“MASARAP mamatay nang dahil sa bayan pero sa sarap ng buhay, ayoko muna mamatay.”
This was the reaction issued by Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos, Sr., when asked for his reaction at the “MACHRA Balitaan” of the Manila City Hall Reporters’ Association held in Harbor View Restaurant on the latest incident at the West Philippine Sea, even as he also raised the fear of war happening, having survived one himself.
While acknowledging that the government has to protect its territory and that the aggression in the disputed area has become too much, Abalos also raised the question if the Philippines can afford to go to war.
“As Filipinos, we have to protect our territories… kayalang tama din ba itong ginawa natin na instead na salubungin natin sila, ‘sige subukan pa natin’… para sa akin sobra na ang aggression. Ayungin is ours kaya lamang, nagkaron pala ng secret agreement na di na tayo magdadala ng mga kasangkapan para i-repair yung ating barko dun,” he said.
Abalos also said that the country cannot rely solely on help from other countries because of the possibility that such help may come late.
Citing what he described as reality, the mayor said: “pag nagbombnahan yan, totoo meron tayong tulong na pwedeng asahan pero kailan? Baka wala na tayong lahat bago dumating ang mga Amerikano. Remember when MacArthur said “I shall return?” Four years after devastated na tayo, lahat tayo mukhang Hapon na,” Abalos said, as he recounted that he was about seven years old during the Japanese occupation that happened between 1942 and 1945 during World War II.
Back then, Abalos said he began to think that he was already Japanese due to the long period of occupation.
“Akala ko Hapon na ‘ko eh kasi ang lengguwahe ko Hapon na. Baka mamaya when assistance would come, wala na tayong lahat, annihilated na tayo,” the mayor stressed adding that he is not worried when it comes to any other problems but that he is afraid of another war.
‘Yung unang giyerang inabutan ko baril-baril lang ‘yan eh ngayon missiles na eh. Baka mamaya mapuno na tayo masyado, tulak na tulak na tayo, lalaban tayo, umpisa na ng giyera yan. Can we afford to go to war? I’m not worried about any other problems pero takot ako dito,” Abalos underscored.
