Can you ever envision us Pinoys enjoying the same standard of living found in First World countries ( e.g. The U.S., Canada, The U.K., Japan, Australia, South Korea--places where Pinoys normally migrate to ) right here in our own soil? Think of Pinoy janitors, construction and factory workers, or many other kinds of blue-collar employees being able to purchase their own cars. Think of Pinoy policemen enjoying Starbucks coffee on their spare time. Think of Pinoys being able to avail of most medical services in hospitals and clinics for free. Think of almost all Pinoy households having their own desktop computers, HD television sets, airconditioning, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens--all of those other state-of-the-art appliances we would prefer to possess. Imagine a majority of Pinoy families employing foreigners as maids or babysitters at home ( say, Pakistanis, Indians, Cambodians, Somalis, or whoever else ). Imagine Pinoy companies manufacturing cars, airplanes, electronic gadgets, robots--a plethora of products which are exported regularly for consumption by other countries...
Imagine...having to enjoy lives in other countries without having to leave our country to do so.
Could this be ever possible? Why would you think so? Conversely, why would you think that such a vision like this would remain as a figment of the imagination?
I'm no economist or sociologist but I'll tell you, based on my limited lifetime and brushes with the common Pinoy, that First-world Philippines is a dream. Why so? I won't put down the very fiber of Filipino ability and potential. We are a great race. But our drive towards that goal is collectively weak. We are individually strong but our strength falters when we attempt to unite. I don't know why so. Our best chance, apparently, in making it big in life is to make the best out of ourselves; provide for the needs of our families; and pass on to each of our children the pulse to be successful. Most of us Pinoys have very simple dreams -- find love; bear children and put them in school; share a roof and three meals in a day; a penny to spend and another to bet; and a time to sing, drink, have sex and be merry. Having a car, in most our minds, would be a luxury. This common state-of-mind is so difficult to overcome. Ask any OFW whose ambitions are bigger -- or desperations are greater -- and they'd tell you that if they had all that I mentioned, they'd rather stay put in flooded Malabon, rowdy Pasay, or tucked-away-far-far-away Montalban. We are known as remedy-ready domestics that's why we patronize surplus items like old, second-hand but working TV sets, microwave ovens, refs, electric fans, etc. We hardly think of upgrades because we do with what can do. That's not exactly the way first-world residents think or live. As far as I'm concerned, this is not bad. The important thing for us is God, family and a hearty laugh. That's not so bad is it? But that's not exactly the concoction that makes a nation great in the eyes of the world. I don't care. Do you?
ReplyDeletethanks for the point of view, dear sir! i have to say that the perspective is enlightening.
ReplyDeletehowever, i also have to share the point of view of renowned filipino novelist F. Sionil Jose, whose opinions were expressed in The Korean Times thus (verbatim from the article " Author F. Sionil Jose’s Insight on Philippines " URL http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/04/142_1921.html ) :
"You (Korea) were colonized some 50 years by the Japanese, while we were colonized by the Japanese for only 3 years. Sometimes I wish that it were the Japanese who colonized us not the Americans. Because you have no hangover with Japanese colonization, you vowed to defeat Japan. We have a very strong hangover with American colonialism. We never vowed to defeat the United States. Much of contemporary development, particularly in the colonized country depends so much on the response of the colonized to the colonizers. All this is in this novel 'Ermita,'" he ( F. Sionil Jose ) said.
F. Sionil Jose continues to admire the Koreans for their drive to collectively achieve First World status as a country right out of the ashes of World War II. He often muses how his own people cannot muster the will to do the same, even though it would mean that generations of Pinoys would suffer from desperation, poverty, and a lack of any true homeland which could shelter them in the event they needed one.
oo naman. nothing is impossible if we work together, and im believing that i would see it in this generation.
ReplyDeletefilipinos never try hard enough
ReplyDeletesiempre naman! kelan kaya? matagal-tagal pa lamang, pero pasaan ba at maabot din yang ng Pinas!
ReplyDeletethe answer is no and never will be!
ReplyDeleteif korea and japan and china can muster the effort to recover from war, pillage, and poverty to become First World countries, why not the Philippines? it must be borne in mind, however, that a whole nation has to have the motivation to pursue the goal. like any other endeavour to become successful in anything, there ought to be a dream, vision, or "pangarap" to reach. should Pinoys share a common aspiration to become a First World country, there will always be a higher chance that this so-called "dream" will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
ReplyDeleteconversely, if Pinoys in general remain downcast and unmotivated about their future prospects, then the prospect that the Philippines will always be a Third World country will also be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
it's so sad to see many Pinoys still doubting their own abilities when such a gloomy outlook for themselves might greatly affect not only the present generation but the many more sure to come.
Pinoys don't harbor thoughts that their nation has a "destiny" to fulfill. it is said that Pinoys like to imitate the American lifestyle, but it ought to be made clear that Americans have an idea about the role their country should play in world affairs. this is what makes their race outstanding. to rephrase President Barack Obama of the US, he says that the U.S. must always "lead the world" in everything.
why can't Pinoys try to think that someday, the Philippines can at least assume, if not entirely the same role, then something more akin to it? is it because we Pinoys are too lazy? is it because we weren't educated to think that way? is it because of our religion?
in any case, it is pretty discouraging to see that many of my fellow Pinoys outright dismiss any notions that the Philippines as a nation could reach a higher pinnacle. hopefully, people will slowly come around to realizing that a great Filipino nation will benefit not only ourselves, but our children and our children's children.
isn't that a worthy cause to work towards?