Pilipinas: Kahapon, Ngayon, Bukas
Justine Marie Bernardo

“Ang bayan ko’y tanging ikaw, Pilipinas kong mahal. Ang puso ko at buhay man, sa iyo’y ibibigay. Tungkulin ko'y gagampanan, na lagi kang paglingkuran. Ang laya mo’y babantayan, Pilipinas kong hirang.”

What’s with me? Am I patriotic? Hah. No. I just wanted that introductory though it’s not that related.  

It’s cliché because people always make the present time the most horrible days ever while the past is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in the world. Well then, how about flipping the situation? How about the good news for the present time and the bad news for the past time? 

Positive side - Present time

Ever wonder what’s “good” in the world today? From all of the disasters, wars, pollution, and poverty, what do you think are the opposite side of these things?

Number one, the technology. We live in the generation wherein almost everything can be instant. Food, Hygiene, Transportation, Houses, and even Artificial Insemination. All of these can be brought with money. (But of course it requires a lot of money too.) In the past years, we never had these things in just a snap. It’s a choice of working it very hard to turn out to be yours and let it come to you by luck. You will never see a person holding his Desktop, CPU, Keyboard, Mouse, and Speakers walking in the street to be in a Café Shop. But in the present time, you will only see a small and a big rectangle. It’s either a “techie” bitten apple or a cute green alien.

Number two, the way of living. Unlike in the past years, many of us are really having a worst life. There are many people (especially the women) who are unable to study and do the things they want. But now, whatever a man can do, women can also do it and vice versa. They were also instant jobs and sidelines that can make a living. 

Number three, education. As the 90’s kid, I’ve never thought of having a laptop. I just want to play outside and though I have scars and dirty, I don’t mind them. But then, when it comes to education, I only focused on books. A book that was never changed and never moved. The words and figures are very limited. I’ve never saw a giraffe in my entire life. But in the present time now, many kids will just connect into the World Wide Web, and as they search in the internet, even the little things about giraffe they could see and learn from it. 

Number four, the freedom of speech. Journalists in the previous time are powerless against the government. And journalists back then ware being killed and being forgotten by all people because of the fear that others will be also killed. Philippines is the most dangerous place for a journalist. But now, they have already that power to speak and reveal everything that they knew. It was also considered Journalism is the 4th state lining with the executive, legislative and judiciary. 

The fifth and the final, the gender fair relations. All of the women in the Philippines back then do not have chance to study and have a good and decent job. They were all in the house and serve as the “housewife”. They’ve been discriminated and are being abused like the comfort women in the old days. 

I’ve never thought that I will think this way. But then, we should always look at the positive side of everything. Even though the bad things are leading, we should think of the good ones. It will also boost our minds and think many times. 

We should not also over think. Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end. We should make our ways to overcome problems and we should eliminate things that can make us down.  




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