DIRECTLINE By Boy Abunda
The Philippine Star 01/05/2004
I received a copy of an e-mail which my good friend Bebong Muñoz sent to all his colleagues at the UP Law School and at the Ateneo, in reaction to a forwarded e-mail titled Shattered Dreams by Atty. Silverio Aquino.
Read on…
I am writing this letter in response to the forwarded e-mail titled Shattered Dreams by Silverio Aquino. Atty. Aquino wrote about how four of his six children left the Philippines because of its hopeless state. In this letter, I will respond by telling him that despite living my own humble version of the American Dream, I am still determined to go back to my home, the Philippines.
Like Atty. Aquino, I am a lawyer 45 years his junior. I am a graduate student and teaching fellow in Columbia University, New York. Last night, I was invited to dinner by one of the most enlightened and honorable political scientists in the United States. He was the Census Bureau Chief appointed by former US president Bill Clinton who was responsible for the most successful census implemented in the US. He is currently my professor. Earlier this year, the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University gave me the honor of delivering a speech at the Plaza Hotel in New York before Madeline Albright, the former Secretary of State of President Clinton. In that speech, I proudly talked about my hope for the Philippines. I am also teaching a graduate course called Politics of Policymaking in the same university, wherein one of my students is a real-life princess in one of the world’s remaining monarchies.
Sounds like a scene from a movie, but it’s true. I take pride in the fact that what I teach in class could somehow affect the lives of my student’s subjects when she goes back to her kingdom. To complete the picture of my American Dream, on my walk home today, I saw a couple of kids giggling in the snow and building a snowman.
In his letter, Atty. Aquino said that he was dumbfounded when his daughter from the University of the Philippines came home one day and announced, "My future has been ruined by (Ferdinand)Marcos. I want to leave." Thereafter, she went abroad. Atty. Aquino said that he agreed with the wisdom of his daughter’s decision. I happen to disagree. The easy thing to do is blame our leaders for everything that goes wrong. Even easier than that is to leave the Philippines to seek the American Dream. But would that mean a better future for our country?
Atty. Aquino also expressed his desperation in what he thought was the impending election according to him, of "another movie actor who hasn’t even finished high school." He implied that this was another reason to leave the Philippines. Again, I disagree. I believe that if the Philippines is in trouble because of our leaders, all the more reason not to forsake our country. As citizens, we should come to the rescue of our country.
Atty. Aquino also talked about his disappointment about the migration of educated and talented Filipinos to find greener pastures abroad. He said that this was a serious case of brain drain. I would first worry about heart drain. I am worried that Filipinos leave because they no longer love the country. That is the first thing we have to protect, love of country. And I would no longer worry about brain drain because when our heart yearns for our country, our minds will fight for it.
My fellow "Scholars ng Bayan" from UP Law School who attended Harvard University last year have already gone back home to lend a helping hand. Most of my college batchmates in Ateneo have lived up to their calling of being "men for others" by being productive citizens in the Philippines. I am sure many other students from all the other universities still love our country. That makes me hopeful.
This May, I will be graduating. Hopefully, I can go home to leave my American Dream behind. Don’t get me wrong. I love the good life, too. I just love the Philippines more.
I will send this e-mail to all my friends in the hope that it will somehow get to Atty. Silverio Aquino. And pañero, when you do get this letter, let’s talk about why we should love, not leave the Philippines.
Bebong Muñoz
Lawyer and graduate student
One day, we will all wake up to a progressive and united country. One day, we will all wake up to cleaner and safer streets. One day, we will all wake up to a government and citizenry accountable to each other. One day, we will all wake up – better people.
But we know that we cannot sleep through it and hope for a miracle to happen overnight. We know that we have to work hard for a better life and a better world.
Besides, why would I leave my own country, which has been through hell and back in the hands of mindless politicians and an apathetic citizenry? Like a mother to a child, you wouldn’t forsake your son just because he has been astray, or confused or abused. In the same way that you wouldn’t forsake your own mother, just because she has been destroyed by an abusive life. I will never do that to my own mother.
Will you?
~~~~~
Forwarded email by Jim.
~~~~~
Let's all stay and say...
NO to FPJ!!!