If I were a street child, a prosti, a thief, a hold-upper, a scavenger, a street vendor, a driver, a farmer, a native man, or even a political corruptor, how should I define Christmas? What is Christmas in relation to the present Philippine economy? Would it still be a time for loving, sharing, or peace?

HEADLINE: “The Philippine Economy Gets Better!” who said? Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Times or Playboy magazines? Well, Santa Gloria might be glad and proud to read that but not the crowd. Not because they couldn’t understand English, not because they haven’t read or heard it yet since they can’t afford to buy broad sheets or pay electric bill for watching TV news. But it’s because they can’t simply feel it. Being the poorest country in the entire Southeast Asia is more evident.

Christmas is a time for sharing. “Yes, the administration did it so,” says Pampangga Governor Ed Panlilio for he received a cash gift from Santa. Christmas is a time for peace. Yes there is a peace! November 29, 2007, Senator Trillanes and General Lim versus the Philippine armed forces had their showdown concert in Makati. Christmas as a time for love was also shown by their tenderly and loving care to our media men who were treated like street dogs and not watchdogs.

Where is justice for our public drivers? How they wish that gasoline would just be cheaper as gulaman and pineapple juice. How many kilometers should they take more for them to have Christmas gifts for their children? Where is justice for our OFWs since the value of peso increases against dollar? How many years should they sacrifice celebrating Christmas far from their families?

How I wish that the ZTE Broadband Bill can also be eaten by our poor fellows along the streets begging for coins of mercy. How I wish that the bombings of Abu Sayaff, and NPA terrorists will only shut the lives of crocodiles in our government and not the innocent civilians.

How many Filipinos should commit suicide due to poverty? How I wish that all Filipinos can play boxing like Manny Pacquiao to earn millions. If only his fists can knockout the corrupt politicians then, it would be a time for us to celebrate for our national victory.

How many costumers should prostitutes have in order to feed their hunger? How many street children should parade along the boulevard to knock our hearts? How high should a mountain of garbage that scavengers should climb to look for spoiled foods to eat? How many corruptors are still needed by our government to greet us a merry, merry Christmas?

Speaking of poverty as Joseph Estrada’s title “Erap para sa mahirap.” Did he serve the purpose? Is it Santa Gloria’s Christmas gift to us when she had given Estrada an Executive Clemency, for him to come back and serve us in the persona of Jose Pidal? Both of them are thieves.

How many times should Trillanes disturb the silence of the Filipino nation trying to oust the corruptors who put our economy at stake? How many Mexican boxers should Pacquiao defeat to make Filipinos gradually united? When would Christmas take place in our society? Would it be in the month of December? Let’s see.

How many Filipinos should go abroad to become servants or even punching-bags and sex-slaves of whites, blacks and yellows? Are they looking for greener pasture or they just wanted to help the government to lessen our population? Are they looking for dollars or they just don’t like pesos? Are they looking for foreigners to marry or they just don’t like flatted-nose? Whatever, it’s simply because of MONEY, MONEY, MONEY…I will not be surprised if one day, our hospitals would no longer be called as hospital but rather a cemetery since there will be no doctors and nurses to attend our patients. I will not be surprised if one day, our schools would no longer be called as educational institutions but rather playgrounds for children. Who would teach them if our teachers are leaving for China, Thailand, USA, or even Jupiter and Uranus? Is it really a merry, merry Christmas? But well, nobody can blame them because they just wanted to be out from poverty. Do you want to escape from poverty? Then get out of this country since Philippines alone is poverty.

To those who have benevolent hearts, would you mind to donate a supply of solvents to our street children? To those who are mentally retarded, would you mind to donate a supply of marijuana to our out-of-school youth and jobless fellows? What kind of Christmas gift can you give to them?

Wowowee! Eat Bulaga! Which one would invite thousands of deprived people for their grand Christmas contests? Let’s hope for the best. Let’s pray for their safety so that it will not lead to Ultra Stampede- the movie part II.

To those who are just pretending as blinds and mutes, to those who are just pretending as public servants, to those who are just pretending as concerned citizens, to those who are just pretending as innocents, a merry, merry Christmas to you!

That’s how my idiot mind views the Philippine Christmas… Christmas can be defined in many ways and in many perspectives. But whatever it is, the real thing is the picture of what we see around.