I unconsciously wore a black ABS-CBN shirt this morning, prodding my son to ask if I was mourning for those who lost their lives at the Wowowee Stampede. (Incidentally, I also have a few GMA Network shirts ... it pays to have friends and relatives in the media, you get freebies!) My 8 year old, supposedly naive and clueless at his age about things like this, understood the gravity of the tragedy that befell those who died in the stampede (and hundreds more injured). He says this happened because many Filipinos lived in poverty (he actually said the word "poverty"... when I was 8, I didn't think I knew that word, let alone use it in a conversation!). And he only had one thing to say to the victims: what a pity.So, today ... maybe it was fitting that I wore this black ABS-CBN shirt. For I do feel I have to mourn. It is indeed a pity we have fellow Pinoys who literally have to die, just to at least have some hope or luck. It is desperation. It is a reflection of how much the needs of the poor are being neglected.
More than that, this is also a reflection of how little desire we Filipinos have for working harder, so that we can have better lives.
And it is a pity, the world had to see this on their TV.
