Writer's note: This is an article written by former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., which has been re-posted several times in the past, and several days ago in Mindanao Daily Mirror, where fellow columnist Juan L. Mercado commented: "YOU MAY FIND MUCH TO AGREE WITH IT - OR DISAGREE. ANYWAY READ ON...". I would say the same. As an expatriate, living in the Philippines since 1999 for good, I found Magsaysay's article very interesting... .
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Filipinos are brown. Our color should not be a reason for an inferiority complex. (Some) pine for a fair complexion, white people tan themselves - approximate the Filipino complexion.
Filipinos are a touching people. We create human chains with our perennial AKBAY (putting an arm around another's shoulder, HAWAK (hold), KALABIT (touching with the tip of a finger). We seek inter connections.
Filipinos are linguists. It is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his own dialect, Filipino and English. A lot speak an added language, Chinese, Spanish, or, if he works abroad, thelanguage of his host country.
Filipinos are "groupists". We surround ourselves with people and hover over them. An average Filipino would have and know at least 300 relatives, notes Dr. Patricia Licuanan of Ateneo and Miriam College.
At work, we live BAYANIHAN (mutual help). We want a KALARA (playmate) more than LARUAN (toy). At socials, even guests bring in other guests. When the is no more space in the vehicle, we KALONG KALONG (sit on anoher!). No one suggests splitting.
Filipinos are weavers. Look at our baskets, mats and other crafts. This art is metaphor. We are social weavers. We weave their into ours that we all become parts of another. Thus, we put preium on PAKIKISAMA (getting along) and PAKIKIPAGKAPWA (relating). WALANG PAKIKI-PAGKAPWA (inability to relate) is one of the worst labels.
We harmonize with people and include them in our "tribe", our "family". We seek to be included. Thus, we call our friend's mother NANAY. We ca a friend's sister ATE (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers TIA/TITA (aunt) or TIO/TITO (uncle).
We have the "KA" - institution - loosely translated as "equal to the same kind" as in KASAMA (of the same company), KAISA (of the same cause), KAPANALIG (of the same believe), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals.
Filipinos are adventurers. We have a tradition of separation. Our legends speak of heroes and heroines who almost always get separated from loved ones, and move to far-away lands. There, they find wealth and power.
Our Spanish colonial history is filled with separations caused by the reduccion (hamleting), and forced migration to build towns, churches and galleons. American occupation enlarged the space of Filipino wandering, including America. There is documented evidence of Filipino presence in America as far as back as 1587.
Now, Filipinos composed the world's largest population of overseas workers. Today's citizens of the world bring BAGOONG (salty shrimps paste), PANSIT (sauteed noodles), SIOPAO (meat-filled dough), including the TABO (ladle) and TSINELAS (slippers).
Filipinos recreate their home, or feel at home anywhere. Filipinos have PAKIRAMDAM (deep feeling/discernment). We know how to feel what others feel. Being MANHID (dense) is slur. In our PAKIKI-PAGKAPWA (relating), we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart.
Filipinos are very spiritual. We transcend the physical world. We have a sense of KABA (hunch). A Filipino wife instinctively feels her husband or child is going astray, whether or not tell-tale signs present themselves. Filipinos spiritually makes him invoke divine intervention. Rightly or wrongly, Filipinos are always acknowledging, invoking or driving away spirits into and from their life.
Filipinos are timeless. For nearly half-a-millennium now, the Western clock encroached into our lives. Except for official functions, Filipinos will still measure the time with feeling. Our time is diffused, not framed.
Appointments are defined by UMAGA (morning), TANGHALI (noon), HAPON (afternoon), or GABI (evening). Our most exact time reference is probably KATANGHALIANG-TAPAT (high noon), which allows many minutes of leeway. There is really no defenite time. A Filipino event has no clear-cut beginning nor ending. We have a fiesta, but there is VISPERAS (evening), a day after the fiesta is still considered a good time to visit. The Filipino Christmas is not confined on December 25, it somehow begins months before December and extends up to beyond the first days of January.
Filipinos are spaceless. The Filipino concept of space is not expressed in kilometers but with feelings. We say MALAYO (far) or MALAPIT (near). Indigenous culture did not divide land into private lots but kept it open for all to partake of its abundance.
One's party may expropriate the street! So do SARI SARI - stores! Provincial folks dry PALAYAN (rice grain) on the high ways. Religious groups matter-of-factly commandeer streets for processions and parades. "Filipinos eat, sleep, chat, socialize, quarrel, even urinate ANYWHERE!
So what makes the Filipino special? Brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, linguists, groupists, weavers, adventures? Filipinos should contribute their traits to the world-wide-community of men. But first, they should know, like and love themselves...!
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Again: this is an article, written by former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. - Comments are very much welcome here.
