ARE YOU STILL PROUD BEING A FILIPINO?

The world may not know much about the Philippines. Or, should I say, the world may not know many good things about this small country in Southeast Asia. Well, I would understand. Our current political and economic situation is not something we can be proud of. It is getting worse and worse each day and it is embarrassing to realize that the entire world is watching. Need we mention the “injustice” rendered by the so-called justice system, which emphasizes the level of graft and corruption practiced by government officials in this forsaken country?

Yeah, I know... we are not alone. But I cannot help talking about my country. That's all.

To be fair, let us give credit to where it is due. There are notable Filipinos who make a mark in the world community in various fields, be it in music, graphic arts, engineering, medicine, health care, handicraft, fashion, business and others. But you could still easily count them. In fact, some are hardly even recognized by the major players in the mainstream.

To be fair, again, let me say that being born in the Philippines has its pros and cons.

Let me begin with the positive.

1. Filipinos are one of the happiest people in the world. A survey was conducted a few years back and it revealed that Filipinos are more likely to slip through life easily than other races. Yes, that is true. We can still laugh despite calamities and debts. We celebrate a lot even if we do not have much money. You could see big families with very limited finances not caring about their makeshift shanties and miserable dwelling places. Very seldom do you hear about Filipinos committing suicide due to extreme poverty or those losing their sanity due to unbearable discomforts in life. I guess we have somehow learned how to get around our difficult conditions. There is also contentment. We have come to accept our humble fate. It’s reality, so we live with it. Better yet, most of us do something about it.

2. Life in the Philippines is generally less complicated than in most countries. In Japan, for example, they work so hard to survive and pay for all their taxes, insurances and many other financial obligations. We had a Japanese guest years ago and he was amazed to see many Filipinos surviving for years or months without jobs or any other sources of income. Some of us even own pieces of land, which many Japanese people could only dream about. He could not imagine seeing the same scenario in his own country. They simply have to work. No excuses, no exceptions. To them, our situation is impossible to happen in Japan.

3. The level of morality in the Philippines remains impressive. Although there are those that project themselves as westernized, let us not forget that there are more than 80 million Filipinos in the world and majority of us still uphold the old virtues we have always embraced.

4.We have the smallest volcano, the volcano with an almost perfect cone, the smallest fish, the smallest primate, the smallest carabao, the largest fish and the largest eagle. The inventors of the karaoke, fluorescent lamp and the traffic light system that the world is currently using were all Filipinos. We are known to have the skills to mimic other nationalities. We can sound like them when they talk or sing. Just like the Chinese, we can imitate popular products in the world. There is always a local version of anything.

5. Because of unavailability of some materials and resources, we can adjust to any situation we are in. Other nationalities depend so much on technology and government services that in the absence of such, they appear so pitiful. I will share with you my experiences as a call center agent and you will see how helpless people in industrialized countries are. Is it true that their next generation of citizens is a bunch of stupid people? Find out on my next post.


Thus, we can safely say that we still have reasons to be proud as Filipinos. However, are these reasons enough to neutralize the embarrassing marks in history created by other Filipinos? Let us talk about the cons.

1. Our country is one of the most corrupt in the world. Government officials are getting wealthier and wealthier. The economy is controlled by only the upper 5% of the population. An ordinary employee who works in Makati pays an average of P5000 for income tax per month (more than $110 per month) but earns only an average of P17000 (about $377 per month). A satisfying fast-food meal costs about P150 ($3.20). An employee who earns P350 ($7.70) per day cannot even afford to eat fast-food meals three times a day. What will happen to the monthly financial burdens like house rent, water bill, phone bill, electricity bill, education, social functions, bank savings, loans and entertainment? My brother is in Guam and his tax is just $100 per month, yet, the government is able to provide outstanding services to its people. So, there is only one question to answer – Where do our taxes go?

2. The dirtiest rivers in the world are found in our country, Pasig and Meycauayan Rivers. Need I further explain why that is embarrassing?

3. In our country, the rich and the poor do not have equal rights and privileges. I went to the Maximum Security Prison in Bilibid in Muntinlupa City two years ago and the inmates told me that 98% of them are poor. Sadly, the government favors those that are influential and powerful. Justice for the oppressed is rarely and almost not even enjoyed at all.

4. We ranked second only to Japan during the Marcos regime. Now, we are left behind by our neighboring countries in terms of economic growth, tourism, technology, education and political stability. Even in sports, we are not fairing so well.

5. In Europe, there was a published dictionary that defined Filipina as “a maid.” Other nationalities think of Filipinas as prostitutes. Someone once dubbed the Philippines as a country of cheaters. How many scandals have there been? How many scams have been witnessed by the world which happened in our country? It’s so funny that the world watched as Former US President Bill Clinton faced embarrassment when he got involved with Monica Lewinsky; while here in the Philippines, gambling lords are even exalted and given special places in the government. They even enjoy massive media publicity and can be seen waving hands along with Manny Pacquiao. Who cares about someone’s wives and concubines?

6. Another funny Filipino style is this: doing everything just to fit in, like buying an expensive cellphone even if they cannot afford to buy prepaid load or pay the monthly bills.

7. Many Filipinos are in the rat race. They spend more for unnecessary things and less for really important ones. They hardly even save for the future. We spend our "very little" money as if there is no tomorrow.

8. Many Filipinos are law-abiding when in other countries but they find all possible ways to break the law when in the Philippines. They go abroad after graduation (well, who can blame them if there are no good opportunities in their own land?) but then they want to see improvements in the Philippines. I don’t know whose fault is what. Nobody admits the responsibility and no one takes the blame. Some of us are idle and there are those who merely depend on their relatives for support, taking advantage of the Filipino culture of close family ties. We are satisfied with mediocre results and yet we often compare ours with the best in the world. Hello?!

9. There is lack of loyalty, patriotism and originality. We often rely on others’ work instead of exerting effort to come up with our own. And worse, the government does not give support to aspiring Filipinos.

10. The crab mentality remains to this day. We seldom feel happy for those who prosper. Many Filipinos prefer to spread gossip than the truth. We enjoy watching other people’s misfortunes and laugh at their discomforts. There are long unproductive hours in our lives and we think so much about how we look, what others say about our clothes, our house, our car, our cellphone, our perfume, our bag and almost anything. There is just so much to say about us.

11. In the corporate world, politics also plays a big role. To climb the ladder of success in progressive countries, you need talent, perseverance, skills and dedication. Here in the Philippines, you need “padrinos,”credentials (on paper), good school name and sometimes even good looks. Real talent does not count in most cases unless you are truly lucky. Pray that your superior does not see you as a threat. Or else, good luck with your career!

Now – all things considered – are you still proud being a Filipino?