Alab ng Puso

Just a few years ago, or was it only last year, teacher Nelia Cruz-Sarcol of the Center for International Education launched her book on the Pearl Principle. Fired by the desire to cultivate the beauty and the pearl-like qualities of Filipinos, the Pearl Principle was founded on the strong belief of the Filipinos’ ability to shine and excel and be good.

Time does fly quickly and just as fired up as we were then, we now recoil at the mistakes we make and we hide behind self-criticism to gain the favor of others in a so-called humility.

Alab ng puso, a fire in the heart. A strong yearning for nationalism to come forward and defend a nation whose reputation is being shredded by the constant focus on the wrongs we have done and who is doing this? We ourselves.

We have talked more about what we have not done right more than the things we have done well.

We have published crimes, atrocities in government and the growing degradation of our moral values more than the good stories on how we have built our lives again after the floods; how heroes have surfaced in the midst of a burgeoning blaze that rendered many people homeless. How people have gathered to pool resources to help fellow Filipinos fight poverty through providing livelihood opportunities. How many inventions have been made by Filipinos that save on power, gas and time.

Since the time I watched Z Gorres walk to the stage in our All Cebu Sports Awards with the Sportswriters Association of the Cebu early this year, I have sang the national anthem with more commitment than before. What I did in rote, now I do with a note, with images of people who shed their blood and fought for our country.

I may not have the same courage, or the same chance to win anything for our nation, but in my little way, I try just as Atty. Alex Lacson has listed, to follow simple steps to show that Filipinos are worth every respect as a people and a nation.

In the many occasions I have attended celebrations with local government officials, I can only count the number of elected officers who stand and SING the national anthem while the song is being played like a ceremonial curtain call. Sorry for the pun but haven’t you noticed it too? Sometimes I wonder if they do memorize our national anthem and if they see it as more than just a formality. And they represent our country! Ugh! Maybe someone should make a resolution to require singing rather than playing the national anthem during formal events? But then that would be so contrived. Seriously though, perhaps our shyness to sing may have adulterated our respect for our flag as we take cover behind a canned rendition.

In a movie house, we see people just sitting when the flag is announced and the choir begins the song. I am often told that perhaps the people sitting are not Filipinos. Well, we would stand in respect when we are in their country wouldn’t we?

Sometimes it is also how we project our own value for our nation that rubs into those who never really were born here.   Singing our anthem must be done with pride and a true sense of belief in what our country really stands for…and how precious we are as pearls in the orient seas.