Hope for the country? My thoughts this time

A friend of mine e-mailed our e-group his thoughts regarding patriotism which got me really going.  Here was what I sent back to the group:

Having read Louie’s thoughts regarding patriotism, I felt really happy as I got a lot of insights. I am currently in the stage of my life wherein I am deciding whether to leave public service or not. Hey, let’s face it, I will never, ever get rich working for the government (unless I take “that” path, if you know what I mean). I only get a measly P10,000++ for the kind of work that pays double that if I am in the private sector, thrice (or maybe four times) if I work abroad (which I had the chance but didn’t take). But I’m still staying. All because I love this country.

Yes I love this country, whether you guys believe it or not. I have so many reasons to leave but much more to stay. I owe it to this country, to the people of this country, the “free” education that I enjoyed for eight years. Having studied in a State run school since high school, the least I could do is to give back to the people what they spent on me. For those not in the know, the City of Manila subsidized our high school education since our alma mater is a State U.

But that is not the only reason why I’m staying. For one, I still have my pride. And that pride emanates from my being a “Filipino”. I am proud to be Pinoy. I’ve stood high and proud over the other nationalities I’ve recently rubbed elbows with. Now if only all of us feel that way (and do something about it), maybe our country won’t be in so deep a shit right now.

What could we have done as a nation to deserve where we are today? And what could we do as a nation in order to make this country move forward? As what Louie said, “Alamin at kumilos”. Sadly, though many of us know what to do regarding the sad plight of our country, we tend to… uhhh… “forget” to do anything about it. Idealism is lost and apathy thrives when it should be the other way around. It is said that the youth is the hope of the nation. Why don’t we prove it by making a difference no matter how small it may seem?

We should wake up and look at the mirror long and hard at our present situation. What we are is the sum of our history. Very few of us think for the common good while many of us think like “talangkas”. “Ako muna” seems to be the National mantra. We always blame the government for the problems of our country, always waiting for what the government can do for us. But have we stopped and asked ourselves what we can do for the country? Have we done our share to make this country move forward?

Yes idealism per se will never feed me but it will at least bring hope to this country. An immigrant friend of mine once told me that he migrated because he has given up hope for this country. He speaks about the Philippines as if he was never born here, that not a drop of Filipino blood runs through his veins. He told me, “You will never prosper in the Philippines if you keep up with that kind of thinking.” What I had to say was, “At least I’m doing something for MY country.

I hope now that everyone does.

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True, the problems in our country seem beyond repair but they shouldn’t be reason to make us falter in our idealism. Because the very nature of idealism - holding on to an ideal that is wanting in our society… something that is not YET with us… a dream of a BETTER LIFE for the generations to come - such problems are but natural forces to contend with. In the same way that the good exists to overcome evil… the evil is an ever-present force to contend with in the quest for good, so it is with IDEALISM and REALITY. Idealism fuels hope and hope sustains one’s spirit.