Used to be, seeking assistance from government agencies (like the DSWD) was the
norm. At least, this was how I perceived it in the old days, as a growing boy in the early
60s. By the littlest of comparisons, the only occasion we could bum a little money from
our godparents was at Christmastime. Just like other “young boy” things, everything
else appeared simpler back then.
When I got a little older, I happened to overhear a snippet of a conversation one
Christmas morning, between my parents and one of my godparents, who happened to
be a local politico. He was ’complaining’ to our mom how inconvenient it had become
sometimes when people from all walks of life would come and line up at the house
garage during odd hours asking for financial assistance. Not that he minded it, he said,
but how he missed the days when he was just an ordinary citizen.
Listening to him I thought, so perhaps he could take his turn at asking for assistance
too? I was being sarcastic then of course, because I knew some rich people like him
often used false humility when insinuating about his acquired wealth. However, that
morning proved significant because I believe it was the first time I caught a hint of the
relationship between those who held power and their not-so-simple act of giving
assistance or “ayuda”.
Two years ago, I heard a resource person cite in a lecture, what is really instilled in the
minds of people whenever we hand out ayuda or assistance? Right away, I knew that
was a loaded question. Truly, while it was only right to share with those who had less, I
also felt something was wrong with that picture.
This had been the time when the country had just about recovered from the pandemic
and it had become standard that ayuda and other forms of assistance was effected all
over. Noticeably too, handing out ayuda and relief in times of disasters became one of
the platforms whereby some politicians marketed their presence, especially if it occurred
before election schedules. Deviating a bit, there used to be a running joke about a local
politician in the 80s who installed basketball courts in the barangays of his district, only
to remove all the rims when he lost in the elections of that year. He who giveth shall
taketh away. Ayuda. Bow.
In all, like a carrot at the end of a stick, ayuda had become a weapon. That’s not to say,
however disguised and covert, it wasn’t cleverly wielded as such in the old days. So
back to the question, what is instilled in the mind when supposed-Salvador del Mundos
hand out ayuda? A slow burn mendicant attitude that, if one doesn’t watch out, will turn
into becoming an entitlement much like Juan Tamad waiting for the fruit to fall his way
as he lies under the tree.
