by: Kendrick Chua, CIS, The Wealth Warrior
In one Pugad Baboy’s strip, the characters Bab and Igno were dining in an expensive restaurant. Bab had just won a bet in cock-fighting and they were celebrating. When Igno expressed doubts over their capability to pay for their orders, Bab explained that his prize money was P300,000.00 and they are entitled to splurge everything (note: everything).The strip reflects the sentiment of the creator Pol Medina and I thought he captured the idea very well. Majority of the Filipinos love to do a one-day splurging and the strip was this representation. Not all will be fortunate to win in gambling but those who do usually spend everything rather quickly; treating the whole barangay to a drinking spree to celebrate his good fortune. After that, he goes back to either bumming around or doing his dreadful work and relishes on the good time he had the night before and hoping and praying he wins again.
More often, salaried employees do a lot of shopping after receiving their salary. Yes, some are actually legitimate purchases but a lot of times it is to purchase some not-so-important stuffs; stuffs that we actually can live without.
I remember one time my dad suspended three-fourths of his staffs in his restaurant. The reason: they had a big drinking session when they got paid and were not able to go to work the very next day because of hangover. That was 15 years ago. The mentality has not changed and most of the Filipinos are still stuck in the very race they wanted to get out of.
Perhaps, we often feel deprived of things and splurging is one of those times that we feel we are rewarded for the hard work we did. But remember this: living rich one day today may not let you live rich tomorrow.
The mentality should change soon and perhaps then a more applicable strip will be created:
Bab: Nanalo ako sa sabong!
Igno: Halika, mag-inuman tayo to celebrate!
Bab: Naku, tsaka nalang. Iipon ko muna to. Hindi naman araw-araw may ganoong biyaya.
Igno: Sabagay, sayang rin nga lang naman kung uubusin natin yan sa isang gabi lang. Tama yan ginagawa mo, Bab!
very nice insight! hope other cartoonist inject lessons like this
that’s a good insight. i agree with mr. edmund lao said. I also hope there can be a lesson in class for this. I mean, why can’t they inject something like this in my elementary or even my last years in highschool. This might be a good topic for the youth nowadays.
As I always say to my readers, “Ubus ubos biyaya, bukas ay nakatunganga.” It’s not always Christmas, learn to save so that you are prepared when ‘rainy season’ comes.