I am a Filipino

I am a Filipino-inheritor of the glorious past, hostage to the uncertain future. As such, I must prove equal to a two fold task- the task of meeting my responsibility to the past and the task of performing my obligation to the future.

I am sprung from a hardy race- child of many generations removed of ancient Malayan pioneers. Across the centuries, the memory comes rushing back to me: of brown-skinned men putting out to sea in ships that were as frail as their hearts were stout. Over the sea I see them come, borne upon the billowing wave and whistling wind, carried upon the mighty swell of hope-hope in free abundance of the new land that was to be their home and their children’s forever.

This excerpt was taken from Carlos P. Romulo’s I am a Filipino, an essay that showed not only his ever flowing patriotism for his beloved country, the Philippines but his brilliant mind and the gift of words. This article encases the words we need to make our heart swell with pride. As what Ninoy and Cory Aquino had once said, “The Filipinos, regardless of their flaws, are worth dying and living for.” These people are few of those who had let their life be taken for the sake of the country they loved the most, the one of a kind pearl of the orient.

Many heroes have died for our country, but looking at it now, I can’t believe we have executed things that will lead us to nothing but destruction. I can’t believe we had the same blood in that pulsated in our veins as that of Jose Rizal and of our heroes. We are not worthy of the freedom we have now. And we are not worthy of the lives wasted in order to bring this country standing still. The reasons why we are worthless? They are simple, because we are shameless and are blinded by money and power.

Take the Maguindanao Massacre as the most vivid example. The world stood still for the most brutal murder that had happened in history. Innocent people were buried alive in the rich soil of Maguindanao w/o being given the chance to fight for their lives. And who had committed this heinous crime? Who committed these brutal acts against our co-Filipinos? He is just a powerful man who belonged to the same race as these victims do. And what had pushed him to do that? Money, Power and nothing more. Yes, the suspect may have been placed behind the bars and persecuted for what he had done, yet the brutal action he had done will always linger in the air. The fact that a Filipino was more than willing to kill and execute a brutal murder against innocent persons who belonged to the same race as his just because of a thing as simple as money and power would always remain in our hearts and would always leave a red mark in history. And not only that, there are more actions that will make us feel humiliated in front our heroes. Graft, corruption, abuse of power, stealing, murder, the list is too long to be ignored. Who would oppose these acts if not us? When would these acts be opposed if not now?