The weather was all smiles for Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, as she and her family, along with the Consular staff hosted the official Flag raising at Philippine House last 9 June. And up there, with clear blue skies and the sun shining, the flag was hoisted as the crowd sang the Philippine National Anthem. And for an hour or so, the spirit of the Filipino swelled in me.
Before we could feast on the Filipino breakfast of longsilogs, there were the Readings: the messages of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and President Benigno Aquino III along with a progress report of the Philippines: Good news – the stock exchange is at its best performance; our credit rating has been upgraded which translates to foreign investment; and overall it’s 7.8%economic growth which is in line with the President’s economic reforms.
This year’s Independence message: “Ambagan Tungo Sa Malawakang Kaunlaran.” (Translated: Sharing resources towards equitable progress.)
Then came the Gospel according to St. Anne. With a captive audience, ConGen Anne Louis went on to give the sermon at Mt. Onslow. A candid homily delivered in true diplomatic fashion but with overtones of frustration towards the end. She should have just gone for the jugular and said “stop it and behave yourselves” for I am sure those listening would have made up their own interpretations.
She spoke of the community working together for the revitalization of the nation in true bayanihan spirit – like carrying the house on our shoulders and moving towards one direction. “We all carry the welfare of the community,” she said. “Give openly and give generously from the heart. Foster common understanding and build a culture of peace. Sama sama – ambagan – walang iwanan.” she added. I would have much rather said “walang lokohan – walang sipaan.”
But standing by the crossroads with the weight of the “house” on shoulders, watching people just parading themselves not knowing where to go can make the load feel heavier, not to mention, exhausting. There’s so much misappropriation of time and resources and no one seems to know where they are going. Some only think they do; some seem to be just going around in circles thinking that visibility and activity equates to productivity. Some sit by the window watching adding to the weight. Those capable and with a sense of direction are pushed aside and have subsequently lost interest.
Besides people have different ideas of the house which by the way is falling to bits and in dire need of repair. Some cannot see it; some refuse to see; and some are blinded by their superficial facebook glory.
This year, PCC rehashed and echoed President Aquino’s battle cry “tuwid na daan” but failed to understand and live it. Aquino’s catchphrase was not just about the right direction, it was about doing the right thing and stomping out corruption. And then someone decided to throw in a Gandhi quote in for good measure.
We are the “custodians of our culture” said ConGen Anne Louis. And right there is another problem! Some play lip service but have no idea what culture really is. Some think that putting on a blindingly bright Filipiniana outfit, adding a few clickety-click- clacking ‘bakyas” or bamboo castanets will do the trick. Someone in PCC said that people in the community don’t really understand quality. So I guess that means that we shouldn’t even try. It’s a case of ‘kakilala’, ‘puwede na’ and ‘hala bira!’
In the battle of Philippine Independence balls both camps boasted of their Australian dignitaries. One claimed to have 40 dignitaries, while the other camp, PCC , Collado and her 3-person team were flying high for having scored the presence of Prime Minister Gillard who I note, did not come attired for the event and Premier O’Farrell who changed into his barong.
While it’s all well and good that the politicians made their appearances this year (as they do every year), let us not forget that this year is an election year. Regardless of who the President would have been, all politicians were bound to come out and play. Not to mention the problems besieging the Labor party, mixing and mingling with a jingling beat would have been the sensible thing to do. Hey, even Mr. Diaz made an appearance and did the walk!
But the bigger question is – what of our culture did we showcase? Both were a hodge-podge of the Philippine culture. Collado’s team had a mix of singers to include David Pomeranz (how Filipino is that!) plus dancers and the usual rigodon. Amores and company opted for a dramatic interpretation of history in freeze frame snippets. They called it tableau but against the backdrop of the National anthem, it was simply taboo. And for their closer, an Aussie magician (hey, that’s Fame’s Magic Night) along with the ghosts of Tirad Pass. They also claim to have now changed directions and say they are moving towards multiculturalism. So, why then are they celebrating Philippine Independence Day?
Sifting through the fulsome comments attached to people’s faces with Gillard splattered over facebook, I couldn’t help but feel a pinch of sadness that the community’s measure of success was the presence of a dignitary. We define ourselves not for the joy of sharing independence day, not for the thrill of being a Filipino but for what picture we got with whom.
How low can our self esteem be when our yardstick for success is dependent on external factors? How proud can we really be? Oh boy, image overhaul urgently required!
Oh, and don’t shoot the messenger. I simply shared the comments of the silent majority, those without titles, standing and watching from the sidelines, absolutely flabbergasted!
