So-called “cause-oriented groups” (COGs) at present seem to have a monopoly over the label “nationalist” or “patriot”. They claim to be the only true nationalists simply by virtue of their willingness to invoke chaos on our streets and to express themselves in a form of Tagalog that makes generous use of six-syllable words that most ordinary Filipinos hardly ever come across; all in the name of the Filipino masses, so they claim.
A more sensible approach of course is to think of the Philippine Nation as one that needs to earn its people’s pride. And its people, in turn, need to recognise that they have to work at building a nation that they could be objectively proud of. We need to re-visit the true essence of nationalism — the desire to build a just, safe, and prosperous country that can earn the pride of its people.
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To further entertain this line of thinking, of course, brings us further into the realm of Dreamland as far as the Philippines is concerned. Our brand of nationalism is nothing more than a relic of the colonial past; infested with counterproductive tenets like anti-Americanism, Tagalogism, and unfounded pride (among others). We shall demonstrate in the following discourse that COGs nurture this colonial relic to achieve just one objective.
First of all, they espouse unqualified pride in one’s country for the sake of nationalism — essentially placing the horse behind the cart — by positioning the concept of nationalism as an absolute given. “I am a Filipino, and therefore it is my duty to love and serve the Philippine Nation.” So they say. Only when we start thinking of national pride as something that is necessarily commensurate to national achievement shall we have less difficulty with grappling with what it means to be a nation.
Second, they aim to secure their legitimacy as guardian of the interests of the masses by speaking in “the language of the masses”; so they say. Their real aim, of course is to fully exploit the language issue being one of the most enduring polarising forces of Philippine society. Among all the divisive factors plaguing Philippine society, it is in the realm of language where this polarisation is the most clear and definitive. There is no “middle class” as far as language is concerned in the Philippines — only the English-proficient elite and the Tagalog-speaking makabayans.
Finally, and least subtle of all, there is anti-Americanism. The Philippines, at present, is once again in a situation where it has to decide whether or not to graciously accept assistance offered by the United States to develop solutions for its domestic problems. Let’s forget for one moment that many COGs perceive the US as a threat to the objectives of their true umbrella organisation — the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). What are the COGs telling us whenever they spill all over our streets in protest? Basically they all fall into just one key idea: that the Philippines is automatically disadvantaged in any relationship it enters into with the US. There are countless permutations to this favrourite assertion of our COGs and only this one idea behind all of it.
What exactly does this imply about the COGs’ perception of the Philippine Nation? Simple. That the Philippines will forever be a hopelessly incompetent buffoon when it comes to negotiating itself into a fair treaty with a foreign power like the US? Fair enough. But it also reflects an even deeper underlying objective — that they have no intentions whatsoever of ever finding legitimacy in any treaty entered into and any foreign policy adopted by the Philippine Government for the simple reason that their umbrella organisation’s sole objective is the complete and absolute overthrow of the government and the dissolution of the Constitution.
Therefore these COGs, the infrastructure over (or shall we say “under”) which the Communist Party operates, are mere pawns that further the CPP’s “people’s struggle” (again re-stating what was already said above): the necessarily violent and complete overthrow of the Philippine Government, the dissolution of the Constitution, and the installation of totalitarian rule to execute its extreme brand of socialism. Because the CPP is a perpetrator of many terrorist acts through its New People’s Army (NPA), they’ve also evolved into a highly-decentralised cellular structured organisation like most terrorist groups. These COGs are part of that organisation even if they deny it. The members of these individual orgs probably don’t know what’s going on outside their respective domains, characteristic of the way cellular-structured organisations work.
We should not be fooled by their token participation in legitimate political exercises and advocation of “human rights”. There are no human rights and no legitimate political exercise under Communist rule.
To add some perspective to some Leftist claims to the throne of ‘Nationalist’, here is some insight on the very founder of the idea of the worker as “victim”:
[Karl] Marx always preferred to associate with middle-class intellectuals like himself. When he and Engels created the Communist League, and again when they formed the International, Marx made sure that working-class socialists were eliminated from any positions of influence and sat on committees merely as statutory proles. His motive was partially intellectual snobbery, partly that men with actual experience of factory conditions tended to be anti-violence and in favour of modest, progressive improvements: they were knowledgeably sceptical about the apocalyptic revolution he claimed was not only necessary but inevitable. Some of Marx’s most venomous assaults were directed against men of this type.
Paul Johnson, in his book Intellectuals.
The only cure for the cancer of communism in the Philippines is, again, to re-visit the true essence of nationalism — the desire to build a just, safe, and prosperous country that can earn the pride of its people and be a productive member of an equally prosperous global community.
Let’s return the concept of nationalism to its rightful owners — the ordinary Filipino citizens who earn a productive living doing their job properly. No one Filipino — or organisation of Filipinos — has an exclusive claim to the titles nationalist or patriot or makabayan, whether he or she be a CEO of a multinational corporation or a rice farmer.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
The United States Department of Defense is the only thing stopping the MILF and their cousins from overthrowing the Philippines. That’s why.
That’s very true. Then again, the USA owes the Philippines after murdering between 8% and 11% of the population following the 1898 invasion (and those are the US Senate’s own numbers). And, of course, the large US military bases ensured that prostitution became one of the few growth industries in this benighted nation. The Japanese are generous to the Philippines because that’s the post-WWII price they must pay to join the human race; how much more does the USA owe the Philippines? (The answer is a lot, by the way. The Japanese murdered around 5% of the population during their invasion so they’re objectively only half as bad as the USA.)
As an American-Flipino that has given alot to both my countries, your fictional bent of history is offensive.
First of all, this is the nature of war. People die. Yes, it was a bloodbath but come on, that was over 114 years ago. It is time to quit crying about stuff no one in the Philippines is even alive to remember.
As far as the bases, it was the best thing that ever happened to the NCR, ecomomicially.
However, it seems you have been listening to Cory Aquino more than living in reality.
America owes nothing to the Philippines. All they do is out of charity.
A proud Flipino born American.
Let us not blame here USA or Philippines here,but it is all Glorias fault. Look at it she stole billions of billions of pesos which could have been used to buy new weapons or for veteran benefits. It is too sad that we dont see who the real enemies are.
^ Sumasawsaw na naman itong si vincensus ignoramus sa sisihan.
@Fishball: Right, pull the ‘blame game’ and it seems you’re proud of being an immature, little brat. 😛
Haha, what the hell does GMA have to do with this?
Anyways, the numbers dropping reminded me of a joke I’ve heard from Men At Work.
G is an African American and M is Caucasian
G: You owe me
M: For what?
G: Ummm, slavery…?
M: You said we we’re even if I give you my NetFlix Password!
Fishball sounds like an American college student!!!
nah, fishball sounds more like a village idiot insisting that he’s right even though he is really DEAD WRONG.
Labeling fishball as village idiot is an insult to village idiots.
‘America owes nothing to the Philippines. All they do is out of charity.’
I won’t challenge your perspective of the Philippine-American War, partly because I want bygones to be bygones, but asserting that Washington didn’t have their plans for the Philippines throughout the Cold War and well after the Soviet Union collapsed, given our importance as a democratic ally and economic powerhouse of sorts sixty years back, as well as the emerging influence of China in global affairs as signalled by Nixon’s and Kissinger’s backdoor negotiations with Mao and his closest advisors back in the ’70s and the raging war in Vietnam — I frankly find your assertion to be naive as Aguinaldo trusting the citizens of the Great North American Republic to keep to their vast plains and vaster resources in full knowledge of his would-be allies’ motives.
The president is doing peace talks with NPA and MILF which is a good way to solve the matters to the rebels. Unlike Gloria, she used the funds to pay generals big to protect her from any coup to continue her job to steal the country’s treasury.
Care to back up your claims with CREDIBLE articles (ABS CBN OR INQUIRER OR ANY YELLOW NEWSPAPER WONT COUNT) idiot troll?
And how do you know what Gloria did or didn’t do? What I know is she did believe in paying people what they are worth, something that doesnt happen in most companies in Manila.
fact is gma terminated all government job order, contractual, casual, and temporary hired personnel who have dedicated their services for more than 12 years in their respective government agencies, ternimation began december 31, 2001.
And after that, he hired competent personnel and despite of the controversies, she did much better compared to other presidents, especially Noynoy. 😛
nope she implemented the outsourcing of personnel in filling up vacated positions instead of giving said needed positions to those who have served for more than five to 12 years in a permanent capacity.
and after she hired personnel from outsource agencies she claimed that she created jobs for the jobless… 🙂
wala saysay ang civil service commission, di man lang nabigyan ng proteksyon o seguridad ang mga nagseserbisyo sa gobyerno.
She hired me at the paygrade of P5.4M annually because I was worth it and needed to get affordable internet to the people.
Glorias pabaon system pays the Generals worth, thats why Angelo Reyes suicided. Its all over the news last year, maybe you were covering your ears because your idol is guilty of corruption in the army.
Clearly missing the point. Corruption in the AFP exists before GMA so you’re very delusional. 😛
nag simulang paginteresan ng mga kurap na politiko noong gumawa ng hakbang si tabako upang maibenta ang mga kampo ng kasundaluhan para sa solusyon sa kakulangan ng pondo ng pagmodernisa ng sandatahan lakas ng pilipinas… na sa pag aaral nila ay bilyong bilyong piso ang malilikom sa pagbebenta at magagasta sa pag momodernisa ng afp.
di natuloy ang bayaran noong napaikling panahon ni erap…
nakatatak na sa kasaysayan ang pagsagip ng reyes sa imahe ng afp, at pagsisisi na siya ang nagpadala sa matatamis na pangako ng kurap ng politiko… nakalimutan nya na ang kanyang simumpaan tungkulin ay ang pagiging tapat sa bandila ng pilipinas at sa saligang batas na kumakatawan nito.
nag simulang paginteresan ng mga kurap na politiko noong gumawa ng hakbang si tabako upang maibenta ang mga kampo ng kasundaluhan para sa solusyon sa kakulangan ng pondo ng pagmodernisa ng sandatahan lakas ng pilipinas… na sa pag aaral nila ay bilyong bilyong piso ang malilikom sa pagbebenta at magagasta sa pag momodernisa ng afp.
di natuloy ang bayaran noong napaikling panahon ni erap…
nakatatak na sa kasaysayan ang pagsagip ng reyes sa imahe ng afp, at pagsisisi na siya ang nagpadala sa matatamis na pangako ng kurap ng politiko… nakalimutan nya na ang kanyang simumpaan tungkulin ay ang pagiging tapat sa bandila ng pilipinas at sa saligang batas na kumakatawan nito.
Parang iba ang piloto ni Fishball ngayon. Iba ang writing style.
Fishball let Bemby take over.
shift change in Rappler.com could be another explanation.
@Nutzi Fishball
You are really off-topic. It truly is fascinating the way your mind works. Let me guess… you are high on drinks or drugs? Living in a cuckoo clock Nutzi world?
Try this one for size: the military of the Philippines is a pony show and we all know that the US Special Forces are the real defense of the Philippines. Get real, bro.
@Fishball
Gen Reyes was a good mentor to many who have worked in AFP RSBS. It was during his time that civilians were freely accepted and promoted without the padrino system. Promotion was based on merit. After him, everything was plain politics, so you STFU. Revamp here, merging projects there to ensure that civilian heads are removed from high earning projects.
What Trillanes did was pambabastos and non-educated.
With or without a president or department secretary, AFP, sorry to say, have almost always been a corrupt system. May sariling utak ang mga tao. Unfortunately selfish ang culture ng pinoy. So stop blaming one or 2 persons for our sorry state. Look at the bigger picture. Hindi ka naman kabayo na may takip sa mata para ung kakapiranggot na daan lang makikita mo. Tao ka db?
Hehe, and then you’re happy that 17 soldiers were killed while Noynoy is giving millions of pesos to rebels. But is it for peace talks or to help them?
Such nonsense never happened during GMA’s tenure. 😛
itinutoloy lang niya ang hindi na tapos ng tatay niya ..ang tatay niya ang ngsusupply ng mga baril sa npa sa tarlak siya si comander dante.nakita ng kaibigan ko ng nag bakasyon sya sa tarlak.
ang hirap maintindihan ang mga pinoy si binigno aquino ay hero daw wala namang sa pinas na ikabubuti ng maga tao nabaril lang sa tarmak hero na si pacman naman natalo lang sa boksing hero daw… at utang naloob pa dahil nakilala daw ang pinas sa buong mundo dahil kay pacman eh matagal ng may mga pinoy sa america kung wala ang mga pinoy sa america ay hindi sya makikilala dahil sinoportahan sya ng mag pinoy sa buong mundo.nakisawsaw nalang ang ibang tao at tv station at politiko,military .at ibtp..
Ummm… I think you’re talking about the Aquinos. 😛 So would you believe a friend that has a flawed logic?
@Nutzi Fishball
Your informal dictator is dealing with the NPA and MILF from a position of weakness. He gives them all the advantages not to mention cash.
The territorial integrity of the Republic is still compromised. The enemy Islamofascist MILF still calls it MILF territory. The NPA still calls it their territory too. Malaysians, Libyans and other foreigners are interfering in our sovereignty.
The use of negotiators of the same colors who associate with the enemy is a strange way to the path of a phony peace. The secret talks between the MILF and the NPA remain secrets.
HEY GRP pips i don’t know if this fishball guy here is merely trolling out his stupid mind or just toying your intelligence, but overall entertaining his crappy posts are a total waste of time and keyboard effort.
I know this advice is kind of cliched, but best ignore him/her (kris?).
I think he is just retarded but it IS FUN to bash his pathetic arguments whenever he shows his retarded mug here.
The true Filipino nationalist is certainly not found among the enemies of the state. The communists and the socialists have been using democracy against itself in promoting false nationalism and patriotism as a pretense to promote their agitation-propaganda, to attract ignorant and gullible people to their ideology/models and distort the true facts concerning our friends and allies in the USA.
Who then is the true Filipino nationalist? They are the silent majority who know their obligations, duties and responsibilities as citizens of the Republic. They are those who try to live within the morals and values taught to them by their elders. They are ordinary people who will not be swayed by false prophets or blooming tyrants. They serve their country well as they go about their business in trying to make a living. These are the people who will not hesitate to act for others. They are those who will stand and fight for the right without propaganda, fanfare or hidden agendas.
The Islamofascists of the MILF are not for a unitary Philippine state as they continue the reconquest of Mindanao. Their claims include even parts of Palawan. The continued interference of the Malaysians, Libyans and other parties of dubious sincerity is an affront to the sovereignty of this country. The MILF do not consider themselves as Filipinos as they have their own flag, leaders and ambitions of establishing a Shariah State within the Philippine State.
The extremist ways of the communist CPP-NPA-NDF are certainly not nationalist acts as they continue to promote Maoist and Marxist ideology antithesis to a free democracy. They continue their extremist violence even as they also use democracy against democracy.
Nationalism has by way of continuing human transactions given way to internationalism. The ways of extremist nationalism are no more. Extremism we cannot afford. The bonds of blood and steel between the Philippines and the USA were forged in Bataan, Corregidor and the pockets of resistance all over the Philippine Islands during World War II. Despite differences, we remain friends and allies.
exactly sir, and it is not going on here! It is going on in the US as well!! Too bad a few folks can screw a whole country! BTW, my Dad was in the landing force at Leyte!!
I appreciate that fact. I had a friend whose dad was in D Day. Apparently he never discussed it ever.
Greetings Bill. My late uncle engaged the japs in the Bataan battle of the pockets, went through the death march, survived Capas concentration camp, joined the guerillas and later on met the American forces in Lingayen. He drove back with them to liberate Manila.
My dear late father was a guerilla working with the American forces in Manila during the liberation.
My dad was in the 96th Infantry Division! Eventually when he thought I was ready he told me all about it, after I had returned from Vietnam! He said Leyte and Mindoro were the worst thing he has ever seen! Some folks today seem to want the US to be labeled as the enemy! After I saw my Dad cry when he told me all this I find that hard to take !!
Well, I really appreciate your insights about nationalist or nationalism. It is very true that those leftists and extremists really hate USA. They know that with Americans they will not prevail to continue their vicious activities. I can’t believe that our country has a diverse ideology and with that every group of people with a different ideology is trying to rule out the others by imposing their own. Well, on the other side, USA is not really a pure or true to the purest. America has always a hidden interest but I do believe it is not to harm us compare to others such as China and extreme ideologists.
The most popular nationalist attitude these days seems to include hatred of other countries. Some even believe love of country should include hate of other countries, especially the so-called COGs. Love of country is enough, if you ask me.
I remember what former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso said: “There is a fine line between patriotism and nationalism that breeds hatred.”
Two world wars were fought because of the us versus them nationalism. For as long as people adopt this kind of nationalism, wars will continue to be fought. G.K. Chesterton once said that you had to hate your country enough to see the need to change it but love it enough to see it as worth changing at all. Putting down another nation does not make your nation greater. You don’t help yourself by blaming other people or things for your misfortunes. To do so on a regular basis is a sign of some sickness or complex. A nation is like an individual person because it has its own personality. If you want to know the personality of the Filipino nation, look at the personality of the individual Filipinos in it.
@mikemac17
LOL! If you really want to know the personality of the Filipino nation, just look at the personality of the great leader.
The leader is the reflection of the personality of the people who voted him into power.
Can somebody educate me how much an NGO is earning through government funding?
If depends…. are they funded by Philippines government funds or funded by US funds?
“Workers of the world UNITE, you have nothing to lose but your chains”…cries the Communist Manifesto. The Chains of the workers, were exchanged with the Soviet ” Gulags” of the Soviet Union Communist Dictator Joseff Stalin…30 million of his people were murdered in these “Gulag” camps. They became slave laborers of the State…Nationalism is used by political opportunists, to gain followers, and to legitimize their causes. It may had worked in the old world…not now…we’re going UNIVERSAL, whether you like it or not. Instead of my country…it is now : my humanity…
The real folly in this issue is the notion that Nationalism is a good thing. “Nationalism” is, in fact, a politically correct term for “Racism.”
The breakup of Yugoslavia is the definitive example of what Nationalism truly is.
The Nationalists need to study this history for proper perspective.
What our Red cousins call “Nationalism,” we call “support for something akin to NoKor’s Juche.” Dirty Commies indeed.