As the Senate once more plunged into a pit of embarrassment when one of its members, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for plunder this week, many people shook their heads in shame.
Week after week, this institution that’s supposed to be a bastion of decency has succeeded in burying itself deeper into a quagmire of unbelievable humiliation. Truly, it has been a while since we last saw this Senate rise like the paragon of virtue that it’s supposed to be.
Following the delay of the Senate session for over two hours due to the controversial arrest of Estrada, his colleagues in the majority bloc chose the path of non-appearance at the plenary hall. This left the visiting choir assigned to sing the Philippine national anthem stranded at the waiting area.
Learning of the chorale’s predicament, the remaining senators allowed the choir to lead the plenary in singing the “Lupang Hinirang.” The scene that showed the minority senators, their employees and beat journalists singing the national anthem together was an emotional moment.
For once, it looked like the nation stood united amidst the conflicts taking place in a Senate that’s rocked by squabbles. The hymn sounded like a call for Filipinos to come together and rise above the challenges facing the country, just as the generations before us did during our nation’s founding years.
And there, in one fleeting instant, we were struck by the anthem’s message of optimism. The song felt like a breath of fresh air, promising that there is still, indeed, hope after all.
What makes that message more striking is our current celebration of the National Flag Days. Declared under Republic Act 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, the commemoration designates May 28 to June 12 of each year as official days to pay deep respect to the flag as a symbol of national unity and sovereignty.
Unfortunately today, there are those who no longer value the Philippine flag. Which is why, for instance, we often see old and tattered national flags on poles fronting, of all places, public schools and government buildings which are supposedly bulwarks of patriotism and nation-building.
These may not be mortal sins, but how can our country ever achieve greatness if its people cannot even be trusted with respecting their flag? As Luke 16:10 says: “Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with large things.” Paraphrased, it means that only those who can manage the basics can be trusted with greater pursuits.
In fact, literally paying respect to the flag is only the start, as this may also be manifested in other forms such as paying the right taxes, voting wisely during elections or helping a blind person cross a busy street. It can even be manifested by not helping spread fake news, by households properly disposing of their garbage, by public servants not accepting bribes and so on.
In our own little ways, we can always do something to manifest love of country which is the essence of respecting the flag in our daily lives. One doesn’t have to be a senator of the majority or minority bloc to demonstrate how patriotism works. Just by being an ordinary law-abiding citizen who cares for others will do.
This is what our Flag Days are really all about. And only when we do our share in making everyday things right can we truly look forward to a better country and say that there is still, indeed, hope after all.