TEN OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF A PILIPINO

As of now, a lot of us have already
forgotten what these men and women
died for. 

1)      You reveal the truth ... and an unintentional desire to get killed.

Do you hear voices crying? Do you see heroes dying? Do you taste blood that's drying? Do you feel tension rising? From media men and journalists to activists, government officials, and seemingly every single honest-to-goodness man, corrupt individuals and their henchmen simply do not want what's right to be done to keep their dirty little secrets, and their benefits, for themselves. 

This is what happens when you care
more about money than anything else ...
including your very own life.

2)      You confuse a driving lane for a racing circuit.

Just about any day of the year, anywhere in the country, road accidents just cannot take a break. Careless, reckless bus, jeepney, and taxi drivers drive at the speed of light and beat the red lights to earn as much money as they can. The result? Falling off cliffs, hitting-and-running innocent pedestrians, and losing any humanity in them, whether they are aware of it or not.

 



Think these congressmen cheered for
the next President because they really
wanted to?



3)      You change your allegiance as frequently as you change your clothes.

 Just six months ago, Person A was allied with a higher official Person B. But with Person B losing popularity, Person A shifts his alliance to Person C in the upcoming elections just to stay in power. Along with losing any kind of loyalty is the loss of principles and values by which every government official should follow. Power truly determines the true character of a person.

  



As long as you do not go overboard
and try to marry your idols,
everything will be fine.



4)      You treat those who appear on TV like gods and goddesses.

Imagine you being in a mall, eating a delicious burger with your boyfriend while strolling around the shops and establishments around you. Suddenly, you see your favorite male teen star, all alone. You leave your boyfriend in the dust, rioting among other fangirls just to even get a touch of his white skin. Really? What is this, the procession of the Black Nazarene? This, I simply do not understand. It's not like whatever you touch turns to gold.



Nice one. I hope that hand is as good
as you using your own hands in
your work.

5)      You spend your time leaving your fate to the luck of the draw instead of earning the credits yourself.

Gambling, at least in the Philippines, is (sort of) disliked by a majority of the populace. And yet when the stakes are high in the 6/49 Lotto, Bingo, jueteng, OTB, or any other luck-based game, everyone just cannot resist the urge to spend part of their hard-earned cash for a low chance of receiving thousands or millions of pesos or any luxury item. Also, how many times have you seen four men in their office breaks or simply sitting on a street corner drinking alcohol while playing Pusoy Dos with a hundred pesos at stake? Instead of wasting time and money on high-stakes, low-reward contests, we should work as hard and as wise as we can.

With all due respect, I hope everyone
of them has a good future at hand.

6)      You plant twelve seeds which you can never grow into tall trees.

Common belief amongst the poorer Filipinos is that the more kids you have, the richer you will be when you grow old. Thing is, long-term planning is always the better option than short-term pleasure. If you cannot provide your ten-plus children with proper food, education, shelter, and every other form of support in their early years, chances are they will end up just like you. And the more people in the country, the more problems they bring. Translation? Overpopulation.



Remember this? You disrupted business
in that area, broke a lot of rules ... and
somehow get freed earlier than you
deserve. There sure is a better way to
express your opinion ... SENATOR.



7)      You simply cannot tell the difference between right and wrong and do not know the difference between right and wrong.

This is how the justice system works in the Philippines: you do not commit a crime, get arrested for misjudgment, wait 5 years on trial, sentenced to life imprisonment, spend 30-plus years behind bars, then the court finds out you are innocent, and released while serving a sentence you did not deserve. Another scenario: you commit a crime, get arrested, wait 5 years on trial, pay the judge a hundred thousand pesos, "found" not guilty despite strong evidences, and roam freely while ignoring your conscience. Which one seems more wrong? 

Instead of making something that is not
clearly ours our "own", why don't we
show the world what is truly our own?

8)      You copy anything the others do, and do not make a good impression on others.

We lack so much pride in our national identity that instead of being original, we copy pretty much anything the other countries make. We make our own versions of Korean soap operas. We scramble all over the malls searching for that newly-released iTouch because your friends have one. Heck, we even translate bad words from the other countries. Why? 



It would be nice if you look up to
someone as a role model. Just not this
guy. Please.



9)   You dream at day and live at night.



"Mamaya na yan", "Tinatamad ako, eh", "Kayang-kaya yan". Whether it be optimism or pure laziness, our inability to finish the job quickly and in great quality is while we have all the time in the world is one of the reasons why our country is struggling economically. And when there are only a few hours left before the deadliest deadline, that is when we only exert our efforts (not even our best efforts). Look at where we are right now.







A fellow Pilipino won a lot of titles.
Is that the only time you will say you're
proud to be Pinoy? Sure ...

10)      You either desperately search or do not care at all for a national identity.

We have a national anthem, national hero, and national flag. Sounds reasonable. But when you begin to have a "Pambansang Kamao", "Pambansang Bading" (who seems to be the most popular gay at the moment), o "Pambansang Laro" (which is a rip-ff of 20 Questions), we have a problem. When we hear someone won a modeling contest and you say, "I'm proud to be Pinoy", we have a bigger problem. Is this what being a Pilipino is all about?  

ANO? PILIPINO KA BA TALAGA?

TEN IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF A PILIPINO

University Athletic Association of the
Philippines? Really?

1)      You often assume that only citizens in Metro Manila count as Filipinos, whether you are aware of it or not.

I think we all know that Metro Manila is the center of, and the busiest place in the Philippines, but what about Cebu? Davao? CDO? Baguio? Those places are always left behind in terms of development, and the rest of the country is so underdeveloped ...





Everyone prefers Nike or any other
imported shoe over local ones
nowadays.

2)      You always prefer anything made from the other countries instead of anything made from the Philippines.

Whether it be clothes, shoes, movies, TV shows, bags, food products, beauty products, and even our everyday language, we always have the feeling that whatever we are or have sucks compared to everybody else's. 

Excuse me, I hope you're not forgetting

the reason why you are wearing that

uniform in this area ...

3)      You spend more time, money, and energy on your cellphones, DOTA heroes, and Facebook accounts instead of schoolwork and office matters.

You have to wonder if Filipinos nowadays are really so devoted to technology that they would trade their entire lives for a day of unlimited call-and-text to everyone they ever met ...

 

Hey, the tune is so catchy, and I love
the color orange. I should vote him!

4)      You base your electoral vote on the surname, gimmick, campaign color, hand gesture, endorsers, and campaign jingles of candidates instead of their reputations and abilities.

Does the phrase "Vote Wisely" or "Maging matalino sa pagboto" even appeal to the voters? Because if not, then it is probably best if we have Charter Change ...

 

Too familiar? Should we blame every
single leader that we ourselves chose?

5)      You blame the government for every miserable thing in your life, no matter who is in power.

And the sad irony is, we are the ones who placed these people, who chose the other people, into their current positions. Shouldn't we blame ourselves then? Because if we did not, we are all hypocrites. 





Nice outfit. I hope the term
actually means something
very important.

6)      You try to create your very own dictionary by creating and adding the “cool” factor to slang terms such as jologs, chuva chenes, and jejemon.

I do not know if it is boredom or the feeling of inferiority that makes these people create these terms, but I am sure that whatever they are trying to accomplish, these are not really doing any good for the reputation of our country. 

 

  

  

Is this the best you can do? Is this
even what you really wanted?

7)      You consider careers that would give you lots of money and abuse instead of those that would help the development of your country.

"Eto kasi yung uso ngayon eh. Saka malaki ang kita ng pera". Are we willing to sell basically our lives for big paychecks, immense homesickness, and occasional abuse from foreigners (frequently, for others)? No wonder that Hong Kong reporter called the Philippines "a nation of servants".

 

Are we talking about the same God
here? If so, why is everyone claiming
to be the chosen messenger of God?

8)      You are either a land lord, drug lord, gambling lord, crime lord, political lord, or a religious lord.

Basically, whether we want to admit it or not, our country is run and influenced by a handful of individuals. Some are good influences, some are bad influences, and some are simply horrible human beings. Hey, the world would be boring if everyone was the same, right? Still, that doesn't mean we have to pretend or be bad ...

Sigh ... I hope you finally learn that
your lives still mean more than
anything ...

9)      You will rather stay behind with your material possessions instead of saving your lives when natural disasters are quickly approaching.

I do not understand why. Is it because a lot of Filipinos are so poor or so pessimistic about their chances to move out of poverty that they would rather go down with their properties than come out of a landslide or volcanic eruption broke but alive?  

Does this still mean something to you?

10)   You simply care about yourself instead of yourself, your fellow Filipinos, and your country, the Philippines.

I guess a lot of students/professionals want to have fun now with their friends rather than have fun now with their friends and do the best they can at their workplaces not only to improve themselves, but their country as well. Remember, great things start from small beginnings.

ANO? PILIPINO KA BA? 

  







NEW YEAR'S REVOLUTION

To the government of the Philippines: Throughout 2010, signs of the effects of global warming were very evident, if not super obvious. There were the water shortages, the severe droughts, the lack of storms that entered the Philippine area of responsibility, and the landslides and flashfloods despite light rainfall, among others. Entering 2011, we were greeted by the freezing of crops in Northern Luzon and the unusual chill at 7 in the morning. And then there were the martyrs who have to needlessly sacrifice their lives to protect the forests in Mindanao.

Sir, Ma'am, do we need to wait for more people to be homeless, more lives to be lost, more hearts to be broken? Do we, the people, have to doubt if this is truly a government of the people, by the people, and for the people? Do we have to wait for another ONDOY-and-PEPENG 1-2 combination to deal a fatal blow to the Filipino morale?

I am sure the job of taking care of everything concerning your area is tough, and you are human beings just like we are, but since you ran for those offices you currently hold (or get appointed by these people), we expect you to perform your duties to the best of your abilities (with minimal errors in judgment), give solutions to the most critical and urgent of problems affecting your jurisdictions, and pave way for the development and progress of the programs being implemented and to be implemented. Of course, this includes the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the environment. PLEASE SUPPORT THE GREEN MOVEMENT. PLEASE.

To the businessmen: Money makes the world go round. It does not make up what it is made of, though.

Despite my lack of deep knowledge in economics and management, I am sure there is a way to balance economic advancement with environmental protection. I believe so; I am an Environmental Science student. Almost all of you spend a lot of time whining, b*tching, and moaning about how you are going to fall in debt or earn less money to sustain your lives, while all the time you may never have thought about the long-term effects of an environmental crisis on both your businesses and your very own lives. Trust me, there is still a way, if not many ways, to live comfortably within the confinements of today's highly advanced society and not sacrifice the numerous resources surrounding us.

Just imagine this. Let's say you are the owner of the largest chain of malls in the world. You dream of expanding your establishment to knock out competition and fill your bank accounts with millions of dollars. Thing is, think of all the ingredients you will need to make your recipe the most appetizing to your target customers - tons of electricity and fuel per day to keep your machineries running and your shoppers chilling; mountains of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, wheat, and other grocery items to build your gigantic supermarket; towers of parking lots for the vehicles of your visitors to rest on. And the products of all of these? Piles of every single kind of waste you can think of. Tremendous pollution filling the outside, and on occasion, the inside. All of these things will accumulate and within 15 years, natural catastrophes will come back to haunt you.

I appreciate the effort being made by some of the big names of the business sector to help the GREEN cause. Biodegradable plastic bags, more efficient operations of the establishments, sponsorships of planting of new trees and cleaning up of rivers, and so much more. Thing is, this is not enough. Too much of anything is never good, but this time, in a country where basically the rich have a bigger say in how things work around the nation, we need your cooperation. We need our guarantee. We need your hand.

To the professionals: Since you are (theoretically) experts in your chosen fields and received special training in your desired expertise, you should know at least around 75% of the basics and advanced things related to your profession, including the environmental aspect of your jobs. Whether you are an environmental scientist yourself, or a award-winning, world-class actor, you know you can use your profession in some way to take part in helping save the environment.

It might sound weird, but what can an actor use his profession to save the environment? It doesn't sound weird at all. It is like asking "Why should we learn Calculus in high school?" The answer: there is more to life than what meets the eye.

We all know what an environmental scientist can do to help the GREEN movement: be an environmental scientist. Go on a trip, observe phenomenon, record and analyze data, make conclusions, report to the concerned agencies for discussion on the implications of the findings. But the actor? Well, he can use his fame to rally support for the cause. Make a commercial about this environment-friendly item or straight-to-the-point promote the GREEN movement. Maybe even make an environment-related movie that serves as both a warning and an inspiration to the viewers to join the campaign. If Filipinos rely on celebrity endorsers instead of platforms as their basis for voting, why not do the same for the environment?

To the religious leaders: Just like the celebrities, you too can help spread the word ... and love for the environment. Seeing as nature is God's creation (just like we all are), He would try to protect it at all costs. So should you. Helping the cause personally will not be bad. Occasional mentions in sermons will not be bad, either. Even better, you can lead us to pray not only for the saving of the environment, but also for the best on everything (as long as it is morally good and reasonable).

(This especially goes to the Catholic Church) Please support the Reproductive Health Bill. It does not legalize abortion at all. It does not require everyone to use artificial methods of family planning. It does not try to change morality to the liking of the authors of the bill. Why would the government push through a bill that would massively affect the country in a negative way? If that was the case, then every single administration might have resigned before they can serve their full terms. Besides, if you really are pro-life, why are you only emphasizing the salavation of the lives of the unborn babies? Why not also think about the lives of those who are already living on Earth and the effects of adding more pieces to the puzzle in the long-term? The puzzle board can only carry so many pieces; similarly, the Earth has a carrying capacity. Too many people already are poor and living in conditions a few of the non-poor citizens could possibly survive. If there are even more Filipinos to accomodate to, wouldn't it make the situation even worse? The more people, the more we exhaust our resources, the faster waste accumulates, the shorter our life spans could be. In short? We all lose.

To the hardworking common man: You might be wondering, what is all of this to you?

Let's cut to the chase and look at it this way. So what if the higher-ups have part of the say in what goes on in this country? So what if you (possibly) earn only minimum wage? So what if you just pack shirts into boxes in a factory or clean the streets of Metro Manila? So what if you live in a small house? So what if you (possibly) did not finish college? So what if you (possibly) failed to lure your goddess-like crush into being your girlfriend? SO WHAT?

You can still do something to help the GREEN movement. Great things start in small beginnings, so to speak. Save electricity, for the energy resources. Turn off your faucets, for the water resources. Throw your waste the right way, for the land you step on. Check your cars (if you have any), for the air you will breathe.

Most importantly, let your voice be heard. Remember, without your vote, the authorities would not have either the people to truly serve or (hurts to say, but) the fools to steal money from. Without your patronage, these businessmen would not have any businessesin the first place. Without your needs, the professionals would just stay in their farms yielding crops or in their households mopping floors. Without your presence, the religious leaders would not have any reason to believe that God exists.

So what if you are just a hardworking common man? YOU CAN DO something about it.

To the students: Someday, we will be the authorities. Some will be the professionals. Some will be the businessmen. Others will be the religious leaders. Others will work as hard as they can. Again, no matter what you want to pursue, we can do something about it.

We have the advantage of history. We can look at the past natural events and use this knowledge as to how to better prepare for future occurences. We have the advantage of technology. We can utilize all these machines ad equipment to take better care of the environment. We have the advantage of manpower. There is just so many of us, we can work together and accomplish every good thing we want to do, especially saving the environment.

We can start by practicing, and eventually doing, simple activities that can help the GREEN cause. Less TV, more fun with family. Less time in front of computers, more time with loved ones. Less excess water used for baths, more water to drink. Hey, we can even do all of these with the help of our families and friends. That would be more fun, right? Every little thing you do will affect the environment in some way. So why don't we start somewhere? THIS IS OUR FUTURE.

To me: With all of these blabbering about how everyone around me should improve their pro-environment personas, I hope I can do the same thing.

2011: New Year, New Beginning, New Hope ... for the environment and, in the end, for the world.