I agree with many critical historians that the celebrations of Philippine holidays are insignificant and useless. Take the case of the “Araw ng Kagitingan” , it has lost its significance for in the past we call it as “the fall of Bataan ”. In this country, we always celebrate our downfall.
Philippine independence has not yet been fully regained up to this moment. We still have the traces and the presence of foreign dependency in all the aspects of Philippine system. We have not liberated ourselves and in fact, we are and had never been ready to really call ourselves “FILIPINOS”. With the reason of the insignificance of the event, we have once again allowed GMA to alter another day in Philippine history.
If we want changes in the Philippine educational system, we have to be faithful in facts and data. We have to put significance in the events we celebrate. In the words of an academician, activities should always drive with the school’s vision, mission and goals. If we only celebrate a day because of historical value, we better not celebrate it at all. We need to let the present see and learn from the events in the past. We need to put a link in the celebration that would really let the new generation see the importance of the event in history.
With the act of GMA of changing the dates of the celebration of historical event anniversaries, I really pity the future generation. Soon, the event will no longer be celebrated and the sense of nationalism in every youth will also evaporate.
The main problem of the administration is the failure to involve the younger generation in decision making. It is sending a wrong message to the youth today. We should not underestimate the power and imagination of the younger generation. They even have better ideas than us, who are now seated and glued on our chairs. We are the ones to be blamed for training the youth and the coming generations to be dependent upon useless and old ideas that we have. I hope that in the near future the youth would break from these frames that we have them entered.
I agree that positions have been created and the youth has even been given a part in the governance of a locality. Yet, all these are simple show of mediocrity and nominal promises for the youth. I pity the young minds sitting in our legislative bodies and already opening their eyes to the harsh realities of Philippine political system. I have seen how an acquaintance of mine been corrupted by the fangs of the rotten system. I saw how he changed from a very honest youth leader to a scoundrel with the wolves in the halls of the Government center. How many more of the youth had been into this transformation? How many more shall we allow to be destroyed?
Those who are seated now shall remember that what they are doing will always be replicated by their apprentices. I pity the nominal youth representatives in the government. I pray that they be enlightened and be models for the old people in the hallowed walls of legislations.
We live today in a world of confusion, a world full of deception and corruption. We live in a world where lies are better than the truth. We live in a world of virtual realities and imaginations. We no longer live in a three-dimensional real world. We have become too much dependent with gadgets of technology. Why can’t we live as human beings?
The struggle for independence must continue. Let those who believe in independence train the young to be principled and help them savor the taste of real freedom.
Long live the Philippines and down with the people with myopic ideas in the old system!
Pope John Paul II and St. Ezekiel Moreno, pray for us.
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by: Mr. Carlos Legaspi, Jr.