Susan’s Notes
By Susan Palmes-Dennis
ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina— As I wrote this, I joined the rest of the Filipino Americans in the Carolinas in celebrating the recent 250th founding anniversary of the United States of America on July 4.
I share the eternal gratitude that all Filipino Americans like myself have for the country that adopted me and other migrants like me who want to build a better future for every American in the years to come. And it is a future that can only be worked on in unity, not in divisive politics and religious differences.
I take special mention of what US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said about the US being in a ‘state of perpetual improvement’ even as it achieved First World superpower status. For that is what every country regardless of its status should strive towards because it continually exists. That description also applies to the Philippines regardless of how dismal our world rankings is.
There is a news story I read mentioning that the Philippines had achieved ‘middle class’ economic status for its citizens or words to that effect. I don’t know about the basis for that evaluation considering that there are still a lot of poor people living below minimum wage or poverty threshold. And no, owning a cell phone doesn’t qualify someone as middle class in the Philippines because he or she is not guaranteed three meals a day or a roof above their heads.
Which is why it amazes me no end that regardless of their blessings, a lot of liberal Americans and illegal migrants who benefit from state welfare money continue to rant and whine about the ‘sins’ and ‘failures’ of the US as if biting the hands that fed, clothed and housed them. The illegal migrant/alien issue deserves a long discussion which space constraints prevent me from doing so.
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The Tacloban school shooting that killed three students and injured 20 others and inspired several would-be copycat perpetrators among the Pinoy student youth in neighboring local governments is a recent development in the Philippines that was influenced in no small way by social media exposure of school children.
The Tacloban incident was also discussed by the 21st City Council of Cagayan de Oro City in which the usual role of parental intervention was emphasized and only Councilor Edgar Cabanlas made mention of recent global developments that would restrict the use of social media platforms for those under age 16 years old. Great Britain is proposing such legislation that will take effect after next year.
As a teacher and parent I see some wisdom in this having experienced firsthand how visceral and downright stressful online confrontations and debates can be. Teenagers already have to deal with bullying in the real world and now they also have to experience online harassment by peers and predatory advances from total strangers. Schoolchildren need to be protected first from the dangers of cyberspace.
Technology is a tool of course but proper education of its use among school children and those under age 16 should be calibrated in a way that the children don’t lose any of the essential life skills needed for their social, physical, mental, emotional and intellectual development. Like social media platforms should be made into ‘emotional and social crutches’ for children to make friends and aid in developing values that make them better Filipinos.
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As I also write this, the Senate impeachment court is convening for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and while I am still against this, the wheels were already churning all towards this eventuality. And if numbers are to be the basis for conviction or acquittal/dismissal then the incumbent majority bloc will be challenged to secure the 16 votes mandated by the Constitution to convict VP Sara.
The fugitive status of Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, the suspension of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and the impending arrest of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta has whittled down the VP Sara bloc to seven senators. With corruption charges hanging over the heads of Sen. Chiz Escudero and Joel Villanueva, the Senate impeachment trial this year represents the best lone chance that rivals of VP Sara have of impeaching her.
Still, I will monitor as much as I can of the Senate impeachment trial proceedings to be televised live as it happens. We really don’t know what will happen in the next few months but we hope that this impeachment trial will be resolved quickly and immediately and would redound to the best interests of the Filipino people. Too much to hope for but it is what it is.
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