Search for a Filipino Role Model
“We get discriminated against and it is taken against us if we mispronounce a word, but the victory of Manny showed to the world we are equal to them and if we try harder, even better than them,” Greg Cruz, a call center agent from Marikina City, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, as he emerged from the Araneta Coliseum where more than 18,000 people watched the fight live, through a 30-foot screen installed to cover the four angles of the dome.
Nelson Aves, 31, another call center agent, echoed Cruz statement and added, “Now they cannot put down our race, Manny has raised it. His hard work and victory should serve as an inspiration.”
Aves said he has been at the receiving end of discriminatory remarks from foreign clients. “Sometimes, in between transactions, when they learned I was from the Philippines, they would mention Manny, but they were mad. Maybe now, this victory will make them realize we are really good,” Aves added.
The above comments are extracted from a November 15th article written by Nancy C. Carajal of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
I believe that these comments show a country desperately in search of a role model.
Is Manny Pacquiao that role model…sadly not.
First, let me say that I admire Manny Pacquiao and his accomplishments. He is without a doubt a great sports figure. That said, I must say that he is not the role model that Filipinos need.
It is a sad commentary that the Filipino people have to invest their hopes and dreams in a boxer. Yes, Manny comes from a poor background like so many Filipinos but the path that he took to lift himself out of poverty is not the route that should inspire Filipinos in their eternal quest for a better life and self- image.
You may ask: “Why can’t that role model be a political leader or a business person who goes out of their way to take the time to give of themselves and inspire the average person?”
It is well known, here in the Philippines, that local politicians and big business people are, by and large, a selfish and greedy group who look out only for themselves. Self-enrichment is their daily mantra.
You only need to take a look at Manny Pacquiao’s family and you will see the path they are now headed on. Manny did the “hard work” but his wife, mother and “hanger-ons” are acting like they are the ones with talent. For God’s sake, Manny mother is doing TV commercials and, now, sees herself as a movie and TV actress…PLEASE!
Manny, himself, is going to run for public office and has no education or experience to bring to the office and the people, but, most likely, he will win in the elections. Money, fame, and connections are all you need. Will it help the common people…absolutely not.
What Filipino people need to do is watch less television and pay attention to the basic tool of life that has brought success to so many poor people around the world…quality education.
I have said for decades that I can not understand why a movie actor gets millions of dollars for a few months work but our educators (whom we entrust our children’s future) gets such low salaries for such important work.It is the same here in the Philippines. Educators are the key to the up lifting of the Filipino people.
I watch daily the foolish “goings on” on television with so called actors and entertainers that have (in my opinion) absolutely no talent. Most of the younger ones are from rich families of entertainers and politicians. This “in breeding” produces less and less real talent. This”elite’ group is always involved in less than appropriate role model actions in their lives, be it drug and alcohol abuse, sexual affairs, extra-martial affairs or having children out of wedlock.
Of course, my greatest example of a “air head” from this group is sadly from a famous family…Kris Aquino.
Kris Aquino is a absolute horrible role model for anyone. She is a person who has live a spoiled, pamper life, making fame and fortune off the name and sacrifices of a famous mother and father and have at times brought great disgrace on her family. Even now, she dictates to her older brother, Benigno “Noynoy†Aquino III, who has worked hard and, at one time, nearly lost his life defending his mother (then President of the Philippines) during a coup attempt, to follow the role model set by his mother and father by rising up to be a Philippine Senator. Now, running for President of the Philippines, his baby sister Kris states that he should not marry or better yet, let her choose his future wife. She further stated at her mother’s funeral that her mother made her promise (on her death bed) that she would take over managing her older brother’s life. Now, who would even begin to believe that statement? If he loses his campaign, it will be directly caused by his big-mouth baby sister.
Filipinos must get back to the basics of life and understand that they must stop watching others get their successes off the backs of poor people and take charge of their lives by educating themselves, making the right choices in life and taking direct responsibility for their own lives and, most importantly, making responsible choices when they vote next May. No more selling votes for a few pesos or voting for a entertainer that has no real skills or proper agenda for helping the people.
Only then will the proper role models show their faces to the Philippine masses…and there will be many to be truly proud of and that will be the start of a new chapter in the life of the Filipino people.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Loading ...
