From: Buendia, Bonifacio G
Subject: [goldencorps] FW: Korean Essay About Filipinos - Please Read
To: goldencorps@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 5:17 PM
Brods/Sis…
an eye opener maybe… or could this be the root cause of our misery…
Regards,
Egay
SCO 69B
all filipinos... . please read this.......
SUBJECT: KOREAN ESSAY WORTH READING
Please pass it to all Filipinos you know.
The message goes:
As you know, we have plenty of Koreans currently
studying in the Philippines to take advantage of
our cheaper tuition fees and learn English at the
same time.
This is an essay written by a Korean student i
want to share with you. (Never mind the grammar;
it's the CONTENT that counts) Maybe it is timely to
think about this in the midst of all the confusion
at present.
MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
Jaeyoun Kim
Filipinos always complain about the corruption in
the Philippines . Do you really think the corruption
is the problem of the Philippines ? I do not
think so. I strongly believe that the problem is
the lack of love for the Philippines
Let me first talk about my country, Korea .
It might help you understand my point.
After the Korean War, South Korea was one
of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans
had to start from scratch because entire country was
destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.
Koreans used to talk about the Philippines , for
Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos.
Koreans really wanted to be well off like
Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine.
My father & brother also died because of famine.
Korean government was very corrupt and is still very
corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was
able to develop dramatically because Koreans really
did their best for the common good with their heart
burning with patriotism.
Koreans did not work just for themselves but also
for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired
young men with the spirit of patriotism.
40 years ago, President Park took over the
government to reform Korea . He tried to borrow money
from other countries, but it was not possible to get a
loan and attract a foreign investment because the
economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had
only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine
workers and nurses to Germany so that
they could send money to Korea to build a factory.
They had to go through horrible experience.
In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow
money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the
airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw
the President Park . They asked to him, "President,
when can we be well off?" That was the only question
everyone asked to him. President Park cried with
them and promised them that Korea would be well
off if everyone works hard for Korea , and the President
of Germany got the strong impression on them
and lent money to Korea . So, President Park was
able to build many factories in Korea . He always
asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.
Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA
came back to Korea to help developing country
because they wanted their country to be well off.
Though they received very small salary, they did their
best for Korea . They always hoped that their children
would live in well off country.
My parents always brought me to the places where
poor and physically handicapped people live. They
wanted me to understand their life and help them.
I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army.
The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that we
have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my
neighborhood. Have you cried for the
Philippines? I have cried for my country several
times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many
poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid
prison. What made me sad in the prison were the
prisoners who do not have any love for their country.
They go to mass and work for Church. They pray
everyday.
However, they do not love the Philippines . I
talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security compound,
and both of them said that they would leave the
Philippines right after they are released from the
prison. They said that they would start a new life in other
countries and never come back to the Philippines
Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that
we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood.
The owners of factory and company were distributed their
profit to their employees fairly so that employees could
buy what they needed and saved money for the
future and their children.
When I was in Korea , I had a very strong faith and
wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines ,
I completely lost my faith.
I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable
situations in the Philippines . Street kids always make me sad,
and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic
country in Asia , but there are too many poor people here.
People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has
been changed.
My parents came to the Philippines last week and
saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer
than the present Philippines when they
were young. They are so sorry that there are so
many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pasangjan,
I forced my parents to take a boat because
it would fun. However, they were not happy after
taking a boat. They said that they would not take the boat
again because they were sympathized the
boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a
small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it.
But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love
for them.
My mother who has been working for Catholic Church
since I was very young told me that if we just go to
mass without changing ourselves, we are not
Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action.
She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things
for them because all of us are same and have received a great
love from God. I want Filipinos to love their
neighborhood and country as much as they love God
so that the Philippines will be well off..
I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos
should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once.
It should start from person. Love must start in everybody,
in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of
things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away
our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes.
I discover that every person is worthy to be
loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible.
Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and
relationships. It changes the world. Please love your
neighborhood and country.
Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we
do to Him. In the Philippines , there is God for people who
are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love.
If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines .
Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country.
You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others.
That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.
(FOR THE LOVE OF OUR COUNTRY PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE)
My disagreement to the Korean Sir who posted that e-mail except for his call on bayanihan spirit which embedded in us a part of our culture. But he is not the first doomsayer in predicting the future of the Philippines. Our national hero Jose Rizal writing in La Solidaridad in 1890 about the indolence of the Filipinos may live up to this day when he declares that the absence of the concern for our country then “breeds another evil, which is the scarcity of any opposition to the measures that are prejudicial to the people and the absence of any initiative that will redound to their welfare. A man in the Philippines is only an individual; he is not a member of a nation.”
Professor Randy David says it is “not indolence but lack of discipline that is blamed for the Filipino’s lack of progress”.
But who can blame poor Juan De La Cruz when he resigned his fate in apathy and despair to look for job as janitor and domestic helper abroad. You would ask each countryman of ours why he wanted to go abroad and he would tell you pointblank that “there is no future in the Philippines”. Just compare the sight of our airport. In the old NAIA you step on a red but dirty carpet, you will hand your passport in a dilapidated wood table of an immigration officer and in the new terminal there have been news that every time you step out just be always wary of the ceiling for you will not home alive. When you get out of the Philippines you will shock with awe and admiration how far the Philippines were left behind in progress. Sa atin pagbalik mo sa Pilipinas sa airport pa lang nasusuka ka na.
In the past we are importing workers to work for us. What makes the Philippines, envy to the East and the proud of the past are; we have the best education in Asia from the Thomasites (American teachers) Don’t you know that the Kennon Road in going up here to Baguio was built by American engineers, Filipino workers and mind you Japanese laborers in the early 1900’s? In the 60’s, The Philippines was second to Japan in terms of economic development in Asia. We have a booming manufacturing sector. We are exporting mineral resources to Japan and had in actually contributed significantly Japan’s industrialization. Japan’s shipbuilding industry was built from our steel. We exported timber to Japan and to the rest of the world until our supplies had ran out. Malaysians and Thais came here to study engineering and science courses learning from us. We are also one of the strongest army in Asia in terms of armaments. We have the newest top of the line jet fighter, the F5. PAL was in fact the Asia’s first commercial airline. We have built the first car industry in Asia, the jeepney.
What happened why all of a sudden that robust development came to naught? I believe it also of our making. In Ilocos we never call our tobacco industry as our major industry in the province. It is not agriculture that can be called the major industry in the Philippines. It is politics. We have the best system of government in the world. When will we elect a good leader that is really sincere to his oath to protect and serve for us instead of stealing from us is always a question. We want to experiment things and want to traverse to the unknown world. How many times we have changed our constitution after getting that freedom from the Americans? Every time a new President comes in he wants to perpetuate himself in power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. My elder always say then that, the start martial law was good only that when it was extended it was abused. At that time our government was facing tremendous difficulties we have an oil crisis of the 70’s, armed rebellion in the south and the communist threat. Instead of financing our development growth our money was instead funneled to buy arms and to buy loyalties to cronies. When we have discarded martial law. We find ourselves to have the biggest unemployment and under-employment in Asia. We cannot find job somewhere in the Philippines but to find job elsewhere. The demand and market is outside the country. Who could blame poor Juan when he wanted to survived?
The Korean is saying for the love of our country. Our scientist, engineers etc. should return to the Philippines to save and help our poor Philippines. But he doesn’t know the ill-feeling that it is good to return but would it make a difference? I haven’t heard any laws giving our retirees who wanted to be home to start a new business or a support from the government in introducing his new inventions and incentives in helping the government. Does the Korean really know that we also have the most corrupt politicians in Asia? In Korea, former Presidents are put to trial. Remember Roh Tae Woo and Chun Doo Hwan. In the Philippines, we have a gut to say a President is not guilty even with overwhelming evidence and have the guts to pardon an ex-President who pocketed graft money and have the gut listen to the antics of our politicians even though we know they are corrupt and have even more guts to re-elect them. We don’t say to hell with you to them but to hail with you and let their tribe increase. That’s why we see the father succeeded by the son etc. It is not dictatorship to steal money from your people but public service. The paradox is. Why is there apathy among us despite of what we knew? Social scientists believe that all of a sudden we got tired of politics. I have other important things to attend to in the first place no matter whomever you put in that position pare parehas pa rin magbago lang ang mukha. Only in the Philippines. So was the feeling of indifference. When it should be the government that sets the example, it is the government callousness that instead of teaching its people is turning its people away. Ok lang so much the better pa nga that its people better migrate abroad because it will finance its economy and that we resigned our fate to God and that we chooses not to involve at this time. We cannot blame poor Juan De La Cruz to embrace and salute two kinds of flag. But that doesn’t make poor Juan to be unpatriotic. Would you die in hunger in your poor country or live abroad in luxury? I would rather choose the latter and become practical. Losing hope in your country is not unpatriotic. It is just avoiding to have a plague, a chronic disease that when all will be okay you will return again to the same place. For who can forget his birthplace? Returning to the Philippines at this time is donating your blood for blood transfusion to a dying patient. Knowing that miracle to happen when he will be revived is still a mystery.
In the same way that I would ask the Korean if I would met him one day to say “Why you choose the Philippines to live here and not in your country?” It is it because you faced an imminent threat from the North and that you feel an immediate invasion from Kim Il-Jong ? You want your future children to be secured in the future and you can forget Korea and come here in the Philippines to invest and learn our English? In Baguio we have 12,000 Koreans to this day. They have their own elementary and high school. They have mushroom and had push up the rentals of condominiums and hotels. Making our hotel rates and transient homes here to be more expensive when you try to visit Baguio. They own various restaurants, meat shops, grocery shops etc.
I beg to disagree what the Korean was saying that their economy industrialization came from Germany. The money actually came from their bitter enemy, Japan. That’s why President military dictator Park Chung Hee was very unpopular among Koreans during his time because he normalizes diplomatic relation with Japan. And he chooses to borrow capital from Japan to build Korea’s industrialization. Japan had brutal colonization with Korea in the 1880’s to 1930’s. What make Japan a superpower rising from destruction from WW II that we should be worthy to emulate and to revive our status in the 50’s and 60’s? Prof Randy David calls it “discipline”. Dun tayo kulang. Sa ikakaunlad ng bayan disiplina ang kailangan. When I was in Japan I really admire how they behave. You cannot see a single Japanese talking in their cell phone in the bullet train or hearing any sounds of text message from their cell phone all are in silent mode. When you ride in an escalator, you will stay in the right side for people hurrying up shall pass in the left side. You cannot find any single trash in the road. You have to personally throw your waste when eating in McDo at the trash bin and clean and wipe your table for the next guest. Iba lang ang hapon pag nandito sa Pinas hehehe….
That’s Sir my piece to your email thanks ….
Francis Abat
Ginintuan 87”
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