Filipinos will never be worthy of Ninoy’s life
To prove this, one need not research and reflect on the current national situation of the Philippines. It is very palpable that the Filipinos are not worth Ninoy’s or anyone’s life at all.
Filipinos have these cultural values that are resistant to progress. Look at the masses who elect not only celebrities but incompetent people to government positions. This country is one big fan of popular people regardless whether they make sense or not. In order to be president of the Philippines, one just have to come from a political family and feign “good intentions” for the country which is a deplorable thing given the obvious fact that it should take more than that for us to elect people for government positions. The truth of the matter is, the masses as well as the elites have really shallow minds. They would rather blame the government for their own demise than to blame themselves.
One cultural value that does not facilitate progress is Filipinos obsessed with having too much “fun”. Even our politicians support this fun-loving attitude of the Filipinos. “Work hard, party harder” is deeply embedded in every Filipino’s attitude. We tolerate being undisciplined, barbaric, and insensitive towards people around us. These values stemmed from the Philippines, being a democratic country.
The Philippines is developing backwards. For the majority of Filipinos, short term solutions to problems that require the opposite is “pwede na”. From the dreadful Metro Manila Film Fest to vessels that sink every now and then, we have this culture of accepting mediocrity. Filipinos have trained themselves not to notice things that need to be fixed.
Filipinos will never be worthy of Ninoy’s life. Why, even Noynoy is not worthy of his father’s life.
Happy new year everyone.
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About Iya: Iya Justimbaste believes that positive reinforcement is not applicable to Filipinos. |
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Iya, you assume that these negative traits are NECESSARY attributes of Filipinos and not merely contingent. You have to prove this first or I must say your argument is weak. I think that people – either as individuals or as a group – can change. You can point out many examples of this. While it is true that most Filipinos make idiotic choices, how can you say that this will continue forever? Is this not what some people are fighting against? Now, if you think Filipinos are hopeless, then why bother writing blog posts as this? What is your goal? Are you simply pointing out the obvious or are you simply bored? I am not trying to insult you. Please understand that I am asking questions about your post. I may have misunderstood your point and the goal of this post. If so, I hope you will make me understand.
However, if my thoughts about you are correct, then you have to give better arguments or I will be your worst intellectual enemy.
Cheers!
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rafterman Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Katie, I believe that she meant that being worthy of Ninoy’s ultimate sacrifice is contingent upon removal of the negative traits Filipinos currently possess as a people. You hear and read a lot about the cliche “The Filipino is worth dying for” whenever Ninoy (or the mere shadow of him) is mentioned but it begs the question “What makes the Filipino worth dying for?”
Correct me if I am wrong Iya, but what I understand from your title is that it is a response to that cliche quoted from Ninoy and the results (or lack of them thereof) of his sacrifice. Her article is a challenge to Filipinos to be worthy of the sacrifice of those who believed in them. Ninoy believed in The Filipino and so did Bonifacio, Rizal and many more who sacrificed their lives in the belief that the people would become better.
Heroism not only comes in the form of dying for your country. There is heroism everywhere but as we look around us they seem to all come to naught because the people squander their lives, exploit their “freedoms” and take everything for granted. I think that is her point. Do not waste the sacrifices decent and courageous Filipinos made. The average Filipino does not need to sacrifice his life, energy or treasure. He or she just has to do his or her part well whatever role they play in society. This is not being done by most Pinoys so if Ninoy or others see that nothing has changed within the Filipino, they would be turning in their graves.
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HusengBatute Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
The onus is on Pinoy society and not on the author to provide proof.
I believe the message is directed to Pinoys who hold on dearly to the idea that ‘Filipinos are worth dying for’ and yet either haven’t provided proof of, or aren’t up to the task of showing, their worth in a manner that measures up to the level of sacrifice Ninoy and other ‘heroes’ gave for them.
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Iya Justimbaste Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Actually, my point is dying, simply for change to happen, is a rather appalling thought for me. Ninoy’s death may have sparked the People Power revolution but that’s just it. Despite the yellow shirts, the yellow ribbons, and all the other Ninoy/Cory related stuff being sold in malls, Filipinos have not changed one bit.
My point is that risking one’s life for the Filipinos is a futile attempt in trying to “save” the Philippines from further misery. I believe that if our countrymen wants a real change to happen, they would not do it just because someone died for them. They should work towards a better country because it is for the best. If they continue to act like Ninoy/Cory/Noynoy fanatics, then nothing will happen because it’s just a fad which will most likely fade like all the other trends.
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Chino Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 8:55 am
You know, some people just don’t get that risking one’s life doesn’t make someone a hero. If that were the rule, then suicide attempters would have been heroes. It’s the action he does for the good of others that makes a hero. What made Ninoy a hero is his opposition to Marcos for the good of the Filipinos, not for his getting shot at the tarmac when he came home. He probably would’ve done better if he didn’t get all shot up.
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Hsing Tao Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Pinoys give more value to dramatic actions instead of results. As long as there is drama even if there is no results, Pinoys will praise. If there are results but there is no drama, Pinoys will still favor the former. Just look at Noynoy’s popularity. The workings of a dysfuncional Pinoy mind.
Strong words for a title. However, I can agree that Iya’s description of some apply to most Filipinos. Not necessarily all. But since you see the bad stuff so often, they start to typify the Filipino as a whole. I don’t think the attributes are necessary ones, but you can consider them dominant even if they are considered undesired. Iya’s experience of these traits may be anecdotal, but if she names some cases, I could corroborate with some of my own experiences.
Using a Christian analogy, Jesus Christ died for the sinners, so Ninoy died for the undeserving Filipino. However, Jesus expects the people he saved to shape up and be good. Not because they deserve it or qualified for it… it’s because their turning good is the ultimate goal. When they don’t shape up, it’s not that they become undeserving. Rather, it’s like they refuse the sacrifice made for them. If Filipinos don’t shape up, they would have in essence rejected the sacrifice of Ninoy (and not of Noynoy, hehe). In that sense they would have become “unworthy” of Ninoy’s sacrifice.
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My question is… Is Ninoy, as a role model, worth looking at? Probably yes… because his face is stamped at our 500 peso bill… hehehehe…
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Perhaps you can be more specific about “Filipino”.
What Filipino?
Who exactly?
Is that Filipino a corrupt public official?
Is that Filipino a greedy, tax-evading businessman?
Or is that Filipino a jobless married man who breeds more kids even though he knows he cannot give each and every one of his offspring a decent future?
Is that a Filipino cop who accepts tongs or even moonlights as a thug for corrupt politicans?
Is that a Filipino who pimps out his children so he may enjoy his vice?
is that a Filipino who keeps on voting for the likes of Erap and Noynoy, then complains he was given a bum deal?
If yes, then that sort of Filipino is not worth dying for.
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Hi Iya,
Thought I’d throw in this piece from a Cris Sienes, too
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This was my style back in the early days: Filipinos suck and Filipinos are hopeless. I just found more and more multi-dimensional ways of saying these two simple concepts in the last nine years.
Filipinos suck therefore we should aim not to suck. Likewise, Filipinos are hopeless therefore we should substantiate real hope for change by proving we are doing something different.
How do we aim not to suck? By understanding why we suck. When we’ve come to a crystal clear framework of why we suck, then it becomes equally clear what we are doing today that perpetuates said suckiness. Understanding (i.e. having a coherent framework describing) both aspects of our chronic dysfunction — why we suck and what we are doing wrong to perpetuate this (which is what ultimately makes us appear hopeless) will then give us a solid basis for formulating different approaches to break out of the circle of hopelessness.
You keep doing the same things, you get the same results.
Doing the same thing continuously is only good if those things yield good results. But if they keep yielding bad results and we keep doing the same things that keep delivering those bad results, that is what makes us hopeless.
The aim should always be towards developing frameworks that put coherence and structure to what we observe and conclude about Pinoy society, in the same way that we should be taking our politicians to the task of developing coherent platforms/plans to describe how they intend to govern the Philippines when they are appointed to the offices they seek.
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I suppose the greater question is, what can be done about it, practically speaking.
Until the schools and parents get a “light bulb” vision that this notion of hammering everyone into a dependent mode that follows the dictates of authority, often suspect, few people will develop the skills and individual ambition needed to compete in the global playing field.
Blogging and social networks can begin to break through this imposed submissiveness. Adult awareness would get it done sooner.
Careers based on achievement and capability. Not who you know. Young people taking risks to step out on their own. A morality of good, rather than what’s good for me. Compassion toward the neighbor rather than abusiveness.
Joe
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ninoy believes otherwise.
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BongV Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
he miscalculated. he believed wrong.
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Jet’s got a good point. Maybe someone ought to question the standards of heroism.
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How would you know now that he is dead? His belief that The Filipino is worth dying for is based on his assumption that after his sacrifice the people would improve. That is was only the dictator that is holding them back but he was wrong. The worst enemy of the Filipinos was not some dictator, the worst enemy of the Filipinos are themselves.
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Hsing Tao Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
^^This reply is for GabbyD who said something stupid again.
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GabbyD Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
how do you know that? he didnt say “The filipino is worth dying for as long as _______”. he made an unqualified statement.
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Iya Justimbaste Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 2:44 am
Well, he must be stupid then for dying for the Filipinos without a cause. Gusto lang nya mamatay? Oh come on…
Parehas talaga sila ng anak nya.
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Chino Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Like in my analogy, Jesus Christ died to pay for the sinners’ debt without any condition. But proof for acceptance of his sacrifice is repentance. Imagine the people who rejected Christ’s sacrifice and continued in their sinful ways… it’s certainly making it that Christ died for nothing! The Filipino who does not repent from his bad ways has done the same thing. They have tainted and nullified the effect of the sacrifice of Ninoy by remaining in a bad culture without any willingness to change. Those who do are considered… well, obviously… “anti-Pinoy.” They’re the Pinoys worth dying for.
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You said “believes” (present tense) meaning what he said before would still be his belief if he were still alive today. His belief was based on an assumption and the current attitudes of Filipinos are proving his assumption wrong that they are worth anything at all.
Di nag iisup tong si GabbyD sayang lang pinang tuition dito naging Pilosopong Tasyo lang. Ivory Tower mutterings that have no real value is all he can offer the world right now.
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Hsing Tao Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
^^ that reply is for GabbyD na hindi nag iisip.
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GabbyD Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 7:28 am
ah, tama ka. since he’s not alive anymore, the best we can do and look at what he actually said as representative of what he might believe today.
what he actually said is the only evidence we have for what he believe(s) in.
unless you have any evidence to the contrary? how do you know what his assumptions are?
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Hsing Tao Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 8:40 am
He had the word “worth” in his statement and with the way Filipinos are now, they were not “worth” anything. The word “worth” implies value that he put as a result of his action. In the absence of such value, the action becomes wasted and the statement becomes foolish.
Common sense naman gabbyD. Huwag puro ivory tower mutterings.
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Ninoy aside, Filipinos are indeed not worth dying for. His statement was a foolish one and his death made meaningless by how the Filipinos are these days.
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Is the statement “Filipinos are worth dying for.” really worth noting? If Obama or McCain would say… “Americans are worth dying for” di ba mukhang eklat? chuva… hehehe… it’s just a gadamn marketing statement… What is there to die for? rather… who are the Filipinos worth dying for? Ninoy will never be Rizal or Bonifacio (a tapang a tao)… Isa yan kasi sa mga pasaway kasama yang mga Lopezes nung panahon ni Marcos… look at them now…. a classic case of “SLAVES OF TODAY TYRANTS OF TOMMOROW”… the aquinos and the lopezes. If we cannot define what the Filipino is… we don’t have an argument… sayang lang… magpapaikot ikot lang tayo…. on issues like nobility and culture… and now… dying for thing…
…one cannot be scholarly or academic in his/her argument without defining the ambiguities… HAMEN!!! halleya gesus!!!
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Don’t forget that Ninoy was with Bernabe Buscayno and Jose Ma. Sison when they founded the CPP/NPA. Looks like Ninoy’s worth is unraveling after looking at this part of his history.
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Recently, media again confused the definition of heroism. A diver involved in retrieving the bodies of those who died in the MV Catalyn B disaster himself died. And he is being hailed as a hero! Sad fact you said, Hsing. Filipinos consider only dead people as heroes. If a stranger saved a person from drowning and lived, it’s less likely that he’ll be called a hero. Messed up thinking of people here. Messed up media.
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Filipinos will never be worthy of Ninoy’s Life? For one, I do not have Hacienda Luisita. For two, I do not have money. For Three, Ninoy miscalculated in returning to Flipland. For Four, he thoughted that Flippers will be there with their guns ‘n roses.
NINOY WAS AN ACCIDENTAL HERO. DAT IS WHY HE WENT ABROAD. HE RETURNED THOUGHTED THAT HE’LL MARCOS WILL NOT HAVE THE AUDICITY TO BLOW HIS BRAINS OUT. TOTAL MISCALCULATION. AND HIS MISCALCULATION EARNED HIM A HERO.
HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!
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Even Joma didn’t want to come back a hero’s welcome. He knows whereof he tokin’.
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