If you could find more interesting people in the world than the Filipinos, you are fighting a thousand odds. Many Filipinos have shown immense talents in their chosen fields.
These people generally have a wide grin in their faces, with a healthy sense of humor and a resilience as proven when Typhoon Yolanda (Haniyan) hit the southeastern part of the Philippines, particularly Tacloban City. The eyes of the nations were on this country at that time. Millions of dollars poured into the charity coffers and many homes were built at that time.
On the other hand, this tragedy is not a fuss for Filipinos who encounter more than 10 devastating typhoons in a year, several volcanic eruptions in a decade, scary earthquakes and landslides and what-not!
Let us go deeper into the Philippine history to understand this bravery of the Filipino race. One of the aborigines of the Filipinos are the Malays, a race famous for their courage and adventurous ways hundreds of years ago. They settled in the Philippines and just like the Vikings in Europe, taught the Filipinos strong values of resilience and morale.
Later, the Spanish conquistadores conquered the Philippines for three centuries. Spaniards introduced Christianity which results in about 90 percent of Filipinos becoming Catholics. This accounts for the piety and religiousity of most Filipinos.
In a short period of time, the Chinese conquerors under Limahong conquered the country, although short-lived. But the effects are profound: many Chinese businessmen settled in the Philippines.
This eclectic blend of cultures contributed to the psyche of the current Filipino populace. As anywhere in the world, iPhones, Ipads, smartphones and all kinds of gadgets are everywhere. But, the Filipinos remain the same: joyful with a lot of fiestas and gatherings, with a brave countenance just like Bonifacio---the leader of Philippine revolution, just like Jose Rizal, the quiet genius hero and writer who fought for the rights of Filipinos during Spanish time!
The beloved land of my birth: never to be forgotten, a legacy to be remembered at all times!
All rights reserved: Cynthia Abegail Bernardo
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