By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
There is a new game in town. It is actually an old one but just leveled up, bigtime.
It is called the Basura Game.
Games are supposed to entertain or develop abilities, character or enhance good credentials. But this new game is the opposite-depressing, revolting, irritating, nauseating, blood boiling and downgrading.
The Basura Game is indulged in by a select few; they are the elite of the repulsive kind. They are the daredevils, no they are devil dares.
The Game elicit tears and makes people gasp for life when it rains; the lives of many unsuspecting residents-the onlookers (who don’t see the actual games being done), especially those who are in the laylayan ng lipunan are sabotaged. Agriculture suffers, health conditions miserable, and economy in general somehow shakes a bit, losing some momentum.
The Game is currently at the funny stage of investigation in Congress.
Major players are mostly ensconced in an ivory tower called Senate and House of Representatives. They are supposed to be the abodes for human care and welfare. But they dared the devil, who gladly obliged with a broad grin and thumbs up to boot. So, the Houses transformed into sanctuaries of horror, disguised as a purifying station.
Other major players are in other government offices, mainly the DPWH. Still others are out there in their palatial homes built by unearned Basura and oftentimes ride in flashy cars worth 35 to 70 million pesos each, bought in hard cash.
They say, there is money in basura. I say, basura is money if we are to go by the description of one of the supporting characters of the Game. The guy was told (very audible to the audience) by an investigator in the Senate. “Just read what is written, don’t go beyond it”. Why, was there a script? And written by who, and for what purpose?
By and large, watching the Game in the comfort of our home amidst the raging rains, I found the testimony of the concerned actor fraught with question marks. The truth must come out, but it seems the process of the game is being beclouded.
It is very interesting and definitely intriguing that a supposed minor piece in a provincial district had become the focal point of the Game, assuming the important decision making of how to spend a budget of up to PhP 150.0 million even beyond his own district. That means, a billion or more budget a program will just be chopped up into parcels of not more than PhP 150.0M each and presto, the guy is already on top of billions of peso projects. Basura flowed like flood in his office.
Confronted by evidence of overplaying his role, the guy was forced to admit his folly, and that he had misplayed his role.
The Game is like a fairy tale but the evil one must be stopped. Imagine piles and piles of money on top of tables in an office then they are stacked in maletas containing up to PhP48.0M each, loaded into several vans, then delivered to the kingdom of the major actors. It certainly sucks, revolting.
As the money is flying to its wrong destinations, the dreams of others for better living conditions slowly vanish in thin air. No flood of tears can restore such dreams unless the Basura Game grinds to a halt.
According to finance Sec Ralph Recto, the amount lost due to this Basura Game could have provided around 200,000 jobs and increased our GDP. The Game qualifies as economic sabotage.
Since the perceived main actor is a Party List representative and some supporting actors are also Party List Reps, this political system must be earnestly considered to be scrapped. And with this, siblings and parent-child simultaneously in the Senate or Congress should also be considered to be banned to prevent collusion by emotional bond.
The Basura Game must end. It is making our laws, our lives and our communities basura.
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