FILIPINO VALUES

I would like to respond to the letter to the Editor of Marie Franz Jeruta on the subject of Take Pride in Filipino Values, published on July 20, 2006.

Ms. Jeruta, I agree with you completely that the Filipinos continue to suffer from a colonial mentality, particularly a wanton admiration for everything American. I lived in the United States for 17 years; it’s not the utopia that most people dream it to be – a home in the suburbs with a white picket fence, two car garage, two children, two careers, perfect marriage & family. In reality, it is the farthest thing from it because life is tough in America. People in big cities, in order to have a good life, very rarely have time for activities other than work. But true to their Pledge of Allegiance, they stand firm for “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” At least they try their best. Let us start with my unequivocal agreement to your statement that “we should instead appreciate being Filipino.”

I will, though, respectfully disagree with three points in your letter. First, that “we are the most resourceful race.” Filipinos are naturally creative and imaginative people, I will give you that. But where do most of us use this craftiness for? Is it to help our neighbors, help our country and uphold the good reputation of Filipinos in the international community? Many foreign friends of mine have observed that we are one of the few races where there is envy from one Filipino towards another Filipino who has it better. Most other nationalities support each other, not pull each other down. Filipinos are also well-known for using their resourcefulness to buck the system. I have witnessed Filipinos being interviewed at a foreign consulate in Manila. I will tell you now that I was embarrassed to be a Filipino that day. I do not wonder why our country has such an unpalatable reputation abroad and why our citizens are oftentimes singled out to be checked more thoroughly in immigration lines. During my recent trip abroad, the immigration officer scanned visas from every country in my passport to see if they are fake. Why don’t we start by using our resourcefulness for positive things that we as individuals can do to actually alleviate the conditions in our homeland?

Second, that “respect for elders stands as the norm of our society”. I have a problem with that statement right there. All human beings regardless of age, color, background, religion, social, economic and educational stature and intellectual capacity deserve respect. Not to belabor the point, but it seems that in the Philippines, people who are older, have higher educational degrees, higher positions in companies, bigger bank accounts, prestigious-sounding last names and positions of power are accorded more respect and given preferential treatment when it comes to the rule of law than children, illiterate people, service workers, laborers and your regular everyday man, Juan de la Cruz. Waiters demand the same level of respect in the United States as the owners of the restaurant they work for and the customers they serve. Everyone deserves to be treated with common courtesy, dignity and respect, regardless of who they are and where they come from. Why should there be any difference in the standards for human decency?

Third, “In our society, the problem of one becomes the problem of the whole family and even of the relatives.” In theory, this is a good thing but unfortunately, this practice is abused in the Philippines. I have heard of countless stories of househelp working in Manila and elsewhere who support their entire families -from parents to all the siblings in the province - with a single salary. I am a firm believer that when parents decide to have children, it is their obligation to feed, clothe, educate and raise them. Oftentimes, when this lone breadwinner has put a brother or sister through grade school all the way through college, the brother or sister ends up unmotivated to look for a job. The dependence on another as the source of livelihood has already become the norm, making it a bit of a challenge to learn to fend for oneself. Why should the problem of feeding adults be the sole responsibility of one family member?

Until this country starts operating on meritocracy, where hard work, skill, experience and talent determine ones success, we, as a nation, aren’t going anywhere. And we will keep losing our brightest minds to companies abroad where they have a chance at moving up in the corporate ladder and getting paid commensurate to their contribution to the company. Opportunities should be open to all people who deserve them and not to the limited few who society has dictated will have access to it. Thank you for your attention.

TINA VITAS
Makati City