Great Reasons Why You Should be Proud to be Pinoy Today

"Proud to be Pinoy" Artwork Display

Yes, we live in a poor country. We walk up and sleep in a country with high unemployment rate, low quality of life, high crime incidence, rampant corruption in the government, unsolved traffic issues, high poverty and so on and so forth. We are residing in a country where there are New People’s Army, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Abu Sayyaf Group and plenty of other leftists doing harm to the nation’s freedom and sovereignty. Many of our rivers, oceans and lands are totally polluted – some are dead. Our streets are flooded with criminals, kidnappers, snatchers, drug addicts, drug pushers and tons of other bad elements invading our liberty. In remote areas around the country, there are children walking barefoot, on their empty stomach and with unconditioned mind and body just to taste the education which their parents were forced to believe that “poverty is not a hindrance to education” – but is not. We experience over and over again the fury of strong typhoons leaving us billion-worth of casualties, thousands of hungry families and unimaginable death tolls. Yes, we live in the Philippines like this – for decades.

Map of the Republic of the Philippines

Hard to swallow but, yes, this is the reality in our country for many long years. So let me ask you this now:

As a Filipino with the blood of a pure Pinoy, is there still something left deep inside of you that will make you say “I am proud to be Pinoy”? Please think about it.

But hear me say this:

Absolutely, yes, there is.

Let me cite some of them.

For one, it is our culture and traditions that serve as real manifestations of how strong and appealing really our race is to the rest of the world; and that alone is already something BIG to be proud of. The Ati-Atihan Festival, Dinagyang Festival, Sinulog Festival, Kadayawan Festival, Pahiyas Festival and Panagbenga Festival are just among of the most colorful festivals introducing our character of joy and glamour to the whole world. The procession of the Black Nazarene and the devotional practice of Crucifixion during Holy Week are just two of the most lived and celebrated traditions in the Philippines and they truly make a big difference in terms of exercising our freedom over religious beliefs.

But, are these events and practices really adds big to our sense of being proud?

How about the beautiful and really attractive nature wonders all over the country? Definitely, they are something worth to be proud about! Take for example Boracay, Palawan, Hundred Islands, Tagaytay, Dunsol and Chocolate Hills. These tourism spots not only make ourselves proud in front of these millions of foreigners visiting our country each year, they are also the reasons why we want to stay in this country for good and enjoy the great wonders of our land. Our archipelago is amazing from North to South, East to West, up and under. The newly discovered Benham Rise and the envy of many Tubbataha Reef and Apo Reef are great wonders of nature that are exclusively for us. These places are the pride of our nation – truly something to be proud about.

But then, as a Filipino citizen, are you really proud of who you are, what you do and how you deliver in this nation? Are you comfortable enough with the color of your skin, really? Do you really care for your countrymen? Do you really love your country? Are you contented enough with being proud to be Pinoy because of these obvious beauties of our nation?

Proud. Are you?

Perhaps one of biggest reasons why we should be proud is that we live in a democratic territory. This is the country where you can say whatever you want, express whatever you feel and challenge whomever you want to – if you have the will and power to do it. Not many countries have the real democracy within them. Not like us. But is this really the democracy that we want to rule in our land forever? Perhaps, it’s not.

But then, behind all the odds, there are still two simple reasons why you should raise your chin up, look higher up and make you say proud right now. Here they are.

Philippines 16th President - Rodrigo Duterte

Philippines 14th Vice President - Leni Robredo

Hope that this blog gives you the inspiration to live with courage and fight with enthusiasm the everyday adversities of life in this country. There is plenty of time. Let’s strive to be there – in a situation where we, without any doubt, say:

“I’m so proud to be Pinoy”.

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