Flipino Youths are no longer acquinted in Lives!

[maritoni 3]

Any of you still remember their school days as i for one still remember during flag ceremonies then at the school ground, we had to recite, hand over heart, eyes focused at the Philippine flag waving in the breeze, the following oath..

I love the Philippines

It is the land of my birth

It is the home of my people

It protects me and helps me

To be strong, happy and useful.In return,

I will heed the counsel of my parents

I will obey the rules of my school

I will perform my duties

Unselfishly and faithfully.

I will be A True Filipino

In thought, in words, in deed.

Through the years, perhaps instinctively, it goes over and over in my head. What about the present generation, is Love of Country being drilled into the consciousness of children? Or are their eyes trained on some other lands, as OCWs? As immigrants?

Are our children now being encouraged to love things Filipino? When we were young, we were made aware of the NEPA (National Economic Protectionism) policy.. I am not a functionary of this current government or part of any of its agenda. I am one of the faceless public still hoping for the best of this country. I truly believe that there is no other sky as blue as the Philippine sky, and none as beautiful as the Philippine sunrise and sunset.

For me, this is the only land that I can call my own, and I would want no less than see its rightful place again as the Pearl of the Orient.

[luckymom 0]

It is still being imposed on some of the schools in our country. Sometimes I feel bad that these new generations find it "corny" or outmoded if they stand straight and sing the "Bayang Magiliw". I always say to my kids that our country, the Philippines is still the best because of the values that's being instilled in their hearts and minds. Loyalty to our flag and to the country itself is a virtue. Philippines will always be in my heart and I hope the next generation will remember that. God bless us Filipinos.

[chinese_mutt 11]

i can't remember that oath anymore.. i do remember one "panatang makabayan" or something like that... it was in tagalog.

since my grandparents are immigrants here themselves, i really cannot call Philippines as completely my own... (no offense meant) but i do love the fact that the Philippines openned its heart and arms to my grandparents and we were able to build a good life here rather than in the communist China. i have enjoyed much freedom here and will always cherish it as part of what i call home.

since i am moving to US (hopefully, once visa is approved), i would always remember the great times here in the Philippines and I surely will miss the warm hearted people here. However, for most of the Filipinos who migrates to another country... reality is that migration is a part of the life cycle or generation cycle, one cannot always stay in one place esp if the place is riddled with economic and political chaos. Yes, we are taught to a certain extent that 'others' are better than us... but this is to a certain extent is true too. Our country is being left behind even by the Asian countries who used to look up to us. Even India is now better than us when it comes to IT education. There is no shame in wanting a better life... as there is no shame in admitting that we must go out of this country to better ourselves. We must adapt and survive even if it means that some good citizens must leave the Philippines. You cannot help the poor by becoming poor yourself. First, improve yourself... gain money.. gain knowledge.. then come back and rebuild this nation. someday i hope that the filipino immigrants will come back... better than when they left and rebuild this nation... as so many of the Chinese have done. it is just a matter of time, some countries matures faster than the rest but certainly the Filipinos will rise up again and take its rightful place in the world.

[maritoni 3]

i can't remember that oath anymore.. i do remember one "panatang makabayan" or something like that... it was in tagalog.

since my grandparents are immigrants here themselves, i really cannot call Philippines as completely my own... (no offense meant) but i do love the fact that the Philippines openned its heart and arms to my grandparents and we were able to build a good life here rather than in the communist China. i have enjoyed much freedom here and will always cherish it as part of what i call home.

since i am moving to US (hopefully, once visa is approved), i would always remember the great times here in the Philippines and I surely will miss the warm hearted people here. However, for most of the Filipinos who migrates to another country... reality is that migration is a part of the life cycle or generation cycle, one cannot always stay in one place esp if the place is riddled with economic and political chaos. Yes, we are taught to a certain extent that 'others' are better than us... but this is to a certain extent is true too. Our country is being left behind even by the Asian countries who used to look up to us. Even India is now better than us when it comes to IT education. There is no shame in wanting a better life... as there is no shame in admitting that we must go out of this country to better ourselves. We must adapt and survive even if it means that some good citizens must leave the Philippines. You cannot help the poor by becoming poor yourself. First, improve yourself... gain money.. gain knowledge.. then come back and rebuild this nation. someday i hope that the filipino immigrants will come back... better than when they left and rebuild this nation... as so many of the Chinese have done. it is just a matter of time, some countries matures faster than the rest but certainly the Filipinos will rise up again and take its rightful place in the world.

Nationalism is the corner stone of the economic success of a country. Japan is a classic example of this. Ravaged by the war, it came back roaring because of inherent nationalism. Filipinos lack this trait...We would prefer to buy imported stuff over locally produced. Quality is what we lack. But we have a lot of products that are in demand in other countries. Our exotic handicrafts are loved all over the world. Personally, I love our natural fibers for clothes. I buy all my summer clothes in the Philippines. I patronize our products. I love Cream silk conditioner and sunsilk shampoo and our condiments like Knorr sinigang. I buy wood carvings, native blankets and fresh water pearls for gifts. Imagine this, if the over 8 million balikbayans buy these products to bring to the country they work in, imagine the income that the Philippines can generate from these purchases!

[maritoni 3]

It is still being imposed on some of the schools in our country. Sometimes I feel bad that these new generations find it "corny" or outmoded if they stand straight and sing the "Bayang Magiliw". I always say to my kids that our country, the Philippines is still the best because of the values that's being instilled in their hearts and minds. Loyalty to our flag and to the country itself is a virtue. Philippines will always be in my heart and I hope the next generation will remember that. God bless us Filipinos.

I guess, nobody cares about nationalism anymore. Or what stands for it. Cars used to stop at flag ceremonies, never mind if it was just ME leading it as a grade-schooler OR it was the corner of Pasong Tamo and Pasay Road OR that traffic is at a halt all the way from EDSA to South Superhigway! Dang, they now even blow their horns when one car attempts to stop while the anthem plays. What’s sad is that it’s not regular folks who do this, it’s the elite, educated, Makati white-collared ones!