PREMISE: A Y!M conversation with my best friend Beatrice is always an intellectual treat, if not an amusing one, as proven -
Pam Francia: Is there still?
Pam Francia: Hope for the Philippines, I mean?
bea ach: Yes, of course.
bea ach: Do you think any of our former SCT prexies are capable of running this country?
Pam Francia: Do you?
bea ach: Kat Usita can, in my opinion.
bea ach: if there's still one person you look up to enough that way then there's still hope.
bea ach: we get the government we deserve.
bea ach: if we change as individuals, we can get a better government.
bea ach: i did a speech on that last Friday.
Pam Francia: Do you believe that changing as individuals is all we need?
bea ach: that's not all, of course.
bea ach: we have to demand for better governance.
bea ach: for accountability.
bea ach: citizens are getting wiser in picking their leaders. pacquiao didn't win and other celebrities, too.
Pam Francia: Mmm.
Pam Francia: I thought about what you said about people having to change individually first.
Pam Francia: It isn't actually as easy as it seems.
bea ach: of course it's not.
Pam Francia: Because we have to consider the change we need to make in ourselves.
Pam Francia: As in, kumbaga..
Pam Francia: Dapat babagay tayong lahat sa isa't isa.
bea ach: well, yeah.
bea ach: but when it comes to betterment of the country, kahit little things muna.
bea ach: like, paying proper taxes, following simple traffic rules, keeping your trash first if there's no trash can around
bea ach: not practicing corruption at home when you ask for more allowance than you actually need.
bea ach: things like that.
Pam Francia: Wouldn't that mean this country adhering to just one set of values?
bea ach: not necessarily.
bea ach: if by one set of values you mean the law then yes, i guess that is the case.
bea ach: but this isn't a christian practice, nor a muslim, or buddhist.
bea ach: that is a "as a nation" thing. as filipinos.
bea ach: i mean, it's common knowledge that throwing trash in its proper place is the right thing to do.
bea ach: so is crossing at the pedestrian lane or stopping at the red light.
bea ach: it's not a matter of values. it's not something debatable. it's fact.
Pam Francia: How would you implement that?
Pam Francia: How would you impose that on people?
bea ach: by reminding them that those are the proper things to do.
Pam Francia: And if they won't listen?
bea ach: we need that more than we need government advertisments telling us that so and so agencies exist.
bea ach: that's why education is so important.
bea ach: people need critical thinking. these people should be made wary of the concept of case and effect.
bea ach: *cause
bea ach: 30% of filipinos didn't know that pregnancy is an effect of sex.
Pam Francia: So it boils down to education, doesn't it?
Pam Francia: I do agree that education is needed.
Pam Francia: But we need a proper system.
bea ach: Exactly!
Pam Francia: Where will we get that proper system?
bea ach: my dad told me that there will be no need for a private sector if only the gov't did its job properly.
bea ach: we have good systems in private schools.
bea ach: we could apply the same to public schools with enough budget.
bea ach: and we do have enough budget, only being redirected to pockets and cars and houses of officials instead of textbooks and aclssrooms
bea ach: *classrooms
Pam Francia: So that issue in education is a question of values?
Pam Francia: We are mismanaged.
Pam Francia: We are corrupt.
Pam Francia: Mismanagement and corruption stem from the individual.
Pam Francia: Wouldn't it take like a general homicide to wipe the Philippines clean off the corrupt scum?
bea ach: kill all of them old ones to make room for the new ones with a better vision?
Pam Francia: Not the old ones.
Pam Francia: The uneducated.
Pam Francia: I'm just being hypothetical here.
Pam Francia: How will you instill a revulsion to corruption to all the people of the country?
bea ach: As i said, cause and effect. People don't know that these problems we face are effects of corruption.
bea ach: People grew up thinking it was ok, that corruption is a part of life.
bea ach: I mean in a way it is but it shouldn't be.bea ach: They grow up and their parents tell them "hayaan mo nalang" instead of telling them "anak, mali yan. labanan mo!"
Pam Francia: Hope for the Philippines, I mean?
bea ach: Yes, of course.
bea ach: Do you think any of our former SCT prexies are capable of running this country?
Pam Francia: Do you?
bea ach: Kat Usita can, in my opinion.
bea ach: if there's still one person you look up to enough that way then there's still hope.
bea ach: we get the government we deserve.
bea ach: if we change as individuals, we can get a better government.
bea ach: i did a speech on that last Friday.
Pam Francia: Do you believe that changing as individuals is all we need?
bea ach: that's not all, of course.
bea ach: we have to demand for better governance.
bea ach: for accountability.
bea ach: citizens are getting wiser in picking their leaders. pacquiao didn't win and other celebrities, too.
Pam Francia: Mmm.
Pam Francia: I thought about what you said about people having to change individually first.
Pam Francia: It isn't actually as easy as it seems.
bea ach: of course it's not.
Pam Francia: Because we have to consider the change we need to make in ourselves.
Pam Francia: As in, kumbaga..
Pam Francia: Dapat babagay tayong lahat sa isa't isa.
bea ach: well, yeah.
bea ach: but when it comes to betterment of the country, kahit little things muna.
bea ach: like, paying proper taxes, following simple traffic rules, keeping your trash first if there's no trash can around
bea ach: not practicing corruption at home when you ask for more allowance than you actually need.
bea ach: things like that.
Pam Francia: Wouldn't that mean this country adhering to just one set of values?
bea ach: not necessarily.
bea ach: if by one set of values you mean the law then yes, i guess that is the case.
bea ach: but this isn't a christian practice, nor a muslim, or buddhist.
bea ach: that is a "as a nation" thing. as filipinos.
bea ach: i mean, it's common knowledge that throwing trash in its proper place is the right thing to do.
bea ach: so is crossing at the pedestrian lane or stopping at the red light.
bea ach: it's not a matter of values. it's not something debatable. it's fact.
Pam Francia: How would you implement that?
Pam Francia: How would you impose that on people?
bea ach: by reminding them that those are the proper things to do.
Pam Francia: And if they won't listen?
bea ach: we need that more than we need government advertisments telling us that so and so agencies exist.
bea ach: that's why education is so important.
bea ach: people need critical thinking. these people should be made wary of the concept of case and effect.
bea ach: *cause
bea ach: 30% of filipinos didn't know that pregnancy is an effect of sex.
Pam Francia: So it boils down to education, doesn't it?
Pam Francia: I do agree that education is needed.
Pam Francia: But we need a proper system.
bea ach: Exactly!
Pam Francia: Where will we get that proper system?
bea ach: my dad told me that there will be no need for a private sector if only the gov't did its job properly.
bea ach: we have good systems in private schools.
bea ach: we could apply the same to public schools with enough budget.
bea ach: and we do have enough budget, only being redirected to pockets and cars and houses of officials instead of textbooks and aclssrooms
bea ach: *classrooms
Pam Francia: So that issue in education is a question of values?
Pam Francia: We are mismanaged.
Pam Francia: We are corrupt.
Pam Francia: Mismanagement and corruption stem from the individual.
Pam Francia: Wouldn't it take like a general homicide to wipe the Philippines clean off the corrupt scum?
bea ach: kill all of them old ones to make room for the new ones with a better vision?
Pam Francia: Not the old ones.
Pam Francia: The uneducated.
Pam Francia: I'm just being hypothetical here.
Pam Francia: How will you instill a revulsion to corruption to all the people of the country?
bea ach: As i said, cause and effect. People don't know that these problems we face are effects of corruption.
bea ach: People grew up thinking it was ok, that corruption is a part of life.
bea ach: I mean in a way it is but it shouldn't be.bea ach: They grow up and their parents tell them "hayaan mo nalang" instead of telling them "anak, mali yan. labanan mo!"
Pam Francia: Maybe there IS hope, Bea.
Pam Francia: I just don't think..
Pam Francia: .. we would live to see it.
bea ach: We won't. But I want to be able to hasten that time.
Pam Francia: Why would you work for something you won't live to see?
Pam Francia: I'm sorry, I'm just playing the devil's advocate here.
bea ach: Isn't that the whole point of our existence?
bea ach: I know, don't worry
bea ach: I mean, our whole point of being here is to propagate our genes.
Pam Francia: Our whole point of existence as defined by who or what?
bea ach: whatever point you look at it, we're here to propagate our genes.
bea ach: i mean, that's not the meaning of life but that's the meaning of existence.
Pam Francia: Isn't the whole point of existing, dying?
bea ach: well, if it is, then i guess that's second to propagating our genes.
bea ach: i mean.
bea ach: we get good education to get good jobs.
bea ach: we get good jobs to ensure that our children can have a good life.
bea ach: so in a way we're thinking about our children.
Pam Francia: So would the childless have not fulfilled their lives?
bea ach: maybe they thought of other people's children.
bea ach: like the nuns who take care of other people's kids
bea ach: and my ninang who will never have kids but is like a ninang to all of us.
Pam Francia: But that would go against your point of propagating genes.
Pam Francia: We're talking genes here.
Pam Francia: Biological pieces of you.
Pam Francia: Now you can give your emotional and spiritual pieces to people, yes.
Pam Francia: You can touch lives.
Pam Francia: But will you ever be as alive as the propagation of genes?
bea ach: i guess biologically they were meaningless.
bea ach: well, they balanced the ecosystem in a way but they didn't propagate their genes.
Pam Francia: Wait.
Pam Francia: I forgot the main thing we were arguing about.
Pam Francia: "arguing"
bea ach: umm..
bea ach: Why would you work for something you won't live to see?
Pam Francia: Ahh.
Pam Francia: Well ayun.
Pam Francia: Those childless people..
Pam Francia: If we follow that the main point of existing is to see someone else genetically exist for us..
Pam Francia: .. then would you exempt them from working for a 'better future' we won't live to see, anyway?
bea ach: because maybe they helped other people propagate genes.
bea ach: indirectly they worked
Pam Francia: Mmm.
Pam Francia: Let's not talk about the broader sense, because we can't argue the abstract.
Pam Francia: Why would YOU want to work for a future you won't live to see?
bea ach: because of the sense of fulfillment it would bring.
Pam Francia: How will you feel that when nothing happened and you died?
bea ach: suicidal
bea ach: ok, stupid answer.
bea ach: i won't allow nothing to happen.
Pam Francia: But what if something did happen, but that something would wind up being negligible?
bea ach: aw damn.
bea ach: haha, that would be shitty.
bea ach: and the happy little optimistic bea says "at least i tried"
bea ach: negligible is relative, anyway.
Pam Francia: Everything is.
Pam Francia: Point taken.
Pam Francia: I just don't think..
Pam Francia: .. we would live to see it.
bea ach: We won't. But I want to be able to hasten that time.
Pam Francia: Why would you work for something you won't live to see?
Pam Francia: I'm sorry, I'm just playing the devil's advocate here.
bea ach: Isn't that the whole point of our existence?
bea ach: I know, don't worry
bea ach: I mean, our whole point of being here is to propagate our genes.
Pam Francia: Our whole point of existence as defined by who or what?
bea ach: whatever point you look at it, we're here to propagate our genes.
bea ach: i mean, that's not the meaning of life but that's the meaning of existence.
Pam Francia: Isn't the whole point of existing, dying?
bea ach: well, if it is, then i guess that's second to propagating our genes.
bea ach: i mean.
bea ach: we get good education to get good jobs.
bea ach: we get good jobs to ensure that our children can have a good life.
bea ach: so in a way we're thinking about our children.
Pam Francia: So would the childless have not fulfilled their lives?
bea ach: maybe they thought of other people's children.
bea ach: like the nuns who take care of other people's kids
bea ach: and my ninang who will never have kids but is like a ninang to all of us.
Pam Francia: But that would go against your point of propagating genes.
Pam Francia: We're talking genes here.
Pam Francia: Biological pieces of you.
Pam Francia: Now you can give your emotional and spiritual pieces to people, yes.
Pam Francia: You can touch lives.
Pam Francia: But will you ever be as alive as the propagation of genes?
bea ach: i guess biologically they were meaningless.
bea ach: well, they balanced the ecosystem in a way but they didn't propagate their genes.
Pam Francia: Wait.
Pam Francia: I forgot the main thing we were arguing about.
Pam Francia: "arguing"
bea ach: umm..
bea ach: Why would you work for something you won't live to see?
Pam Francia: Ahh.
Pam Francia: Well ayun.
Pam Francia: Those childless people..
Pam Francia: If we follow that the main point of existing is to see someone else genetically exist for us..
Pam Francia: .. then would you exempt them from working for a 'better future' we won't live to see, anyway?
bea ach: because maybe they helped other people propagate genes.
bea ach: indirectly they worked
Pam Francia: Mmm.
Pam Francia: Let's not talk about the broader sense, because we can't argue the abstract.
Pam Francia: Why would YOU want to work for a future you won't live to see?
bea ach: because of the sense of fulfillment it would bring.
Pam Francia: How will you feel that when nothing happened and you died?
bea ach: suicidal
bea ach: ok, stupid answer.
bea ach: i won't allow nothing to happen.
Pam Francia: But what if something did happen, but that something would wind up being negligible?
bea ach: aw damn.
bea ach: haha, that would be shitty.
bea ach: and the happy little optimistic bea says "at least i tried"
bea ach: negligible is relative, anyway.
Pam Francia: Everything is.
Pam Francia: Point taken.
**
It's just a pity that Bea kindly asked me to edit out some of the more amusing parts of this conversation - they were totally blackmail-worthy, in my opinion. XD And now, we're back to our normal sabaw-ness. Yes, indeed.
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