Yesterday, September 5, I read Shirley Francisco Allerup’s blog.Yesterday, September 5, I read Shirley Francisco Allerup's blog. With due regards to my former workmate, I absolutely disagree with her. Her observations and remarks may be true but does that mean that all 91 million Filipinos are like that? It is unreasonable to pigeonhole out of some slight and improbable circumstances because I believe that Filipinos are moral, respectable and God fearing people although there are some cases several Pinoys are entangled in different waywardness and illegalities because of poverty and search for the good life. As what her friend GNP mentioned in his reply our struggle for survival is the cause of all these but nonetheless it does not make us a lesser race. I did see many times on television taxi drivers turned over millions of cash in different currencies left by foreigners inside their transport, heard stories how Filipino sailors fed and gave refuge to their own African stow-away detainees instead of tossing them out into the shark- infested sea which most white seafarers normally do. A domestic helper in Taiwan killed defending and shielding her employer against burglars who passed into their dwelling. Most of the time Filipinos too are victims of abuses by other nations. How many OFW"s languish and deteriorate in jail for crimes they did not commit? How many DH's were raped by their employers? How many Filipinas were abused, maltreated and almost battered to death by their alien husbands and went home with shattered dreams and lives in shambles? No one is flawless, no race is impeccable not even Americans nor Europeans . . . not even one. She also mentioned our former employer's axiom about being chagrined to be a Filipino. I am very indubitable not only her knew what type of morality and character this person has and all the cruelties and exploitations that until now this lady is perpetrating with her employees. If she is humiliated to be a Filipino it is because she doesn't own the innate qualities, decency and ethics to be called one. " Alam naman ng karamihan kung gaano kawalanghiya itong tao na ito, Hindi talaga dapat maging Pilipino ito!" I think Shirley really made the worst paradigm out of this person. The problem with us is that we only find faults and tend to send to oblivion all the goodness done. It's like staring at a huge circle sketched on the wall over looking and ignoring the tiny blotch inside it. We have so many things to be honored and delighted as far as being Filipino is concerned. We are known as affectionate, tender and devoted people. We do not leave our parents in caregiver homes when they get feeble and seem to become appendage to us but rather we take care of them. We lavish our visitors with our warm treatment and hospitality. We always dress in smiles despite the humongous adversities in our lives. Let us not blemish our dignity but rather embolden our pride to other race. There are so many men of different nationalities who wish to seek marriage and relationship with Filipinas. Why? Because Pinays would be archetypes of a loving, compassionate and caring wife and an idyllic mother for their kids. To be mortified of one's ethnicity is synonymous to self regret and embarrassment. Let us gaze back where we came from because in the end no matter how outlying we have gone through . . .we will find ourselves going back from where we used to be. I guess Mr. Allerup and his kids will best tell what kind of Filipino is . . .in the person of his wife. My two cents worth and God Bless you, Shirley!"Nationality is respectable when selfishness, distrusts and conceit are all put aside for the welfare of humankind."
