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Thursday, May 08, 2003
Lee: The youth? They’re busy leaving
By Kelvin Lee
COMMENTARY
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently called on the country’s youth to help government in facing the many problems of our nation.
“During these times, there are many challenges that our youth must face in the same manner that young Filipinos have struggled during World War II, in the Battle for Independence and in Edsa I and II,” she said in Tagalog.
Well, here’s the problem Madam President: the youth have concerns of their own.
You see, what many politicians do not realize is that most Filipino youth are busy trying to survive. That has taken the place of the phenomenon we used to call patriotism.
Today’s younger generation are more concerned with getting their next paycheck, getting married, or finding a better future for themselves (often in another country), rather than thinking about their own country.
No one, almost no one, thinks of the nation now. A vast majority of the youth would rather forget that they are in or from the Philippines. In fact, if you offer a person American citizenship in exchange for his Filipino one, the offer would be snapped up immediately. To simply escape the poverty, problems and notoriety of our country is one of the goals of many of the youth.
The contention of many people my age is that the Philippines has failed them dismally. And I cannot blame them. It is difficult to find any affection for a country such as ours, which has, for years, been mired in all sorts of failures and catastrophes. Pride in one’s country has been eroded by cynicism and a weariness that is now common among the young.
Think about it. Ask any Filipino youth. Ask him if he wishes to stay a Filipino even after you offer him American citizenship. You may be surprised by the answer. Why else do you think there are so many people who want to go and live abroad? Why else do you think so many people want to immigrate? To become Americans, Canadians, British or even Australians?
Take Daniel. A Filipino by birth, he is currently working in an embassy here in Beijing. He does not have an easy life. I spoke to him before. He is unmarried, yet has two children. Without money, he came to Beijing to look for work and the always-elusive dollar.
Then there’s Joan, 27. She is a Filipino by birth and working in Beijing, too. She is married to a doctor from Australia. She said she is now “Australian.” When asked if she would return to the Philippines, she sighed, as though I were an idiot. Why go back? It’s a dead end there, she told me.
There’s Camille, 24. She is an English teacher in Beijing. But nobody knows she is Filipino. You must be kidding, she told me. No one would hire me if they thought I was from there. I have to say I’m Canadian, she said.
Finally, Joey. He is proud of his country. In fact he loves it. He has lived in the Philippines all 25 years of his life. He has studied in a good school, has a loving fiancée and an excellent job. He hopes to get married soon. He is happy.
But talk about the future and he grows sad. I love my country, he told me, but I can’t raise my future children here. It isn’t fair to them he said, they deserve more. I will probably immigrate to Canada as soon as I get married, he whispered to me sadly.
The support of the youth? I’m sorry, but they seem to be too busy leaving.
(The names of the young Filipinos I mentioned have been changed to protect their privacy.)
(Kelvin Lee writes for Sun.Star Davao)
(May 8, 2003 issue)
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