Mood:
brightWhen I visited Korea last August 2005 I saw this essay in internet, while reading Manila Times online( Manila times, July 29, 2005 by Dan Mariano). The following article, "My Short Essay about the Philippines," was written by Jaeyoun Kim, a Korean studying in the Philippines. It was sent by em-mail by Lirio Mapa, vice president of the Center for Leadership and Change, through Ateneo de Manila professor Terry David.
As far as I know there are plenty of Koreans studying in the Philippines to learn English because of cheaper tuition fees. This essay had been discussed in Korea with my Korean friends. They have the sense that many Filipinos were not patriot, and do not love the Philippines.
The essay stated that "filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines. do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so, I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines."
Indeed, I remember this past essay of a korean studying in the Philippines, took some portion of the content to be an eye opener to all Filipino diaspora around the world regarding your patriotism.
I studied in Korea for more than 2 years (1999-2001) in Kwangshin University, Kwangju City, took my Master of Divinity in Religious study. When I was there, I saw the most difficult situation of the Philippines. The "I Love You Bug", the impeachment of President Erap, the People Power 2 & 3, the worst economic situation. And when I arrived sadness to say, the Philippine is behind Korea (formerly Korea is behind to the Philippines). What happen to those millionaires here in the Philippines? Mga kababayan ko, ngayon election na naman, dapat ang mamagitan sa ating puso at isip ay ang pagmamamahal sa Diyos at ang pagmamahal sa bansang Pilipinas. Unahin nating disiplinahin ang ating mga sarili, dahil may magagawa kang pagbabago, at hindi sa pamamagitan ng pulitika.
Now that i'm here, I tried to organize the "Advocacy of Citizens Transforming Society" (ACTS) to help out-of-school youths to continue their study. I believe that most of our youths today were victims of misinformation that they have no hope in our country, therefore their mindset focus on abroad. Our advocacy is that "by the filipino, for the filipino." Tayo ang magtutulungan. Kung may pamahalaan mang bingi at bulag sa katotohanan, may Christian Church na gising at mulat sa mga pangyayari. We don't need reformation in our country but we need the transformation of every individual to love our country and to bring it back to God through repentance and sorrow for all our sins.
