The ‘shining’ star

It is always a welcome treat to encounter Filipinos in different parts of the world. As my family and I spend the holidays in America to reunite with our loved ones, we have been able to meet new friends and see more Pinoys.

During our Christmas Eve mass in a local church at Whittier, California, I saw a woman who was elegantly dressed. She had long wavey black hair, simple make-up and a red dress with a white cardigan sweater. I was trying to assess if she was Filipina because she could have been a Vietnamese or a Korean. But as I observed her more and listened to her accent I right away knew she was from the Philippines. I was looking at her all the time because she was the only one assisting the priest, the acolytes and the church servers. She seemed to know everything even guidng the priest in his every move. I felt so proud of being her kababayan because the thought I had once dismissed came back – indeed, many Filipinos abroad are our shining stars.

In the darkness of our times, our Filipino brothers and sisters abroad shine like stars in the heavens, as they glitter in every corner of the world. This gives me hope that one day they can bring back their God-given talents to cleanse the spirit of our nation.

In different countries, cities, towns and communities across the globe, Filipinos are leaders in their own right. In offices, hospitals, neighborhoods, churches, schools, etc., they become the center of attraction as everyone tends to gravitate toward them. Why? They have a big heart, they carry a smile, they have time to listen and work hard. The plus factor is that they don’t just ‘talk’, they also walk the talk. In other words, they get things done thoroughly and efficiently. Their co-workers especially their bosses can always rely on them.

Why do you think Filipino nurses or caregivers are very much in demand? It’s because they are efficient and are worth every penny on the job. A Filipino engineer, mechanic or skilled maintenance personnel is not only competent but is also innovative. A Filipino teacher is not only dynamic but also patient and kind. A Filipino accountant, bookkeeper or bank clerk is not only qualified but is also precise and careful. The energy, productivity, character is what makes every Filipino valuable in his or her community abroad. And when it comes to celebrations, aside from the tons of food and drinks on the table, you have a performer, an entertainer whether it’s dancing or singing. But more than that is the heart that makes each Pinoy extra special.

I am so proud of our countrymen because leaving in a foreign land far away from home clearly has its ups and downs, its advantages and disadvantages but in the end of the day, they all come out as winners. And now that our country is falling apart, they find themselves in a safer place abroad. Hopefully, as they trickle in as they retire (maybe as planned) they can share their skills and talents to re-build our nation into a better, safer and happier place.

*      *      *

As we look forward to the coming of the New Year, let us try to resolve to get things right this time around.  The Pope is coming. His visit will give us a ‘jumpstart’ to cleanse our spirit. He will bless this nation and inspire us to live as Christians in the true sense. He will show us the way, to be compassionate – not to think of self but of others.

The events in 2014 have come to past. They are signs that have tested the character of every Filipino in times of despair; have brought families closer; and have proven our faith to the hilt.

In January, Agaton, the first storm caused floodings, 68 deaths, displaced 160,000 people and damaged P313.78 million worth of infrastructure and agriculture in Mindanao. In February, members of Confederation of Truckers Association and Integrated North Harbor Truckers Association staged a mass protest against the implementation of the Truck Ban in the City of Manila. In March, P-Noy abolished six government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) as part of the crackdown of dissolving non-performing, and unnecessary firms in the government.

In April, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona III, announced and recommended the filing of plunder and graft charges to Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla together with Janet Lim-Napoles over their involvement in the PDAF scam. In May, former Senator Francis Pangilinan became the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization to oversee the operations of the Department of Agriculture: the National Food Authority, the National Irrigation Administration, the Philippine Coconut Authority, and the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority; and the Ombudsman cleared former president and current Pampanga congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on her involvement on the P728 million fertilizer fund scam. In June, P-Noy signed Republic Act No. 10638, the 50-year expansion of the corporate life of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

In July, the Supreme Court of the Philippines declared unconstitutional the “acts and practices” under the Aquino administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program. In August, a defective MRT train was out-of-control and crashed into a station’s steel fence at the MRT-Taft Station in Pasay City where more than 50 passengers and pedestrians were injured; Makati Mayor Junjun Binay faced plunder charges in the alleged overprice of a carpark building. In September, the handover of the draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to the Senate and House leaders took place at Malacañang Palace; PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima faced graft and plunder over an allegedly undervalued property and renovation of a multi-million residence at the general police headquarters in Camp Crame.

In October, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado accused the Binay family over the alleged 35-hectare estate “Hacienda” in Rosario, Batangas; US Marine Private First Class (PFC) Joseph Scott Pemberton was accused for killing 26-year-old Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude in Olongapo City. In November, Department of Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag were investigated by National Bureau of Investigation for the alleged purchase of expensive vaccines in 2012; the Supreme Court of the Philippines ordered the relocation of the Pandacan oil depot.

This month (December), the Sandiganbayan First Division junked the bids of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr.; Typhoon Ruby hit the Philippines and left massive damaged across Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas and near-by provinces in Luzon; malpractice found at the national penitentiary’s maximum security compound inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City; Enrique Ona formally filed his resignation as the Secretary of the Department of Health due to the P833-million Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 10 issue; and President Benigno S. Aquino III signed the P2.606-trillion national budget for 2015.

As the Year 2015 kicks in, we are once again given an opportunity to resolve all our issues of the past by bringing in a new spirit. We learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow. It is a hopeful season for humanity. Make that star shine in you!

Happy New Year to all!