The public, with its mob yearning to be instructed, edified and pulled by the nose, demands certainties

A terrible tragedy happened in Manila last Saturday. What could have been an afternoon of celebration for a famous game show's anniversary began with a stampede leaving 74 people dead and hundreds injured. People from other sides of the world may be questioning themselves why such a thing has happened simply over a TV game show. I, too, am quite perplexed to hear the news, but then understanding the Filipino psyche gives some light to what's behind such a pitiful incident.

More than two years ago (the last time I went home) - back when we don't have TFC here yet - I asked my relatives why the TV media is littered with game shows (even on primetime!). One said that it's the popular thing right now, as people's lives are getting harder and harder and that the promise of instant money is a welcome proposition to the impoverished public.

So who's to blame in this unfortunate occurrence? Is it the government, the TV station, the show's producers, or the stadium's authorities? I'd say, how about blaming those people involved in the stampede for once? They brought this upon themselves. I'm just too tired of hearing of putting the culpability to poverty in every aspect of sad happenings in our country; it's a lame excuse from a bunch of indolent people.

If Singaporeans are kiazu, some of our countrymen are even worst. Queuing up early is one thing, but jumping queues and roughing up is another; why must there be a need to rush things up? Is it poverty or purely just greed?

There is no such thing as getting easy money decently; quick bucks don't last. Here's something I got from the Praystation Portable this morning (a reading from St. Paul's letter to the Thessalonians): "Anyone who would not work, should not eat. We hear that some of you are unruly; not keeping busy but acting like busybodies. We enjoin all such and we urge them strongly in the Lord Jesus Christ, to earn the food they eat by working quietly. You must never grow weary of doing what is right."

I wonder when will our people understand that alleviating the plight of their lives doesn't depend solely on our government or on the charity of others. They better start looking at their own selves and ask: "why do let myself sunk this low?"

Metro Manila isn't the land of promise anymore or of milk and honey. It is time to go back to our lands – the lands, which have nurtured our ancestors long before the skyscrapers sprouted in that big city. Don't you think that your life tilling a small parch of land with your helpful carabao – things you had sold to buy tickets to go to that city – is far better off than a life in the city slums or sleeping beneath the bridge with ten families?

I felt pity for those seventy-four unfortunate souls. They have lost their dignity in the hope of getting a better life. Kids, too, have died in there; kids who should have been in school instead of queuing up for five days just to get inside that stadium and get a raffle ticket that could have brought them of $400 (if they're that lucky enough). I'd rather dole out my dollars to Gawad Kalinga than give them to those who say cheesy jokes. Winning ten thousand pesos might pay-off a family's house bills and feed them for half a month, but after that, what's next? They'd be back to that game show and try to win some more.

Passion is the mob of the man that commits a riot upon his reason. - William Penn