By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
Independence day in many countries is celebrated with much fanfare. That is to say, citizens of those countries are actively involved or eagerly await those celebrations. Diplomats make it a sense of their duty and responsibility to attend the most relevant program where the head of state will deliver his/her speech.
That was also the case of the Philippines. We used to see Philippine flags proudly displayed in offices, in government buildings, along the road, and almost all vehicles private or otherwise, has a small Philippine flag freely flying on their side. Printing of miniature flag was a good source of income. Now, you can hardly see anyone lugging our flag bought from bookstores.
The display of flag as a symbol of being a proud, independent Filipino, I guess started to decline about 25 years or so ago. It is a pity.
It seems that the essence of independence is already lost on most people, especially the younger generation.
Last June 12, as Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was about to start his independence discourse in Kawit, Cavite, about 10 militant students disrupted proceedings with a chant: Hunyo a dose, huwad na Kalayaan.
What fake? It was a date that the first Filipino president, Emilio Aguinaldo, declared resulting from the defeat of Spanish forces by Filipino forces. We were not able to celebrate it henceforth because the Americans forcibly took it from us after the short Filipino-American war. In 1946, we were granted independence by the snatchers thus, for some time, we celebrated such on the 4th of July. Then Pres. Diosdado Macapagal, realizing the mistake, instituted the true date of Philippine independence: June 12.
It is easy to imagine that those students were just made to mouth that chant without really understanding it. Somebody was behind them. The point however is that, people with some personal agenda, would use anybody and any event to advance their interest. Independence day is meaningless to them.
Our independence, according to some, is now being compromised by no less than our present president. He joked not too long ago that we might as well present ourselves as a province of China! Last week, one respected columnist of a national daily painted a grim scenario that this year might be the last independence day celebration that we will hold. Bereft of any emotional undertone, he went on to plainly explain why. Of course, it was his way of letting the president know his sentiments without directly saying so.
Take a look at what our national hero, Jose Rizal wrote: “Instead of aspiring to be a mere province, aspire to be a nation, develop an independent not colonial mentality; resignation is not always a virtue it is a crime when it encourages oppression. There are no tyrants where there are no slaves.” This statement obliterates the thought of some that Rizal was anti-independence before. He was not. But that is beside the point in this piece.
Rizal’s exhortation runs diametrically opposed to the joke above. Colonial mentality should have no place in a true independent nation.
Protection of our sovereignty is clearly ensconced in our national anthem which says in part: Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi, Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo. It is very dramatic, but it should be our true sentiment. It is not entirely correct to say that we can not confront a well-armed giant because we will just lose soldiers.
Senator Dick Gordon was correct when he said in an interview that we usually fight even if we are dehado. It’s fight to the last man. This is exactly what former president Diosdado Macapagal meant when he said: “I end with the proud declaration of the truth that the Philippines is irrevocably a land of freedom. The love for freedom is the outstanding trait of the Filipino.”
Reading the dispatches from the Korean war in the 1950’s every Filipino can hold his/her head high because of the accolade given to the Filipino soldiers fighting for democracy there. They hailed in the international media as the “fightingest soldiers in the world”.
If our sovereignty is under threat by any nation, am sure the “fightingest” spirit will surely come in full display if the leader show grit, courage, and determination to really lead. Not to meekly kneel before a superbly-armed mang-aapi.
I may not be a fan of PNoy but I can agree to one of his remarks on independence, however ironical it may seem to others: “It is an honor to risk one’s life for one’s country; that those who have contributed to our freedom can hold their heads high. At the same time, Bonifacio’s stern gaze seems to pose a challenge to all of us. It seems to say: You, Filipino, what have you done for your flag and for your fellowmen?”**
