MY DEFENSE FOR THE NHI VS. MANNY PACQUIAO AND NATIONAL ANTHEM OFFENDERS

My country the Philippines have showcased the best and brightest stars to sing our national anthem in Manny Pacquiao's fights and not one of them passed the standards of the law. They have all received a failing grade from the National Historical Institute for creating different versions of Lupang Hinirang, our anthem. And the consensus of my fellow countrymen is nonchalance. Most of them feel that the National Historical Institute or NHI is overreacting each time they file a complaint against the offenders or that the agency is just craving for some public attention.

I am deeply disturbed on the other hand by this kind of indifference. For this kind of attitude is what has kept this country stagnant and way behind our Asian neighbors. But I'm not here to psychoanalyze all Filipinos and explain what made it into a forgetful country that it is today. That will entail a whole course on History 101 at the University of the Philippines and I'm not an authority on this subject. Of course one can always refer to Renato Constantino's history books and learn more about it. But for now I just want to focus on this not so trivial issue with the NHI. It's not a matter that should be shrugged off and forgotten like the rest of the country's history. In other countries, most people would be outraged by this kind of behaviour. The national anthem and the national flag are very sacred. It deserves our utmost respect. This is what is maligning our nation today. We only care about ourselves and we have no empathy for our neighbors. Same goes for our environment and our government. The evidence is overwhelming yet like everything else in our lives, we just let things be and pray for the best. I wish schools will give out Stephen Covey's book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to every student starting in Elementary so that each one will have the initiative to be proactive in order to alleviate the status of our economy and education. Indeed the claws of crab mentality is very much alive today. We are a cynical nation and have dangerously lost faith in the system and in each other.

It is ironic that our people cannot see the value, the enigma that is Manny Pacquiao. In contrast to the singers that have defiled our national anthem, Pacquiao stands out as a Filipino of integrity and patriotism. Yet the people do not focus on what made him what he is today. Everyone loves him for the wrong reasons. Most would figure that it was pure luck or prayer that has made him a champion. We admire him for the wealth that he has accumulated and envy him for his international success. We failed to see that he is actually the embodiment of hard work and discipline that is notably lacking in most of us. He is the ultimate survivor, the captain of all captains. The man is not perfect but he has so much love and passion in him that he even wishes to run for office and serve the country. Regrettably, Filipinos cannot accept the most qualified candidate for government because of fear that Pacquiao's reputation will be tarnished, the trapo or traditional politician's evil ways might rub off on him. No one wants to lose a living legend, a viable and touchable modern day hero that is certainly needed and lacking right now. One can only hope that everyone will realize that it's about time  to change the face of politics and usher in a new era of hope and good governance. And one of the first and simple thing we can do as an individual is to remember our past, learn from our mistakes and respect the law. Our country has suffered so much that there is no more room for complacency and indifference.