A Small, Simple Act

The Philippines is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Blessed with almost year-round sunshine, this archipelago of 7,107 islands is identified as one of the world’s biologically richest countries, with numerous endemic species. This includes over 6,000 plant species and many birds species such as the Cebu flowerpecker, the Philippine cockatoo, the Visayan wrinkled hornbill, and the enormous Philippine eagle. Amphibian endemism is also unusually high and boosts unique species like the panther flying frog. The Philippines also boasts of some of the most breathtaking natural scenery anywhere on the planet. Paradise on earth, indeed.

However, there are two sides to a coin. The Philippines is also one of the most endangered areas. Historically logged for timber products, today, the forests are also being cleared for farming needs and for developments to accommodate the nation's growing population.

I'm not about to give solutions to solving the Philippines' environmental problems. There are already a lot of people out there more qualified and more intelligent coming up with measures to save the environment. What I intend to do is to give my two centavos' worth on tackling another thing this beautiful, biologically-rich country of ours is well-known for: corruption.

Many well-intentioned people have tried (and failed miserably) to end, or at the very least minimize corruption in our country. Our current president was elected into office based on promises of change (a la Obama) and of ending corruption once and for all (Though the cynic in me thinks that people voted for him partly because they liked his father and mostly because they felt sorry for him because his mother died. But I digress). It's still too early to tell if the president will succeed in his quest to end corruption. My money is on him failing. And no, I'm not a pessimist by nature.

In my opinion, the reason that so many people have failed and why the president will fail in the quest to end corruption is that they seek to do so at the national level. They believe that by starting at the top, the anti-corruption sentiment will trickle down to the smaller units of government. In an ideal world, this would work. People will see their leaders working on improving themselves and will aspire to improve themselves as well. But we do not live in an ideal world. We live in the Philippines.

Corruption has pretty much been institutionalized at the national level, and to try to change that is nigh on impossible. What the anti-corruption movement needs to do is to start at the very bottom. Not the barangay level, not even the purok level. The anti-corruption sentiment should start with the individual. All the resources in world will not help end corruption in the Philippines if the individual Filipino is not willing to start with himself. A small, simple act is what's needed.

So how can the individual Filipino be the change he wants to see? What small, simple act is the solution to the country's corruption problems? Paying correct taxes? Going to Church/Temple/Mosque/the-local-movie-theater-that's-being-rented-to-his-religious-group more? Not going to mall *just* to avail of the free wi-fi/laptop charging? All these are good, but not the small, simple act needed.

Here's what I propose every Filipino should do: Pay the correct jeepney fare.

 PHP7.50

Let me explain. But first, an introduction to what exactly a "jeepney" is, for those who do not know (foreigners, aliens, hacienderos, etc.).

Wikipedia describes the jeepney as "the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. They have become a ubiquitous symbol of Philippine culture." Now that everybody's up to speed, we may proceed.

In early 2007, a few  months before college graduation, one of our Marketing professors asked, "Graduation Day is near. Now, class, upon graduation you will be joining the world of the what?" To which the whole class gave the traditional answer, "[The world of] the unemployed." (Don't worry though. The professor assured us that we would not be joining the world of the unemployed. We would be joining the world of the professionals. Right.) The whole class, except me, that is. "I will be joining the world of the people who pay the regular jeepney fare," I muttered under my breath.

In the Philippines, there are two types of jeepney fares: the regular fare and the discounted fare for students and senior citizens, the difference being around PHP2.00. What qualifies one as a student is another topic for discussion (as there are obviously people of school-age that do not go to school, and some people who are way past school-age that still do). This will be the subject of a future blog post.

In the moments following that, it dawned on me that this would be a rite of passage of some sort. In my mind, the day I start paying the regular fare is the day I formally become a man. Not getting circumcised, not getting laid for the first time, not graduating, not getting a job. For me,  paying the regular jeepney fare meant that I was finally on my own. I would no longer be a student. I would become an adult member of society.

A few days after graduation, I rode a jeepney and handed my fare to the driver. He asked, "Student?" I proudly replied, "No. I am not a student. I am a man!" Okay, I didn't say the words after "No.", but I damn sure was thinking it.

Later that afternoon, I rode another jeepney. This time, I was with a friend. He shall remain nameless in order to protect his identity. Let's just call him Paul. I was sitting closer to the driver than Paul was, so it was my duty(?) to give the driver our fares. Paul handed me some money for his fare. Student fare. We both graduated a few days earlier. We were no longer students, and I expected him to pay regular fare. I told Paul that he did not give me the correct fare. Paul replied that it was okay, that the driver wouldn't know the difference anyway. I jokingly told him, "You know why the Philippines does not progress? It's because people don't pay the correct jeepney fare." We both laughed and I gave the driver Paul's student fare and my regular fare.

We went on talking about the things we usually talk about (DotA, world domination, Donald Trump's "hair"). After we went our separate ways, I thought more and more about the joke I made to Paul about the link between Philippine progress and paying the correct jeepney fare. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

For me to say that not paying the P2.00 difference between regular fare and student fare is the main reason why the Philippines does not progress might sound ridiculous, but think about. Really think about it. If the youth, the future of our nation, full of promise and ideals, is not willing to pay the correct jeepney fare just to save a couple of pesos, what does that tell you?

"The jeepney driver wouldn't know the difference, anyway." In other words, what the jeepney driver does not know won't hurt him. This is exactly the kind of mentality that is keeping the Philippines down. Everybody feels the need to "hustle," to take advantage of others. Why? Because it makes people feel smarter and more "diskartedor."

It is important to take note of what the small, simple act of paying the correct jeepney fare represents: honesty, and fairness. If we as a people are honest and fair with all our dealings with others, that will be the beginning of the end of corruption in our country. Honest and fair commuters will lead to honest and fair taxpayers, which in turn will lead to honest and fair public servants.

Some of you may be thinking, "How can I be expected to pay the correct jeepney fare if the jeepney drivers themselves do not give the correct change?" Or maybe, "How can I be expected to pay the correct taxes if our so-called 'public servants' will just pocket it and enrich themselves?" There lies the problem. People always want change, but expect that change to come from other people first. What we all need to realize is to achieve change, we need to start with ourselves. We need not wait for other people. Like the Michael Jackson song goes, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make a change."

And how do we do that? By paying the correct jeepney fare.

*All conversations were in Ilonggo.