9 - Colonized Nationality

It was five centuries since the legacies of our brave and patriotic ancestors are known by Filipinos. As time passes by, more and more children of the Philippines will hear the heroic stories of the heroes who fought hard and defended the country for where it belongs to. Lapu-Lapu, being known as our first national hero, successfully drove away the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan and his vast fleet back to Spain. After decades, some other countries tried to desecrate our sacred lands for its rich and natural resources. Filipinos became successful in defending the country until the Spaniards came and took control of everything. During the span of three hundred years, our forefathers began many reforms, revolutions and even rebellion against the Spanish Colonization. Little that they know, these foreign oppressors underestimate the heart and will of each Filipino to seek justice and freedom for their own. Several years have past when the Filipinos have reclaimed their beloved country, the persistent invasion of foreign enemies still exists and attempts to capture our lands once more. From Japanese soldiers to American armies, the Filipinos never stopped fighting for the true freedom they have been longing for.

People in the 21st century like me have known of their heroic stories, but the question is: Do we give value of what our ancestors have fought for or maybe we are just taking it for granted? Perhaps we modern day Filipinos seems to be busy appreciating foreign influence. In short terms, we Filipinos nowadays value colonialism rather than nationality. What is nationality? It is defined as a patriotic relationship between an individual and his country. Do we consider ourselves as nationalistic people? I guess we do not. There are some examples that will prove my statement. Filipinos love to buy and embrace products that are made from other countries instead of our local goods. In terms of culture, teenagers nowadays like to listen to western music and probably imitate their fashion. I am also guilty of this because my way of living preference lies on the western side. To be honest, it is not bad to appreciate of what do other countries have as long as we also value the things that our beloved Philippines has. Our country is quite reputed and being admired by  foreign tourists because of the wonderful scenic places that can be found throughout. In addition to, we Filipinos are adored mainly due to our unique and pleasant personality.

There is always a fine line between nationality and colonialism. People just have to understand that giving importance to the land where he was born should be first in their hearts. Colonialism isn't a bad thing unless it diminishes one's nationality.