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MANILA, Philippines—In a recent trip to Seoul and other surrounding cities, delivering lectures in some universities, my attention was called to the way South Koreans would behave every time their national anthem was played. Everyone of them would sing with gusto and feeling.
Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about many Filipinos in a similar situation. Often, they would just listen to the recorded music without joining in the singing. Some of them may not even have memorized all the words of the song.
This may be an insignificant detail to some. But it speaks volumes about how the virtue of patriotism still has to be instilled in Filipinos, especially among the young. It was providential that when I returned from South Korea, I found in my e-mail a message by a certain Buboy Reago, whom I thank for this heart-warming essay of a young Korean by the name of Jaeyoun Kim. I am sure other authors already have commented on the same essay. But I want to give it wider dissemination.
The article is entitled "My Short Essay about the Philippines." Let me quote the initial paragraphs: "Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines. Do you really think that corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines. Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point...After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because the entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources. Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father and brother also died because of famine. The Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism."
Then Jaeyoun Kim continued to describe how his people faced all sorts of challenges and sufferings during the regime of their authoritarian leader, Park Chung Hee. Many of them, like the overseas Filipino workers today, had to go to work in Germany and other more advanced countries to be able to support their families. When President Park visited Germany, he was met by hundreds of Korean workers who wept and asked: "President, when can we be well off?" The President cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea. The President of Germany was so impressed with their attitude that he lent money to Korea. With the money, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart."
Some may find the analysis of this young Korean simplistic. But I find it believable. Before President Park took over the leadership of the country, what I read about Korean society under the former regime of Syngman Rhee was not very complimentary. The Koreans were considered lazy and their government corrupt. There was no sign of the work ethic for which the Koreans are now famous. I would like to believe, that despite the dark side of the dictatorship under President Park, it was under his leadership that a culture of hard work and love for country was nurtured. I am convinced that under the right leadership, which does not have to be authoritarian, we can still cultivate a strong love for country among future generations of Filipinos. We are already hard workers, as evidenced by the millions of Filipinos here and abroad who are considered among the most productive workers in the world. Patriotism is what is absent in the ordinary Filipino. We still have to inculcate a deep love for country among the majority of Filipinos.
I hope that even if the Filipinos reading this are outside the Philippines, their love for their country remains undiminished. You have many opportunities to demonstrate your patriotism. Your sacrificing the best years of your lives, enduring hardships outside of your homeland, should also be motivated by a desire to financially help the country through the valuable foreign exchange you earn for the Philippine economy. You are also acquiring invaluable experiences, skills, and technology that can be made productive when you come home to retire from your overseas work. While working outside, you can be outstanding ambassadors of goodwill to many nations. Through your virtues and values, you can present a very positive image of our nation. From my experience in Spain, Filipino workers impress their Spanish friends with their closely knit families. Family values are a significant contribution of our OFWs to the social fabric of European countries, where marriages are breaking up at a record rate.
The young Korean who wrote the message to Filipinos describes himself as a Roman Catholic. His deep faith is reflected in his parting words: "Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others, we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach him how to love the Philippines. Teach him why he has to love his neighbor and country. You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others. That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos."
