This week, we will find out the fate of Willing Willie. I haven’t written about it for so long because his retaliation video perturbed me. Don’t get me wrong. I want these kinds of shows to stop. But I’ve realized that there is truth to what Willie is saying.
On Palm Sunday, exactly a week ago, a hard wave of pure guilt washed over. Willie’s query flooded in my brain, “Ano bang nagawa ninyo para sa mahirap?” I asked myself if I was doing my share. I donate to charities. I give to the less fortunate. I even tried to reform a wayward cousin to help him graduate from college. But still, I felt guilty. The truth is, the problem of poverty in the Philippines is abysmal. There is no bottom and thus I can never do enough.
Depressing huh?
Not really. It simply means that I have to be more vigilant and more proactive about my contributions to society. Look at what happened with Jan-Jan. I’ve always thought that show was inappropriate, but I waited for a macho dancing child to show up before I started blogging about it. I’m sure it is the same way for a lot of people.
That video was gross though.
The combination of the macho dance, the boy’s crying, and the audience laughing just assaults you. Watching that episode made me feel disgusting. It triggered the shame of a nation and the wrath of the upper and middle class. Willie might be on to something when he started making this class war. Truth be told, all his loyal viewers see is the loss of a beloved show and the chance to make money. We are not really explaining our to the innocents.
Yes, his viewers are innocent.
Innocent because just like Jan-Jan they are being exploited day in and day out, yet they welcome it. Innocent, because it’s not their fault. How can you begin to talk of dignity and self-worth when you’re hungry? When you’re down in the dumps and P10, 000 will save your life? When everyone has a TV but your family? In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, self-actualization is the last to come. There are so many more rungs to climb before they start valuing the things we do. Willie truly believes that by giving a helping hand on the 1st level, he is doing what needs to be done. But we believe differently so we have to take responsibility to provide for those levels.
The question now is, “How?”
Honestly, I don’t have any answers. Some rough ideas but nothing concrete. But I’d like to thank Willie for posing that question, “Ano bang nagawa ninyo para sa mahirap?” It is a very a good question. I hope that this Holy Week, Willie Revillame took the time to read what was being written about him. I pray that question will lead him to lend his popularity to a show that’s truly helpful to Filipinos.
We all have to seek out a solution. In the meantime, let's put a stop tio Willing Willie.
