Most
of the time whenever an important event happens in our country, whether it be
the State of the Nation Address of the President, or the triumph of Manny
Pacquiao, I would often hear comments from various Filipinos about the
situation of our country and why we never get out of the mud hole despite the
success of some of our fellowmen. Some of the comments are as follows:
- We are good at choosing our government
officials – we choose lawyers who know our laws very well that they can
violate it and get away with it.
I’d rather have a
useful building or road built by engineers than complicated laws from
lawmakers.
- We are generous people – we’d give
everything to foreigners even if it entails giving our own women for their
pleasure.
Can’t we sell anything authentic from our
country aside from our own dignity?
- We are honest – our law enforcers raid
every store that sells pirated CD’s, DVD’s, and pornographic materials if
the owners don’t pay them the amount they want.
Law enforcers motto
“If you pay you stay, don’t pay- we raid”
- We are joyous people – we can laugh
about our problems and appreciate the beauty of our poverty.
We are currently
laughing our way to our eminent destruction – and we are very happy about it!
- We can adapt to any situation – you’ll
see lots of successful Filipinos abroad, and some of them don’t even admit
that they are Filipinos.
We rather go to other
countries and adapt to their culture to be successful than adapt to the
situation our country to help in its development.
- We are very religious – we rely so much
on grace, we can always pray for our country’s problem, no need to act on
it, God will handle it.
So much for carrying our
cross and following the Lord…
- We are very loyal – we support our favorite
showbiz personalities no matter what, if they run for government positions
we support them, I don’t care if they can handle the position or not,
their good looks will do fine.
Not all that glitters are
gold
- We are very intelligent – we can learn
anything and can even excel on it, and we would rather teach foreigners
than our own fellowmen.
We teach our youth the most
important lesson – success is abroad
- We are patriotic – we remember our
heroes in their feast, and enjoy the holiday that goes with it.
Are we still holding on for
what our heroes fought for?
- We are a brave race – we always fight
for our freedom and democracy, after electing the wrong officials in their
positions.
Sometimes being wise
is better than being brave
These are but few ironies that I
usually hear from my very own fellow Filipinos, which makes me, wonder, “can
our country still relieve its glorious days?” I can still remember the glorious
stories that I have read in my Philippine history books – how we have really
fought for our freedom, cherished it, and became one of the fastest developing
countries. I believe those glorious days were true after the Japanese
occupation and again after Marshal Law, but where are we heading now? Do we
still need to experience another war, or another dictatorship to open our eyes
of the awful situation of our country? Do we still need heroes who would have
to sacrifice their lives so that we would have the courage to stand up for what
is right? We have so many needs that we cannot even fathom how we can solve
them.
A priest once told me that you
cannot change a person from what he believes in, even the Lord Jesus Christ did
not force people to follow His ways - instead, He made Himself as an example
and died for what He knows is right and good for all. But we don’t need to die like
God, we just have to follow the example he has given us in our own little way.
Our country does not need martyrs, nor saints - it needs only people who would
really care, who in their little ways would act upon even the smallest problem
that our country has, from cleanliness, to honesty and unity.
I
can still see the love in the hearts of every Filipino today, at least mostly, it
just needs to be reawakened – wake up then my fellow Filipinos!
Our
country needs us!
May
this incoming election be an instrument for the better change and for the
future of our children!
