The Philippines: Love it, Hate it, What does it take?

[kolz]

---

the failure of the children is the failure of the parents

It is not a chicken or the egg problem. Corruption like I said is embedded in filipino society, if there is something that needs drastic change ... it is the change of hearts. And like what you said - It takes a strong will for the government to execute and implement laws, and rightly so, it also takes an equally strong will for each of us to follow the laws of the land. Just because the government is lenient in implementing the law, would it also be a reason disrespect our laws?

We all want change, we all want corruption to be abolished, but change must come from ourselves ... In simple things - dili pataka ug labay ug basura, no jaywalking, doing an honest and good job - be it private or in the government ... small things, but collectively if everyone has their share, this will be something big. I used to do the same thing you did - rant against the government, I did my share in the streets. But I realized that what I was doing was counter productive - instead of wanting to help, I realized I did nothing. That was some years ago, I'm an OFW now, I did my part by sending my hard earned money home, gamay ra siguro ni kumpara siguro sa mga nahimo sa uban para makatabang sa pag-asenso sa atong nasud. But I wanna challenge those with equally strong hearts - would you mind if i ask if there's anything you've already done to beseech the essence of what you've said?

[SioDenz]

EDUCATION - is one of the most basic thing that we can start with. if You educate all the people with the right information. Corrupt politicians would never have a chance to be elected. Its the basic solution to all economic problems..

[*dudes*]

It is not a chicken or the egg problem. Corruption like I said is embedded in filipino society, if there is something that needs drastic change ... it is the change of hearts. And like what you said - It takes a strong will for the government to execute and implement laws, and rightly so, it also takes an equally strong will for each of us to follow the laws of the land. Just because the government is lenient in implementing the law, would it also be a reason disrespect our laws?

We all want change, we all want corruption to be abolished, but change must come from ourselves ... In simple things - dili pataka ug labay ug basura, no jaywalking, doing an honest and good job - be it private or in the government ... small things, but collectively if everyone has their share, this will be something big. I used to do the same thing you did - rant against the government, I did my share in the streets. But I realized that what I was doing was counter productive - instead of wanting to help, I realized I did nothing. That was some years ago, I'm an OFW now, I did my part by sending my hard earned money home, gamay ra siguro ni kumpara siguro sa mga nahimo sa uban para makatabang sa pag-asenso sa atong nasud. But I wanna challenge those with equally strong hearts - would you mind if i ask if there's anything you've already done to beseech the essence of what you've said?

you have a point


with regards to your question what i am doing recently to help solve this problem of our society, i start educating myself first and every people i meet i ask what they can do with our present problem, after this education will put into action, i educate other people as well

well, there's a lot of passive and somewhat hardheaded people who are not willing to listen, but they are not my target, i would rather focus on people that are willing and I would also focus on younger generation, i will start also in my family, as i have my family in the future, it start there, i will create an environment where a lifestyle of discipline is natural, its starts from me, then to my family, then to the society, if nobody will not take action, i will, right now and then

[*dudes*]

EDUCATION - is one of the most basic thing that we can start with. if You educate all the people with the right information. Corrupt politicians would never have a chance to be elected. Its the basic solution to all economic problems..

you're right its education, but it depends on what kind of education that will be coz they have a lot of masteral and doctorate in out country but there is no big difference happens

[kolz]

you have a point


with regards to your question what i am doing recently to help solve this problem of our society, i start educating myself first and every people i meet i ask what they can do with our present problem, after this education will put into action, i educate other people as well

well, there's a lot of passive and somewhat hardheaded people who are not willing to listen, but they are not my target, i would rather focus on people that are willing and I would also focus on younger generation, i will start also in my family, as i have my family in the future, it start there, i will create an environment where a lifestyle of discipline is natural, its starts from me, then to my family, then to the society, if nobody will not take action, i will, right now and then

You have a point too .. I'm impressed. That is how change should start, yourself, to your family, then to the community.

OT:

Along this line ... Have you ever heard of Gawad Kalinga? ... I wish people would support efforts by these people, Irregardless of political affinity. There are a lot of people whom I knew that are tired of politics, tired of corruption, instead focuses more on helping in nation building by volunteering to the activities of these groups. More power to GK Singapore ... I had an eye opener in last Friday's meeting.

[*dudes*]

You have a point too .. I'm impressed. That is how change should start, yourself, to your family, then to the community.

OT:

Along this line ... Have you ever heard of Gawad Kalinga? ... I wish people would support efforts by these people, Irregardless of political affinity. There are a lot of people whom I knew that are tired of politics, tired of corruption, instead focuses more on helping in nation building by volunteering to the activities of these groups. More power to GK Singapore ... I had an eye opener in last Friday's meeting.

with regards to Gawad Kalinga, i have no idea about it, i heard it but no details on it, maybe you could share

[--Makoy--]

it should start with ourselves. doing simple things like following and not abusing the law. imagine if everybody is doing it, it would be a lot better place to live in. philippines would definitely improve.

we are have many laws passed in the congress and in the senate but why we are still unsuccessful, is it us or the government?

its both. its not necessarily the government but its the public officials. too much politics and less public service. but more importantly and alarming is that it all boils down to our selves. no matter how many laws are passed, no matter how competent and honest our public officials are, if we just don't care about it, its useless, we won't grow, we won't mature, we won't move on..

skillswise, talentwise, we filipinos have it. but we also have the wrong attitudes that keeps us below the cellar

[kolz]

with regards to Gawad Kalinga, i have no idea about it, i heard it but no details on it, maybe you could share

By Antonio Meloto
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 12:08pm (Mla time) 03/27/2007

2007 Commencement Exercises
Ateneo de Davao University

Today I feel intelligent. Not only am I addressing some of the brightest minds in Mindanao, but I am also being honored by this prestigious university with a Doctorate in Humanities, Honoris Causa. This is the first doctorate I have received and I am accepting it in all humility and pride as a recognition of the nobility of the cause and the heroism of the thousands of Gawad Kalinga workers that I represent.

Thank you Fr. Ting Samson and Ateneo de Davao for bestowing the highest academic degree on a man who was born without a pedigree- the "askal" (asong kalye) who went to Ateneo and came back to the slums to help those he left behind.

To a person like myself who did not excel in Ateneo in my pursuit of a college degree, receiving this Ph. D. is extremely flattering, being fully conscious that my principal role in this movement is to be the storyteller of the many who put in the sacrifice and the hard work and yet have remained mostly unrecognized.

It is also exhilarating because it builds on the growing global awareness, triggered by Gawad Kalinga and other movements that have not given up on our country, that the Filipinos can and will build a squatter-free, slum- free and hunger- free Philippines by committing their collective genius, passion and strength towards restoring the dignity and the potential for excellence of the poor, the weak and the powerless.

Wherever the Filipino is in the world

The Filipino spirit today is rising wherever he is in the world. He is starting to discover that he has the power to liberate himself from being a slave of the past… that he can remove the label stuck to his soul – second class people from a third world country… that he can correct the scandal of history of being the most corrupt in Asia despite being the only Christian nation, until East Timor, in the region.

In the right setting the Filipino has proven that he can be law- abiding, hardworking, honest and excellent.

Over the years, I have not met a Filipino beggar in my travels to the US, Canada and Australia…not a single beggar have I seen or have heard of out of more than 2 million Filipinos in the US; many Caucasians, Afro- Americans and Latinos,-yes,- but no Filipinos. Clearly, it is not the nature of Filipinos to beg if he is in the right home and community environment. The mendicant culture in his native land is man- made and artificial and can therefore be unmade and corrected if we give him back his dignity which is his birthright as a son of God.

In the same vein, we know that the Filipino is not lazy. Time Magazine in its 2006 article on Happiness identifies the Filipino as one of the ethnic groups in America least likely to go on welfare. How many of us know of friends and relatives who would take on two or even three jobs in pursuit of their dreams for a better life? Hardworking when motivated, resilient when tested – that is the Filipino…that is us. It is no surprise therefore that the average income of the Filipino- Americans is higher that the US national average; the former slave is now richer than the master in his master's home country.

We must believe that we were designed for excellence. World-class Filipino doctors and nurses are healing the sick of America and Europe. Our sailors dominate the seas in every mode of marine transport for commerce and pleasure, providing every imaginable form of service- and often, always, they are the best navigators, the best chefs, the best entertainers. Thriving economies in Asia carry the mark of Filipino managerial expertise in their start-up stage. Filipino CEOs, CFOs, COOs, captains of top multinational corporations carrying on the proud expat tradition of SGV's Washington Sycip, PLDT-SMART's Manny Pagnilinan, P&G's Manny Pacis and many others.

Sadly we are top of the line, crème de la crème, the best of the best elsewhere in the world except in our homeland. While the Jews and the Arabs were busy building abundance out of their desert, we were busy creating a desert out of our abundance.

Let us put a stop to our inanity and hypocrisy. Let us stop cracking jokes about our shame and misery. Instead let us celebrate with our hard work and integrity the return of our honor and pride as a gifted people, blessed by God with this beautiful land. Let us honor every great deed, every sacrifice, and every kindness that we extend to our disadvantaged and needy countrymen.

Let us put an end to our lamentation. We have suffered long enough. For 400 years, we have been gnashing our teeth, blaming one another, stepping on each other and yet, at the end of the day have the temerity to ask God why this is happening as if it was His fault. It is now time to hope, to care, to work together and to rejoice.

Yes, we will rise as a nation if we nurture this emerging beautiful spirit of the Filipino and cultivate an intelligent heart. How? When we show our love for God by being our brother's keeper- giving land to the landless, homes to the homeless and food to the hungry. This is about love and justice in a country where the majority of our people are landless, millions of them living in shanties and slums and 17% of them experiencing hunger in a rich and fertile land. This is not about charity but about authentic Christian stewardship and nation- building.

We will rise as a nation when rich Filipinos will consider the poor as an heir, like our youngest child, equal in worth and dignity with our own children, deserving an equal share in our children's inheritance. A beautiful spirit and an intelligent heart consider the poor as family, see the face of Christ in them, and see the paradise that every slum community can become. That is why every GK home is beautifully painted and the standard of landscaping of every GK village is Ayala Alabang or Ladislawa in the case of Davao.

When we build first-world communities for the poorest Filipino, we give them dignity and first world aspirations that will motivate them to dream bigger and work harder with support and nurturing. A recent study of GK Brookside, Payatas conducted by the UP Diliman College of Economics revealed an amazing result – the confidence and self- respect of the residents, many of them former scavengers, rose from 17% before GK to 99% after GK; 93% consider themselves better off in terms of quality of life and 96% believe that their economic situation will improve in the future. Clearly the spirit of the poor is rising because those with the most share their best with the least. (Read more.)

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/min...ticle_id=57240

[ed168]

ako il solve my problem first.. ana ra ka sayon bai..

[SioDenz]

As Filipino, what will you do to solve the problem of our society?

Well, one good thing to do is Get the heck out of this country. Go abroad, work there and then be sure to send remitances to your family here in the Philippines. In that way, your not only giving your family a good future but your dollar will also help our economy a little bit.
Peace!!!