The "unpatriotic" mall--where is our blue and red?

I usually hang out with my girlfriend in a mall, that claims to be one of the biggest in Asia.
I have to admit that I like the place, very much like the place. Other than, it is being so near the sea, actually on top of the seabed, the mall is relatively cooler and spacious than any other mall I know in the Philippines. In fact, the Mall has the widest range of choices in terms of restaurants, shops and stores. Usually you cannot feel being crowded there, because the mall is so vast it could even pass for a small city.

But this July while malling, I noticed that the mall has a promo for "US citizens and nationals", that on July 4, all Americans will have special gifts they can claim at the Mall. Not bad, for a Mall that give freebies to their alien customers. Actually, if you find your way there, you can see a lot of foreigners shopping around--from our neighbor Asians to Europeans (actually I do not know, if they are Europeans, English, Americans or what). But what disturbs me is the US flag displayed on mall shops and on the mall premises, especially on the walls of the second floor. So, wait a minute, what are these US flags doing in our own malls, our own businesses, our own shops, and our own country? Why did the Mall administration allow this utterly unpatriotic act?
I understand, that July 4, is the Filipino-American Friendship day, but this event is not national holiday nor a red letter day in our country. I also agree that US has substantial interests in our economy and people but even assuming that these interests subsist, why in all the life of me, display an American flag in our malls?

What's the pain and harm of such act so benign of displaying a foreign flag? Let me explain. Malling is now ingrained in the culture. So many Filipino families go to mall for bonding, shopping or dining. The act of uneccessary display of foreign flags in our country will impress a wrong signal to our children that our country favorably honors other nations in such extent that we can proudly display their emblems in our spots. This is soft-teaching our children unpatriotism. We had enough of English billboards, US products, foreign goods, and why come to the extreme of allowing foreign flags hang around our places of purchase? These seemingly inoccuous actions will slowly destroy our sense of identity and familiarity with our own culture and system. Have they not realized that Filipinos no longer know what our flag symbolizes? How do we teach children patriotism, if we hang flags not our own? What if a kid ask her mother, "Nay, yan po ba ang bagong bandera natin?", the suprised mother may reply, "Hindi anak, sa Amerika yan kasi...." and now what? what justification can the mother give? Would you just give the alibi, "because it is the Filipino-American friendship day?". What reason can you give a child who is just beginning to form his ideas in his own native land? No wonder why Filipinos, have the colonial mentality, manifested in ways like cramming to go to the US, piling the US embassies, and even other consular offices and embassies like Japan, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, among others.


Going back, it is needless to say that the display of such flag clearly manifests our self-perception as a nation. It mirrors the quality of our idealism and patriotism. I doubt, if one can find, a foreign flag being hoisted alone in any country except in one's embassy premises. But, lo and behold, we allow foreign symbols hang around so proudly in our place of rest.

I have seen foreign flags being hoisted in poles around Baclaran whenever a foreign dignitary will pay a state visit, or whenever an international convention will be held here in Manila, but those flags will be alternated by our own Flag along the streets. The DFA office in Pasay for instance displays foreign flags of the countries we have strong diplomatic ties, but the highest flagpole in the line is the Philippine national emblem. I would accept the justification of Philippine-American Friendship day if the Mall administration displayed both the US and Philippine flag side by side. But, no Philippine flag was displayed beside the American, just plain and simple, star and stripes...where is our blue and red?

I have the sentiment that, we had so much of alien products, services, businesses, even practices here, why add insult to injury to the weakening sense of nationality by displaying a foreign symbol in our own native land?

History taught us that our ancestors fought hard, giving up their very lives, their families and dreams so that our flag can waive proudly in our native soil. Raising the flag in Kawit, Cavite in 1898 is not a vague act of waiving it before a crowd. Before that flag was raised in the balcony of Aguinaldo Mansion, so many lives, thousands of them had to be sacrificed for the cause of one symbol. So many blood have to be toiled and poured out before our own national emblem was raised proudly by no less than our own people. It was an arduous battle to declare independence, to the point of sacrificing their very souls. And now, have we forgotten the lessons of history? Have we neglected the sacrifices of our people to keep the flag raised?

Our flag is our identity, the very representation of our people, our land, our pride. Whenever we display it, we show to the world, to our own kin, our wholeness as a nation. It symbolizes our aspirations, our history, our very own Philippines. Displaying flags of foreign countries alone in our land so much of an unwelcomed act before. But now, it seems to be very much acceptable. In this thought, I will not accept friendship and comity as a reason. Now, where is our sense of national pride? Where is our sense of wholeness? Have we been so fragmented to the thought of taking our country and her symbols for granted?

I do not claim to be heroic. Like many Filipinos, I also have relatives in the US, and to other countries, to whom they had been citizens. I too, wanted to work and live abroad, if given the chance. But that must not eradicate the idea of "Filipino idealism" in me. We have done adulterous acts against our motherland, let us not all the more, prostitute her, by allowing such simple acts to perpetuate, fossilize and pass on to generations unnoticed, unguarded. Remember, a simple hole can sink a ship.

The problem is not actually the population, the unemployment, the corruption. Our problem is that, we no longer want to identify ourselves and to contemplate our own nationalism, or to cultivate our own pride as "Filipinos". I am not saying this in vacuum or with blindsfold on, I am aware of rampant poverty, indolence of many, greed of our politicians, high rate of unemployment, lack of decent housing, want of quality education, the list is endless. But come to think of it. For us, who may not have the luxury and opportunity to leave this country, have we asked ourselves what can we do, or what have we contributed to make this ship stay afloat? What have we done for our own country? We rant like cry babies, pointing to the government their unnumerable mistakes, criticizing everyone to the point of being unreasonable, but how about us? Have we done something for the nation? I must agree, the government may epitomize a corrupt system, but what contribution have we made? I remember, John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural speech, "Ask not, what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country..."

If we cannot respect to the very least our own emblems, what more the deplorable totality of our nation. If we can take simple acts unobserved, what more the real and larger picture of the pititiful conditions of our countrymen. What have we done so far?

Let us look and internalize our symbols, relive the lives that had been offered for us to freely recite our oath, sing our anthem and waive our flag. The long-strain of wail to achieve the freedom and liberty we have today cost not gold but crimson. We owe all of these to our forefathers, and let us not fail them. The oath of allegiance to the Philippine flag, gives me shivers, and let me, proudly recite, one more time:

Ako ay Pilipino
Buong katapatang nanunumpa
Sa watawat ng Pilipinas
At sa bansang kanyang sinasagisag
Na may dangal, katarungan at kalayaan
Na pinakikilos ng sambayanangMaka-Diyos,
Makatao,Makakalikasan at,Makabansa.

"nasaan na kaya ang mga Pilipinong ito?" click to continue...

When the Not So Prodigal Brother leaves Home

Minsan naiintindihan ko na kung bakit nag-iiyakan ang magpapamilya sa NAIA, tuwing may isang mahal sa buhay ang aalis. Dati kasi, naco-cornyhan ako sa mga iyakan ng iyakan sa airport na parang ihahatid sa huling hantungan ang kanilang mahal sa buhay. Nasa daigdig pa naman siya ng buhay, kung umiyak akala mo, ililibing na.

Not until, I have experienced it myself. Umalis ang aking nakababatang kapatid na si Tata, papuntang US, nitong Lunes. Actually it was mixed emotions. I am happy because, I must consider myself very instrumental in arranging, even to the point of arguing his petition to the US Embassy in Manila. So, at least, I want to vindicate the tedious, long winding process of his immigration and all the ramified paperwoks by his actual leaving for the US. Yes, he was petitioned by my father who is an American Citizen (pero Pinoy na Pinoy dahil hindi naman siya magaling sa Ingles).

Nuong inaayos ko pa lang ang papeles ni Tata, I never felt sadness, in fact, I was so eager. Since I have slim chances of migrating to the US with my family, I only wanted that they may go and wbe able to work there (its a long story). Going back, at least, if my brother can leave, he can find something there, and like so many Filipinos in the US fulfill his own "American Dream" of a Filipino. Minsan nakakatawa, dahil bakit kailangang umalis ng mga Pilipino sa bansang ito, we have the talents and brains, but we end up as menial workers to races less superior than we.


My brother is a Criminology Graduate from DLSU, and a certified Automotive Mechanic, specializing in luxury cars, sedans and sports vehicles. Ang layo ng connection no? Magulo din kasi ang utak ng kapatid ko na yun. Siguro with what he has in his hands, will land him in any job he knows he can do well. I want him to be employed elsewhere kasi, medyo spoiled brat sioya rito. Other than, his weekend teaching stints in VocTech school and accepting job orders for vehicle repairs, he does not have any permanent job. But I ask myself, why do we have to part ways, can't he find a work here? Perhaps, he can. But with the salary fit for a pauper.

Not that I don't want my brother to go, he must go, for all the intents and purposes of leaving. But, what a vacuum parting creates in the hearts of those who have to be separated because of migration---simply because this country can no longer provide for its citizens. Naging "thrust" na ba ng bansang ito na gawing "export merchandise" ang mga kababayan natin?

The fondest memories I had with my brother are countless. I remember we went to Baguio, to Tagaytay and to so many places. Most of the time, with my friends and our family. Dati kasi, I usually ask him to drive me around because I don't know how to drive then. So he solved my problem by teaching me how to drive. He taught me to manage my own wheels. We would be together in toughest problems, especially whenever there are sickness in the family. He was there when I was down and brokenhearted, when I was rejected. During the times, that I feel I have to quit law school, he told me, "eto ang calling sa'yo..." He is not so perfect for he "certainly" shares the flaws of Adam, but he is a thoughtful and sincere person.

Dahil hindi naman kami expressive sa aming pamilya, lalo na mga lalaki kami, we usually crack jokes for things that are serious. We also had the shares of fight, but nothing physical. Ayoko din namang umabot sa ganoon. There were so many good things we shared, chatting while he or I drive. We would sneak out and dine out together whenever we were asked to withdraw money from my father's bank. We were there in very important events of our lives.

Masakit pala mawalay sa isang tao na kasama mo araw-araw, at halos sa bawat araw na yun, nakikita mo siya...ngayon hindi na ganoon ang sistema. Malungkot na hindi mo magagawa na ang mga bagay na ginagawa mo dati.

The memories are countless, and now that he is no longer here with us, it makes me sad. Sa isip ko, hindi na siya bahagi ng aming "household" meaning, even if he comes back, he won't go back as the "usual and normal" Tata we could drag out from his bed to do some chores, he won't be here all the time to listen to stories and to joke around. It would be different when he comes back. Siyempre ang susunod na dito, we will have to have our own families, our times as one family will necessarily have to be extended with our own respective lives.

Minsan iniisip ko sana ginawa ito ng Tatay ko nuong maliliit pa kami, para sana hindi kami nagkahiwa-hiwalay ng ganito. But what can we do? We can't choose our own paths.

He called last night, he was excited, and in my heart, I always pray, that He will always be alright. I know he will... click to continue...

Rabindranath Tagore

This is my translation of Rabindranath Tagore's "Where the Mind is without fear..."

Sa kung saan ang isipa’y walang takot at ang noo’y maitataas;
Sa kung saan walang bayad ang karunungan;
Sa kung saan ang mundo’y di binaha-bahagi ng makipot na pader;
Sa kung saan ang mga salita’y bumubukal sa kaibuturan ng katotohanan,
Sa kung saan na ang bisig ay walang pagod na umaabot tungo sa kaganapan;
Sa kung saan ang malinaw na batis ng katuwiran ay di mawawala sa tuyot na buhangin ng disyerto ng masamang ugali;
Sa kung saan ang isip ay sumusulong sa Iyo, tungo sa pagkamulat at paggawa:

Sa langit ng kalayaan, Aking Ama, doon magising ang Bayan ko!

Picture Credit: www.news.bbc.co.uk (Philippine flags)

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Ang Matagumpay na Paghihirap ng Aliping Hari

Ang katawang ibinilad sa init at kahihiyan
Kasama ang ulong pinadugo ng tinik at dusa;
Ang tagilirang sinugatan—sinaksak;
Ang mga kamay at paang binutas ng pako;

Ang mga latay, sampal at pagdura,
Paghampas, pagtadyak at pagdayuta,
Sa isang taong natagpuang walang sala:
Subalit iniharap at isinakdal ng mga
Nagdudunung-dunungan,
Nagbabanal-banalan—

Pinaglakad buhat-buhat ang isang kahoy patungo
Sa kamatayang di dapat niyang tahakin—
May mga iyak at luhang itinapon
Ang iba’y nanlibak;
Habang pasan ang kabigatang
Higit sa alinmang paghihirap.

Habang ang kanyang laman
Ay namamaga sa pagbugbog

Hindi siya dumaing.
Buong kaya niyang inihandog
Ang sarili sa isang dakilang layunin

Hindi naunawaan ng kasaysayan
Ang tagpong ito—
Hindi natanggap ng pilosopiya
Ang ganitong kadakilaan
Hindi nalirip ng talino
Ang kanyang pagpapakasakit:

Na isang tao’y magbigay
Ng kanyang buong buhay
Di lamang sa kanyang mga kaibigan
Lalo’t Higit sa kanyang mga kaaway
Maging sa mga di niya kilala

At ang sanlibutang sa kanya’y nagtatwa
Ay di naarok ang pagkadalisay ng
Pag-ibig na ipinamalas
Ng isang haring namuhay bilang
Alipin.

Na ang pagsigaw na ipako siya sa krus ay
Naging hiyaw at iyak para sa kaligtasan
at paghingi ng awa at habag

Upang ang kamatayan sa libingan
Ay di doon magtapos—
Upang ang hagupit ng parusa’y di na
Danasin ninuman,
Upang sa isang araw ay magising o di kaya’y
Mamulat ang mga mata
Na Makita ang taong pumalit sa ating
Kalalagyan—

Sa katapus-tapusa’y naitanong ko
Sa aking puso ang dahilan ng
dakilang pasakit na ito?
Walang kulog at kidlat na sumagot
Bagkus isang malamyos na hangin ang umihip
At ang isinagot at humawan sa aking kaluluwa:

Pag-ibig. click to continue...

Why do we need God?

We are drawn to need God in our lives not because His presence is a surety bond for a successful life. Neither our quench for God, to fill us, is felt and necessitated merely because it sufficiently guarantees a less quandary living nor the irresistible conviction to walk in is precepts, felt by all Christians, avail to assure us of moment-by-moment undisturbed peace and serenity. One author said, that our knowledge of God determines our relationship with Him, the more we are personally intimated by the Word of God and His laws, the deeper our understanding of our lives would be: past becomes illumined and the future becomes clear.

Our need of God is primarily based on our purpose—the very reason why we were created; it is also entirely premised on the voidness of our existence without serving the ultimate objective of God and the reason of our creation, and that is for Him to be glorified.

This glorification solely intended to serve the Creator, is not confined and must not be defined within the limited, finite understanding of men. This glorification is not selfish, arrogant, pompous or proud as human beings feel when adulated. This assuredly, is beyond our narrow comprehensions; however, our need of God is explained as it is the only way to fill the gap, so immense created by our transgressions. It is the only way one can derive purpose and meaning, not of course, it becomes, a stoicist object of our displaced affections, rather it is the sole answer by which our soul responds positively. Because deeper in our hearts and spirit, the need of Him is indispensable truth not merely fact. It operates even without even having to explain or even without having to give any logical presumptions. Minds need not answer where heart and spirit claim to have conceived.

On a personal level, as this has been confirmed by almost all believers, that the need of God is undeniable fact of living of every Christian. Not even aware of it, there is certain ethereal force, not comparable to any known human emotions that do not stop until the act of holiness has been practiced not for a time or moment but in everyday dealing. It would be known, that it is not merely a force, but the Holy Spirit who convicts us, and teaches us, just the same as Jesus has promised. It is not just conscience as the common erroneous belief is, but a strong leading to repentance and leading to a righteous path of every circumstance that confronts us, where truth and God’s precepts must and shall be applied. The need of God is call of the soul longing for its Giver, the longing of the spirit to its Creator, and the end purpose of flesh by its Master Designer. The philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, had perfectly described this intense longing, and he capsulated this idea to wit:
“There is God-shaped vacuum in the heart
of very man, and it cannot be filled by
any created thing but only the Creator”

The wise king Solomon also admonished in the book of Ecclesiastes, the entire duty of man in these very piercing words, to quote:
“And further, by these, my son, be admonished:
of making many books there is no end: and much
study is a weariness of the flesh. (v.12)

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this
is the entire duty of man. (v.13)

For God shall bring very work into judgment,
With every secret thing, whether it be good,
Or whether it be evil. (v.14).” 1


1 Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, p 721, (c. 1978), Gideon’s International, KJV.

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