Few days ago, I had this dream about the Christmas gift that I’d wish to have this Holiday Season.  It was just a simple gift that did not result any harm to anyone or had anyone taken advantage of.

I tried to put myself into the shoes of the millions of Filipinos who are living on or beyond the poverty line.  Imagine how much 500 pesos could mean to them–think how much you could touch their lives with that little offering. Of course, we cannot dole out 500 pesos every time for our less privileged brothers of sisters. However, I have this Christmas wish for a significant number of Filipino families which is no less or more than the worth 500 pesos.

I dreamed of myself roaming around my community in Davao City giving away 500 peso bills. But before that happened, I wished that I’d receive a sufficient number of 500 peso bills that I could pass on to the others. It wasn’t really a nice encounter that I had with the President when I tried to extract help from her but the fact that I tried made it all worthy, anyway. I know I sound extremely unfathomable and unclear–but please, keep on reading as the juicy deets are still yet to come.

I knew at some point that the Big Man up there heard my prayers and was willing to help me. He paid heed to my call that I may bless my fellow countrymen who are needy; but it really seemed to good to be true.

While dreaming, I saw my body laying on the bed, dreaming this dream I was in that very moment. I didn’t knew where to go, so I decided to just stay put to not get lost. I heard some noisy sounds which reminded me of money. As if enormous amounts of money have been showered from God-knows-where. I moved on and then proceeded to finding the origins of those money-like sounds.  Lo and behold, I saw money!  Extremely LOTS of money–where denominations weren’t exclusive to the usual 5-peso or 10-peso coins.  In fact, I even saw purple, green and blue bills all over the place!  I didn’t see anyone operated on it but there was a huge screaming banner above all of it which read “President’s Tax Collecting Machine.

Yes, that is how it read. I didn’t know she took OR takes that much money from the people.  Well, nobody was supervising that extraordinary machine so I did not have any questions anymore as to why nobody was aware of that endeavor.   But finally, I became one of the very first few whose eyes were opened.   So that was how the state gives its people a taste of its transparency.

I saw a bucket which had a label that read “Kevin Paquet’s Wish This Christmas”. I picked it up to take a look of what was inside. I understood that it wasn’t a whole package of 500-peso bills anymore like what the Big Man has promised me.  Hence, it were filled with a few 100-peso bills and Philippine Peso coins. It seemed like the toll from the very far place that gift was sent from was extremely expensive–aided by the fact that what I was holding in my hands were from the heavens!  Ah, no wonder imported goods are very costly–such a nice and hot avenue for her to embezzle money from!

But still, I do not understand it.  Why toll fees skyrocket so much and what it has to do with taxes.  Hey, was there a complete tax deduction from my presents?

I then heard my Mom screaming for my name.  And so I thought that I had to be back to my room before she gets in there.  But a few moments before I stepped back, an undefinable presence went close to me and robbed me off my presents!  It slid its hand into my bucket and took a fraction of it.  Upon examination, I realized that what used to be 300 Philippine Pesos became 200 Philippine Pesos in just a blink of an eye.  So maybe I can now infer that it was the tax deduction that took place!

Another presence came so close to me once more. It put its hand inside my bucket and took another fraction of my presents!  This time, I was so flabbergasted and could never fathom any valid justification as to why these presences kept on stealing from me!   I could have accepted it if I could still think of another reason as an average reasonable person.  But I was in such reaction because I believed that there is no more further reason for that to happen!  I bravely set my eyes inside my bucket to see if there was something still left for me–and thankfully, I saw a lone 100-peso bill trying its best to stay for me.  And to my dismay, that last 100-peso bill did not last long enough as it was taken away by another unknown presence that interfered in my way.

It looked like numerous hands are involved in taking away people’s money nowadays.  Well, it was hard to tell which was true and which was not since there were so many characters in my dream which represented the so many delegates of our greedy head that cooperate with each other in stealing people’s money!

I finally reached my room with the only 1-peso coin left in my hand that I even had to hold onto as tight as possible. I was appalled to see that Kevin was no longer laying on the bed.  My human body was gone.  It vanished!

My body’s disappearance, I believe, symbolized what happens in status quo where the very few people who come to witness these mischievous acts by the state lose their lives in an instant–especially if you do not join their VERY NICE deeds.

It pains me so much that I couldn’t manage to get enough money for my Christmas Gift for Others Project. I can’t go on wishing for 500 pesos and end up with a single peso after each time I wish. We should start to open our eyes, look around and observe keenly everything that is going around us. Who knows, you might just be another victim, or maybe a friend of you is a victim.

After a contemplation about this very peculiar dream I had, I then realize that we are all victims. If it hurts me so badly and makes me feel hopeless and left with no room for options, imagine how severe the effects are to those who are really way beyond our tolerance level when it comes to poverty.  Probably even unimaginable.

Until now I still wonder why I died in my dream.  The situation suggests that they hate witnesses who will spill the beans and thwart all of their plans.  However, my faith tells me that heaven looks to be a much better place where no issues like these exist.  Heaven is a place or a state of being where humanity is victorious in its battle against the power and money-hungry people!