Filipinozation

Ever since the era of the American occupation, we Filipinos have been dubbed the term “utak-alipin”. This is because, according to the majority, our hearts and loyalty belong to the Americans and not to our own country. We lack the nationalism needed for our culture and country to survive. But I learned, through a friend’s teacher, Mr. Coroza, that this is not true. We are no longer under the hands of our colonizers as some would most likely think. This is because whatever influence they put upon us went under the process “naturalization”. We are not merely passive receivers. We do something with whatever they give and we turn it into something else. We change it’s meaning and fit it to the culture we are used to. An example would be the concept of Karma. The Buddhist do not believe in our God. For them, Karma is a force in the world that acts to balance everything in life. If something good happens, karma creates a negative event to balance it out. But when this concept entered our culture, it went under naturalization and the meaning somehow changed. Because we are a Catholic country, we included our religion in the concept to better suit our culture. For us, we view Karma as God’s invisible hand used to bring justice to the poor and maltreated. This shows that we are not really under the influence of the Americans or any other previous colonizers. The things or beliefs we have are no longer theirs because we changed it and made it ours. And for this reason alone, I believe that we can call ourselves uniquely Filipinos- slave of no one and imitator of none.

world wide quality product - patronizing philippine product means affordable product w/ the same quality

During these trying times, most Filipinos usually settle for the lowest priced item on the market when shopping. Considerations such as whether the company we buy from has responsible business practices don’t even enter our thoughts.
That is why three non-government organizations started a campaign on consumer education.
The campaign, with the slogan "Buy local, buy fair," was officially launched last May through the initiative of the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. (APFTI), the Asia Fair Trade Forum (AFTV), and its national arm, the Philippine Fair Trade Forum (PFTF).
The first half of the slogan "Buy local, buy fair," urges consumers to patronize Philippine-made products. But equal emphasis is placed on buying "fair." Affordable price means local products because it doesnt have fixed cost like shipping fee and taxes as well and it bring good for the whole country because we will all benefit from this, economically and financially. our money will only revolve around our country and this means that no foreigners will user our money outside our soveireignity and local people will all benefir from this.

OPM

Mainstream today in music, to me, is quite redundant. A good number of them sound alike with similar messages and using synonymous words. It seems like they’re trying to appease the masses, afraid they would be shunned if they didn’t jump on the bandwagon. Comparing them to underground bands that produce independent albums, it’s sad to see the better bands not get their fair share of the spot light. Such flaring creativity needs to be found and brought into the light but still, it’s only my opinion. In the end, for better or worse, they’re all part of our culture. Can Filipino artists be considered nationalistic even though it's of western influence?

FILIPINO language to unite all filipinos

The Philippines is a nation of many languages and dialects. A survey by Richard Pitman, an American linguist, showed that there are 55 native languages and 142 dialects in the country, apart from English and Spanish. All the native languages and dialects belong to the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages.
Of the eight principal native languages, Cebuano ranks first. It is spoken by nearly first (24.39%) of the people. Tagalog which used to be first, now ranks a close second (23.82%); followed by Ilocano (11.14%); Hiligaynon or Ilongo (9.99%); Bicolano (6.96%); Waray-waray (4.62%); Kapampangan (3.43%) and Pangasinan (2.26%).
English is the language of instruction in schools, but Filipino is the national language. Much of Filipino is derived from the language (Tagalog) spoken in Manila and nearby provinces. These major languages are spoken is different areas in the country: Ilocano and Pangasinan - Northern Luzon; Waray in Samar and Leyte; Cebuano - in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and of Christian Mindanao; Hiligaynon - in Panay and Negros Occidental; and the Muslim languages, Maranao- in the Lanao area, Maguindallao in Cotabato, and Tausug- in the Sulu and Tawi-Tawi group.
English is the most widely used language in the country, especially for education, commerce and the professions. In fact, the Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world. Spanish has declined in use and popularly, and is spoken by a very small minority. Fukien and Cantonese Chinese are spoken and used by the large Chinese communities in urban areas. Significantly, the country has three official languages - Filipino, English and Spanish. FILIPINO became our national language during spanigh era to unite all filipinos for all filipinos. TAGALUGAN PARA SA PANGKATAGALUGAN!

Modern Filipino Heroes

Nowadays, we dont really know who we should call our modern heroes. Even the President who should be a hero to all filipinos has become a shame to all of us, she's just a little shrimp with lots of money with a ten cent brain. she is nothing to be proud about. she represents the downfall of the filipinos. But back to my topic, who should we call our modern day heroes? if you ask me its all the filipinos who work hard to make this community a better place, it doensnt have to be rich folks or elite folks, we are looking for the traits of filipinos that makes their family and community a peaceful and fair place to leave. this heroes can be a farmer who failry sells his rice to every filipinos so that we can all eat ample food everyday and those who are honest in everything they do and earn legally and without disturbing the benefir of all the communtiy, This people are our modenrn day heroes, thos unsang heroes that we should salute everyday, and not our corrupt officials that makes our country a third world. Thanks GMA.

Proud to be Pinoy?

Being pinoy or filipino has its ups and down but surely everyone must look back on where they came from and recognize the culture and way of living that made them the way they are today. Some of our "known" pinoys would definentely be Manny "pacman" pacquiao and Lea salonga and they surely have raised our flag up high and they surely become a proud filipino and this really showed nationalism and this brought unity between us all and made a model for every filipinos can be great just like everyone else. Manny pacquaio lived a poor filipino, raised in general santos city where he only finished grade school and then became a "kargador" but he still believed in his skills as a boxer and now look at him, manny represents all filipinos that who will strive hard will succeed, we just need to find our potential and work on it. filipinos are made to be great. JUST DO IT JUAN DELA CRUZ.

OFW: Modern Heroes?

A lot of people regard OFWs as heroes often citing how much sacrifice they are willing to make in order to earn a living for their families. But isn't this an overstatement of what they are? It is true that it is a big sacrifice to work in a foreign land away from your loved ones but I believe that the ones who opt to stay here should be the ones regarded as heroes -- the teachers, doctors, nurses and other professionals whom we need here to serve fellow Filipinos are the real heroes. Despite scarce job opportunities and uncompetitive salaries, these people choose to stay here. They had chosen to live a simple life believing that they could help the Filipinos and make a difference in the country. These are what we call heroes.

Domination of Foreigners in the Country

How can we really show our love for the country if we are being dominated by the foreigners?

Most of the time, people say that we should show some love and support for our country so that we would be able to show that "Filipino Nationalism" but how can we do that if the country is being dominated by these foreigners?

These foreigners do not dominate our population because they can’t really out number the millions of Filipinos in the country but they are dominating us through our economy. They are the ones who dominate the corporations and companies that contribute to our economy. The government is continuously allowing them to put up their businesses here so that our country’s economy will grow.

I think that the government should instead support the local companies and local investors in businesses rather than allowing more foreign companies in the country. This way, the Filipinos could dominate our own economy and we can say that we are able to show this “Filipino Nationalism” because we are supporting our own countrymen rather than the foreigners. It would be through the hard work and effort of fellow Filipinos that is how the economy will grow.

Think about it. Wouldn’t it be more appealing to the people if local companies would be able to uplift our economy rather than just supporting foreign companies running in the country?

Filipino Nationalism Way to Success

Having love for the country is much more love for oneself, because whatever happens we benefit from the things we do. Love something and it will love you back or pretend to love something it will still love you back.
I believe that the more you give the more you can keep, for example the government, they always fix the road or make a lot of projects this is because the head of these projects gain commissions or trust of the people to earn more votes on the next election. Another is people promoting Filipino movies rather than English movies, maybe these are the cast and staffs of these movies.
There are lots of ways to benefit in showing your nationalism to your country, think of a way and surely you will succeed.

Pact of Biak-na-Bato

Emilio Aguinaldo established his headquarters in Biak-na-Bato in Bulacan province. The news immediately spread throughout the country, and the revolutionaries were once more in high spirits. General llanera, who was in Nueva Ecija, declared his support for Aguinaldo. In July 1897, Aguinaldo established the Biak-na-Bato Republic and issued a proclamation stating the following demands:

▪ Expulsion of the friars and the return of the friar lands to the Filipinos
▪ Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
▪ Freedom of the press and of religion
▪ Abolition of the government’s power to banish Filipinos
▪ Equality for all before the law.

A charter based on the Cuban Constitution was also drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho. It was signed on November 1, 1897. The Biak-na-Bato Constitution provided for the establishment of a Supreme council that would serve as the highest governing body of the Republic. It also outlined certain basic human rights, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the right to education. Emilio Aguinaldo and Mariano Trias were elected Supreme Council president and vice president, respectively.

The Pact of Biak-na-Bato

Pedro Paterno, a Spaniard born in the Philippines volunteered to act as negotiator between Aguinaldo and Gov. Primo de Rivera in order to end the clashes. Paterno’s effort paid off when on, December 15, 1897, the Pact he sign the Pact as the representative of the revolutionaries, and de Rivera as the representative of the Spanish government. The Leaders are: Emilio Aguinaldo-President, Mariano Trias-Vice President, Antonio Montenegro-Secretary, Baldomero Aguinaldo-Treasurer, and Emilio Riego de Dios.

On December 23, 1897, Generals Celestino Tejero and Ricardo Monet of the Spanish army arrived in Biak-na-Bato and became hostages of the rebels. A ceasefire was declared by both camps and an agreement between Aguinaldo and the Spanish forces was made -that the Spanish government will grant self-rule to the Philippines in 3 years if Aguinaldo went to exile and surrender his arms. In exchange, Aguinaldo will receive P800,000 (Mexican Pesos) as remuneration to the revolutionaries and an amnesty. After receiving a partial payment of P400,000, Aguinaldo left for Hong Kong on December 27, 1897. Some Filipino generals, however, did not believe in the sincerity of the Spaniards. They refused to surrender their arms. Nevertheless, the Te Deum was still sung on January 23, 1898.

The Pact Fails

The Filipino’s and the Spaniards did not trust each other. As a result, periodic clashes between the two groups still took place even after Aguinaldo’s departure from the country. The Spanish did not pay the entire agreed amount.

The Tejeros Assembly

On March 22, 1897, the Magdiwang and Magdalo councils met once more, this time at the friar estate house in Tejeros, a barrio of San Francisco de Malabon. This convention proved even stormier than the Imus meeting and, as in Imus, the declared objective of the meeting was not even discussed.

According to Jacinto Lumbreras, a Magdiwang and first presiding officer of the Tejeros convention, the meeting had been called to adopt measure for the defense of Cavite. Again this subject was not discussed, and instead, the assembled leaders, including the Magdiwangs, decided to elect the officers of the revolutionary government, thus unceremoniously discarding the Supreme Council of the Katipunan under whose standard the people had been fighting and would continue to fight.

Bonifacio presided, though reluctantly, over the election. Beforehand, he secured the unanimous pledge of the assembly to abide by the majority decision. The results were:

President	Emilio Aguinaldo
Vice-President	Mariano Trias
Captain-General	Artemio Ricarte
Director of War	Emiliano Riego de Dios
Director of the Interior	Andres Bonifacio

Emilio Aguinaldo had been awarded the highest prize of the Revolution on his own birth anniversary, although he was not present, being busy at a military front in Pasong Santol, a barrio of Imus. As for Bonifacio, the death-blow to the Katipunan and his election as a mere Director of the Interior showed clearly that he had been maneuvered out of power. It must have been a bitter pill to swallow, especially since even the Magdiwangs who were supposed to be his supporters did not vote for him either for President or Vice-President.

But another insult was yet to follow. Evidently, the Caviteño elite could not accept an "uneducated" man, and a non-Caviteño at that, even for the minor post of Director of the Interior. Daniel Tirona protested Bonifacio's election saying that the post should not be occupied by a person without a lawyer's diploma. He suggested a Caviteño lawyer, Jose del Rosario for the position.

This was clearly an intended insult. It naturally infuriated Bonifacio who thereupon hotly declared: "I, as chairman of this assembly and as President of the Supreme Council of the Katipunan, as all of you do not deny, declare this assembly dissolved, and I annul all that has been approved and resolved."

The Cry of Pugadlawin

The news of the discovery of the Katipunan spread throughout Manila and the suburbs. Bonifacio, informed of the discovery, secretly instructed his runners to summon all the leaders of the society to a general assembly to be held on August 24. They were to meet at Balintawak to discuss the steps to be taken to meet the crisis. That same night of August 19, Bonifacio, accompanied by his brother Procopio, Emilio Jacinto, Teodoro Plata, and Aguedo del Rosario, slipped through the cordon of Spanish sentries and reached Balintawak before midnight. Pio Valenzuela followed them the next day. On the 21st, Bonifacio changed the Katipunan code because the Spanish authorities had already deciphered it. In the afternoon of the same day, the rebels, numbering about 500, left Balintawak for Kangkong, where Apolonio Samson, a Katipunero, gave them food and shelter. In the afternoon of August 22, they proceeded to Pugadlawin. The following day, in the yard of Juan A. Ramos, the son of Melchora Aquino who was later called the "Mother of the Katipunan", Bonifacio asked his men whether they were prepared to fight to the bitter end. Despite the objection of his brother-in-law, Teodoro Plata, all assembled agreed to fight to the last. "That being the case, " Bonifacio said, "bring out your cedulas and tear them to pieces to symbolize our determination to take up arms!" The men obediently tore up their cedulas, shouting "Long live the Philippines!" This event marked the so-called "Cry of Balintawak," which actually happened in Pugadlawin.

The Filipino is worth dying for- Ninoy Aquino

The Philippine political opposition leader Benigno Simeon Aquino, b. Nov. 27, 1932, d. Aug. 21, 1983, was assassinated while disembarking a plane upon his return to the Philippines from three years of self-imposed exile in the United States. Massive demonstrations followed by groups that alleged government complicity in the assassination. Philippine president Ferdinand MARCOS denied the allegations, but government actions to investigate the killing did not allay suspicions of official involvement. A civilian commission investigating the assassination reported in October 1984 that Aquino's death was planned and executed by the Philippine military. In 1985, however, the Philippine Supreme Court acquitted the military personnel implicated in the slaying (including armed forces chief of staff Gen. Fabian Ver). After Marcos left the country in 1986 and Aquino's widow, Corazon, became president, there were calls for a reopening of the assassination investigation. (see AQUINO , CORAZON)

Aquino, a member of a wealthy and politically powerful family, rose quickly in Philippine politics: mayor of Concepcion (1955), vice-governor of Tarlac province (1959), governor (1961), secretary general of the Liberal party (1966), and senator (1967). Labeled a communist by Marcos, Aquino was arrested and imprisoned following the imposition of martial law in 1972 and sentenced to death in 1977. When his death sentence was commuted in 1980, Aquino was allowed to go to the United States for medical treatment. Although Aquino did not live to see democracy restored to the Philippines, his assassination was the event that mobilized the opposition to Marcos and a major factor in the end of the Marcos regime on Feb. 25, 1986.

Philippine Independence

The Philippine Independence is celebrated every June 12, but did you know that there are several dates to consider in the declaration of our independence? There are actually four dates. First is June 12, it is the when Emilio Aguinaldo, the leader of the dictatorial government that time, declared our independence. The other is on August 24, when the Americans themselves gave us our independence. My stand is to celebrate our independence on June 12, since there were too many foreign entities involved during the August 24 date.

How about you? what do you think?

Buying Filipino products love for country?

Some believe that buying Filipino products is a good way of showing our love for the country. But if you visit the malls or the supermarket most people would prefer to buy imported products, western products or Chinese products its because Chinese products are usually cheaper and people tend to believe that western products assures quality. Whatever people choose, its their decision because it's their money.
What about the people who want to support Filipino products what should they choose, Imported brands that are made in the Philippines or local brands that are made in China? What are Filipino products? Does it exist?
This issue confuses me as well so I came to a conclusion, buy any product you like whether imported brand or not as long as you buy it in the country its subject to 12% vat so either way you helped the country.