Harvey Keh

Most responses to Harvey's now infamous letter seem keen to point out reasons why people should stay in the Philippines. What these retorts have in a common is an appeal to the nationalistic spirit not to give up on the Philippines.

Realistically I wonder how much of a factor "nationalism" is in the decision process when we leave the Philippines. To what extent has it ever held anyone back?

Let me illustrate. Say I decide to leave the Philippines. I foresee that the move will free me from the shackles of poverty and give me an opportunity to have a better life for every member of my family. When did it ever occur to me that ," Gee , there's a million young kids out there just waiting for people like me to vote a better government in so that the whole country progresses. I gotta stay and help the cause!"???

People focus on what they can do to bring about a result. Most if not all of us have some means of improving ourselves, but can't see ourselves as individuals changing the collective will of a nation expressed in its elected politicians. So what do we do? We vote with our feet and leave.

This is like going for a better job. If a company one works for is terminally riddled with corruption, cronyism, and nepotism, one would rather leave than try and fix that company. Most people are more average than outstanding. Most don't have the innate capacity or position to change their environment. We adapt more so than change. Try stopping someone from leaving their job once they've found greener pastures. Impossible.

Someone said the mark of a society is how it treats its least fortunate. If one is so blessed and so able that one flourishes in the environment, why leave? Conversely, its precisely because the state has failed to provide a decent environment that we leave.

That's democracy. Capitalism, which we equate to democracy these days, posits that the collective operation of individual self-interest promotes progress and wealth creation. Ano ang ipapakain mo sa anak mo - "kabilugan ng buwan"? (BTW this is a great line taken from Danny Javier in one of APO's skits during their Sydney concert, when he berates his partners for their attempts to improve on one of his songs. It's a line worthy of Keating.) Prinsipyo? Sorry guys, you can't eat nationalism.

So leave the country I say and look after yourself and your family. You will be earning money that will improve their future. You won't be harming anyone. You will be productively engaged in another country. Tell me what is wrong with that.

What if you can't leave? Well then obviously you make your own bed. If the country can't vote for politicians that will take them out of the dark ages, well too bad. Magdusa kayo diyan, as Nasty said.

You've heard of the frog that was in a pot of water that started off cold, but was gradually brought to the boil. Well poor frog got so used to the temperature because it was done so slowly it died without ever jumping out. I look at my wealthy relations from 20 years ago, and without exception, they now struggle, although they are still among the exalted in Manila.

I don't regret leaving.

I won't be helping people to vote better. I'll be helping my relations by helping them get out. Sorry Pinas. Your time is up. Measured and found wanting.