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Friday, August 17, 2007

I am Filipino and Proud to Be One!

The other day I posted about the best "Pasalubong for the Pinoys Abroad". Why? Because I wanted to basically share that we take for granted a lot of simple stuff (this goes for those who live here in the Philippines). Living abroad is not only about missing loved ones. It's about being far away from your homeland. Try celebrating Christmas in another country and you'll learn to appreciate singing our local Christmas carols. Believe me, we were all crying during Christmas eve while singing "Ang Pasko ay sumapit tayo ay magsiawit nang magagandang himig...", by New Year I already locked myself in the bathroom out of depression. I just wanted to go home.

And my Filipino colleagues who were born and raised abroad always come to me to learn more about their roots. Actually those who are abroad have more yearning to be home. They might be better off, but they always tell me that they always feel something is missing. Home.

Jake the Miserable left a really nice comment on the Pasalubong post the other day, he said -

Pero ate, it's pretty interesting that you actually choose to stay here in our Motherland when most of our people are really pushing through to work and live outside. I also choose to stay and die here here, helping this nation through my own small ways. Abah, Batang Maynila ako. Nyehehe. Medyo pangarap ko nga lang makabisita sa Japan.


I have always been emphatic about staying home. I blogged about this a few months ago and my stand stays. It would take a lot to uproot me from here. Matinding negotiations yun. I have very high respect to those who are forced to go abroad to earn a living for their families. I feel their sadness whenever I'm in an airplane with them. I feel the sadness of their loved ones when I do trainings for educators and kids whose parents are abroad. I am sad too because I basically grew up an only child because my brother and sister left when I was still in elementary school. I missed out a lot on them because they've lived in other countries for more than half of my life already. And I wish that I had my nephews and nieces around to annoy as well. Sigh.

And that's why I was really upset when I read about the article that Malu Fernandez did. I do not wish to rehash it here because I don't want any of it here in my blog, you can read up on it at Tingog.com. All I can say is I am at a loss for words and am very sorrowful over the comments she made about our brothers and sisters who are abroad. I definitely do not find what she wrote humorous. Na-ah, not at all. Nakakapikon. As in, pikon na pikon ako kasi just the other day andami kong kasabay na OFW ulit sa airplane. And it is sad that we are losing a lot of our best people to other countries.

I am definitely proud to be Pinoy and will never be ashamed to say that I am one and I'm definitely planning to wear that yellow shirt wherever I go (especially abroad!). And, if ever, I ran into someone like her I'm just going to stare back and raise my brow. Helloooo, go be a citizen of another country if you're not proud to be pug-nosed, brown and simply Pinoy.

This definitely made me cry today. Hmpf.

What about you? Why are you proud to be Pinoy?

28 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:54 PM

    it's really sad about this Malu issue. been reading about it last night from blog to blog that covered the story.

    nung first time kong makalabas ng bansa with my aunt and cousin who are american citizens na, our last night in hongkong was to go out with the OFW maids working there. we had a blast partying at a local disco. di ko din halos matanto kung gaano kasakit mga sinabi ni Malu. im so ashamed of her. sana hindi na lang sya pinoy.

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  2. @andianka - Sigh. I think I'm going to hyperventilate again.

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  3. Anonymous9:03 PM

    Great piece you have here, Aileen. Yes, I've been reading the posts about this Malu Fernandez. I do not want to throw invectives at this woman, though. I just pity her and her state of mind.

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  4. @prudence - thank you. I definitely do not want to bump into her or any of her kind.

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  5. @ivan harry - hehe she is crazy. maybe she just needs a bit of help?

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  6. Anonymous2:00 AM

    nakikiraan lang :-)

    etong take ko dyan sa issue na yan

    http://kengkay.wordpress.com/2007/08/15/si-consuela/

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  7. I'm proud to be Filipino because we're blessed with three gifts:

    1. The Gift of Family
    2. The Gift of Faith
    3. The Gift of a Beautiful Nation

    and no matter how bad things get we still find a reason to smile and thank for our blessings.

    Filipino & Proud:

    http://runway2reality.blogspot.com/2007/08/filipino-proud-moa-pasay.html

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  8. Hihi, okay mamai. Syadu po ata strong 'un una kong sinabi (bugso ng damdamin). Sana na lang po mawala na ang sumpa sa kanya at bumalik siya sa tunay niyang anyo - isang tutuli ^_^

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  9. Anonymous6:53 AM

    It would take a lot to uproot me from here. Matinding negotiations yun

    what if you meet a guy who's based abroad, works abroad, is distinguished and is in love with you and wants to marry you and you love him too and want to marry him too but, you have to live with him abroad?

    malu f - yeah, the article she wrote was mean, and the "apology" was even more so. but im curious why the eic and the publishers allowed it in the first place.

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  10. @kengkay - thanks for dropping by

    @dhon jason - that's really true, I'm going to check out your post.

    @ivan harry - hehehe, nakaka init naman talaga ng ulo eh.

    @lady cess - ummm... ummm... yan ang ninenegotiate namin hahaha. I think I'm going to win. We'll see :)

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  11. Anonymous12:12 PM

    Thanks for uploading the link to M.Fernandez' cruel comments. Like you said, it's really very upsetting. I don't know if she was on drugs or something when she penned down the article, or if that's really her nature. I'm afraid that's what she really is as a person. She bashed the less fortunate fellow Filipinos and claimed she was just trying to be funny? I've met some domestic helpers here in SG, and I've realized how mighty blessed I am to have a convenient life. Nakakaawa sila, hard labor talaga. Then puro left over pa ang pinapakain sa kanila. Many are being maltreated even. They seldom come home for a vacation that's why whenever they're on the plane, they can't contain their bliss. M.Fernandez needs to learn the meaning of "empathy".

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  12. My kids practically grew up in Singapore but they are more prouder of being Pinoys than their parents are.

    May makasabay lang kaming Pinoy they automatically switch to tagalog mode(nagsasalita sila ng Pinoy maski pilipit parang lang magyabang na pinoy sila).

    I remember yung mga pa class sa Pinas nag Eenglish para pakita na class sila...mga anak ko proud na proud mag tagalog maski na namimilipit silang mag tagalog(they speak Singlish in school and at home and with friends).

    We are so proud we are rearing kids who are proud of the Philippines.

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  13. @Zoe - andami talagang Pinoy in SG! Dapat pala nag-plan ako ng meet-up, kahit sa McDo man lang sa Lucky Plaza. I was just there last weekend hehe. Haaaay grabe talaga ginawa niya, masakit! I understand the OFWs kung bakit excited sila, malungkot talaga abroad.

    @Febeth - that is great to hear! Even my nephews and nieces who are being brought up abroad are proud to be Pinoys. Di ko lang alam paano tuwidin ang dila nila haha.

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  14. Anonymous2:30 PM

    Siguro, 'yun na lang ang epekto ng mga taong nakakalimot sa totoong buhay at sarap ng pagiging isang tunay na Filipino. Kaawa-awa naman siya.

    Hindi niya alam na ang ilan sa mga OFW ay iniuuwi nang naka-kahon dahil lamang sa pagtupad ng pangarap at pagtaguyod ng kanilang pamilya. Nakaranas ako ng pagkalayo dahil ilang taon ding naging OFW ang tatay ko (engineer sa Middle East). Kada uwi niya e kinakabahan kami.

    Eh tayo pa naman, hahamakin natin ang lahat mabigyan lang natin ng magandang buhay ang ating mga mahal sa buhay.

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  15. Anonymous3:26 PM

    Hey was just wondering where'd you get the shirt?

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  16. @jake - it's a sacrifice our loved ones do, but we have to create opportunities here so we can make them stay here instead.

    @ron - I got it in Bayo for PhP500+. Namahalan ako! But I liked it so much that's why I bought it hehe.

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  17. Anonymous5:49 PM

    yesterday, i jz found myself crying alone. i did not realize the reason until i called my mother. i'm missing my family and 'Pinas.

    Although, living abroad can give u the financial indepedence dat u are craving for, still iba pa rin kapag nasa Pinas k.

    Only in 'Pinas n mkkita m btang nasa nagllaro sa labas, nagccelebrate ng mahabng Christmas once the "ber" months start.

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  18. Anonymous8:55 PM

    it must suck to be Malu Fernandez.

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  19. Hi Aileen, I'm so proud to be Pinoy. Two months before giving birth to my only son, I opted to return to Manila from Canada amidst protest from hubby's siblings. I want my kid to be born here in our country no matter how huge the benefits are in a foreign land. Now my son is 4 yrs. old, I still believe I did the right thing.

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  20. Anonymous5:31 AM

    my son was born in california and i'm working in california. but i'll always teach him the value of family. even my step brothers who are all born here are pinoy proud. no matter what they call us, from noypis to flips, we're filipino proud. and we will do good in our lives to reflect the true filipino spirit.

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  21. Your post is one for the books, kabayan! I, too, am proud to be a Filipino. Pinoy. Noypi. We have the best that life has to offer. Our culture and our people's charm are more than enough to make people from all over the world stay here.

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  22. Anonymous8:29 PM

    im a recent fan of your webpage and i agree with you a 101%! i am proud to be pinoy. i love our inexplicable joy amidst everything we've been through. i love our 7000+ island even though i haven't even seen half of it! i love every quirks, craziness and kookiness that comes with being pinoy :)

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  23. @anonymous - awww, that's sad. Hugs.

    @dexie - I definitely do not want to be in her shoes right now.

    @rowena - that's great to hear! :)

    @issai - "flips" man tayo, but we always a happy people no matter what divah?

    @anitokid - korek ka diyan! salamat sa comment (made me blush) hehehe.

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  24. Anonymous10:41 AM

    I learned from TFC (TV Patrol) last night that Marlu Hernandez has made a public apology. But I was quite surprised to hear that she's quitting her job as a columnist of Manila Standard and People Asia bec. of harassment and even death threat. It shouldn't have been that way, right. If only she had thought about the repercussions that would follow her irresponsible writing. Di kasi nagisip.

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  25. Anonymous8:02 AM

    im proud to be Pinoy because we grew up with manners, values, and morals.. with our lives that is centered on family and our faith in the Lord.

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  26. Your posts are great, we Filipinos should be proud more than we think we should. Even Saudi Arabia did think so too http://zurcaledworld.blogspot.com/2011/10/be-proud-to-be-filipino.html just keep posting Aileen ;-)

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  27. Tanging tunay na Pilipino lamang ang wagas na magmamahal sa kapwa Pilipino: IsangIsip, IsangSalita, IsangGawa; IsangKapatiran = IsangPilipino

    Kuya Jes,
    wagasmalaya.blogspot.com

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  28. Tanging tunay na Pilipino lamang ang wagas na magmamahal sa kapwa Pilipino: IsangIsip, IsangSalita, IsangGawa; IsangKapatiran = IsangPilipino

    Kuya Jes,
    wagasmalaya.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete