The year is almost over. Yet, there is a sense that there are plenty of loose ends lying around that will carry over to the new year. The country is still grappling with the effects of the massive corruption scandal, and the people’s expectations of a satisfactory denouement to this sordid affair seems far from being satisfied.

Filipinos are by nature a very forgiving people. They are also very patient about their sordid conditions, where ordinary folks will make do with whatever they scrounge around for, and be happy as a lark. The Palace says a good Noche Buena can be had for just P500, then so be it. They’re just happy to get by. The “bahala na” attitude persists, and somehow, God, or a charitable person, will provide for our needs.

Sometimes I wonder what, for the Filipino, is the final straw that breaks the camel’s back. Over 50 percent of the population live below the poverty line. Yet, even with the scandal of billions of taxpayer funds ending up in a few persons’ pockets (or five-level basement), there is still a sense of getting by. A health crisis occurs, and people shuffle over to their mayor, congressman or governor, to ask for funds for medical treatment.

Natural calamities occur, massive flooding, super typhoons or earthquakes happen, and people just line up for relief goods branded with the politicians’ names. They just carry on, year after year, with no real change happening. People are so used to beg and accept donations, never mind if they have to swallow their pride. The name of the game is survival.

Civil society rallies with fund drives along with media networks, businesses and churches, to provide relief to natural calamity victims. We feel good about donating money and goods, or volunteering to pack food stuff and distribute them. Then we go back to business as usual.

The question is, are we just perpetuating the system of mendicancy that people have gotten used to, by helping with relief operations?

Sure, people have gotten used to a hand-to-mouth existence. They don’t think twice about accepting donations from politicians, which makes them indebted to the politicos. So, they vote for their wives, children, parents, in-laws time after time.

Ordinary citizens who help in times of calamity also ought to think twice about why they do it. Is it to help, or to feel good about helping? The help we provide goes a long way toward ameliorating the calamity victims’ situation. But aren’t we also guilty of reinforcing the mendicancy mindset of the people? Aren’t we as guilty as the dirty politicos who make use of government funds, in any shape, size or form, like AICS, MAIFP and other fancy-sounding terms to get people’s votes, because we alleviate their condition temporarily?

When will the Filipino say, “Enough is enough!” and do away with this patronage system? Will it be when he/she is totally bereft of possessions, homes or family? But as long as NGOs, private persons and charitable organizations provide temporary aid, the average Filipino will shrug and leave it at that. “Nakakaraos naman,” or “We get by,”as most will say with a resigned attitude.

Are we responsible for our neighbors as the bible says? Out of the kindness of our hearts, we strive to give and give until it hurts. But isn’t it the government’s responsibility to care for our less fortunate countrymen, with the taxes that we citizens fork over to the government which should be used for the greater good? Are we being suckered twice when our taxes end up in their pockets while we still use our maximally taxed resources to provide for our fellow Filipinos?

When disaster strikes our own families, what do we do but ask, nay, beg for financial assistance from the politicos, ending up like our less fortunate folks. That’s double jeopardy as far as I’m concerned.

Shouldn’t we insist that our government provide decent wages and living conditions for all, which would have been accomplished had our taxes not gone missing in their offshore accounts or in designer suitcases?

Else we are complicit in this national racket we call politics. It’s time we say, use the taxes we paid for serving our population, especially the less fortunate. We cannot forever be covering up for the government’s failures by taking up the slack time after time.

Maybe if we just do nothing when disasters strike, then the populace will see what slackers our governing officials are, and boot them out of power.

Public office is a public trust. It’s not to enrich oneself, or perpetuate our families in government positions in dynastic fashion. As an elected official, you should be serving your constituents, not the other way around!

May the new year bring real change!