Commentary: The fading luster of Filipino unity behind Pacquiao’s victory

Rodrigo S. Victoria
 
Naval, Biliran (5 December) – The resounding victory of Manny”Pacman” Pacquiao is still fresh in the memory of every Filipinos. We can still vividly recall how members of every Filipino households were held captive in their respective houses just to watch the much awaited rumble of two of the world’s prized fighter in the superfeatherweight division. Traffic jams were out of sight, crime incidence was at zero rate and most notably, the Filipino people’s disunity and disagreement in almost every issues that greatly affect society were put to rest and were beholden by the elusive yet still achievable vision of oneness and unity.
I can still remember how one jubilant Filipino fan being interviewed after the fight in a national television station expressed his wishful yet full of hope statement for the Filipino people to be united at all for the good and welfare of the country.
I can see the anguish and pain deep inside him of how he felt on the seemed endless bickerings of the country’s leaders and the pointless blame on anybody shortcomings which could not be hidden in his countenance despite being beholden by Pacquiao’s victory.
“I hope that Pacquaio will have a boxing fight everyday so that at least we can have a united Filipino people” thus said Pacquiao’s avid fan.
However, Filipinos having known to have a shortlived memory on the significance and importance of events that unfolds in society which in one way or the other have helped and contributed to its betterment, in less than a month after the much celebrated Pacquiao’s victory, the Filipino people are again entangled deeply in major national social issues and concerns which aggravated more deeply in the division of the people.
A divided Filipino is again in the picture with the proposed structural change of the country’s political system from presidential-bicameral to parliamentary-unicameral system. When the pro-Cha-Cha  said the shift is for the good of the country, the people who are against it are behaving like race horses with side-covered eyes that saw nothing but only the frontal dimension of the pathway.
When the economy takes a big leap as manifested by the steady strength of the Philippine peso against the dollar and the growth of other economic factors contributory to the country’s economic growth, the other side of the political fence always made a remark that all these economic growth were not felt by the majority of the masses since many are still experiencing hunger and is economically hard up at present.
Our country is experiencing a tug-of-war of two deeply polarized group of not just ordinary citizens but leaders who could make or break a society, set of government officials with different convictions and people in the reign of power with differing biases, prejudices and interests who have helped created a community and a nation so deeply divided with their different views, opinions and insights and further pushed the 85 million plus Filipinos in the mode of divisiveness.
The luster of Filipino unity brought by Pacquaio’s boxing victory does not continue to enlighten the mind of the highly divisive Filipino society nor does its shades of light brightened the way towards bonding together as one Filipino nation neither does it sustained to hold the oneness of dreams and aspirations of the Filipino people but rather its flickering light of hope is getting weaker that would eventually lead to the death of hope of Filipino unity.
At the end of the day, I may now agree to the statement of the avid fan of Pacquiao, it is good enough that he has a boxing bout everyday to achieve Filipino unity.(PIA-Biliran)