Proud to be a Filipino

by: Dr. Laurence Mascay

During the late 1890s, a blogger wrote, the Americans brought with them their technology, machinery, and other equipment when they came to the Philippines. Since their tools were better and more advanced than what Filipinos used the latter felt inferior with their bolos, hand axes, and simple carts. As a result, until today, Filipinos looked up to foreign products as far better than locally made ones. Consequently, a dilemma we have been dealing with but could be gradually outdone as national pride defined as “being proud of our own country and proud of ourselves for being from this country” is heartily lived out. 
 
The fallacious notion of Philippine-made goods as low-class or poor in quality and foreign products as high-class ought to be obliterated from our thinking. It is a mere colonial mentality. Thus, set our mind that local goods are excellent as well. In fact, there are tons of things Filipinos have to be proud of. We possess excellent traits such as being diligent, respectful, flexible, hospitable, and skilled which other nations admired us. Besides, the Philippines is blessed with varied and world-renowned rich natural resources and wonders like the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Banaue Rice Terraces, Chocolate Hills of Bohol, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Mayon Volcano, Hundred Islands, and much more which we are grateful and proud of. 
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In simple and doable implications we are to highly prioritize the purchase of locally made goods; we are to boost by word of mouth the beauteous aspects of the Philippines particularly to foreign acquaintances; we are not to demean the Philippines in comparison to the countries we visited; we are to incessantly abide with the law, especially in the observance of traffic rules, no littering policy, and paying of proper taxes; as government officials and employees we are not to steal and misuse government funds rather utilize it to its lawful allocations for the well-being of our constituents, and we are not to abuse our natural resources rather enrich it and be good stewards. Finally, we are to be content, proud, and grateful for being Filipino and of the Philippines for it is what the Sovereign God made us to be. As the Scripture says, “from one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live”.