What typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) has proved is the fact that real change comes from all of us and not the government. We saw how civic groups powered by volunteers and donors; plus friends, neighbors and relatives were the ones who helped the victims of the typhoon.
We Filipinos are naturally caring people, we have malasakit and kapwa-tao. I remember the story of a friend who lives in Provident Village in Marikina. Their two-storey house was of course flooded, she was not devastated though. She was very touched by the concern, care and support given to them by the church. She said members readily gave pledges to them and were physically there cleaning their house, providing for all their needs. Another even used his 4-day old 4-wheel drive car to transport goods and cleaning equipment. What was most inspiring was her realization that the flood has brought her to a deeper understanding of her purpose. Thinking of what they went through, 12 hours being stranded inside a flooded house with no idea what to happen next - they were perched on top of their cabinets ready for the worst, she said she has realized that the flood is God's way of making her deeper. If before, she was all about kikay-kikay, now she's all ready to be used up for whatever God wants of her.
Crisis-proof
Crisis has been in our blood stream ever since the world begun. In my three decades of life, I have seen Filipinos rise above all - earthquakes, landslides, flashfloods, typhoons. Our third world country is so poor we are so used to discomfort and all these crisis. So definitely we will overcome this. But I'm sensing it'll be different. Twitter and Facebook buzz about bayanihan, helping out, doing our share, loving the nation. Really, we are birthing a new breed of Filipinos. A new Filipino who knows who he is - brown, short, Malay but proud of it. A new Filipino who is improving himself - learning about all he can so he can serve the country realizing that change starts from within.
We Filipinos are naturally caring people, we have malasakit and kapwa-tao. I remember the story of a friend who lives in Provident Village in Marikina. Their two-storey house was of course flooded, she was not devastated though. She was very touched by the concern, care and support given to them by the church. She said members readily gave pledges to them and were physically there cleaning their house, providing for all their needs. Another even used his 4-day old 4-wheel drive car to transport goods and cleaning equipment. What was most inspiring was her realization that the flood has brought her to a deeper understanding of her purpose. Thinking of what they went through, 12 hours being stranded inside a flooded house with no idea what to happen next - they were perched on top of their cabinets ready for the worst, she said she has realized that the flood is God's way of making her deeper. If before, she was all about kikay-kikay, now she's all ready to be used up for whatever God wants of her.
Crisis-proof
Crisis has been in our blood stream ever since the world begun. In my three decades of life, I have seen Filipinos rise above all - earthquakes, landslides, flashfloods, typhoons. Our third world country is so poor we are so used to discomfort and all these crisis. So definitely we will overcome this. But I'm sensing it'll be different. Twitter and Facebook buzz about bayanihan, helping out, doing our share, loving the nation. Really, we are birthing a new breed of Filipinos. A new Filipino who knows who he is - brown, short, Malay but proud of it. A new Filipino who is improving himself - learning about all he can so he can serve the country realizing that change starts from within.
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