Love For Philippines

I just realized something today. I have never heard anybody say anything positive about my country. I thought long and hard and could not remember a single instance where a fellow Filipino, a teacher or even a friend, said anything nice about this country. All I hear in popular talk is snarky cynicism with a hint of despair and a dash of impotent rage. Instead of giving in to the culture of cynicism, I'm going to look deep into my heart and find genuine positive things to say about my country and I'm not trying to be ironic here.

1. We are a democracy

We often take freedom for granted. In school I was tasked to do a report on Burma and well, if you look at the horrible conditions in some countries abroad or contemplate the many instances in our history where we could have gone the deep end, you learn to appreciate that now, at least, we have mechanisms in place. Mechanisms that in theory, preserve the idea that the people are in charge. Even the mere existence of that idea in our culture is enough for me.

2. Free speech

The Philippines has a powerful, outspoken and freewheeling media. Not only that, we have a growing communications network with more and more people having access to the Internet. Everyone has a cellular phone when such technology seemed so distant decades ago. Speech isn't being forcefully squelched in schools or in public places or even in the airwaves. People can organize and rally yet, you don't see them being dragged away into gulags do you? All this talk about my country being a dangerous place for journalists is exaggerated. Fact: I'm blogging right now without any Chinese censors coming after my ass.

3. The Philippines is beautiful

If you think the Philippines is a polluted and ugly dustbowl full of decay and urban sprawl then get your fat ass out of the city. Visit a far off or less populated island. Better yet, pretend you're white and foreign, then take a vacation in one of the countries MANY tourist spots. We have 7, 107 islands. For Christ's sake look at some of them. The Philippines has some of the best beaches in the world and many pristine islands untouched by urbanization. There is a lot of the Philippines I, and many others I bet, have not seen. Paradise is out there, I know it is and so do you.

4. The Filipino

How about thinking of the Filipino's positive traits this time instead of the negative? Filipinos are sociable, shrewd, tenacious, savvy and versatile. Filipinos can adapt to any society. The Filipino is basically good natured and Filipino families are typically tight knit forming stable ties and stable societies.

Those are just a few I can think of. If you are a Filipino and while reading this, you are shaking your head in disbelief then go put your head in an oven. Even I get tired of all the negative crap sometimes. Stop putting yourself down. Do you think I enjoy writing the usual cynical pap about my country? Well I do a little but I'm trying to find the good here and it feels strangely more relieving. We've been conditioned to believe the worst in man, the worst in us, so much so that we can't give credit where it's due.

Go and treat yourself to some ice cream.