Alas, freedom day has become simply a day of fun, a time to laze around with nary a happening. Years ago it used to be a day of intense patriotic experience, of a sense of unity and nationhood.
What has happened to the Filipino?
When I was in the grades - this was early in the post-war years - Independence Day (July 4th then) was a great day, at least for us school kids. Weeks before the event our lessons would focus on stories of heroism by Filipino freedom fighters - Rizal, Bonifacio, Aguinaldo, Del Pilar, Malvar, Luna and others. Our history teacher would discuss with us the story of the Philippine revolution bringing to life the happenings when our forebears fought their oppressors and shed their blood.
And what did we have in our music class? Songs of nationalism and love of country. We were taught to read the notes on these, and later sing the songs themselves. Thus our classrooms would resound with the tunes of "Sweet are the Hours in One's Native Land", "Alerta Katipunan", "Bonifacio", "Philippines My Philippines", "God Bless the Philippines", and other patriotic songs.
In the lobby of our school there would be a pictorial exhibit featuring our great men including the postwar presidents - Osmeña, Roxas, Quirino, Magsaysay. Pictures of battle scenes during the Katipunan rebellion, the Filipino-American war and those in Bataan and Corregidor made us wonder at the long and torturous journey our people took before gaining independence.
A few days before the big day, our Monday flag ceremony would feature a tableau on historical events such as the execution of Rizal, the battle of Mactan or the blood compact in Bohol. And we would sing the "O Sintang Lupa" (the old version of Lupang Hinirang) with gusto and recite the pledge of allegiance heartily. (To my contemporaries who have forgotten this pledge, it runs like this: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of my country and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible with justice and liberty for all").
When the great day came we would all be filled with excitement, especially some of us, Boy Scouts, who were selected to march in the parade. For days we would practice marching in the school ground while individually we would prepare our uniform and scouting paraphernalia. But even those who would not be marching would still feel the excitement, for they too would be there in the city as onlookers.
For the grand parade was so grand that almost all people would flock to the routes to watch the spectacle. And how they would gasp in amazement as the contingents passed by - soldiers in full battle regalia, police officers prim and smart in khaki uniform, ROTCs in endless lines on shoulder-arms with Garand or Enfield rifles, battle trucks and light tanks and dozens of howitzers. Scores of floats depicting historical events would evoke ahs and ahs from onlookers, even as they gazed in amusement at decorated tartanillas filled with smiling dalagas. Clowns and street dancers would be there too, and circus people with somersaulting performers and flame spewing entertainers. Towards the tail-end would be the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and civilian participants, mostly personnel from government offices.
Two hours, three hours, of this palabas and one could not help but be overwhelmed with a surge of patriotic fervor. Pride of being a Filipino was felt by all.
Did that parade last Monday evoke in us even a shade of such feeling? Many of us cannot answer this question because we were not there. And we were not there because are simply did not care. What has happened to us?
The years have been cruel to our brotherhood. We have become a divided people whose brokenness goes beyond our way of life and extends to our very souls. We don't trust our leaders and our leaders don't trust us. Nation building is at snail's pace, and many of us, frustrated to the point of hopelessness, are seeking other climes where we can rekindle our dreams.
What will happen to this country a century hence?