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On Critics
and Paper Boats
by Pon Rodil
 I
THINK it was my favoite essayist Barbara Gonzalez (or perhaps
a number of other equally perceptive writers) who once said that
we are a nation that exists in a surreal reality, akin to that
created by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It is thus with amusement that
I recall a friend’s response after I asked him right after President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address: Paano umabot
yung mga bangkang papel sa kanya? ‘Magic realism,’ he said.
A few days
later, I read a handful of editorials, columnists, and critics
having a field day in trying to sink the paper boats story, or
metaphor, as some would claim it to be, for our country’s real
state. So it wasn’t only me wondering if the President had indeed
stated it too literally. Then again, any person with a logical
mind would think that there would have been of course, another
explanation. But, like Miriam’s infamous claims of jumping off
a plane or shooting herself in Luneta, we like to half-believe
such things, and thus speculate: is there a body of water, such
as a creek, connecting Payatas to Pasig? Is there a ‘nautical
possibility’ that the three paper boats would actually make it?
Some would say that it is a gloomy image to start with, especially
as a footing for a load of promises.
Then again,
recalling my own childhood, ‘bangkang papel’ evokes fun memories.
Although we did not float them in big rivers, we had drainage
canals and street puddles. My parents being teachers, we had an
endless supply of scratch papers; nobody cared if they got wet.
The point is, to a child, paper boats are hopeful images; like
paper airplanes, plastic kites, and bahay-bahayan kits, they are
the stuff that make up our imaginary worlds.
But returning
to hard reality: should we take GMA’s promises seriously? There
is a risk in being specific: you can be made accountable for it.
For a change, we now have a checklist, and so the SONA has extended
its purpose to being more than just a rallying speech to a real
tool for assessing the government’s accomplishments at the year’s
end.
Given all
the expectations, I think the President has displayed real courage
in presenting these goals. Some people like to make threats: ‘We
will stage EDSA 4 if you don’t achieve this!’ As if we hadn’t
learned our lesson yet: hindi siya ganon kadali. And why
do we like to hold our government hostage? Aren’t we also accountable
for our own problems? It will be a refreshing change if these
groups start examining themselves and come up with their own “specific
and doable” solutions to our crises.
I am young,
and would like to be optimistic. I would also like to think. Although
debates about metaphors and paper boats might help us keep our
wit and sense of humor for a few days, eventually people will
need critical analysis of how policies are being implemented.
The media should present more relevant information other than
what is happening to Erap, the Abu Sayyaf, and other such self-serving
personalities. Our nation’s fate rests on so much more than these.
The opposition
says we may in for a recession. Everyone is naturally skeptical
about the promises. However, between wallowing in pessimism and
drowning in our own self-made muck, I would much rather risk taking
the paper boat. At least it moves. And I know how to make one
with a roof.
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Pon is in her 6th year of college, taking up subjects not related
to her course. She says she's currently trying to find her voice.
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