Dear Editor,

Philippines or China? You choose.

“They could buy locally-made (jeepneys) or from Japan or China or whichever country. The cooperatives would prevail when it comes to choosing, not the government,” said Teofilo Gadiz III, LTFRB chairman, yesterday vis-a-vis the PUV modernization program.

But why make it a “choice” for the cooperatives, drivers, and operators? Why not make it a requirement for them to buy from local manufacturers instead?  What is wrong if he (or they) will treat the matter as an imperative one if it would result in invigorating our own economy (not others) and feeding more Filipinos (not Chinese)? That is wisdom, not dictation. Or, could it be that they are showing modest signs of tempering their greed? Never ever buy anything to sell — your soul.

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver.” — Proverbs 16:16.

Everything is being done in the name of convenience and expediency, so it seems. It is the same old, rotten ways of the government, past and present — no different from “indiscriminate killings” of local livelihoods — or importations of rice, vegetables, fish, meats, fruits, sugar, onion, garlic, and other agricultural products — even though we are an agricultural country (alas, or funny). Foolish.

And, worse, corruption or massive thefts are parts and parcels of it all. So sad. Lamentably pathetic.

By the way, don’t Filipinos already have enough reasons not to patronize (or boycott) everything that is China, given its increasing bullying and aggression and invasion of almost the entire West Philippine Sea?  It has to start with the government for sure. But why purchase “jeepneys” or minibuses from China to “modernize” us when its leaders are far from being civilized, and they don’t treat our government and people as civilized — aside from their daylight, brazen robbery of our maritime territories?

Moreover, why let (oddly) our power grid continue to be controlled by the Chinese through the China-dominated NGCP? For national security reasons, it shouldn’t be, much less at this most critical time. Filipinos should fully own and operate the transmissions (or transmission service). Blackout. And watch out:  ACDC (attack and collect, defend and collect) doesn’t only exist in the media but also in the halls of power. Corrupt “public servants.” Unwanted. Nauseous.

I agree with you, dear Mr. President, when you lately said, “Paradigm shift.” Yes, indeed, it is what we needed in the past and what we badly need at this juncture -— in the government, as one people and a struggling nation.  Paradigm shift, not Paradigm s_ _ t.

Reni M. Valenzuela

renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com