Just to contemplate on the June 12th "Independence Day", let me express my view on this one.
Manuel Quezon once said that he'd rather live in a country that is "run like hell" by Filipinos rather than a country "run like heaven" by foreigners. Of course, not every Filipino share his view.
Come to think of it, Manuel Quezon and the entirety of the Philippines itself is an American fabrication. When Aguinaldo declared his "independence", he was only referring to a select few provinces mostly in Luzon. I am starting to think that the Americans have this sort of guilt due from their "Manifest Destiny" and their own colonial past they did not want to make another Hawaii or Puerto Rico. In short, we were hastily rounded up and made into a country which we never really united among ourselves. Compared to other countries that fought for their freedom, ours was given on July 4, 1946.
Now, we do not even have the conviction or the balls to stand up against China with our defeatist attitude. However, I could be wrong because whenever Manny Pacquiao wins a boxing match or a half-Filipino wins a singing contest of some sort internationally, we are always so quick to have that Filipino pride.
Well, who knows? Maybe one day we can become a progressive country but before that I think our country is still stuck in an identity crisis. Happy “Independence Day”!
Category: Rants