"And now the pride of the Philippines..."
This booming phrase reverberates the world over whenever a Filipino boxer is announced to face a worthy foe. Behind him is the Pilipino flag waving high before the international audience of boxing enthusiasts.
The Filipino boxer who suffers bodily pain and bruised black-and-blue is the reason the colors red, white and blue are proudly waived tall again and again.
For more than a decade Manny Pacquiao, eight-division world champion, has done this sacrifice and raised that flag. It is not simply for money and fame. It is also a display of what a Filipino can; that he is capable of skills and technique to compete in the world stage of sports.
And so with others, such as Nonito Donaire, Jerwin Ancajas, Donnie Nietes, Albert Pagara, and pugilists of yesteryears Rolando Navarrete, Romero Duno, Pedro Adique, Luisito Espinosa, Gabriel Elorde, among others. Include UFC champions Kevin Belingon and Eduard Folayang from the Cordillera.
They have staked body pain and honor for themselves and the country. They make Filipinos proud. They are true patriots.
Win or lose, hear them pompously mouthing nothing but pride and thanks to kababayans for the moral support and prayers for their safety and success. The day Manny Pacquiao won over Keith Thurman for the super welterweight crown; I was congratulated by my neighbor in New Jersey, a retired senior and boxing enthusiast like me who idolizes our kababayan.
Like thousands of seniors in the United States and other advanced countries, he is attended by a Filipina home aide to live comfortably in his ripe years. Like the rest of them, he is all praises for the "tender loving care" manner and culture only Filipinos parade.
Boxers, the unknown and untrumpeted home aides and Overseas Filipino Workers all lift our nation before millions abroad. They are the living heroes of our time. Their performance and work ethics have spread the goodness of the nation and the country in foreign lands.
On the other hand, this good nature image abroad is sadly undermined by a contradictory culture among us kababayans. We have the penchant to compare the home state of affairs with foreign life conditions.
The worst part is when penny whistling politicians and lefty mainstream media highlight the shortcomings of our very own government abroad giving a bad image to the country. They malign the only country Filipinos have by washing dirty linens and pejorative remarks before their foreign audiences.
They hastily and injudiciously succeed in foreign lands where life standards differ from ours; and its people ignorant of local norms and situations. This is not patriotism. We need not mention names and outfits.
This brings to mind how we demonstrate patriotism and love for the country. Someone mentioned that being a patriot is free, yet patriotism carries obligations and price to pay. Like our boxers who suffer bruises; and OFWs enduring demeaning work conditions.
Twice I heard the late Anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano lecture on our heritage, the positive traits of the Pilipino culture, and the achievements and progress of the nation. He opened my eyes to see the good and not the small black spot in society. He elevated my pride as a Filipino and my ancestry.
Years ago I came across a FB message by a young Korean student who wondered how Filipinos, who attend weekly religious services (piously or out of habit?), care for their country. She insinuated lack of discipline, low respect for each other; and subdued regards to established institutions as the reasons the country lags behind her Asian neighbors.
Lee Kuan Yew, the architect of Singapore's success, mentioned a similar message on discipline among Filipinos and the abuse of the freedom of speech.
Those postings garnered hundreds of thousands in likes and positive responses. Perhaps said observations are appropriate. We deserve them.
The cliché of the Pilipino crab mentality still exists and seems to be the norm by pulling each other down for one to reach the top. This openly demonstrates a sinister culture, and with the internet as a server, revealing negative criticism debasing our own society and government policies.
Strange as it is, everybody becomes an expert and has opinions on how the community should behave and how the government should govern. It seems that by doing so, it is a passionate reason and excuse to go against existing good morals and the laws of the land.
We have a queer way of demonstrating our love for country which leaves us where we stand today.