LAMPOON: Read this, people! This is where your taxes go! ✌️😬

Today, I realized that our country will never have good governance and common sense — the two things needed in prioritizing what our people need! 😩😤

I’ve always been a Twitter g0rl. These days, I avoid Facebook like the plague. It has disinformation written all over it and is arguably the dictator’s son’s main platform. Shameful! 🤡 On the bird app, aside from countless bardagulan and pandodogshow 👀, you’ll often see it populated by fast facts and meaningful discussion threads.

As usual, while I was on my regular doom scrolling session 💀📱🤙🏽, I saw this one bill filed by Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo Teves, Jr. AND OMG? I just wanna ask: Who hurt you? 😭😷🩺 The good representative actually filed House Bill №611, “Declaring Ghosting as an Emotional Offense.” The bill premised that ghosting was “emotional cruelty” and that it should be punished because of the trauma it brings. “What a time to be alive!” Said dating app connoisseurs 🐝🔥 and experts of the supernatural 👻

I can’t stand the OPACITY 😶‍🌫️🤨[That’s a designer pun. I’M a designer. Deal with it 😎👌] of this representative. He really [thought he] went off and filed this bill when in Negros Oriental, his own backyard, lit rally so much is needed to be worked on 🙄😤 Last year, the Philippine Social Science Journal published the study of Theorose June Q. Bustillo, Enrique G. Oracion, and Chereisle G. Pyponco on the accessibility of healthcare in the area. The study revealed that HUH?? 🤔💭 If medical assistance was provided to the elderly, then that would reduce the chances of their health problems becoming worse and more expensive to cure?? Who would’ve thought that the improvement of public health systems would be such a need in the region? Maybe Rep. Teves can use them as a reference for actual pro-active policymaking? 🤗🥱

Public Ad majors are shaking, Rep. Teves 😩 You could’ve just focused on the permanent ban on the reclamation of coastal areas in Dumaguete, for instance 🌊⛵🐟 It’s alarming that local fisherfolk and marine biodiversity are being threatened to give way to the proposed 174-hectare ‘Smart City.’ Mayhaps an environmental protection bill can help? Maybe even the promotion and empowerment of the region’s tourism industry? 🤔🌴 I think that protecting natural resources is better than legislating some silly ghosting bill. No cap 🙅🏽‍♂️⛔ But hey, priorities, right? Maybe the good representative thinks that ghosting is worthy of spending the people’s taxes on. “Respect the grind,” or something like that 😩🔥🔥

Maybe I don’t see the point in all this because I’ve never ever been ghosted before 💅🏽😩😜 I get it, Rep. Teves, call me mayabang. “Sue me!” Said Michael Scott, Dunder Mifflin Paper Company Scranton Branch Manager 🧑🏽‍💼📄📎 I’m also in a healthy relationship right now, skl. My best friend’s probably somewhere out there bashing me because he gets ghosted a lot. Sorry, not sorry, I guess? 😳😏🤭

But come on, Rep. Teves, for the country’s sake — please hear me out. Russell L. Ackoff, an American organizational theorist once said: “Successful problem solving requires finding the right solution to the right problem. We fail more often because we solve the wrong problem than because we get the wrong solution to the right problem.” If we can’t find the root cause of the problems we’re experiencing now, we can never expect our policies to be sustainable.

Often, policymakers neglect the importance of problem identification, but that’s one of the most vital parts of the policymaking process.

Aside from this, legislators like you can also benefit through consultation. Find the time to speak to your constituents; talk to subject matter experts, community leaders, and sectoral groups. Maybe then you’ll find that there are more pressing issues than just having your feelings hurt online.

The question now, Rep. Teves, is this: Are you in Congress for clout or do you have plans on genuinely representing your constituents? Because if you’re geared towards the former, then congrats! You are part of the reason why democracy in our country is found dying, gasping for air, in some God-forsaken ditch. Something, something mic drop, or whatever 🎤