January 1 - 20, 2019
OPINION
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
Reyfort Publishing & Entertainment
Rey Fortaleza - Publisher
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Rosette Correa - Senior Editor
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Writers - Crisanta Sampang ; Columnists - Geoff Meggs, Ben Berto, Editha Corrales,
Mon Datol, Fr. Jerry Orbos SVD, DeeDee Sytangco, Alan Samuel, Erie Maestro, Sandee M.
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Breaking
Point
By Rosette Correa
Charles Edward Jefferson once
said that, “Patriotism is a thing of the
heart. A man is a patriot if his heart
beats true to his country.” I cannot
count how many times I have been
told that I can no longer say I love the
Philippines because I already live in
Canada and I am a Canadian citizen.
When fellow Filipinos tell me this, it is
hurtful. Whether they want to sound
patriotic or not, I do not think it is
right to question a person’s love for
one’s country or countrymen because
they are away from it. Love for one’s
country or patriotism is measured in so
many ways. Staying in the Philippines,
complaining about the situation of
the country but not doing a single
thing about it, or wallowing in self-pity
not being able to help yourself, your
family or your countrymen, is not
patriotism.
Love for one’s country is not
measured by being there. Jose Rizal
wrote parts of the Noli Me Tangere
while in Germany, and the other parts
while he was in Spain. His being away
from the country did not make him
less a Filipino nor less a patriot. By
being in another country, he had the
lenses of one looking from the outside
and seeing the situation from another
perspective. I believe that those who
are abroad have a perspective on
things being outside that helps those
who are there see what they cannot
see from within. Some Filipinos
who are in the Philippines think that
because we are not there to “suffer”
Bulong
Pulungan
By Deedee Siytangco
Reprinted from Manila Bulletin
ANGEL THOUGHTS
“And while they were there, the
time came for her to give birth. And
she gave birth to her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes
and laid him in a manger, because
there was no place for them in the
inn.” Luke 2:6-7
Our family, the children of Amado
R, Munson and Paz Asuncion Intengan
Munson, held our annual reunion last
Christmas Eve at Bella Vista.
As with past Christmas Eves,
we played host to the orphans from
the Mother Teresa Spinelli’s House of
Treasurers in Tagaytay. We became
friends almost two decades ago when
my husband Sonny and I were able to
help Monica, one of the babies there,
get an operation at the Philippine Heart
Center with the director performing
Patriotism is in the Heart
with them, we have no right
to give our opinions on the
situation in the country. It is
unfortunate that they think of us in
this way, instead of listening to us
and understanding things from our
point of view. I have often heard many
Pinoys say, “Wala kayong karapatang
magbigay ng opinyon tungkol sa
nangyayari sa Pilipinas dahil wala
naman kayo ditong nagdurusa tulad
namin!” (You have no right to give an
opinion regarding what is happening
in the Philippines because you are
not here to suffer with us), and they
question our love for the country
and our countrymen. This is very
reflective of the still very much alive
crab mentality pervading in the hearts
of our beloved countrymen. Despite
the contributions of the Filipinos
abroad, from keeping the Philippines
afloat with the dollar remittances sent
everyday, or by making us proud for
their accomplishments, they are told
they have no opinion because they
are not suffering with them. But what
is the true definition and measure of
suffering? Is it just the fact of being
there, or does suffering from seeing
our countrymen’s difficulties also
count as suffering? Who gets to judge
what suffering is and who suffers
more? Is not the distance of Filipinos
abroad, away from their families,
considered suffering as well? And why
are we focusing too much on who is
suffering instead of looking at what
good can come out of the suffering?
In an emergency on an airplane,
one is instructed to put on his/her
oxygen mask or life
vest first before trying
to help someone.
This assures both
persons that one
is able to help the
other, otherwise, if
both are struggling
to put their masks
on, both can suffer
the consequences
of suffocation or
drowning. In the
case of Filipinos, the
one living abroad is
the one who has
the mask or life vest
one, and who tries
to save the other
from
suffocation
or drowning. With
the best of their
abilities, they try to
alleviate the challenges of those in the
Philippines by sending financial help
and other opportunities, including
that of leaving the country as well. Isn’t
that a true a measure of patriotism,
when one is able to help the other? Is
patriotism measured by staying in the
Philippines and suffering with the rest,
simply because one believes leaving
the Philippines is abandonment and
unpatriotic?
I have told many of my friends
back in the Philippines that they
should see the work of the Filipino
communities abroad, who put together
medical missions, scholarships, and
financial aid for their fellow Filipinos.
It is amazing and heart-warming to
see the true bayanihan spirit come
alive in many instances of patriotism
and altruism in action. Yes, there will
always be squabbles in the Filipino
communities all around the world,
but when it comes to helping their
countrymen in need, Filipinos abroad
are truly deserving to be called true
patriots for always coming to the
rescue and contributing to the needs
of their fellow Filipinos. This is the
instance when, in emergency cases,
we quickly put our masks and vests
on, so that we can save others. If
Filipinos in the Philippines cannot
appreciate this love we give them, we
will not stop, because patriotism is in
the heart, not the flag we bear on our
shoulders.
Christmas, a Time for Sharing and Caring
it!
The Augustinian nuns
became friends and the children
were our frequent guests come
Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday.
This year was no different. The
children came and received gifts from
our son AJ and his wife Ayet, and their
son, one-year-old Disney.
Our niece, Starr Weigand and
her friend Pierre Martin Reyes also
distributed gifts and tokens and we all
had a happy lunch.
It really is more blessed to give
than receive. It is a lesson for all our
kinfolk.
* * *
“Christmas is for children,” says
Robert Laurel Yupangco, CEO of
Zoomanity Group, one of the leading
companies in the theme park industry.
Taking Robert’s sentiments to heart,
his company, Zoomanity, took the
opportunity to give back the happiness
and blessings to less fortunate children
this season. Yupangco stressed that
this activity would start a ripple effect
and further impact the future of the
kids.
Aside from promoting their
advocacy, which is called the
4Es
(Education,
Environmental
Conservation,
Exhibit,
and
Entertainment), the company believes
that it is part of their corporate social
responsibility to give happiness to
those kids who need it the most.
Through one charitable activity called
“Christmas Gift Giving,” Zoomanity
Group chose sets of children from
different foundations to experience
a whole day of fun, love, and care in
their theme parks.
Over 500 kids got the chance to
have free entrance to all Zoomanity
Parks and enjoy one exciting day of
interaction with their favorite animals.
Different gifts were given away plus
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
exciting shows were held.
From Ruins at Metropolitan
Avenue, Rafael Palma Elementary
School, to Zoocobia Fun Zoo and
Zoobic Safari l and Paradizzo and
Residence Inn, the Zoomanity Group
made sure that these less fortunate
children felt the true essence of
Christmas and that is to be loved and
cared for even just for the day. Robert
had the help of generous sponsorships
from Kiwanis International, Jollibee
Foods
Corporation,
Frontrow
Enterprises, Mega Global Corporation,
HMR Philippines Inc., and Haverson
Enterprises.
Yupangco is grateful to everyone
who helped make 2018 Christmas
Gift Giving an exciting, rewarding, and
productive event that brought great
joy to the children. We salute you,
Robert, for showing compassion to
the less fortunate youngsters through
your theme parks.
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