THE PHILIPPINE COMMUNITY HERALD NEWSPAPER PEOPLE * PEOPLE * PEOPLE
Kapitbahayan Mothers Day Celebration by Nards Purisima ,,, From Page 26
Nagbigay mga bulaklak sa mga lna ng
Kapitbahayan Pangulo Ruben Amores
75th Friendship Anniversary of the Philippines and Australia : HOW FILIPINO COMMUNITIES ARE CELEBRATING IT ? A Public Opinion by Rado Gatchalian ( First published in The FILOsopher , a Facebook blog page / group of the author )
Let ’ s be direct to the point : Ironically , we celebrate the 75th Philippine-Australia Friendship anniversary yet we , Filipinos here in Sydney and Australia , fight among ourselves . We remember the strong bondage between our Motherland , the Philippines , and our Adopted Land , our second Home , Australia , yet we also immortalise the animosity between and among our own kin . To paraphrase F . Sionil Jose , Philippine National Artist for Literature , he said : Our worst enemy is our own brothers .
Perhaps even the Philippine Ambassador to Australia and the officers of the Philippine Consulate Office would need to organise their schedules to accommodate various celebrations for the same 75th anniversary event from different Filipino groups . Yes , we can celebrate it 75 times for different groups ! Well , that ’ s the way it is . And we just have to accept it . We can NEVER celebrate this momentous event in one occasion organised and attended by all Filipinos here in Sydney . It ’ s the same every year of 12th of June when we celebrate Philippine Independence Day . Some Filipinos and our Australian friends wonder : “ Why can ’ t we just celebrate altogether ?” In a Perfect World : it ’ s easy to say that Yes we can be united . But in a Real World : human nature dictates that we are all different . Sociologically , perhaps this animosity contributes to our survival as species . It helps us to become innovative , resilient , and competitive . Filipinos , then , excel as we try to prove among ourselves
The author with the Australian Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Steven J . Robinson AO . Taken on 7 September 2019 during a Filipino community assembly jointly organised by PCCNSW and APBC )
that we are better than others . There is nothing wrong with that . We all need to prove something that we are worthwhile . Individually , we succeed , but as a group , as a nation , we fail . SADLY . We will always be regionalistic . It is in our DNA . I have always dreamed for a UNITED FILIPINO but with my journey among my brothers — I have come to realise , and accept , that we will never attain it . BUT this should not stop us to continue doing the right thing as a Filipino , and as a person . Though we are not united we shall still maintain respect and tolerance among us . We may have different agenda but let us all agree to disagree . Let each group do their own thing but I hope we won ’ t compete among us like mindless children . The thing is : with many groups among us — if our objective is to help our kababayan , then , it is an opportunity to help more . The more , the better . Of course , trying to look in a different perspective . We cannot control the behaviors of others . If they want to form their own groups , we cannot stop and control it . But we can control ours : let us just do the right thing . Let us mind our own business and just work for the betterment of others .
It is sad that as we celebrate this concept of FRIENDSHIP I have to write about this sad state of Filipinos fighting among ourselves . It will be hypocritical to be friends with other nationalities when we ourselves cannot be friends . But yeah as I said “ We just have to accept it .” What can we do about it ? In fact , ask ourselves , truthfully : do we sometimes feel more comfortable if we are with other nationalities ? We trust them more than our own kin ? In our dealings in life : if we are with other nationalities , we don ’ t have any issue . But if we deal with our fellow Filipinos : always , there is a problem . Because Filipinos are mayabang . Pataasan ng ihi . Ayaw patalo . Lahat magaling . Ayaw nang nahihigitan ng iba . Dapat magbigay galang . And I pray as we celebrate this Friendship Day we look at the mirror and see who we really are : FILIPINO . There is a saying : Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are . But let me deconstruct this : Tell me who your enemies are and I will tell you who you really are . We came here to Australia to have a better life . Australia is such a beautiful land . We are so lucky that we live in this progressive land . As we continue to celebrate this blessing may we not forget our roots . This is the only way to celebrate this friendship more meaningfully . Australia became a friend to Philippines 75 years ago . We , Filipinos , need to maintain this .
To end : let us reflect on what the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on his video message for the Philippine-Australia Friendship Day on 22 May 2021 . It speaks about unity : the quality we lack as Filipinos . “ Our countries forged a bond more than 75 years ago , during the great conflict of the Second World War , on the beaches at Leyte , in the jungles at Mindanao , and the seas of Lingayen Gulf . It was there that our bayanihan — or mateship , as we say in Australia — was born . We stood together against the militarism and the cruelties of those terrible times . Together we won a peace , together we won a war .”
Australia Philippines Services League ( APSL ) will mark 12 June 2021 , the Philippines ’ 123rd Independence Day - a dinner show with over 300 guests in attendance .
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