I'm not Patriotic Being a Filipino.

I have read a blogpost reguarding the flaws of Filipino Cuture and I strongly agree on it. (Credits to “Internet Jaywalker”, the author, for the blogpost. If you want to read the article, click here).

The blogpost summarises the different Flaws of the Filipino Culture in general like, “The Crab Mentality” wherein everyone tries to go up by pushing down each other, and the “Masa Culture” which is composed of idolatry of the Filipinos, which we, in general, are just following the doings of our idols without thinking critically.

I really agree on the blogpost itself. Maybe I can also relate myself to it, my complaints of being a Filipino; typical complaints of the ones who are not really proud of being a Filipino. That’s why you, the readers, know that I’m into British culture.

The way I write is based on “British” style, not the “American” style. I don’t spell “realise” as “realize”. I listen to bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Vaccines, CHVRCHES, Swim Deep, Peace, any more hipster British bands that usual Filipinos do not know. I always dream about going to London one day, or going around United Kingdom, even going to Glasgow (in Scotland), to Edinburgh, to Leeds, etc. I felt regrets, “I wish I was born British so I could be patriotic towards my own country.”

I never became proud to be a Filipino. I always see flaws in our country and it needs massive Scrutiny.  I never listen to OPM music because OPM in general is full of old covers. They don’t experiment to produce cool sounds like the song “Map of the Problematique” by Muse. OPM generally is about Love songs in which Filipinos are really fond of. I don’t say that all OPM songs are nonsense. There are still OPM songs that I can commend like Up Dharma Down songs and Zia Quizon’s “Ako Na Lang.”

The real technical problems here can be Filipinos in general need to change from their own perspectives. During natural disasters, we can actually smile and laugh despite the disaster that we experience. It’s not about “smiling”. It’s not about “oh ok we’re hit by a typhoon let’s just laugh about it and move on.” NO! It’s about stopping it. Government should fix their drainage in order not to cause another flood again. People should make durable houses so it can be indestructible from any forms of calamities. People need to be hardworking enough in order to feed themselves and their families from their own exhaustion and sweat. They shouldn’t blame everything to the Government why they do not have jobs. Government should find more investors so jobs can be produced and OFWs will go home to find jobs here instead. They should make new forms of transportations like Subways and Highways. The different pillars of the whole Government should be reorganised. Other parts of the Government should be omitted whilst new parts of the Government should be established for a new Oragnisation of its pillars and fast processing of different projects.  Justice System here in the Philippines should be reorganised as well. Politicians should serve the country from the heart. Otherwise, they should be in jail instead.

Filipino Attitudes? No. We also have flaws from our attitudes. Why are Filipinos being known only in the whole world from their talents, from winning in the different Beauty Pageants, from winning in Boxing, but not well known economically? All these things that we are known of are very intangible in my opinion. We are now called “The Rising Tiger of Asia” but I don’t see any developments to be called like that. We do not deserve it. I also dislike how entertainers dress themselves to look funny in the audience’s perspective. I don’t also understand why people would only speak in English when they feel emotional. I also dislike the evolvement of Jejemon and Bekimon where they use their own speaking language to make themselves unique in the society? No. These are not even called as languages because these languages don’t have grammars and follow the Filipino grammar technically. I don’t understand why we should promote everything that is Filipino and be proud of being Filipino because I’m not proud to be. I don’t understand why Filipinos like Mainstream Music like Justin Bieber and One Direction (will all due respect) where their songs discuss about being in a bar and having party and s*x. That’s why I dislike the gigs here in general. I dislike people that speak in Filipino but commit the same grammar errors like “ako din!” No. It should be “ako rin!” I don’t understand why we are proud to be featured on CNN or BBC where Philippines is in the state of Calamity. We shouldn’t be proud of that. I don’t even understand why our local shows have very low production and their computerised editing are quite awful. I don’t get it why Philippine Plots need to be very common like, “The protagonist in an action film is very undefeatable and he/she needs to do the job of killing the antagonist before the Police arrives.” I don’t understand why there is a “Metro Manila Film Festival” wherein the films that are competing here have useless plots and they’re just defending that we can pick moral values from their films in order for their film to be watched. I don’t understand why Filipinos are naturally regionalists in general wherein they do not welcome fellow Filipinos who come from other parts of the Philippines.

I also agree from the blogpost that I read that “people who are exposed to foreign literature, media and cultures usually grow up to have more open and creative minds.” We should be Westernised as we think critically. We all know from our own history classes that Renaissance started in Europe, which is from the west. Asians all adopt from the ideas of the West especially the ones who were in the British Colony. We should also adopt their thinkings. Teach the street children here how to look decent to be their habit. Local artists and bands here should try experimenting new sounds in order for them to produce good and unique music. Film producers, directors and plot makers should make a plot that is not common from the typical plots here, get out of their comfort zone and beautify the cinematography in order to produce a Hollywood-quality film. Bekimons and Jejemons should realise that they’re degrading themselves by using their “language” so to uplift themselves, they should use the official languages. Voters should vote politicians who are willing to serve the people and they should analyse thoroughly every candidate and be critical in voting people.