Tomorrow, we celebrate the Philippine Independence Day.
When we waved our flag on June 12th 1898, we declared our freedom from 300 years of colonial oppression. 300 years of having fellow Filipinos turned against each other. 300 years of being called “Indio”—“an inferior race.”
We never were, and never will be an inferior race. Our ancestors had formed communities, alliances, networks of trade and commerce; Diplomacy with our Asian neighbors. They possessed their own leadership and governance. Codes. Language. Culture. Their creativity, ingenuity and resilience is what has been passed into the very core of every Filipino today.
Subsequent foreign occupations, years of political turmoil, and the wounds of division caused by our experiences seem to have made many of us believe that we occupy a small space in this world. But let us not forget that many of us are the driving forces in industries around the world— from healthcare, to media, arts, engineering—and are even the backbone of household and care support, on which major economies rely.
In postcolonial discussions, one often wonders about “National Identity.” I’ve stopped trying to define it in a box—because what we have is a special tapestry. Over 7,000 islands with unique dialects, cultural influences, and ways of thinking. With so much to offer, what we can do is only limited by what we believe.
The freedom we will need is that of our mind. We are stronger than we believe ourselves to be.
Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan, Pilipinas!
(Happy Independence Day, Philippines!)
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