To Philippines, My Manita

Every morning during weekdays, grade school and high school students from both public and private schools are made to recite the Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas. After that, the recitation of the Panatang Makabayan followed:

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas

Aking lupang sinilangan,

Tahanan ng aking lahi;

Kinukopkop ako at tinutulungang

Maging malakas, masipag at marangal.

Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas,

Diringgin ko ang payo

Ng aking magulang;

Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan,

Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin

Ng isang mamamayang makabayan;

Naglilingkod, nag-aaral at nagdarasal

Nang buong katapatan.

Iaalay ko ang aking buhay,

Pangarap, pagsisikap

Sa bansang Pilipinas.

So tedious is this morning ritual that students hate to come early in the morning. They’d rather come late than profess their love and allegiance for the Philippines. As a result, they never take both oaths seriously. So once they get out of school, they cast them into oblivion.

Perhaps one reason why our country always ends up being screwed by us is that we forget how to reciprocate our love for our Motherland. But how exactly do we do give the love back? 

The Panata we take for granted provides us a simple guide: “Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas,/ Diringgin ko ang payo/ Ng aking magulang;/ Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan,/ Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin/ Ng isang mamamayang makabayan.”

Maybe if we were just reminded from time to time of our obligation to the country as expressed in the Panatang Makabayan, there would be no Fertilizer Scam, ZTE-NBN Deal, Hello Garci, PDAF-DAP, or Corona Impeachment to speak of. Maybe our country would not be mired in petty political bickering and suffer from short-sighted, partisan, and knee-jerk policies.

This #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014 got me thinking what gift would I give the Philippines if I were to have a Kris Kringle with it.

If the Philippines were my manita, I would give her decals, bumper stickers, and bar pins. On these items are printed these words below taken from the Panatang Makabayan:

“Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas, diringgin ko ang payo ng aking magulang.”

“Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas, susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan.”

“Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas, tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan.”

Those will be distributed to schools, Public Utility Bus and Jeepneys, public spaces such as parks, malls, waiting sheds, and have those posted in any conspicuous place.

The effect may not be seen a day or a week after, but remember our parent’s reminders when we were young?

“Don’t drink.” “Don’t smoke.” “Do study your lessons.” “Do good to others.”

Don’t they stick with us? Are they not inculcated in our minds now?

If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?