7 reasons why we will change the world

That is the title of the inspiring book by Irish man Mike Grogan and this is part two of my column on this book. Reason 3 why Filipinos will change the world is our being “masayahin (malipayon).” This is exemplified by the saying: “Well-being is in happiness and not in prosperity.”

International best-selling author Neil Gaiman visited the Philippines and said: “The hashtag – It’s more fun in the Philippines – is true. They applaud loudly and hug you a lot.” Grogan adds that it would be impossible for a day to pass and not see a Filipino smiling and laughing. “I would dare to add that the Philippines has the highest number of smiles per square kilometer in the world… The foreigner would come to the conclusion that Filipinos are either stone-cold crazy or they are one of the most joyous people in the world.”

I once lived in Singapore as a research scholar at the National University of Singapore and sometimes I would take the cab with Cookie, the sister of writer Jessica Zafra. Cookie was then working for an international bank in Singapore. We would continue our conversation in the cab, and “Uncle,” the driver, would courteously say, “Excuse me, but you are from the Philippines, right?” We would ask how do you know, Uncle. “Because you smile a lot, lah, and your conversation is filled with laughter.”

Grogan calls this ‘special state of joy – kasiyahan.” Give the Filipino a guitar and they will have a party. Give them a microphone and they will slay the competition in international singing contests. Just go to YouTube and watch 4th Power in X-Factor UK or KZ Tandingan in Singer 2018 China and you will know what I mean. They would come to the stage so shy, so demure, their nerves rattled. But when the song begins, they would belt it out – and the world’s jaws begin to drop.

Singing also leads of course to a love of parties and celebration. I hosted a daily radio show called “Remoto Control” at Radyo 5, and every 1st of September I would begin to play one Christmas song every day – and start the Christmas countdown. “When super typhoons hit the nation, don’t be surprised that within a matter of hours after the storm, to discover sidewalk vendors with their makeshift stands smiling and singing Beyonce’s ‘’I’m a Survivor’… The idea that something good could be found in the most challenging of circumstances is a hallmark characteristic of the Pinoy. This is the spirit of masayahin, a spirit of joy not only for the self but a burning desire within all Filipinos that those around them also feel this joy.”

Reason 5 zooms in on the Filipinos’ fabled bravery. Filipino guerrilla forces held their own against the mighty Japanese Imperial Army. The Battle of Yudong in Korea was a game-changer. It pitted 900 Filipino soldiers against 40,000 enemy soldiers – and the latter was routed. Its modern equivalent is the overseas Filipino worker (OFW), or the Bagong Bayani, who would do domestic work, work in ships anchored in the arctic North Sea, sing pitch-perfect versions of American songs to send money home that would buy medicines for their old parents and send siblings to school.

“In every country of the world, you will meet a Filipino, their bravery to endure life’s greatest and stressful challenges: cold winters, abusive employers or the pain of separation from, and for the sake of, their loved ones.” This bravery led Grogan to move to the Philippines and help in building the nation. He has been here since 2015 and helping a new generation of Filipinos reject “the lies of the past [wrought by colonizers], that they are not good enough or smart enough. They are the Filipinos rejecting the status quo and the false belief that the Philippines will always be a 3rd world country. They are the Filipinos who choose to believe in the greatness within themselves and the greatness that lies within every Filipino….”

Proof positive of this are the world-class brands being made by Filipinos: personal care products by Human Nature, award-winning chocolate by Malagos of Davao; Bayani Brew iced tea; coffee from Bo’s. Add to that, of course, Tony Tan Caktiong’s Jollibee, and my friend Brian Tenorio’s Kape Tayo coffee shop. These are globally competitive products, driven by Filipino excellence.

Reason 5 is “kapatiran (pag-inigsuonay)” as shown by the saying: “A broom is sturdy because its strands are tightly bound.” Grogan cites the Filipino diaspora: the world has become our home. And everywhere Filipinos meet, they smile or nod at each other. The most dramatic evidence of this is shown every Sunday at Hong Kong’s Statue Square, or Singapore’s Lucky Plaza, or Kuala Lumpur’s Kota Raya. I’ve been in these three places, and boy oh boy, are they thriving replicas of Philippine plazas. The Filipinos eat, talk, sing, dance; they sell native food, play cards, trade romance novels.

Fishing in the Philippines is also a communal work. Filipinos fish as a team, and what is caught is shared equitably. Likewise, there is a shared savings system called “paluwagan,” where people save together with a group and reap what they had saved at a specific time and date.

Reason 6 is “mapagbigay (manggihatagon),” as shown by the saying: “You will know  a true friend in time of need.” Famous chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain said Filipinos “are the most giving people on the planet.” Author Tom Graham said he visited Bantayan Island after Typhoon Haiyan and the devastated community welcomed him with songs and gave a roof over his head – the only one there who had one. This virtue is also shown in the pasalubong, where someone returning from a trip would have gifts for those at home. This has led to the balikbayan box, where overseas Filipinos who couldn’t come home send a box of gifts in time for Christmas.

“The opening of the box … creates precious moments of unforgettable joy as loved ones feel connected to each other by the power of the Mapagbigay mind-set, even though they may be thousands of miles away from home.”

* * *

Comments can be sent to [email protected]