Have you ever wondered why we are all, at one point in our educational life, going to study our national hero's life? Well, call me unpatriotic, but in my opinion, I don't actually see any reason for studying Jose Rizal's life. Let's be honest, more often than not, a student will say that it [Rizal subject] is a bore or a drag. Moreover, not only does our saliva drip while our professor, no matter how good he / she is, talks about Rizal's fabulous trips to Paris or Germany, you cannot deny the fact that studying Rizal would not affect our chosen career should we choose not to study it. Unfortunately, we are not given that choice. According to Article 1425 or the "Rizal Law", we are all required to study Jose Rizal's life. You could just imagine my despair when I heard of this. But surprisingly, I actually did fairly well in my Rizal subject (No, I did not cheat, and, no, I did not seduce my professor for extra credit). At the end of the day, I am thankful that I was able to know Jose Rizal in a deeper way. The one thing that struck me the most is how much he loved and stayed loyal to his country, our country, Pinas. I doubt anybody could argue that he didn't. Of course, there are many others who showed the same kind of love to our country. They all died. And that just shows how much they loved this nation.
Past is past, my dear reader. The once "to-die-for" nation, I believe, no longer exists. Channeling the inner lawyer in me, I would be glad to present to you many, many evidence as to why I am able to say so. Talking about the adamant corruption in the government alone would require me a day or two (which I am considering to write about very much). But in this little blog or essay, or whatever you want to call it, I would like to address a certain something that has bothered me ever since I learned the phrase "common courtesy". This certain something has left a baaaaaad reputation among Filipinos to fellow Filipinos. This certain something is also the cause of why some Filipino citizens hate the Philippines so much. This certain something is shameful, Filipino behavior. Yes, people, another thing that makes the Philippines an undesirable place is because of some people's undesirable behavior. One by one, I will be tackling some of the things I am most bothered with. And should you find yourself guilty of one of these behaviors, well, I've got three words for you; shame on you!
1. "S.F.B. #1: Spitting on the street."
- If there's one thing that I could relate to with the spitting public, it's that uncomfortable feeling in your throat when there's phlegm. But to relieve that discomfort by spitting it out where everyone can see causes discomfort to everyone who can see! You know what I'm talking about. It's that white, bubbly, and gooey liquid material of different consistency you see on the street. God forbid that you get that in your Cole Haan shoes! It wouldn't hurt for you to carry a bottle of water to relieve that throat. Or if you really must get it out, then bring out your handkerchief or perhaps a tissue and spit it there! Being insensitive is the root cause of this disgusting behavior. And, if you're guilty of this behavior, then shame on you!
2. "S.F.B. #2: Peeing anytime, anywhere."
- It is the eternal call of nature. Yes, I've had my fair share of incidents where I had to go but had nowhere to go so I do know what it feels like. But unlike some, I do not just whip "it" out and drizzle. There are so many "Bawal Umihi Dito" signs written on walls here in the Philippines. And the fact that we even have to remind people that public urination is just plain wrong is shameful in itself. Any kind of fluid, with the exception of sweat, that comes out of your body is meant to be in two places only; the bathroom and the bedroom (and here come the naughty thoughts). So, should your urine or semen (which is way more worse) find itself on the sidewalk, then shame on you!
3. "S.F.B. #3: Cursing out loud."
- Now, this I am guilty of and so are a lot of other people that I know. Our excuse? It just comes out automatically. Utterances like "'Tang ina mo!" or "Gago ka!" aren't just inappropriate, they also sound bad. Now, as a person guilty of this behavior, I can provide no antidote to the automatic verbalization of profanity. But perhaps what we can do is to keep the volume under 20%. In my circle of friends, cursing or swearing is just another form of jokes. But let others hear, it may come off as rude and even offensive. Virgin ears may not be the same as a virgin something else, but they're nevertheless pure and innocent. Let's not tarnish them, shall we? So, if you're guilty of making a child's first words a profanity, then shame on you!
4. "S.F.B. #4: Going out... without clothes."
- Every single day that I go out, whether it be day or night, rain or shine, there will always be that adult male who parades around the streets without his shirt on. Yes, I acknowledge the fact that we live in a tropical environment where summer heat brings out the worst in us. But let's not get to the point where the worst in us entails showing your hairy nipples and beer belly to unfortunate passersby. Even if you have rock-hard abs and arms that allure women and gay people alike, no matter how hard it is for me to say this, please put a shirt on. It is a beautiful nightmare to see a man with a great body but with no respect to himself and to others. After all, we [women and gay people] love a little bit of mystery. Don't just bare it all out there! Keep us wanting to see more. And before you know it, we will do the undressing for you (grins). So, if you're guilty of prancing around the metro with your skin as your fashion trend, then shame on you!
5. "S.F.B. #5: Littering"
- Yes, this is a disgusting behavior that should be condemned. Not only is this bad to the eyes of other people, it's bad to dear Mother Nature as well. The problem with people who are littering is that they think small. They think that a candy wrapper or a plastic cup doesn't make a difference in the fight for the environment. Well, here's a quick knock, knock for your brain: IT DOES! As a person who is very sensitive when it comes to the environment, I am very conscious as to where I put my trash. And being conscious is as simple as putting your trash in a garbage can or container. If none can be found in the area, simply hold it and go on your way! Should you find a trash can in your way, then that's the time you throw your trash away. It is never okay to toss your litter anywhere you find convenient. I hope the unfortunate incident in Japan is enough to tell us to never mess with the one mommy that takes care of each and every one of us. So, if you're guilty of this behavior, then shame on you!
You know that there are a lot of other shameful behavior that Filipinos exercise and unfortunately, are unaware of. And, cynical and negative as I may sound, I do not believe that I will ever see the Filipinos change (at least in my lifetime). How I long for a Filipino culture that does not include crab mentality, being insensitive, and selfishness. Don't get me wrong. I am not asking for perfection. Everyone knows that that's not achievable. What I am asking for is change. And I have cited these few things so that we may become aware of shameful acts which we may be guilty of. From awareness, we are going to start to be more careful with our actions and our words. And that, my dear reader, will trigger a chain of events which would constitute change within us. Old habits die hard, but they can die with time and effort. And that's just what the Filipinos are lacking; effort. Do no wait for others to act before you join in on the wagon of change. Why not push the wagon of change yourself? It is much more fulfilling, anyway! And, so, this I ask of you, my reader. Spread awareness to your friends and family who are guilty. And, hey, that change that I am asking for might come sooner than I have thought. So, should the Filipinos prove me wrong on the statement that the Philippines is a hopeless case by embodying change, should the Filipinos prove that Rizal did not waste his life, should the Filipinos see that their country is a beautiful place by seeing the beauty within its people, then shame on ME.
-Derrick Calicdan
(04 / 01 / '11)
Custom Search
Well said Derrick. :)
ReplyDelete