Once again, our country is
experiencing trials. The crumbling of the centuries-old churches in Bohol is
devastating. I cannot imagine the terror they must have felt while the 7.2
magnitude earthquake was happening. The pain of seeing the houses, hospitals,
old churches and other buildings falling apart and knowing that there are
people trapped inside. I saw the news last night and a son was being
interviewed because his mother was trapped inside their house. He said it was
so hard looking at the house and he could not do anything to get his mother
out. It was so sad that his mom did not make it in spite of the help of the
rescuers.
In TV Patrol last night, the
Loboc Children’s Choir sang “The Prayer” in front of the fallen old Loboc
Church in Bohol. I was teary eyed watching them sing because the children
embodied a mixture of sadness, hope, and love for nation. Watching them sing
last night stirred in me a patriotism that I don’t usually feel.
If you have lived in this country
all your life, you will be immuned to children begging in the streets, people
jaywalking, cars parked at the wrong places, the “me” first attitude of most
drivers, the attitude of people working in government, the poor services that
we receive, the corrupt officials who act like saints, and the everyday
experiences we have that can make us say that we truly are a third world
country.
That being said, in my heart, I
am still proud to be a Filipino. Because despite of all the negatives, Filipinos
by nature have a heart of gold. We are hospitable and when need arises,
ordinary people become heroes in their own way. We value families and
friendships. We are a happy nation and it is easy for us to overcome tragedies
because of our camaraderie. Most Filipinos,
Muslims and Christians, turn to God/Allah for strength and guidance and
for me, that is the most important value that we Filipinos possess.
