Democracy - Oligarchy - Caste System?

I had a blog in 2011 and I stopped writing it and deleted most of the writings. I did it because I wrote an article that offended a newspaper reporter and an attack on me began. I said nothing in that blog that I had not heard Filipino friends say and that I had not heard on television or read in newspapers. I had been warned that foreigners do not have a voice in the Philippines and I foolishly ignored the warning. Now I am afraid that I am about to step into it again, but it is hard for me to ignore discrimination or injustice.

It may not be called a caste system, but in my opinion there is a caste system in the Philippines. I guess I should not let it bother me since it does not appear to bother Filipino’s, but it does.

The Philippines certainly is not India, but there is a distinction made between rich and poor, educated and uneducated, titled and untitled and having the right surname certainly will get you a lot of respect and privileges you may not deserve.

If you ask you will be told that the Philippines is a democracy, but I think oligarchy would best define it because it is well known and obvious that power is in the hands of a small exclusive class. This exclusive class are the rich.

I think people in the West would be surprised at how many Filipino’s have college educations. A college degree is no longer reserved for the rich. But, a college degree is not a guarantee that you will move up the social ladder. Most working in mall retail shops have a college degree. If you are from the right family and have a degree you will naturally go farther than if you are not. Your family connections are usually more important than your degree.

The uneducated are happy to get a job in farming or as maids, drivers, or child care provider. 

I have not and will not accept the cultural tradition that those who work for me should not eat at the table with me, eat at the same time I do, sit in the living room with me and watch television or carry on a conversation. They do not even want to enter through the front door because they think it disrespects me in front of my neighbors. My being a Christian and being a retired priest will not allow me to discriminate or disrespect anyone in that manner.

The Vice President of the country is looked down upon by some because of his dark skin. That reminds me of blacks in the United States who at one time thought the shade of their skin mattered. During the slave period dark skin blacks were not selected to work in the Masters house they were selected to do field work.  I have even heard some discouraging remarks made about Filipino-Chinese, but it appears to me that the Filipino-Chinese are the ones with the most money so that may be more jealousy than discrimination.

When I first moved to Davao the local bank employees told me that I did not have to wait in line or take a number. I could just walk directly to the counter. I had noticed that some people walked in and went directly to the counter while we all waited and it disturbed me, but I said nothing. Then when I was told I could do the same I became upset. I ask to speak to a bank officer and I ask why this was allowed. He laughed and said that is just the way we do it in the Philippines and you will get used to it. I have not gotten used to it and I continue to take a number and wait my turn.

This became an issue for me again when I ask a neighbor why they did not visit me anymore. They seem shocked that I ask and appeared to be embarrassed. I guess they thought the question made them lose face and that is another thing you do not do to a Filipino no matter how wrong he or she may be. I ask had I done anything to offend them and at first they said no. I kept insisting on them to tell me what the problem was and if I could fix it I would. They went on to explain to me they did not like it that I treated my ‘caregiver’ and ‘housekeeper’ as family or friends. I stood up and told them it was nice knowing them, but that was something I was not willing to change or fix for them or anyone else. I will love those Filipino neighbors from a distance from now on.

These neighbors call themselves devout Catholics and they are active in the church, and friends with all the priest in the parish, but obviously they do not know that Pope Francis warned the hierarchy of the church not to be “a closed caste” but to lead in reaching out to all who are rejected by society and the church. I would think the Pope intends for the laity to do the same.

The Philippines is a Catholic Nation and a Catholic should not accept or participate in a caste system regardless of what you may call it. If they do they are not being faithful to the teachings of Christ or the Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II told visiting Roman Catholic bishops from India that Christians must reject divisions based on caste, saying any type of prejudices towards people violates authentic human solidarity and is a threat to genuine spirituality. Pope John Paul II also said customs or traditions that perpetuate or reinforce caste division or prejudices should be reformed. Are some groups of humans inherently superior to other groups? Not in God’s eyes.

The Jehovah Witness' strive not to participate in a class system. They recognize that social classes have no place in the eyes of God. Therefore, they have no clergy/laity division, and they are not segregated according to skin color or wealth. Although some of them may be wealthy, they do not focus on “the showy display of one’s means of life.”

Every Jehovah Witness accepts the responsibility to share in the work of preaching the good news of the Kingdom to his or her fellowman. Like Jesus, they honor the downtrodden and neglected by visiting them in their homes, offering to teach them God’s Word. Those with a humble status in life work side by side with those who may be viewed by some as upper class. It is spiritual qualities that count, not social class. As in the first century, all are brothers and sisters in the faith. We could all learn from them when it comes to discrimination.

The liberal Democrats in the United States are desperately trying to encourage class warfare in preparation for the 2016 election. The United States imagines itself as a classless society, based on a faith in natural equality – that all are “born equal. Even if there are wide inequalities in income, wealth or education, the bowing and scraping before the ‘upper classes, is completely unknown. Accusations of “elitism” are especially damaging in a culture that instinctively rejects the idea that certain people are born to rule, and others to be ruled.

In a self-defined classless society, people will naturally not want to separate themselves from their fellow citizens. That is why, according to Pew, almost nine in ten Americans define themselves as ‘middle-class’.

At its best, America displays the culture of a true civic republic in which, every individual can “speak their minds, walk tall among their fellows, and look each other squarely in the eye.” Somebody once remarked that the only thing different about rich people in America is that they have more money. They may be better off: but they are not better. This means that a certain respect is accorded to everybody, whether they are tending pumps in a gas station or moving millions on Wall Street. “Disrespecting” somebody is a social crime in a classless republic.

I was shocked at the pedestal priest are put on in the Philippines. That is not the case in the United States. If the priest says or does something the people do not like or agree with they have no problem telling him. Wearing a clerical collar does not guarantee respect in the United States and that is the way it should be.

 No doubt, American classlessness is overstated. But it remains real to some extent, but I am beginning to wonder if it will last. It appears that Democrats see creating division among the classes as a means to get votes. There is most definitely a lower class - middle class - upper class, but movement between the classes is allowed and I do not see that ending. With hard work - education - determination - you can move all the way up. Republican candidates for President in 2016 Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Dr. Carson all came from poor families. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz parents were immigrants with Cuban heritage. 

Since I have no intention of returning to the United States and I now think of the Philippines as my home I will have to accept the cultural differences, but that does not mean I have to adopt them.