What is to be a Filipino?

Does it make you less of a Filipino to boast for a wishful desire in having blue eyes and blonde hair on a white Christmas holiday?

I know that there are many Filipino people of my age who are deadly fanatic to Western culture. A friend of mine was even excessively proud to showcase his Italian scent of perfume. More than that, I cannot even fathom how arrogant those some parents who avoid speaking Tagalog or using the mother tongue towards their children when they give instructions. For me, there is nothing more of being a Filipino than appreciating our own language and a satisfied consumer on a brand made in the Philippines. Of course, this is too simple but I will initially settle on this.

It is extremely important to establish one identity that binds the fragmented view of being a Filipino. It is only through our sense of nationalism that we foster cooperation in advancing our country from the rank of being a 3^rd world state. All Japanese can identify themselves as Japanese, so as Chinese, Europeans, and Americans. All of them enjoyed at the helm of being politically and economically developed countries. With nationalism, we care for what concern the others. We eventually establish sense of belongingness to others whom we proudly identify as a Filipino. But who we really are? And what is it to be a Filipino?

 It is undeniable that the ever patriotic message people resort to is by citing Rizal’s undying view on “whoever knows not how to love his native tongue is worse than any beast or evil smelling fish” and also the known “tangkilikin ang sariling atin”. However, several thoughts can easily dispute this idea about patriotism on whether it is widely practiced or not. 

What really makes us say that we are Filipinos? Most students’ answers will be then based on physical appearance. We proudly recite that Filipinos have a “kayumanggi na balat”, which our elementary teachers would dictate us. Given this, how about the same feature among the Thais, Cambodians, or even the Vietnamese? Even if we think more distinct features that can separate us from the other nationalities in the world, we still can hardly identify on who we really are.

We Filipinos indeed do not have a unique physical appearance that set us apart from our brothers and sisters in Asia. We cannot solely claim that our beliefs of being Filipino are exclusively for us. Nevertheless, the issue that matters is on how to be a genuine Filipino that our forefathers whished us to be. Living with the illusions of possessing foreigner’s appearance was not the promise of Rizal for us, neither with Bonifacio, and nor with those all heroes listed on our history books.

For one to be a Filipino, we must be able to look beyond on what is reserved for our beloved country. We may learn from our haunted experiences from the past but must keep moving forward. Like the historical EDSA People Power 1, youths of today must learn how the attitude of unity and courageousness chained the people to march and topple the government. This indeed makes us appreciate social cohesion against a repressive regime. But what is truly happening right now only reflects the disappointments that our grandparents experienced years back. Some of our leaders continue to corrupt as a practice that long time ago plagued our government. If we already saw the impact of corruption in the society then our elected officials must move forward and keep away from this crime.

For one to be a Filipino, we must be able to help one another in building a one nation that promotes a culture of peace, a nation that will surely never break. But the current situation defeats the dream of our heroes. A Filipino nation has been contested. Some critique on the Imperial Manila and the secessionist Muslims in Mindanao.

For one to be a Filipino we must stand up and talk to what is necessary to discuss in this time when there is a social stress. These are the problems on our judicial system, educational system, our local government units, and other institutions that our heroes had fought for. It is through our discourses and debates that will straighten the road for development.

For one to be a Filipino, we must be able to understand the value of being brave. Our national hero was indeed a walking subversive. Bonifacio’s arm struggle had left a remarkable consciousness to the people too. Many Filipinos during those times willingly gave up their lives for one dream of setting Philippines free from the repressive Spanish government. With today’s problems that we Filipino people are facing, we must live up to what our role as citizens wanted us to be. We must be brave in times when the government is returning to its bad image from the past. Let’s not wait to be victims of impunity, enforced disappearances, and any tools that other entities use to take our rights away from us.

Finally, what is to be perfectly a Filipino is to live up the mandate that our heroes had fought for more or less a century. For me, being a Filipino is more than appreciating our culture and products but simply to live what are we here for- to move forward for our country, to help one another, to speak up, and to be brave enough to fight for what is right. All these are attributed to us by all of our Filipino heroes.

A PRELUDE to MY FIRST SEMESTER 2012

Public Debate for UPVTC Student Council Chairperson last February 2012

The first half of my senior life in college particularly on my academics ran along with my first few months in the office of the Student Council. Sometimes, it really takes an effort to balance the two, there are sacrifices, and favor of one over the other depending on my short term call of interest. Nevertheless, I wrap up my experiences by standing proud, thankful, and breathing with contentment. 

Summer 2012. It all started with my efforts to attend the Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP) in UP Diliman with Dessa, one of my incoming councilors. We surely had a fruitful stay with our friends from other college student councils in the UP system. I was joined by my roommates King from UPCebu and Jonah from UPLB CFNR in one of UP Diliman boys dorm where I also happened to meet again a former schoolmate who transferred.. Moreover, we watched inspiring films  in the College of Mass Communication and leadership training at the College of Law.   After KASAMA sa UP was the General Assembly of Student Council (GASC). Amendments to the Codified Rules of Student Regent Selection was heatedly debated but ended up with a no-no decision to amend it.

KASAMA sa UP discussion held in one of the rooms at the College of Law, UP Diliman

Film Showing at MassCom Theater

Picture at 3rd Floor Vinzons Hall in UP Diliman. This picture I had with UPLB Chair Ynik Ante and UPCebu UPV-USC Lord Escatron was took after  former UP Student Regent Krissy Conti adjourned the GASC around 3 in the morning.

On April 6, I met my first nephew at the airport in Manila.  I know that I am not good in dealing with children  because I personally don't have interest in befriending with them but my nephew is an exemption. Of course,  aside from being a member of my family, I am entertained by his intelligence which makes him distinct to all other children I met.

A picture with my nephew Ken at Jollibee Baclaran during our lunch last April.

After our short acquaintance, I went to meet my co-student ambassadors at the Manila International Youth Hostel. We had a good time together during our stay all due because of our supervisors who gave us time to know more each other as a preparation for our pre-departure orientation at the DLSU-College of Saint-Benilde Hotel.

Snack time! This was one of the perfect bonding time.

This picture was took last April 8, 2012 when we had a registration at the CSB Hotel. We were the early birds!

Our MOA tour was also fun! I just bought one umbrella because of unexpected rains in Japan :)

Line! Excited and thrilled at NAIA Terminal 3.

Last few shots taken in our last few minutes stay in the Philippines!

This is really Japan! This was the food given to us during our lunch inside  ANA Airlines. More of this kind of food to eat for the next days. It was a 4-hour travel from Manila to Tokyo. 

On our way to Tokyo Dome Hotel, Taki-san showed us one of his tricks (shown above) . He was a very cheerful man during our Japan stay. He was like a father to all of us. He even gave us the opportunity to meet her daughter who treated us in McDonalds in Sapporo City, Hokkiado.

Bedroom at Tokyo Dome Hotel. Carpeted floor is awesome!

And this explains after grabbing these two flaglets. 

First night in Tokyo, Japan was fun. At the back is Tokyo Dome where indoor baseball games are  held. 

My favorite Doraemon!

Downtown Tokyo picture of my fellow student ambassadors.

We were heading to Minamisanriku this time while waiting for the Shinkansen or bullet train. Minamisanriku  town was seriously struck by tsunami last 3.11.11

Join us as we travel from Tokyo to Minamisanriku Town (video above)!  As ambassadors, we were able to listen stories and communicate with few survivors. Below  are the pictures collected in our tour in Minamisanriku Town, Sendai Prefecture.

A pile of destroyed cars washed away by the tsunami.

This photo was personally captured by my fellow student ambassador.
This is also a prominent tsunami aftermath picture in Japan.

Dinner at Hotel Kanyo. Sitting in that position challenges me more.

After we had lectures, talks, discussions in Sendai Prefecture, we finally went back to Tokyo for our trip to Sapporo City in Hokkiado Prefecture, the northernmost province in Japan. As expected, we will be experiencing a very cold temperature.

This is the official picture of Hokkaido Group. At our back is the MIR station  formerly owned by USSR.

This tour in Tomakomai National College of Technology will always be remembered! They are students of our age and its nice to mingle with them. I can't  forget how one of them burst into tears when we left.

We will miss Tomachops! This is taken at Tomakomai Municipal Hall  just after we met the Town Mayor. 

One of the most exciting part of the trip is the homestay with our foster parents. I was assigned together with my foster brother from Bohol, who is also my fellow student ambassador. We were sent to a couple aged 59 and 60 years old. My foster parents have two children but they were not in Tomakomai during our homestay. I had fun with the Kubota Family. They definitely treated us as their sons. They toured us on those different nearby beautiful spots in Tomakomai and share about our culture and personal backgrounds. Eating their food and communicating with them is the hardest thing to deal with.

This was during the first day that we met our foster parents.

This one was during our farewell party. Tears and goodbye messages flowed in the hall. On the rightmost is my fellow student ambassador whom we shared the same foster parents. 

After our memorable trip in Japan was my trip to Bohol with my mother. We went to our ancestral house in Poblacion Panglao. It was in the first week of May that they celebrated their feast day there. I had a good time with the Boholanos whether or not they are my relatives. By then I found out that Tawala Beach is the best place to hang out specially at night time.

Captured here are only few of my relatives as we  all gathered  for a group picture during our Guiritan Clan reunion.  A good number of them are hailed from those different provinces in Mindanao.

Our ancestral house in Panglao, Bohol is just located at the corner  of the street facing the public market and the Petron Station. It is indeed a strategic location for businesses that's why the first floor is appropriated for business-seekers while the second floor 's antiquity is preserved.

After spending time with my relatives in Bohol, my mother and I went back to Naval, Biliran and there I had a short time rest for my next trip which is a call for my responsibility. I attended the General Assembly of Student Council in UP Los Banos. This time, we will come up for the UP Student Regent after its tedious process. I decided to take a bus ride from Naval to Manila. I was just alone in the trip and that was my first time. I had no one to talked to. It was a very very long trip that took 34 hours for me before I reached UP Los Banos in Laguna.