A week ago, my husband and I had lunch at Genia’s in Marikina. It is a carinderia that we have been loyal patrons of for over a decade. Just like most of Marikina, Genia’s was submerged in neck-deep floods when typhoon Ondoy hit the country and we were only too happy to know that a mere week after the disaster, Genia’s was business as usual.
Genia’s is an icon in the neighborhood of Kapitan Miong. If you look at its humble appearance, you wouldn’t guess that people who can certainly afford to eat at more expensive and more well-appointed establishments frequent the place, their expensive vehicles lining the street in front. That day we had lechong kawali and batchoy at Genia’s, the diners consisted of uniformed Meralco employees and a smattering of locals.
Somewhere between the batchoy and the lechon kawali, a convoy with a public address system (the voice reminded everyone that parking was limited to the right side of the street) came blaring through the neighborhood, passing right in front of the carinderia. There was a small commotion as people said it was Bayani Fernando himself on the microphone. And I had to raise an eyebrow wondering why Fernando needed to travel in a convoy just to remind people about a traffic ordinance.
We stayed a little while after lunch chatting with the owner, Genia, exchanging stories about how we all lived through Ondoy. Diners and people who bought take-out came and went. Then, two men arrived. The way they talked easily with Genia, they appeared to be regulars too. They ordered lunch, Genia played the genial hostess and introduced everybody. The new arrivals were the barangay captain of the area and a congressman.
Yes, you read that right. A congressman. I thought my ears were playing tricks on me when Genia said “congressman” because I didn’t see the usual battalion of bodyguards accompanying the man. In fact, the “congressman” came with the barangay captain in the latter’s motorcycle. Naka-angkas, believe it or not.
After a while, we all paid our respective bills and stood up to leave. Because my husband had to walk a short distance to get the pick-up, I stood in front of the carinderia taking photos of the signage (for a food article I intended to write). The barangay captain and the congressman – Teodoro, his surname was – were out there in front with me, we chatted a little about the mounds of garbage piled on the sidewalks all over the city and Rep. Teodoro said it would probably take a month to clean everything up. They drove off, we waved our goodbyes and my husband arrived with the pick-up a few seconds later.
As soon as I pulled the pick-up’s door close, I had to say it. I’m impressed, I told my husband. A congressman going around sans armed bodyguards, eating in a humble carinderia in nondescript T-shirt and blue jeans, and riding in the barangay captain’s motorcycle. It’s something I have not seen in a long, long looooooong time.
Still only half-believing that the man who had lunch at Genia’s carinderia, and who arrived and left in the barangay captain’s motorcycle, was indeed a member of the House of Representatives, as soon as we got home, I was on Google searching for a Representative Teodoro. Search results said that a Marcelino Teodoro is the incumbent representative of the first congressional district of Marikina. Still not content with that, I searched Google images for photos of this Marcelino Teodoro to make sure that he was the man at Genia’s earlier. And, yes, it was the same man.
See, all my adult life, I’ve witnessed how government vehicles pass through red lights and go on traffic counterflow and how these practices have become habits of the powerful. Government officials often travel in convoys with sirens and flashing red lights, ignoring traffic rules that we mortals are obliged to follow. They’re like children of a better god, subject only to laws they find convenient to obey.
Unlike firetrucks and ambulances answering to emergencies, this attitude that position or title carries with it certain privileges is not based on any law. In fact, a position in government does not automatically entitle an official’s vehicle to sport a flashing red light. Why traffic cops have developed the habit of not flagging down these abusive convoys is beyond me. If I have to guess, it’s probably due to ignorance (isn’t it ironic that persons who should be enforcing laws don’t know what they ought to enforce?) or fear of earning the ire of people more powerful than themselves. Or, perhaps, both.
Now, except for that singular encounter, I don’t really know Rep. Marcelino Teodoro. I don’t know if he’s always that congenial and down-to-earth and unassuming and totally unaffected by the power of the office he holds. Maybe he is; maybe, he’s not. I do know, however, that if a member of Congress can be that humble and inabusive (unabusive? disabusive?) on one occasion, then, there is no reason why it cannot become a matter of practice.
It has often been said that those with authority and power should serve as examples to the public. In the case of sirens and flashing red lights and ignoring traffic laws, the bad habits of government officials have certainly served as an example. A bad, bad example. Seeing how titles and positions can intimidate, many members of media and other professions have copied the bad example. We see vehicles with media IDs dangling from the rearview mirror parked where parking isn’t allowed. We see vehicles with signs “doctor on call” cutting through red lights. We see vehicles with plates that scream LAWYER doing the same things. Not surprising, really, but sad and maddening nonetheless.
Interesting. I do like your blog and I like to read it for information on the Philippines. Thank you for this glimpse of Filipino culture. It’s human nature to love being “above” our fellow man. Haven’t tried any of your recipes yet but I do like reading about the things you have made for your family.
i think it’s also the fault of ordinary people who give unnecessary glorification. it’s one thing to be polite and respectful but it’s another to be too condoning and/or fearful. kaya tuloy, may mga tao — from public officials to tv personalities to media men to lawyers — na lumalaki ulo at akala mo kung sino.
at the end of the day, this holds true: walang nang-aapi at nang-aabuso kung walang nagpapai at nagpapa-abuso.
What’s really insane is that the ordinary man aspire to be someone with power (whether as a professional public figure or government official) so that he can enjoy the same “privileges”.
That is exactly the reason why Filipinos wanted to become a government official because of the power and privileges, in addition to people’s atm.
Imagine my cousin refused an offer from the US government for one reason only, he lives like a king in the Philippines aka children of Gods.
Ms. Connie, where I come from (Naga City), seeing the mayor riding a bicycle wearing shorts and shirt and tsinelas is ordinary, walang entourage, walang convoy. Nagkausap kami minsan while I was visiting my mom’s grave, and he asked about my dad, where I practice, etc. That’s why, among us girls, siya lang ang tanging politico na gusto namin na ninong sa kasal.
Btw, in Pasig City, susme, brgy. captain lang kala mo kung sino kung maka asta.
It’s tempting to say things are just different in Metro Manila. But there a lot of “provincial” politicians who are just as abusive — especially those that belong to political families. The Singsons and the Fariñases of the north and those from the Jalosjos clan in the south… can you see them riding bicycles while inspecting their area?
In fairness naman, Binay (the father) walks around our barangay wearing a jogging pants ang a white shirt pero may 2 bodyguards. He chats with people who are nakatambay at that time. Kundi mo nga kilala akala mo ordinaryong tao. If I don’t know people who are close to him (who passed on info about the mayor), I would have been impressed. In short, everything (maybe not everything but most of it) he does has a not too hidden motive – to collect votes.
For a while there, I thought he was Gibo Teodoro, eh hindi na pala sya congressman, hahaha. yes, it’s easy for us to stereotype the tongressmen because of the bad things that their other colleagues do. Now, am reminded of the partylist rep who biked his way to the Congress office everyday. His name escapes me now. Mabuhay kayo!
“For a while there, I thought he was Gibo Teodoro”
Ngek, no, not him definitely. He was my schoolmate, I’d have recognized him. And Gilbert, aangkas sa motor ng barangay captain? LOL I think not.
i think it would be Way Kurat.
yun ang nickname ata nung congressman na yun. i can still remember him carrying ballot boxes because noone else would.
well, give me the child of a better god anytime over the actual sons of god title most of these clowns in barongs at the batasan bandy about even outside of that house of horrors.
when I am stuck in traffic at SLEX and these “children of a better god” passes by, there would even be an entourage of about three to four cars. It makes me puke thinking “ninanakawan na ko, hindi pa ko samahan sa pagkakatrafic ng mga damuho!”. And with the soaring price of gasoline, I wonder who’s paying for the entire entourage’s gas.
The Filipino taxpayers are paying for the gas. Certain government officials have monthly gas allocations. The gas cards are distributed to the entourage members.
that was what I thought. kainis ano?
Yep.
And if to justify the unfairness of it all, my cousin just shrugged and said, “It is just his time as everybody in position did before him”.
I would like to call these people bastard children of a better God. They are indeed so arrogant with the use of sirens and flashing red lights. I am tempted to start a shame crusade against these bastard and arrogant children. Whenever we encounter these animals on the road, we might as well take note of the plate number and vehicle model, date, time and place of this display of arrogance. Then we’ll get the vehicle’s owner name and publish it for all to see. We’ve got to start somewhere to put an end to this pda (public display of arrogance).
Since most cell phones are equipped with video cams, I suggest recording the whole thing and uploading the video on YouTube.
That’s one of the problems with gov’t officials in the Philippines, you are right, its not only that it seems that they are children of better god but they pretend to be god. I’ve been in Canada for more than a decade and I even noticed a city mayor was ticketed by his own police force of red light violation. And you know what, this policeman even got an award for doing so.
I agree. Here in canada its hard to tell who among the crowd holds a public office. Government employees and politicians are subject to the same law that governs the rest of the country. No special treatment. It was in the newspaper before that a police car (not in emergency duty because he has no flashing light) was caught by a photo radar and fined for his action.
Kailan kaya magiging ganito sa pinas? Kapag nagkaganito pwede na akong bumalik ng pinas.
sabi nga ang mga pinoy, law abiding expats where they work, pero sa sariling bansa dating gawi?.. wala ka naman kse choice, para ka lang bumubunggo sa napakakapal na pader…. haaay….go w the flow n lang and feel pity for our country…babadtripin mo p b sarili mo with the few weeks bakasyon you can afford?…
this is a very interesting story.
am now researching on who this Marcelino Teodoro is.
Hi Connie,
I couldnt help but admire your blog posts and i’ve recently started blogging. I too am a lawyer and yes i agree with you that more often, people tend to scream their titles to the world as if they are a higher form of being than the rest.. IBP should scrap selling the LAWYER plate which costs about 2K (if im not mistaken). Lawyers who use these plates and violate the simplest of rules like traffic laws and ordinance ought to be ashamed of themselves for doing so. Even doctors who put ON CALL signs in their car on their way home from the clinic/hospital just to justify a traffic violation or MEDIA people should know when and when not to use it..because if the situation does not call for it, its called abuse. Most of all, dont you just hate it when you see a traffic enforcer’s vehicle parked right in front of a NO PARKING/NO STOPPING sign?
All the Best and i shall continue to look forward to your posts.
I hate it even more when police cars go on counterflow just so they don’t have to wait in traffic the way we mortals have to.
I do not know if you noticed this bit of news item that came out nung kasagsagan ng typhoon Ondoy…there was a barangay captain somewhere in one of the districts of QC na nag-malverse ng funds intended for the barangay by buying an SUV for himself… nabuko siya as he came home amidst the disaster… the taong bayan mobbed him and they gave him the respect that he deserved.
It all boils down to these simple letters R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Respect for country, the people who he has vowed to serve, the position, his family, and self -respect.
Thank you for continuing to be our eyes when and where we cannot see… and our ears when and where we cannot hear. Quietly, you continue to make us aware to what is the reality in this country.
Joey P., re mayor getting traffic ticket. Whoa. Wouldn’t I love to see that here. But a cop that daring would be quickly assigned to the worst beat the next day.
Crisma, even Marikina City was reportedly under investigation for diversion of the calamity fund.
Haaay naku, Connie… the name for these kinds of people is really unprintable in this space (kagaya nga ng sinabi ng isa sa mga earlier na nag-comment). While most people are busy thinking of ways to help, eh meron namang mga taong busy sa pagiging ‘creative’ na gumawa ng kawalang-hiyaan! Ooooppsie!
Just consider this, California along with other states ban all handheld phone use by drivers. So when California Governor’s wife Maria Shriver (related to the Kennedys) was caught while driving by paparazzi using her cell phone, the Governor sent a Twitter message back to TMZ editor that he will deal with it swiftly.
The Shriver case is an example that a law has no teeth unless unless public official sets the tone first and take it seriously.
That’s so true…kahit barangay captain or even yung sa SK ganyan. Even at the lowest level of government service they suddenly feel special when placed in that position. I hope that Congressman Teodoro is for real and not for show. This country could use a few them.
About a mayor getting a traffic ticket. Mayor Duterte of Davao City got a ticket for not wearing a helmet while riding his motorcycle. – http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20090925-226873/Duterte-caught-riding-motorcycle-without-helmetpolice
Don’t know if you’ve seen it, but about the flashing red light and sirens, here’s an interesting video. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gL3DPgm81c
Thanks. Let me embed the video in the entry.
it’s true. he is a humble guy. has always been since his u.p. diliman days.
hi, ms. connie. i happen to know the congressman. we once asked him to chair one of our committee’s technical working group meetings and i must say that he earned my respect from then on. not only is he a very kind and unassuming person but he also is a very intellectual one. he listens very well to other people’s opinions and does not forget to say thank you even for the very small favors he asks from them.
This reminds me of the comment of FG Arroyo where he scoffed at the idea of the Pres. of the Republic dining at Mcdo. What’s wrong with that, e kung yun lang ang kaya ng bulsa ng taxpayers, di ba?
Yeah. I couldn’t agree with you more, lemon. The nerve of FG noh! Bakit sobrang maselan ba ang panlasa nila kesa sa atin and eating at McDo or Jollibee is such a disgrace. To think that they’re using taxpayers’ money in “dining & treating” her whole entourage at these uber expensive US restaurants. KAPAL! Baka nagkaron sila ng mental relapse and they thought it’s their own hard-earned money (or hard-earned corrupted moolah! Ü) they used to pay for those tabs. My goodness, I even heard in the news a few days ago that he even have an great grandaunt, Mother Rosario Arroyo, who is a candidate for beatification. Probably, Mother Rosario have been praying intensely in heaven for the conversion of her great grandnephew, his wife, and their 2 sons. Ü
Btw, Ms. Connie, love all your blogs. Keep it up and God bless.
The beatification thing is a few years old but it was Iggy Arroyo who used to be on the forefront of the move.
Bakit hindi mo pa sinama ang daughter?! Malay naman natin kung malinis nga rin siya. :-/
I also had the same reaction that you had here in Germany when one of my students told me that he was the vice mayor of his small town. He was so unassuming, and no bodyguards! He was amused when I told him how things work in the Philippines.
Hi Ms. Connie!
I’m a grad stude and I happen to read your blog post. To be able to convey my msg properly, I have to admit that I know C.Marcy Teodoro, having worked with him on some writing projects. Pero that’s just it, siguro nga po I’m biased but I have to say that what you just posted is the essence of his character. He’s very amiable during the times we met for meetings. He has a clear vision when it comes to his projects but he isn’t in love with himself like most politicians are that he doesn’t want to hear your suggestions. He encouraged me to talk during brainstorming sessions, e mahiyain pa naman po ako. Hihi. Even when he’s a UP graduate, he doesn’t come off as arrogant. Ibang UP alumni kasi na kilala ko medyo mayabang – konti lang naman. Totoo po, he’s very smart pero marunong “maki-level” sa kausap.
After Ondoy, nakausap niya ang aking lola na may store sa may palengke sa Bayan and I didn’t feel then na “pinupulitika” ang lola ko. Simpleng kumustahan lang ang nangyari sa kanila, from one Marikenyo to another, sharing stories on what happened to their homes during the storm.
Kumakain din po siya sa Macky’s ng naka-camisa de chino lang. Hehe. The Teodoros have been in Marikina for so long. My mom told me that C. Marcy’s Tita Fely was her teacher back in grade school. Kilala po talaga pamilya nila na mababait daw po. I hope other Marikenyos recognize this kind of leadership.
Sincerely,
A Marikenya Stude
“Ibang UP alumni kasi na kilala ko medyo mayabang – konti lang naman.”
Yung iba, hindi konti lang naman hahaha Malala ang kayabangan. I am so tempted to name names and they are all in Congress hehehe
Ay opo. Tama kayo diyan! Hihi.
Premier universities bear the shame of having corrupt officials as their alumni. This hurts me too as I’m a Thomasian myself. UST has its fair share of erm, shall we say, dubious alumni.
But then again, my alma mater prides itself of its luminaries too: heroes, artists, presidents, and civil servants alike.
So I guess, the school can only do so much in imparting values to its students. I’ve always believed na asa puso naman talaga nakasalalay ang kabaitan ng isang tao.
^_^
The behavior of some of our “government officials” are disgusting and sickening.
The video is one great example. Talagang wang wang ina mo!
But the ultimate evil act is the abuse of calamity funds.Have mercy!
My father always says that those government officials have no right whatsoever to hassle everyone else on the road and stop traffic just because they’re running late for their meeting or whatever because after all, they get paid with people’s taxes so he doesn’t see any reason why they should get any special treatment. I totally agree.
The congressman that you met reminds me of my late grand uncle who served as a congressman and then later as a governor in one province in the Bicol region. He has never had bodyguards, his reason being that he doesn’t have any enemies and believes that there is no reason why anyone would want to harm him. At tama naman siya kasi kahit minsan, walang sumubok na manakit sa kanya; kaibigan niya ang lahat.