Making pag-pag
There are a number of Tsinoys and Pinoys who practice the act of making “pag-pag.”
Every time they attend a funeral, they make sure to stop by a restaurant or a fast-food place, not necessarily to eat but to make pag-pag or shake off spirits or bad luck from the funeral.
The idea is to leave the bad spirits instead of bringing them home. Superstition or excuse, I don’t subscribe to staying out even later, packing in more calories to ward off some imaginary being. If pag-pag was true, how many people would stop off at an enemy’s house or use Grab deliver to drop off an evil spirit or two?
But I do wonder if we should all consider practicing another version of pag-pag that concerns the evil spirits or influences that attach themselves to us after doom scrolling on social media or immersing ourselves in the impeachment trials and related battles among politicians.
Political scientists and sociologists have already concluded that politics has fragmented Filipinos from “kabayan to ka-away.” From the “Rainbow Coalition” to “talahiban” or grasslands about to burn up.
No one seems to notice or give importance to how all the politics and animosity has hitched on our minds and souls, ultimately taking residence in our hearts and character.
The situation is so bad that many of us no longer step on the brakes about what our tongues speak. In our imagined righteousness, we actually believe we are doing the right thing or saying the right stuff and if people disagree or point it out, we no longer reflect, we attack or gaslight them.
If you know anything about mechanical stuff, you may have heard of check valves, relief valves and filters. All of these are designed in order for machinery to operate safely and efficiently.
As a journalist or opinion writer, there are many filters and check valves that my views and opinions have to undergo before actually seeing print. The first one is if the piece is aligned with biblical values and God’s word.
The piece would then undergo the scrutiny of my wife Karen, who checks for grammar and values and, when she can, our daughter Hannah goes through the piece with her Gen Z perspective for relevance and lessons.
From there, the article is forwarded to The Philippine STAR, where Doreen Yu, Amy Pamintuan, Marichu Villanueva, someone at Legal and ultimately, Miguel Belmonte determine “safety and efficacy.”
Unlike social media, mainstream media require accountability on many levels. It may be one person’s work, but everybody on the floor will be accountable or directly affected.
In contrast, social media has given many people enough rope to hang themselves when people “share” their emotional immaturity, slanderous commentary, are being mean spirited, rude or provocative.
In the darkest season of Philippine politics, we need to practice pag-pag or shake off negativity, anger or evil influences because even those I admired or respected have transformed into characters so unlike themselves.
From apolitical, calm, reserved individuals, their prolonged exposure to negativity on social media, particularly politics and the impeachment, seems to have infected and twisted their minds to engage with anger and hatred towards targets.
In Romans 12:3, Paul tells us: “A man should not think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think more soberly.” Sadly, I know people who have gone beyond likes or dislikes or sharing memes or videos.
They have gone public with their emotion and their hate, cursing people or calling them names without realizing it could cause reputational, financial or criminal consequence to themselves.
This did not happen overnight. Whoever and whatever you are in life or social media is the result or algorithm of your existence. “Can a man take fire to his chest and his clothes not be burned?” Proverbs 6:27
We can express many emotions, frustration, disappointment, passion, disbelief, even anger. Yes, even the Bible allows us to “be angry but do not sin and do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27.
They say that 30 days of repeatedly doing something is all you need to develop a habit. I tried it by spending 30 days listening to material that was all about the news and views, then 30 days on motivational stuff.
After 30 days, I was manifesting the same views about the news materials, including certain phrases. Habitual viewing results in copying. Then I switched to motivational, inspirational material and became aware of a shift from negativity to being positive in spite of real-world concerns.
As US senator Al Simpson once said: “Hatred corrodes the container it’s carried in.” At this point allow me to share some Bible verses to help you realign the algorithm in your life:
Proverbs 25:28 “A person without self-control is like a city with broken down walls.” (Foolish talk, I’m just telling the truth, being straightforward.)
Psalm 1:1 “Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or do not stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.”
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee.”
Ephesians 4:2-3: “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the spirit, binding yourselves to one another with peace.” God bless you.
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