Have we a sense of country?

Seth Mydans, of the New York Times, wrote:

The Philippines, with a population of 92 million, is one of the most vibrant nations in Asia, with a flamboyantly free press and a creative, assertive body of independent organizations and interest groups.

But it has not managed to tame its Communist and Muslim insurgencies or its restive military, which seems constantly to be plotting coups. Human rights groups say abuses by the military have returned to the levels of the Marcos years.

And the political arena sometimes seems more like a form of mass entertainment than a place of governance.

Where does the fault lie?

Conrado de Quiros confronted the same question in his speech at the graduation rites of UP Visayas in Ilo-Ilo City. He said:

We have no dearth of examples to show the lack of will on the part of this country's leaders and citizens. But where does this lack of will come from? Is it in our nature? Are we naturally flawed? Is it in our character? Are we naturally weak? Or is it, to quote Cassius, in our stars that we are underlings?

It is none of these. From where I stand, it is simply this: We have no sense of country.