From ‘Sena-Tongs’ to socmed ‘receipts’

Resibo or receipt in English is a proof of payment when a customer purchases an item. Before the pandemic, however, it took on a new meaning. “Resibo” became a photo or video that could later be used against misbehaving people.

In America, the word receipt is also currently being used in the same context. I’m just not sure if it was copied by the Americans from Filipinos — or the other way around.

But this much I’m very sure: Pinoy social media users are now very busy searching for ‘’receipts” that may be used against government officials involved in the flood control program scandal. They are, so far, succeeding. Good job, guys!

Some of these congressmen, senators and Department of Public Works and Highways officials have stolen so much that they are starting to make Tomoyuki Yamashita, World War II’s Tiger of Malaya, look like an amateur.

But is corruption already inherent in man? In the Philippines, there was already corruption during the Spanish regime. Maybe even prior to colonial times, except we do not have documentation of that. In other words, no “resibo.”

But all sorts of “receipts” are flying all over now because of the flood control scandal that has dragged politicians and contractors into the mess. Filipinos are angry – and rightly so - over the amount of money stolen from public funds.

Some netizens on Facebook cannot help but hark back to the good old days of Philippine politics — when statesmanship was observed by senators and congressmen. But I have news for you: there was already corruption back in the day.

My mother was already working in Congress even when she was still a law student (she and my dad were classmates). No, she was not a congresswoman. Her job was to study the bills being filed by congressmen and senators and determine if these were constitutional or unconstitutional. She had to pore over these bills because not all legislators were lawyers.

Even before I was of school age, I already knew what her job was because my parents would retreat to bed after dinner to talk about events of the day. Since I was the youngest, I always joined them to get some cuddling.

With me sandwiched between them, I heard — and still remember to this day — everything they talked about. My parents had no idea that I already understood their every conversation. No one in the family was aware that I already had a malicious mind at age 4.

So, what did they talk about? I still recall how the staff of one government agency dealing with finance had to produce at the last minute P10,000 because their boss was going to date a newly-crowned Miss Philippines.

Ten thousand pesos was actually the cash prize given to Miss Philippines winners that time (early 1970s). For this beauty queen, it was like winning Miss Philippines again. (She is still around as part of Manila’s elite.)

I also knew — based on my parents’ conversations — the actresses who were the mistresses of congressmen. Those were not hearsay because my mom held office at the old Congress, which is now the National Museum. Nothing could escape her because she was always there — sometimes even past midnight, especially when there were hearings. As a matter of fact, she was the one who locked up after the old Congress was abolished during martial law.

Please do not judge my parents “because they are not books (copyright belongs to Melanie Marquez).” There were no books on parenting then and they were unaware that their youngest was listening attentively to their conversations.

You can just imagine my discomfort when — as part of the entertainment profession — I eventually met and became friends with those actresses who joined the flesh trade. My head kept blurting out: I know what you did back then!

I do not wish, however, to judge government officials based on their personal lives. Their extra-marital affairs should be between them and their respective spouses. What I found deplorable though were the corrupt practices of some congressmen and senators in those days.

Even before I could learn my ABCs, I already knew the meaning of “kickback” — thanks or no thanks again to my parents who were constantly talking about corruption in government during my childhood. In time, I learned how the public back then would resort to a play of words when referring to senators. To enlightened Filipinos, they were “sena-tongs.” (“Tong” is a street word for bribe.) House of Representatives became House of “Representa-thieves.”

As to how senators and congressmen conducted themselves during hearings in the old days, hmm, some of them were not as dignified as we would imagine them to be. When Robin Padilla was a new senator, he was called out for combing his mustache while Senate was in session.

Now, I remember a Tita Anday (my mother’s close friend), who was head of the Congress library, who told stories about how some congressmen and senators of old would pee under their table because they were lazy to get up to go to the bathroom during hearings. I heard about that as a kid. Many years later — after EDSA I — she was interviewed by a Sunday supplement about Congress in the old days and she repeated the story ... on print!

Of course, there were also senators who were gentlemen of the first order. One was the late Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo, who was up to his neck with decorum and, more importantly, honesty when it came to public service. His son, King Rodrigo, later married the widowed Boots Anson-Roa 10 years ago.

But then, Rodrigo had colleagues who were not exactly without sin. In his time, there were also corruption scandals — like the Eduardo Quintero bribery expose of 1971. That is too complicated a story to tackle here.

In those days, corruption scandals were only made public when there was a whistle-blower — like Quintero, for example. It was also difficult to accuse government officials of corruption based on lifestyle since there were only a few ways to display wealth. There was no “resibo” to prove corruption.

Most senators then already lived in stately mansions (mostly in New Manila) before they ran for public office. Shopping was limited to Aguinaldo’s and Rustan’s. People did not like traveling then because it was tedious (no direct flights yet) and there was still fear of flying among many.

Today, “nepo babies” keep issuing “resibo” in their social media accounts. They flaunt wealth like it came from the blood, sweat and tears of their parents — when in truth, every luxurious item they display on Instagram came from taxpayers’ money.

In contrast, children of corrupt government officials in the past were told to exercise discretion. It was easier to be discreet then because there were no cellphones and there weren’t that many luxurious brands from Europe yet.

Yes, there was already corruption in the old days, but the scenario was different. First of all, youngsters then had common sense. Sure, they bragged about new clothes and shoes among friends, but kept it within their circle. It also helped that there was no social media back then.

But the marked difference was that in those days, greed was moderated. Today, most lawmakers dig into government coffers like it is their personal piggy banks. Their children, meanwhile, spend the blood money like it will go out of style. Fortunately for the Filipino people, these “nepo babies” are often clueless that they issue “receipts” online that would eventually cause the downfall of their corrupt parents.