"Of Crass statements and Apathy amongst us"
Regarding apathetic people and hecklers regarding protests and protesters.
Lately, this writer was reading in an online newspaper regarding the latest protest in Mendiola, and at the bottom, there are comments written about it; and most of it are rather negative in its standing, especially from its phrases showing off its discontent or rather apathy towards direct action being stated in the report.
For sure activists would think of it nothing or be called as narrow minded as people, especially those who commented online found ridicule over the continuous actions of students especially strikes. From giving name calls such as hindrance to progress and traffic to telling to stop forcing the government to be a god who can provide all of your needs, these people somehow rather not to understood the meaning of these actions laid upon by them-that some who did some ridiculous comments also come from the same institution; otherwise, some would say that most students especially those from the University of the Philippines are rich people and be forced to pay bigger fees in it.
Good to say that suggestion but are most car-driving people from UP be directly dubbed thee as rich people? In midst of the oil price hikes for sure most end up commuting.
In addition to that, isn't it enough for their parents, or even themselves to pay their taxes, that even a taho or fishball vendor ought to pay taxes same as those from the underground economy through its stickers that costs some few coins in it; for sure some would think that it would be allocated to something beneficial such as health care, education and infrastructure, but most of it end up rather in defence and debt servicing rather than of the former two especially education through state subsidy and improvement of facilities. UP, PUP and other SUCs tried to become an institution for the laboring people, but through policies detrimental to it and up likely to do the same as Private Schools do-regardless of the growing crisis as expected.
Speaking of the growing crisis, most middle-class people are likely to become lower-middle to lower class due to its effect: the growing prices of commodities reduces the value of every hard earned peso regardless of long hours of work every week, so much for the laboring people especially those who dealt with contractualization as one of main causes workers ought to ridicule; most of them wanted their children to study in SUCs such as UP and PUP to pursue their ambition, but how come they end up studying in private schools although they find it hard to pay for it? Especially to those with courses such as HRM and other courses as if can easily land a job? It would be stupid enough to see someone work in a call center rather than according to its own profession, even facing job mismatches all as a result of policies that instead of alleviating, rather keeping crisis further.
And since they ridicule direct action such as protest, do they have alternatives to offer? Again, some would say lobbying and negotiations, other say contentment, the former two may be good enough although likely to be short than long in its term; but the latter seemed to be a slap on a face since why everyone should get contented in a policy detrimental to their goals? Working hard, earning much, doing little things for bigger goals and good discipline? good indeed but is that enough to end the crisis? No matter how people are disciplined, working hard and earning, yet the prices and fees increasing makes disorder disorder; otherwise why should everyone just contented all of their lives rather than advance further? Especially to a crisis striken nation like the Philippines? For sure to a person who endures all the time working to face increasing prices everytime would likely to open its eyes and rage for its own sake.
And somehow these makes protests justifiable despite the hecklings from the apathetics. Yes, protests such as strikes made traffic out of it, but at first did they join even once? Heed its message? Acknowledge struggle? If not then it shows nothing but complete ignorance, inutile as they insist apathy for themselves. Studying in school, whether it is State-supported or Private shouldn't be limited in the four corners of the room; it includes the society as well-through its realities such as poverty, social crisis and related issues, as Lean Alejandro stated:
"Don't let your schooling interfere your education"
Thus, why not accept the reality that the Philippines is and still under crisis despite paper reforms and measures in a way apathetics say most people studying in UP are rich people? The protests around the World are just example of reffects not of causes people compelled to.