Love of country

Vice president-elect Sara Duterte called on Filipinos to love their country – a motherhood statement – after she was sworn into office, a little more than a week before she would take over the second highest position in the land.

“The days ahead may be full of challenges that call for us to be more united as a nation. But let me reiterate this – we can never go wrong if we are a people dedicated to honoring the will of God, to serving our country and our fellowmen and protecting the integrity of our families and the future of our children,” said the daughter of President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte.

Platitudes or motherhood statements like “love your country” or “love your fellowmen” are insipid.

Ms. Duterte and her speechwriters had plenty of time to come up with an ear-catching or interesting speech, if I may say so.

President Joseph Estrada’s speech during his inaugural of “Walang kai-kaibigan, walang kumpare, walang kama-kamag-anak o anak na maaaring magsamantala sa ngayon (I will not allow any of my friends, relatives or children to take advantage of my position)” was a classic, although it was not followed. Still, people who heard the speech were enthralled by its beauty.

*      *      *

This may hurt the sensibilities of many of my compatriots: Are Filipinos capable of loving their country?

How does a foreigner view us vis-à-vis love of country?

Let me quote some excerpts of a short essay on the Filipinos by Jaeyoun Kim, a Korean student in the country.

“Do you really think (that) corruption is the problem in the Philippines? I don’t think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.

“Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country (South Korea) several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people.

“The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has changed.

“(My parents) told me that Korea was much poorer than the Philippines when they were young. They are sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids (in the Philippines).

“Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighbors. The owners of factory and company were distributed their profit (sic) to their employees fairly so they could buy what they needed and saved (sic) money for the future and their children.”

South Korea was a devastated country after the war that divided Korea into North and South segments in the 1950s.

South Korea after the Korean War was so poor there was famine, which resulted in thousands dying of hunger.

But South Korea rose to its feet when the people worked day and night even at meager pay so their country would become at par with other nations in Asia.

In the 1950s up to the late ‘60s, the Philippines ranked second to Japan in economic progress.

*      *      *

One problematic issue that Inday Sara, who will become vice president and concurrent secretary of education, faces is that of female public-school teachers doing suggestive dances on Tiktok.

Another public-school teacher, who teaches at the Panukulan National High School in Quezon province, has joined a colleague from Surigao del Sur who gyrates and makes thrusting motions suggestive of the sex act.

Like her Surigao del Sur colleague – whom this column featured on June 7 – the Quezon teacher dances on Tiktok wearing the uniform of public school teachers.

Both teachers perform sexy dance numbers in an empty classroom or in the campus with their school buildings in the background.

Since both teach high school students, we can be sure that their male students look at them with lust in their eyes.

Strong sexual desire develops among high school students, especially the boys, who are in their adolescent years.

One male student commented on social media that if he would be under the tutelage of one of these teachers he wouldn’t care if he repeated the same grade so long as he could keep looking at her.

Look guys, I’m not a prude or lacking in sex drive when I call out those two teachers who could be Binibining Pilipinas candidates with their stunning looks.

What I’m saying is that these teachers are becoming sex objects to their male students, and not good role models to their female students.

Times have changed. Back in my high school days, teachers were the epitome of good behavior; they inspired respect from their students.

*      *      *

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary- general Renato Reyes says that Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), fails in comparison to Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar when the latter was PNP chief.

Eleazar ran for a Senate seat in the recent elections but lost.

Eleazar, says Reyes, would reach out to protesters to ensure peace and order during rallies.

Danao is aloof and says that he will only allow rallyists near the inaugural of president-elect Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr. if they would shout “Mabuhay!”

This Danao is funny or just trying to catch the attention of the incoming president.

Comparing Eleazar to Danao is like comparing a German-made Mercedes Benz to a jeepney assembled in Cavite.