"Wait, Dr. Jose Rizal! I'm afraid.... I'm afraid that --"
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Our professor in Teaching Writing assigned us to write a reaction paper with an essay entitled Dear Country written by Mr. Bino A. Realuyo. The essay is a sentiment for Filipinos who left the country and found a better life abroad. He expresses his sadness with this realization. Here is my reaction:
The selection Dear Country by Mr. Bino A. Realuyo is indeed an awakening. It gave us a picture of our country from the eyes of a “kababayan” and an American immigrant at the same time. It will make us think, “Why do my fellow citizens needed to go away while we claim that Philippines as a beautiful country?” But the answer will slap us in the face: “Philippines isn’t enough.”
And it will lead us back to another question: “Why, indeed, did our kababayans chose to leave our beloved country?”
It is rightful then, to give an opinion about Mr. Realuyo’s disposition.
Picture yourself walking to a bank where your kapamilya abroad sent you the money of a crisp $ 240.00. It might sound small but considering the huge economic gap between US and Philippines, the humble $ 240.00 grows to a large P 10, 000.00. Why? The exchange rate between US and Philippine currencies plays at P 42.00 per dollar. It might sound useless but it shows all.
In monetary terms, the larger the gap between the currencies, the larger the gap of economic growth. In Philippines case, we are way back 42 times behind America which only shows the great opportunity in that country.
And, while we tackle about currency exchanges, another issue pops out – Philippines cannot support its citizens in terms of employment. We are no blind to see our unemployment rate shuttle up. And the by-product? Citizens blame the government; throw accusations at our leaders and in the end, those who can will go out the country and those who can’t will stay on their couches and unfortunately will join the count of what we call ‘tambays’*.
On this juncture, we will focus on those who go out the country.
We are no new to these issues. In fact, many of our fresh graduates plan straight ahead to go abroad without even taking a chance with our country. Lots of our countrymen flock to US and even other countries to till better soil. Filipino communities are now rampant all over the globe. I can even remember a news about a foreign man who called our country “country of slaves”. It is painful to hear but deep inside, I know there’s truth to it. Yes, it is painful to hear the truth. I am a Filipino. I have relatives who are abroad and I feel sympathy for them. I feel sympathy to our heroes of long ago who sacrificed their lives to free us from colonizers. I can’t imagine what they would feel once they saw that we are again enslaved. But this time, with an unseen enemy; division.
Yes, we are divided. Divided by our needs and dreams. Filipinos needed to go abroad because Philippines cannot feed them. It is as heartbreaking as seeing a parent cry because he cannot feed his child. And what is more heartbreaking to see a child leave his parents and find a way to live on his own?
It is true. Uncle Sam can give Juan dela Cruz* better future but what is inside Juan dela Cruz now? He is sick. Sick from longing to be in home, in the arms of their family. What Mr. Realuyo said it is true, then. “There are many things in life dollars can’t buy.” The satisfaction is undeniable when Juan sends his family the money he earned but when he is couched at night, tears will flow in his eyes, occupying a large hollow in his chest.
Can we blame Juan?
My answer is NO.
If someone will have the chance to better his life, why wouldn’t he? The sadness will come but the thought of your family will kill your heart. And I salute to all my fellow Filipinos abroad. Whether you are employed legally or illegally, whether you are teachers, or engineers, or nurses, or domestic helpers, whether your employers are kind to you or not. I salute you all for being a hero for your families. But I still wish, like Mr. Realuyo, that one day, you won’t need to fly abroad to hear your heroism. And I still wish, as a young Filipino, that one day, my country will beat the impossible and tuck her children back to their homes where they REALLY belong.
I till wish that the sun will rise. But this time, I hope it will give real sunshine, to my beautiful country of heroes.
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"...no one was left..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *'tambay' -- a term for people who doesn't have a work and instead just sit near the street and watch vehicles go by. (stand by-er)
*Juan dela Cruz -- another name for 'Filipinos'
