Kit Dalisay

“Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, ay mahigit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. Kaya ang dapat pagyamaning kusa, tulad ng isang inang tunay na nagpala.”

I hope I gave justice to the original poem of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, but my point is this: are we giving justice to our own national language nowadays? Are we giving justice to our country, to Dr. Rizal, Ninoy Aquino, or to our soldiers who recently died for our country fighting insurgents, so we can enjoy the freedoms we continue to enjoy today? Is there still any bit of patriotism left in us?

I happened to attend recently a Learning Exchange in our company, which I was expecting to arouse the patriotic in me since my Jesuit-inspired, student activist days (a long time ago), and maybe I was also expecting to find some kindred spirits in this cause.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. Not even the National Anthem was sung in the beginning of the program. I probably hear it being sung nowadays only in moviehouses, “recorded pa.”. but to hear it being sung live by an audience, with their rights hands on their chest, is very rare.

I guess this level of patriotism left in our countrymen reflects the current level also of our progress as a country.

I would like to pose 2 questions which in my own “ordinary citizen” opinion, I think is important in our journey towards progress as a nation and getting our act together:

First, how do you think the current use of our national language can truly unite our people, and get all our act together, as a nation, like the Japanese, the Koreans, and the Thais. These nations definitely prioritize their own language over English.

Second is, are we as ordinary citizens, maximizing the use of information technology, to make a stand on issues? Info technology is supposed to be the “great equalizer or great leverager”, and even text messaging is supposed to have brought down a presidency in this country.

First, on the issue of our national language, Tagalog: “Ako po ay may apelyidong tagalong na tagalog, at kahit po ang aking anak ay hindi ko sana sinanay na pa ingles-ingles”, until I realized that she will be left behind at her school run by nuns in Antipolo, because, of course, the main medium of instruction, just like in all our other private and public schools, is English.

I have no problem with the English language. In fact I am with the Training department of our company which teaches our guys to detail and communicate our brands in English. English is the global language of business, and we need business for growth, change, and prosperity. But English should not be the language of government. Propagating an environment for free enterprise, business growth and prosperity may be a role of government, but it should not take precedence over its more important role of making sure that it is a level playing field for all players, that they provide safety nets for small players, that they protect the weak and those who have lesser in life.

In our society, English as spoken by our people only polarizes our nation because it is projected as the language of the “haves”, and if you have difficulty with the command of the English language, then you probably belong to the “less educated” kuno and the “have nots”. And as history tells us, it is always a social volcano waiting to happen if we only have the “haves” and “have nots” and a very thin middle class.

When Pres GMA, her cabinet members, senators, and congressmen talk about national issues in English live on TV, do they think the ordinary “magtataho”, MMDA traffic enforcer, farmer, fishermen, tricycle, jeepney or FX driver understand most of what they’re saying? Just watch and listen to our politicians on TV. How can they inspire volunteerism from this sectors of our society? How can they inspire them that there is dignity in their work, and that doing they’re work the best they can and as honest as they can, can exactly be their role in nation-building? What happens sometimes in congress is grandstanding in English. How do you connect with the ordinary citizen? Of course you do it in your own native language, which even the supposedly “less educated” understand.

Why have the Japanese, the Koreans, the Thais, and even Malaysians, with their own national language gotten their act together and are now prospering as nations, and we are being left behind?

I still believe that moral ascendancy is the most important character trait that our leaders should have, but this issue has always been there. We have seen “moral” leaders come and go, “moral leaders” eaten up by the system, and leaders who became “more practical”. But our nation is still in retrogression. And the issue most of the time is not the choice between what is right and what is wrong, but rather between what is right and more right, between good and better, and sometimes even between what is wrong and less wrong.

Maybe what we need are leaders with integrity who can communicate, connect and inspire volunteerism in even the most ordinary “man on the street” citizen of this country, and provide him dignity in his own role in nation-building. Precisely because GMA, the government, our senators and congressmen and all their economy-focused, job creation programs will not alone help put this country on the right track, but it will take the “buy-in” of each and every patriotic Filipino left in this country to do the job, and convincing each of becoming a stakeholder in nation-building. And these I think will necessitate the use of our native language, and not English. Or else these marginalized sectors will still feel left out and have the mindset that only the rich with all their money and their English and call center type Am-speak, have more of the law and privilege in our society.

On the issue of the use of information technology, I just feel that each and every citizen should make full use of the present technology available to us on making a stand on issues. Like making use of the internet, text , broadcast media and even print. Precisely because the current available technology provides us an access to make our stands known, not only on local issues in our barangays, but even on a national scale. Let us make use of this “great equalizer”. We sure use a lot of text on jokes and trivia, why not on more important things that can help us as a nation. Maybe let us review our own list of things we can change, things we cannot change, and things with which we can help change and make a difference. Unless we really want to let our fate be totally decided by our national and local leaders. I think we owe it to our own children to do this and tell them that there is till hope in this country, and that “di pa tayo kailangan mag-abroad at maging OFW. I think more than anything that this would be a good legacy to leave to our children: that you did the what you think is the right thing to do, and that I somehow helped my country progress by doing my bit to encourage and inspire, and make a stand.

As Edmund Burke says, it is sufficient that we do nothing, for evil and abuse to thrive.
And it only takes one little candle to light the dark. Imagine then what more than 1, 10, 100 or a thousand candles can do.

I would just like to end this letter with a line from a hymn we use to chant during our student activism days, “Kailan ka ba lalaya, bayan? Or maybe more appropriate today is, “When can you be free Pinoy, from the bondage of apathy?”

Nasa bawat isa sa atin ang sagot, hindi nasa kanila!

Mabuhay ang ating “bayang magiliw na perlas ng silanganan” at ang ating “lupang hinirang, na duyan ng mga magigiting”!

KiTT D.

1. Fall in line. In every instance whereby there is a need to fall in line, let us fall in line, including falling in line in traffic.

2. When we need to transact business with government agencies, determine the process and follow the procedures. Don’t seek the help of fixers.

3. Magsalita naman tayo sa Tagalog. I simply cannot understand why we are so proud or “bilib” if there is somebody who speaks articulately and eloquently in English, why when someone speaks in Tagalog, one is probably less educated. Can’t we be eloquent in Tagalog? That’s why what happens is we think American if we speak American. Let us talk more Tagalog. Hello!!! Nasa Pilipinas tayo! Even I am guilty of no longer being versed well in Tagalog. And if I wrote this in Tagalog, this would probably not garner much attention. I wrote it in English precisely to reach the audience I want.

4. Don’t vote for politicians whom we know have their children or grandchildren as citizens of other countries. They will be the first ones to abandon ship.

5. Vote for politicians who speak less English, speak more in Tagalog, and listens more than he speaks. They will connect more with the “masa” and be understood more and thereby elicit more the support of most of our citizens.

6. We the “educated” should always make the first step and reach out, educate, and help our less educated “kababayans”.

7. Once in a while, read history, read about our national heroes for us to be instilled a sense of history, and share these to our children.

8. Talk more to our children about positive Filipino traits rather than the negative ones.

9. When our national anthem is being played, we should not be worried about how well Martin Nievera, or any other Filipino singer sings it well, so that we can be known as good singers. We are supposed to sing together properly while it is being played, and we sing it because we pledge love for our country.

10. We should make use of available technology today to make our VOICES heard. Let us always make our stand known, through the internet, e-mail, social networks like FB, text…

11. Let us specifically make our stand known to two groups which sometimes wreak havoc on our country instead of helping it: POLITICIANS and the MEDIA.

12. Lastly, let us in good conscience try to be honest with ourselves if we are at least trying to do at least some of those I have mentioned above, or those 12 things which Alex Lacson wrote in his book.

Mabuhay tayong mga Pilipino! Ituloy ang laban para sa mas magandang kinabukasan para sa ating lahat, lalong-lalo na sa ating mga anak.

Isang ama na nag-aalala,

KiTT B. Dalisay