“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”
—Mahatma Gandhi
By Alex P. Vidal
MANY Filipinos have complained they weren’t given their fair share in the distribution of relief goods and cash incentives from the national government for the extended COVID-19 lockdown.
Some of them harangued their public officials and went to the social media to “seek redress for their grievances” and, in some cases, directly unloaded their heartaches in the mass media.
Either they were “identified” as supporters of the opposition, or were “intentionally” disqualified for being hostile to the barangay officials, said most of their complaints.
There may have been cases where vindictive barangay officials took advantage of the situation and really ignored those they didn’t like, or their perceived nemesis—political and otherwise—in the barangay.
The complainants have valid reasons to really protest the discrimination of selective barangay officials; the erring parties must be dealt with accordingly by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
No resident in any barangay should be denied a social assistance from the government in these uncertain and financially chaotic times for being a roughneck.
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Politics and personal wrangling have no place in this agonizing period where everyone’s life is threatened by a deadly virus that has caused tremendous inconvenience to all sectors in society.
Political, business and personal feuds should be set aside while stomachs are empty and all residents, prevented from going to work and opening their stores in compliance with the enhanced social distancing since March, face grim economic doldrums.
Humanity must prevail over grudges, hard feelings, and past and present intramural.
Jesus said in Matthew 22:21: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Romans 13:1: "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God."
Barangay officials who can’t control their emotions and with ax to grind against some residents shouldn’t be allowed to manage or participate in the distribution of cash and relief assistance.
In times of crisis, it is imperative that the leaders possess some semblance of humility and must act with grace and valor when administering solace to the downtrodden.
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On the other hand, residents should be reasonable and logical when dealing with their barangay officials regarding the largesse and food subsidies from the DILG and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
It’s natural to become emotional nowadays especially if they can’t immediately receive what is due them, but they should treat their barangay officials with respect and consolation and avoid engaging the barangay officials in any verbal joust, if possible, when expectations and demands aren’t swiftly delivered and satisfied.
It also helps if the residents befriend their barangay officials and engage them in casual conversations instead of verbally abusing them and calling them names.
The residents should be the last people to accuse their barangay officials of being crooks especially if their accusation and suspicion aren’t supported by solid facts and evidence.
If there are issues and misunderstanding to settle with their barangay officials related to the social and financial assistance, the residents should address the matters in a manner that isn’t offensive to the concerned parties.
Because some of them are impatient and furious, residents who don’t like the way their barangay officials handle the distribution system immediately humiliate and harass their barangay officials in the social media.
We don’t bully Santa Claus or his representatives.
An intra-barangay matter can’t be solved with dispatch and alacrity if somebody with a big responsibility in the furor has been ridiculed and embarrassed in the Facebook and Twitter.
It is still best if we face the crisis in unity and harmony, not enmity.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
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