China. Some come from countries like India, Pakistan and Taiwan. How they managed to sneak into the Philippines and stay here is a question that the Commission on Immigration should answer.
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But there is something much, much more worrisome than the presence of illegal aliens in the Philippines: The big-time drug-pushing activities of Mafias and other criminal syndicates from various parts of the world. These wicked groups and characters are throwing away hundreds of millions of pesos to their partners and accomplices in the Philippines, making it possible for them to go on with their heinous drug trade in such brazen fashion.
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The tentacles of these international mafiosis are getting bigger and bigger, spreading out to activities other than drug-pushing and drug-trading. Counterfeiting, prostitution, money-laundering, gun-running – all these things and more might become commonplace. And soon, most of our country and people might just be overrun and overpowered by the heinous activities of these criminal syndicates.
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Money, money, money. This is the root of all our social problems. With big-time money, criminal elements are able to seduce even law-enforcers themselves to become their partners in crime. This is the principal reason why crime in the Philippines, despite much ballyhooed pronouncements about stamping out crime, continues to grow and flourish.
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Aida Tanglao-Aguas of Mountain View, California; Edwin N. Cammaya of UP Los Baños, Laguna; Francis Tanglao-Aguas of Ateneo de Manila University; Lazaro Kragui Garcia of Purok 2, Santa Cruz; and Alan M. Ramos of Daly City, California all have something in common. They are all Kapampangans and are all deeply involved in doing something to enrich Pampanga’s cultural heritage.
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For instance, since many people do not know anything about the Rajah Tarik Bengku Monument in Macabebe, Pampanga, these concerned Kapampangans took the initiative of informing the Macabebe mayor about the neglected and desecrated monument. After a few weeks, though a research conducted by the authorities concerned, a play was written and staged about the first Kapampangan hero, Tarik Suliman.
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If the Kapampangan group, called Pamanang Kapampangan, is doing this for their province, it is due to the fact that they realize the need to continually remind today’s generation of the traits and deeds of our heroes. "These deeds must be emulated by today’s generation, if our country and our people are to grow and prosper," Pamanang Kapampangan said.
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Joe Gatuslao of the Couples for Christ sent to me this thought-provoking article about the month. Let me share it with you: 

The moth looks like such a harmless creature. It its pearly white color, it hovers without sound at twilight, or in our dark rooms, and especially in our closets where our woolen clothes are kept. 

It is not impertinent like the robust flies of the summer. It does not have the sting of a mosquito. It does not sound in our ears the shrill notes of the cricket, it does not nibble and gnaw like the mouse and rat, nor, as the roaches do, indecently overrun our food. 

It is most fair, silent, and apparently harmless. yet, even housewife springs after it with electric haste. It is a dreaded pest, not for what it is, but for what it does. Once a garment is moth-eaten, it is almost impossible to repair it. 

How true this is in the case of the proud rich. Once one begins to suffer the sickness of pride of riches, the cure is very difficult. Let us beware, for once the moths have done their work upon us, there is hardly any hope. Let us remember, also, that the moth does it work secretly, without realizing it; so does the pride of riches. 

We may be proud of the things we wear and possess, including the power we wield that destroys, without even realizing it. How stealthily the moth works; pride of the soul even more so.
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My e-mail addresses: <jaywalker@skyinet.net> and <jaywalker@pacific.net.ph