Social Responsibility for our Country

Patriotism is a feeling of love and devotion to one’s homeland. It is about being able to willingly sacrifice for your country and to think not only of yourself but also for the betterment of your fellowmen and country as a whole.

I would have to agree and disagree with others have to say that we Filipinos lack a sense of community, a sense of home, and a sense of pride being Filipino. Yes I am aware that we lack a sense of community and others because we don’t trust the people around us who happen to be in the same race as we are. Every time we go out of the car or our house, we immediately cling on tight to our bags in fear of someone might get it who happen to be Filipinos who are financially incapable. That there are corrupt politicians in our government who take away money that are supposed to be for our own country and transport it to their pockets so they could sleep like babies in their luxurious houses while some sleep on the sidewalks enjoying nothing more than a piece of carton. That there are those who are educated but stupid enough not to share their knowledge to other people and choose to go abroad to educate the educated. Abandoning the chance that maybe if only they could stay to educate those who we usually call “uneducated”, one of them could be someone who is great enough to save the country or even look for cure for AIDS and save the world. Then there are those people who wear money on their sleeves and are rich enough to actually support a small African community but are as cold and heartless as the dead and think of no one but themselves and how they can improve more on their businesses. So heartless that their gazillion amount of money actually equates to how selfish and greedy they are. Too greedy to share, too greedy to actually even care. This is the sad reality and these things actually hold up our country’s prosperity. Nonetheless, I am keeping my fingers crossed and my hopes high that our country is due to the fact that although there are pathetic citizens that only serve as burden to success, there are still those who are worthy of being called a Filipino. They are the ones who work hard for and represent the Philippines to bring glory and honor to the country. These people such as athletes, OFW’s, etc. endure any kind of pain may it be physical, emotional, or mental and bear the loneliness of being away from their homes. People who actually stay here to see if they can do anything and offer almost their entire being just for the sake of their people and country. Teachers who impart their knowledge to students with hopes that they will return the favor in much greater or should I say nationalistic scale. Policemen and soldiers who actually protect us and risk their lives for us to be able to have a piece of mind. And other Filipinos who actually choose to stay here not because they can teach, protect, or lead but because they have something to offer or contribute. They may not be the richest or most educated but they are more than that because they believe.

As long as there are these kinds of people, I will always believe that the Philippines has a chance on improving. As long as there are people who think that Philippines will always be a better place than any other and that Philippines will forever be their home, no matter how few they are, there will always be Philippines. These things actually make me feel proud to be kayumanggi. Giving in to misconceptions actually means accepting downfall. I didn’t want to agree because admitting what he said will only prove how lacking we are and I didn’t want that. We may be lacking but we have something. We may be lacking but we are not losing. We may be lacking but we are Filipinos. That makes a lot of difference.