Filipino And Proud?

I am Filipino and proud. I concluded this after having spent almost two months everywhere – it seems. I was proud to be Filipino regardless of the helplessness and frustration I felt whenever I received news from home. I was proud to be Filipino even as I grieved over our great ability to self-destruct with our endless bickering and our seeming inability for everyone – both rich and poor – to work selflessly, towards a common goal that is beneficial for all.

I was proud to be Filipino even as I biked around Stanley Park in Vancouver on endless bike paths around the waterfront and mourned the lack of public service in our country. I still felt hopeful for us when I walked through the historic districts of Boston, Vancouver, Shanghai and Soochow on wide sidewalks designed with people in mind. I thought, I would have more pride in being Filipino if we were to also honor ourselves by preserving our past. I was proud to be one of the Filipino representatives at the Asian Shipowner’s Forum in Beijing until the Vice Minister of Transportation spoke of China’s goal to improve the quality of life for its citizens. I thought to myself, "Hey, why can’t we also have a clear and simple goal like this?"

I was proud to be Filipino even when I saw how amazingly ready China was to take on the opportunities of WTO. The infrastructure – the roads, public transport, housing are in place, and the people with good education are raring to work and improve their lives. However, I did panic with questions on how we would ever be able to compete with a country that has so many areas with competitive advantages over us. I was proud to be Filipino even if I was tempted to be prouder of my Chinese heritage ... when I walked down the famous Nanking Road recently made into a pedestrian mall with granite floors, buildings lit, cafes playing bossa nova, shops full of people, and small train trolleys that go up and down for one yuan per passenger. I decided I had to stay focused on my pride in being Filipino notwithstanding the excellence of the facilities of the maritime schools I visited. I was drawn by the one-pointed focus to uplift the standards of the students in English, sciences and engineering. When the universities could not afford to buy the expensive simulators they needed, they researched and made their own.

So after this long journey, I asked myself, why am I proud to be Filipino when we ourselves create the obstacles in our path?

I am proud to be Filipino when I read the e-mail interchanges between people like Jim Paredes, Mario Taguiwalo, Trina Belamide, Joey Reyes, Bill Luz, Dan Songco, Bart Guingona and Jarius Bondoc. They are giving their time and talent, and throwing their sweat and tears into a Pagbabago campaign to rally all of us to transcend the past and to reach towards a new positive way of thinking. Or the work of Gina Lopez, Father Tito Caluag, Ramon Tengco, countless others who are working quietly in the background to influence needed change.

I am proud to be Filipino when I recall my visit with a great one, Fritz Friedman, who is senior vice president of Worldwide Publicity for Sony Pictures in Los Angeles. I was proud to see many important people wave at him. "Hey you, Fritz" echoed as we walked through Columbia Pictures studios. Fritz has succeeded at the highest levels of mainstream American business and his enthusiasm and pride in being Filipino is contagious. I was proud to be Filipino when I attended the book launch of Philippine Gardens with a talk by Lily O’Boyle at the New York Horticultural Society fund- raising dinner. And at another dinner with writer Luis Francia, and my friends Josie Natori and Wina Kimmel, when they shared what it meant for them to be a Filipino in America.

I am proud to be Filipino because of our amazing capacity to work with a deep sense of service and loyalty, an uncanny ability to care and to be happy, and a rare gift to adapt to and make the best out of whatever situation we find ourselves in. These are traits that give us a competitive advantage over many. Unfortunately, this may not be enough as most other people have much less tolerance than I.

This long journey has shown me that the rest of the world is focused and working hard on a strategic plan while we argue and hurt each other. Their goals benefit both rich and poor alike. They are focused on ways to improve their competitive advantage to succeed in offering a better quality of life for their people. Let us stop looking at each other as the enemy. Instead let us rally together – us against the world, roll up our sleeves and work our way out of our difficulties, towards wealth for everyone. Most importantly, let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and learn from those around us. As Dolly Parton says, "If you are done with the cross, someone else needs the wood"! (courtesy of Jim Paredes) So let’s get going, so we can truly be Filipino and proud.

Asia Society Philippines, a non-profit foundation dedicated to fostering understanding about the Philippines, has a "Filipino and Proud series" which features talks by accomplished Filipinos living abroad. For information on Asia Society and its educational programs and membership, please call 752-43-74.

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