Senator Mar Roxas and his Outrage Against Cha-cha (“Putang ina” ano ba iyan?”

For some years, I stayed and worked with the government in one of the oldest cities in Northern Luzon. It was formerly called Ciudad Fernandina, now Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. Over the years I learned the distinct culture of the place, the language, and the way people communicate with a semblance of Spanish arrogance, assertive, comical, and yes the utterance of a bad word everytime one ends up his/her statement.

It then became customary on my part to say “yot de puta or okinnam” (son of bitch), balangkantis (slut), “letiogas” (sucker), “sinal-it” (struck by the lightning), “sumayet” (dirty and itchy woman),etc. Like any ordinary guy in Vigan during those days, speaking bad words was nothing, a mere accent of the tongue as they say. Jokingly my friends would say, you’re not from Vigan if you don’t speak badwords. Jestingly I told them, “yot nina yo”. In anger and jubilation many people in Vigan speak bad words to complete a statement?  I did it many times; my friends and co-workers, and even my former students heard me speaking bad words the way they do it.

When I married Tisay, among the causes of our misunderstanding and endless arguments was my speaking of bad words specially when I got mad. Among the objects and targets of my bad words are unruly pedestrians, undisciplined and reckless drivers, arrogant people (especially those serving in the government), and individuals who lack common sense. But over the years Tisay trimmed down my arrogance and passion for speaking bad words.

But am I the only one who has spoken bad words? I believe speaking bad words is part of the Filipino culture. You may disagree with me but this is my observation as I traveled around the Philippines. While drinking with my friends, sharing stories and unforgettable experiences is always presided with a phrase, “putang ina,” “anak ng puta,” punyeta, etc. I don’t know how true it is but historians and sociologists call this practice as a “pamana” or part of our cultural heritage from the Spaniards. And what about the Americans, or even the Japanese who once colonized and occupied our country? My late father who was a World War 2 veteran used to tell us how Filipino soldiers respected President Manuel L. Quezon during his time, and feared him when he was mad and uttered the word “punyeta.”

Even Senator Mar Roxas spoke bad words (who is not among the politicians?) in front of thousands of people who joined the anti cha-cha rally in Makati last Friday. While he apologized for saying it, he explained that he did it as an expression of the sentiments of the general public against corruption in the government and the administration’s evil design for charter change. Of course he said it out of outrage. And no matter what his detractors say for his action, I believe his speaking a bad word was timely. This is the only way how to communicate to people in power, who probably already lost their “sense of propriety” as Colegiala girl said in her blog, who ignore public opinion and trample upon existing norms to pursue their political ambitions and interests.

“Putang ina,” sums up Roxas’s disappointment on the way the House of Representatives is trying to mess up with the Constitution and amend it unilaterally to prolong President’s Arroyo stay in power. Malacanang however did not comment against Roxas’s statement. Secretary Dureza said it’s up for the public to judge the action and statement of the Senator during the anti cha-cha rally in Makati last Friday. Some say it is uncalled for, but others just shrug it off saying he could have said more…

“Putang Ina,” ano ba iyan?

Sa pagsasabi (o pagmumura) ng “putang ina” ano daw (o sino kaya) ang tinutukoy dito ni Senador Mar Roxas. Iyong cha-cha, o iyong mga nagsusulong nito? Ika nga makahulungan ang salitang ito dahil maaring tao, iyong isinusulong/o nagpapasulong nito ang object ng pagmumura. Maari ding iyong insititusyon na ginagamit/o nagpapagamit para isulong ang charter change.

P…ina, ano ba ang masama sa charter change? Sa totoo lang wala. Ngunit P…ina, iyong panggugulang o pambabrasong ginagawa ay masama. P…ina wala na nga ba tayong galang na sa Saligang Batas. Ang sabi nga ng iba, “ang lagay basta-basta na lang ba tayong winawalang-hiya nang mga pulitiko?” Ang sa akin lang naman, bakit kasi hinayaan na lang natin na bina-bale wala tayo ng mga nasa kapangyarihan?

“Presidentiable” pa lang si Senador Roxas, ngunit pormang palaban ang pulitikong ito. Seryoso ang dating, walang sinasanto, at nagmumura kung kinakailangan upang maipagtanggol lang ang kapakanan ng bayan. Ano pa kaya kung naging presidente na siya, masusumpungan kaya sa kanya ang katauhan ng isang “nagmumurang presidente?” Ewan ko sa inyo, siguro sa panahong ito kailangan natin nang isang seryosong tao, a no nonsense politician who will occupy the highest position in the land.

Hindi ko sinasabing kay Mar Roxas ako. Isa lang ako sa mga libo-libong tagahanga ni Korina Sanches.