The new millennium offers us a great opportunity for another epoch to take place in our young history as a free nation. Since there is international peace today, there is no need for an armed revolution to encourage a drastic change in our nation’s social and economic condition. Any form of armed revolution, even against our own, is totally unacceptable and therefore out of the question, for while there are no imminent threats from outside aggressors, there should ideally be no threats from within the boundaries of Philippine shores. Today, we need another form of revolution. Our revolution must be a revolution against all forms of harmful paradigms and myths which have been subtly infused and inculcated in our minds by foreign political and religious colonizers from generation to generation.

With emphasis on our countrymen to join me and others who are willing to free ourselves from all harmful religious paradigms and myths. Let us revolt against our “Mam’ya na” paradigm. Let us repress our tendencies for weakness in approving with “Pwede na iyan” response during quality inspections. Let us be ashamed of the “Kumpadre or kumadre” system which breeds nepotism and corruption in schools, in government, in sports, and even in churches. Let us persecute the “Lagay” paradigm in all places where tariff, or penalties, must be exacted. Let us repudiate the notion of the “Torpe” paradigm. We must bury the notion that we are a timid and shy people, a people subservient to others. Religion taught us to be good. Religion taught us to be gentle and nice. However, God does not want us to over-extend our gentleness or goodness to an extremely low state such as to transform goodness into chronic shyness or timidity. This low self-esteem and lack of confidence produce a devastating servile attitude. The long-term effect is suppression of one of the most fundamental rights that God has given us: our right for lawful, bold, public self-expression. Perhaps it is not too much for me to say that even Jose Rizal could have been branded a “torpe” because of the frequent “indio” name-calling he received from his Spanish teachers. But when he traveled to Europe, he saw freedom. This vision released him and inspired him to write his books.

With emphasis to all parents in the Philippines, let us encourage our youth to speak up and express themselves. Our freedom of speech has been suppressed effectively at home by the paradigm that we should ‘honor and respect’ our elders. This concept of honoring and respecting elders can be a good paradigm that may sometimes be destructive if carried too far. For instance, is it not an irony that in the Philippines, Filipinos are not able to openly say “I love you” to their father or mother? My paradigm was exposed when one night, my son who was born and raised here in the US, asked me if I have told my dying father “I love you, Dad.” I could not answer him. Deep in my conscience I knew that I have not. I went home and buried my father but strangely enough, I could only say it to him heartily the love as word of my prayers for him. There was fighting within. That’s strange! I was toung-tied! Tears welled in my eyes. I cried. During my eulogy for him, I finally was able to say “I love you, Dad” for the first time in my life infront of our mourning family. Thereafter, my relationship with him was settled after, now that he is gone in his resting place. We truly became father and son with that special time, special feeling. But sorry to say, it only happened when he died, regretfully now that he is gone. We missed enjoyable times together because of my paradigm.

Honoring and giving due respect to elders are truly God-given commandments, but the freedom of speaking out what is in the heart and conscience, without malice and guile, regardless of age, dialect or creed is also encouraged by God. If we don’t speak out, others will take away our piece and speak their minds for us.

If we don’t speak out, our “Pakiramdaman” paradigm will continue to damage us. Let us openly express ourselves in whatever form we can because where there is freedom of speech, there is technological and economic progress also. If you are mute, use the power of the pen to tell the world your feelings, your ideas, your beliefs. Speaking is not only for those who have been endowed with a voice. Speak from your heart however you can. This is your freedom, our freedom.

War Against Religious Paradigms and Myths

For almost four centuries since 1521, the Spanish friars of the Catholic church started spreading harmful religious paradigms which psychologically dissuaded the Filipinos from being creative and thus to succumb to an attitude of fatalism. Quoting the Holy Scriptures, they preached that it is “blessed to be poor.” Because of this word, many faithful ones believed that poverty is a state that is Providentially designed. They, therefore, surrendered their hope. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, the Spaniards “divided the land among them and employed the Filipinos as tenant farmers, laborers, and servants.” Under such a rule, under the guise of religion and charity underneath the white cloak of the Spanish friars, under a mind-set that pervaded for almost three hundred fifty years, the Filipino was taught and conditioned that he is a “tenant farmer, laborer, or servant.” No wonder, then, that even today, many Filipinos continue living as farmers from generation to generation without the view of self-improvement.

In certain areas in the Philippines, some people stay and suffer the floods and torrential rain even though they know that the area is flooded every year. This fatalistic attitude is the result of following blindly the gross misinterpretation of the Word by those who claim to be preachers of the Word of God. God did not intend for us to be poor or stay poor. God did not intend for us to be a people without hope and future. He said in the 29th chapter of the book of Jeremiah (v. 11) that “He knows the thoughts that He thinks about us, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give us hope.” Also, Romans 10:12 says that “He is rich unto all who call upon Him.” The false myths of the religious have instilled fear of the unseen and the unknown among the faithful, threatening them with excommunication and hell. Roman Catholicism preached inaccurately to the Filipino in a calculated move to obviously favor the friars who enriched themselves.

This belief was practiced by Filipino Catholics for hundreds of years. Sad to say, there is evidence that this belief still prevails today in many areas in the Philippines. We need to revolt against these harmful religious paradigms and myths. No one can uproot them from our being but us.

Stop “Mam’ya Na” Paradigm

Our blood is thickly polluted and adulterated with “Mam’ya na” or the manana attitude. Where did we get this? We got it from Spanish influences. Look at all the countries colonized by Spain and you will observe that where this attitude is prevalent, that country is also very poor. In the US and other countries abroad, if one would have this attitude, others who are aggressively seeking after opportunities will run over this procrastinator. Sometimes, I observe that many Filipino expatriates are commended for being prompt and up-to date in everything they do at work. However, when they return to the Philippines for a visit, they slowly revert back to the old habits. Why is this? Because the Philippines is thickly covered with the clouds of the “Mam’ya na” paradigm. If we are to help the Philippines, this attitude must be changed. We must revolt against procrastination.

Stop “Pwede Na Iyan” Paradigm

The poor quality of our products is a result of our “pwede na iyan” sickness. There are many causes of this sickness. One of the more notable causes is laziness. A more serious cause is cheating and corruption. Well, no wonder, our products are not competitive in the international markets. We were laughing at Japanese toys when Japan was trying to recover after the war. We said that “Kapag gawa ng Hapon, sira sa hapon.” But where is Japan now in international manufacturing and trade? One of the seven industrial powers! Our “pwede na iyan” attitude will not take us anywhere. We must revolt against our own “pwede na iyan” standard of quality. We must work hard to reach the quality of workmanship and standards that are accepted in the international community. Do you know that if you visit any oriental store, including any Filipino grocery, in the US you will not find one single imported brand of rice from the Philippines? The brands come from Thailand, Vietnam, China, or India. Sometimes it challenges me to go into the import-export business but I am very concerned that the quality of our products will not be consistently high as to be accepted, even by Filipino consumers abroad. If our products and services are to be patronized abroad, we must police our own production quality right in the Philippines. I believe we already have excellent standards in place at the Philippine Bureau of Standards. All that is needed is to conscientiously and strictly enforce them. We must, police ourselves.

Stop the “Lagay” Paradigm

In some of my shared stories with other Filipinos here in California, the subject matter concerning bribery, dishonesty and acute lack of trustworthiness of the Filipino officials in the Philippines was broached. Some concerned Filipinos abroad are willing to financially support Philippine projects. But who in the Philippines can be trusted with the funds? They asked me if it is true that a commission of 30% of the cost of any government project is paid in advance to officials who are involved in the approval and bidding processes. I do not have the answers to these questions, nor do I dare volunteer a response.
Taxation is another sore issue. Ideally, taxation is one of the means by which any government can gather funds to support national projects and cover its own costs. We ask at this juncture: Is our system of taxation effective in accurately and honestly levying tariff to all, not only to some, Filipinos? I believe the Philippine system is good, but again the implementation lends itself to doubt and lack of credence. No amount of computerization can cure the graft and corruption that is subtly hidden or built into our Philippine system. Why is this? Because taxation, being a mandate of our constitution, is not policed effectively by those whom we trust to be under the law. The framers of our laws are excellent writers of law. However, the law can be rendered useless and meaningless, or perhaps become dead letters, unless human conscience upholds its applicability, and stands up even unto death, in order to protect its sanctity. The rich are truly getting richer and the poor are being oppressed and always poorer.

Who breaks our laws? Let us not only look at the big time culprits like the criminals, smugglers, drug-pushers. Let us try to recall when was the last time we renewed our driver’s license in the Philippines? May I ask if you took the examination? Or did you have someone else take it for you? Perhaps you inserted a hundred peso bill with your application. What was it for?

When was the last time you got apprehended by a traffic policeman in the Philippines? Did you bribe your way out of the jam? When did you last go home to the Philippines? Did the customs open your luggage’s or Balik-bayan boxes? Was $10 enough to let you through the gates without inspection? How about claiming cargo from Philippine ports? Did you hear loud ‘bangs’ of opening and closing table shelves? (They are opened to signal the owner of the cargo for some “lagay” before the paperwork process can continue and be expedited.) How many tables were there in the line before you claimed your cargo?

In all of these examples, who lost? Our people lost. Our country lost. Our future lost. Every time we give a bribe, we take away revenues which could have been utilized for building schools, hospitals, roads, and for other infra-structure and social projects. Every time the “lagay” paradigm operates, the country sinks with its international debt.

Conclusion

In conclusion, let me underscore that if other countries could do it to us, why could we not do it for us? Only a Filipino can do it for the Filipino. No one else would. We must rise up and claim what is rightfully ours. Let all the fishes in our seas feed our own people, not by buying from foreigners who harvest them from our seas, but by culturing them ourselves. Let all of our inventions be promoted to manufacturing by our own craftsmen, not by foreign shops who use our own drawings to build the machines we designed and rightfully own. Let all our scientists, professionals and skilled tradesmen abroad bring home the technology they gained from their international experiences.

We have the brain power to compete with anyone in the world. The question now is we using this power for Filipino interests or for our own individual causes? International bashing against us must be stopped. The end of the era of timidity and false humility is long over-due. Nevermore should we allow some members of the international community to trample on our self-respect and dignity.

Our moment of glory is now. Through research and development, let us reclaim our natural resources and wealth which have long been utilized by foreigners for their own benefit which consequently deprived our own people. This is the time when Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Buddhists, gnostics, believers and unbelievers alike must all rise up together as a nation, carrying our banner of unity with the spirit of “Kahit ako ay Igorot na sasabing walang pinag-aralan, Filipino pa rin ako at puede parin totolung sa kapwa Pinoy."

Let Us Meet, Speak and Be Heard

This article is just one step among several steps that must be synergized to achieve our goal of Philippine empowerment. Others must step in because “In union there is strength” as well as“The fusion of synergy and interdependence builds the key to empowerment.” With the meeting of our minds and by the exercise of our unified wills, this fusion can be achieve. There are no other ways but there is an option. Otherwise maybe...you can...remember the Killing Fields in Cambodia? Total annihilation of the corrupt people but I know that this is not the answer. What then can you/we do to help our country and countrymen?

Basho Fat Sumo