Wrong Values?

           As a people we have always been taught good values at home, in school and our work place; be it in a government or private office. There is no argument against inculcating good value system, it gives us pride as Filipinos before the eyes of the world.
           But just what are good values? or do we have any?
           Webster Dictionary defines value as "the qualities on which worth, desirability and utility depend." Being honest in our dealing on whatever task we do is good value. Loyalty to the service in whatever branch of government and position is also a good value. Having courage to speak for truth and stand for righteousness condemning what is evil and against the law and praising good deeds is desirably good value. Obedience and compliance to lawful order and instruction is certainly good value too. It can go on and so forth in a long list of desirable traits that falls under good values.
           Our history is replete with struggles and triumphs of  heroes that exemplified good values. Jose Rizal, our great patriot died for country and people sacrificing life in an execution at Bagumbayan (now Luneta) to emancipate us from the tyranny and bondage of the cruel Spaniards.
           Senator Ninoy Aquino came home from exile from the United States of America in a homecoming that was so tragic with assassination at the Tarmac of the airport now named in his honor, Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. He braved to come home even knowing his life was in danger because he loved the Filipino and wanted to save the country from the shackles of dictatorship. The price was losing his life to an assassin's bullet.
           Both Rizal and Ninoy are among examples of heroic Filipino leaders who demonstrated beyond any doubt their greatness of character and value. We are proud of them. We honored and venerated their name because they truly deserve the accolade. There are still many other great Filipinos who have also inspired us with their great contributions in various fields bringing honor and fame to the Filipino nation. They all stood for good values.
           Until lately, we have seen an erosion in our value system; a shift of how we as people and government have somehow traveled the wrong path in the observance of the right kind of value which we should be preserving rather than discarding on the basis of the examples of good deeds by our departed heroes, martyrs and statesmen.
           We have a place for burying officials and dignitaries like Presidents, Generals of the Armed Forces, and other distinguished Filipinos called the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani or resting place of heroes provided by the government as an exclusive place to honor and recognize departed Filipino leaders  for outstanding
contributions. In this hallowed ground, only the most honorable men whose reputation is beyond question must be entered, if we are guided by the true principle of exemplary values.
           In the United States of America, they have Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, near Washington D.C. In that place, only true American heroes, presidents, diplomats, poets, statesmen are entered.
           Yet how come even one who was implicated and pinpointed as involved in graft and corruption was given permission, allowed and even honored to be buried at the place called Libingan Ng Mga Bayani? How come the true purpose of having an exclusive place for heroes is violated by the presence of burying one whose death cannot be considered as heroism much less honorable?
           So we can't help but ask: Where is now the principle of good values of governance? Where is the so-called 'straight path' that we want to achieve if we only keep on trumpeting for reforms but in what government does  there is no semblance of moral and ethical consideration that we set as standards?  Where is credibility that is so crucial to make others believe that we are really moving towards the much desired reformation of values and character in the bureaucracy?
           Right now, we don't see the right things being done, in fact what's being practice is exactly the opposite of what is being trumpeted.
           So it seems the problem of our country is simply we have wrong values?