LIFESTYLE CHECKS AND PINOY LIFESTYLES
Lifestyle checks conducted by a government agency must never be selective. It must apply to all government personnel, top to bottom. Our leaders most especially must always be conscious of the people's trust, and what better way to earn that constantly from them than by living a simple way of life. In a society of rampant materialism as gauge for success, one cannot help but be lured into that very web. And so, a top government official must be seen riding in the latest SUV, wearing the most expensive Italian haute-couture, wearing a Rolex or an IWC, and of course his spouse and offspring must follow suit, not to mention the in-laws that live with him and his immediate family under the same imported Italian roof. He must be seen eating at the best fine-dining restaurants and seldom only in fastfood joints like Burger Machine or Goto King. He definitely must be seen eating in expensive Japanese restaurants like Sugi, and never in cheap Jap restos like Tokyo-Tokyo. If he's in a Chinese restaurant, never should it be in Ling-Nam or Luk-Yuen, but only in authentic Chinese eating places like Tin-Hau, or the ones located only in five-star hotels. His children must be enrolled in schools like the Ateneo or De la Salle, Assumption or Woodrose, Brent or U A & P. His servants or maids must always be seen with them wearing maids' uniforms making them look like private nurses in white, with matching aprons to announce their domestication. His address must sound expensive like "# so and so Acacia Lane," or "one majestic mile," and must have authentic numerals like #2 or #1002, and never an address like 'Block 15, Lot 32,' or 'Kampupot Extension.' When driving along the SLEx, he must be with a driver and a 'driver's alalay,' and must always use the Skyway and enter and exit only via the e-pass lanes, otherwise, what would his neighbors think? He must always be seen in high-class supermarkets like Rustan's, but never in places like Hi-Top or Liana's, or his neighbors will surely have sudden fainting spells. His mobile cellphone number must be postpaid from Globe, particularly starting with the first four numbers '0917,' otherwise, he's not in the creme de la creme crowd. If his number starts with a pre-paid '0919,' he's immediately regarded as an outcast and on welfare. He must be seen in churches like the Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, or the St. James Church in Alabang, and never should he be seen with the hoi-polloi crowd in gatherings like the El Shaddai overnight services, unless only invited to be on stage with no less than Bro. Mike Velarde himself. He must be seen in expensive spas and salons, and never in Ricky Reyes parlors, otherwise, he could be mistaken as a returning OFW or a Hosto with a taxi business of not more than two units. His laptop must be the latest Mac and never a Dell or a Neo. Wine is a must for him, but never the vinegar-like Novellino. It must be authentic Chilean or French, but never pseudo-Italian or Sioktong. His pets at home must be pure-bred dogs complete with papers, and not the ones issued by the BID, and exotic birds like the American Bald Eagle and rare fish like the Coelacanth. In addition, his birds at home should never be the spray-painted ones and his fish never a Tilapia, Sapsap or Butete in an aquarium. And never should these pets at home be the domestic lizards, termites, cockroaches and the occasional Singsing Pare. You see, it really is diffcult for a government official not to have all these luxuries in life. If he must, then a private life he must keep, for a public official is public property, and everything he owns must pass public scrutiny. For in the end, the more gold he carries with him, the harder the trip will be for him to his final destination.
Lifestyle checks conducted by a government agency must never be selective. It must apply to all government personnel, top to bottom. Our leaders most especially must always be conscious of the people's trust, and what better way to earn that constantly from them than by living a simple way of life. In a society of rampant materialism as gauge for success, one cannot help but be lured into that very web. And so, a top government official must be seen riding in the latest SUV, wearing the most expensive Italian haute-couture, wearing a Rolex or an IWC, and of course his spouse and offspring must follow suit, not to mention the in-laws that live with him and his immediate family under the same imported Italian roof. He must be seen eating at the best fine-dining restaurants and seldom only in fastfood joints like Burger Machine or Goto King. He definitely must be seen eating in expensive Japanese restaurants like Sugi, and never in cheap Jap restos like Tokyo-Tokyo. If he's in a Chinese restaurant, never should it be in Ling-Nam or Luk-Yuen, but only in authentic Chinese eating places like Tin-Hau, or the ones located only in five-star hotels. His children must be enrolled in schools like the Ateneo or De la Salle, Assumption or Woodrose, Brent or U A & P. His servants or maids must always be seen with them wearing maids' uniforms making them look like private nurses in white, with matching aprons to announce their domestication. His address must sound expensive like "# so and so Acacia Lane," or "one majestic mile," and must have authentic numerals like #2 or #1002, and never an address like 'Block 15, Lot 32,' or 'Kampupot Extension.' When driving along the SLEx, he must be with a driver and a 'driver's alalay,' and must always use the Skyway and enter and exit only via the e-pass lanes, otherwise, what would his neighbors think? He must always be seen in high-class supermarkets like Rustan's, but never in places like Hi-Top or Liana's, or his neighbors will surely have sudden fainting spells. His mobile cellphone number must be postpaid from Globe, particularly starting with the first four numbers '0917,' otherwise, he's not in the creme de la creme crowd. If his number starts with a pre-paid '0919,' he's immediately regarded as an outcast and on welfare. He must be seen in churches like the Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, or the St. James Church in Alabang, and never should he be seen with the hoi-polloi crowd in gatherings like the El Shaddai overnight services, unless only invited to be on stage with no less than Bro. Mike Velarde himself. He must be seen in expensive spas and salons, and never in Ricky Reyes parlors, otherwise, he could be mistaken as a returning OFW or a Hosto with a taxi business of not more than two units. His laptop must be the latest Mac and never a Dell or a Neo. Wine is a must for him, but never the vinegar-like Novellino. It must be authentic Chilean or French, but never pseudo-Italian or Sioktong. His pets at home must be pure-bred dogs complete with papers, and not the ones issued by the BID, and exotic birds like the American Bald Eagle and rare fish like the Coelacanth. In addition, his birds at home should never be the spray-painted ones and his fish never a Tilapia, Sapsap or Butete in an aquarium. And never should these pets at home be the domestic lizards, termites, cockroaches and the occasional Singsing Pare. You see, it really is diffcult for a government official not to have all these luxuries in life. If he must, then a private life he must keep, for a public official is public property, and everything he owns must pass public scrutiny. For in the end, the more gold he carries with him, the harder the trip will be for him to his final destination.
(Image from http://pcij.org/)
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