MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
Jaeyoun Kim

Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines. Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so.

I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines. Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources. Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envy Filipinos.

Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father & brother also died because of famine. Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism.

Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism. 40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory.

They had to go through horrible experience. In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked to him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea . So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.

Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help developing country because they wanted their country to be well off.

Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country. My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood. Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go to mass and work for Church. They pray everyday.

However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children.

When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has been changed.

My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pasangjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun. However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them.

My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to mass without changing ourselves, we are not Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action.

She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off.

I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start in everybody, in a s mall scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love.

Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes. I discover that every person is worthy to be loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible.

Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world. Please love your neighborhood and country. Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines.

Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country. You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others.

That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.

Words and Thoughts

(In which timeless works never cease to give me inspiration to think and feel.)

***

I’ve decided to start searching for prospective universities wherein I might take my Master’s degree. And since I have planned to take further studies in literature, I have also decided to re-read some literary works as refreshers. They sure refreshed not just my memory regarding my literary subjects but my understanding of life as well. And then, reflections.

"A Piece of String” by Guy de Maupassant

Maître Hauchecome picked up a piece of string in the market and it changed his life entirely. His enemy, Maitre Malandain, saw him picked up something from the floor. And to hide his shame, having his enemy saw him pick up a piece of string, he quickly hid it under his shirt and pretended to be still looking for something. Later that day, Maitre Fortune Houlbreque lost his pocketbook containing five hundred francs. Maitre Malandain testified that he has seen him pick the pocketbook up from the street and hid it. Everyone believed Maitre Malandain. And even when the pocketbook was returned, no one believed Maitre Hauchecome no matter how many times he tells the truth. Everyone thinks he had the pocketbook returned by an accomplice. And since then, people made fun of him. He still uttered the same story to prove his innocence until he died.

***

The society has a lot to do with Maitre Hauchecome’s death. Just as he thought he was vindicated when the pocketbook was returned, the event triggered the most detrimental of his days. How dangerous is the tongue of an enemy! How destructive and deadly! That’s the power of lies. When someone’s reputation has been put to question, it can never be fixed.

“Barter” by Sara Teasdale

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.

Whenever I read this poem, I think of nothing but good things about life. It reminds me that there are simple things in nature that gives happiness to those who has the senses to enjoy it. Life is a barter. You give something to get something. Hmmmm… And what can I give to get love, peace and happiness?

“Sixteen” by Maureen Daly

It’s about a sixteen year-old girl who has been swept away by a young man one winter night. Even though they’ve shared just a few moments, she thought that they’ve had something so special that when he told her he’ll call, she believed and waited. Now days passed by but the telephone never rang any calls from the man. And she ceased waiting.
***
A word of promise. Alright, so promise is a heavy word. Then let’s just use ‘statement’. When someone tells me “I’ll call you”, I wait. Sure. But who will not be disappointed when that statement never became an action, when it’s supposed to be an action? I wondered. Why do people keep on saying things they can’t really do? Do they think it’s better saying something they don’t really mean and make the other person believe than not saying anything at all? Okay. Let’s put a period to my bitterness and get back to reading.

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.

Many have analyzed this poem and they came up with various interpretations – negative and positive. What I understand about this poem (of course, not that I am more reliable than them or something) is that it refers to choices. (Wow! So original!) Whatever difference that “choice” has made to the writer’s life, I don’t know. But as for everyone, it is when we make our choice that we embrace whatever consequences it would cause us. Otherwise, there is no use making that decision.

Sibling Argument

(In which “abusive” and “irresponsible” needs to be defined for my younger sister.)

***

It was a lazy day. I woke up at eleven in the morning and had lunch. I watched SOP Rules while waiting for 4PM when I was supposed to go out and chat with someone over the internet. Then the clock stroke 3:30. I decided to wait for some more time before preparing to leave. After a moment, I saw my younger sister sneaking inside the house, careful not to wake up the dog as she entered. Everyone in the house knows it would be “rumble time” if Doggie wakes up. But she failed. And in the minutes that followed, Doggie was barking his lungs out to welcome the newcomer, eager as hell to get a hug.

After that cute encounter between young master and beast, my sister turned to me and asked, “Have you finished the paper works I’ve assigned you?” in a manner that made me look like a secretary being questioned by her boss. And the paper works she mentioned referred to the research project she needs for her vocal recital.

“Yes, I did.” I answered, like how a responsible secretary does it – minus the “Ma’am.”

“Okay,” she said and went upstairs to change her clothes. When she came back, she handed me some papers.

“What are these?” I asked.

“”Well, you’ve finished doing the research for the foreign composers’ biography and some information about their works. Now you have to do the same thing for Filipino composers and their works. I’ve photocopied some information from encyclopedia. Use them as reference. But don’t copy the exact words.”

“What? Are you serious? This isn’t an easy job –“

“I need it now. I’ll type it when I get back to the dormitory tonight.”

“I can just send it to your e-mail tomorrow. Besides, I need to go out in fifteen minutes.”

“That’s easy. You can finish it in no time! Wait. You’re going out on a date? Hmmm… I can ask Papa’s permission for you.”

“I’m not going out on a date. And this is not an easy job. If you really believe it’s really easy then I guess you can do it by yourself.”

“That was my idea. But my professor reminded me not to copy it in verbatim so I decided to have you do it.”

“You could have just told me to do it this morning!”

“But you were sleeping! What do you expect me to do?”

“You used to wake me up just to ask me where my facial wash is! Did you really think I would appreciate your respect for my sleeping time in this situation?”

Silence.

So I started scanning the biographies and song information and I couldn’t help but get enraged. Hey, with all those music jargons and stuffs, who wouldn’t? Not to mention you’re being rushed to understand and summarize all those?

But I managed to start writing some paragraphs only to be more angered by the complexity of the next pages. “This is insane,” I whispered angrily.

My sister noticed my apparent irritability and said, “Fine! I’ll do it! You can leave now. Go!”

I didn’t. And then after that, what? I’ll be the bad girl? No way. So I tried my best to finish it but failed to write something about one female composer. I gave up. I went to my room and fell on my bed, my head spinning like crazy. It felt like I just came out of an Algebra class. I checked the time and it’s already 5:10PM. Aaaarrrggghhhh!!!!

Then I fell asleep. Damn, I was so tired.

I was awakened when I heard someone walking up the stairs. I opened my eyes and saw Mama standing outside my door. She was holding a bag of food. I instantly noticed that it’s a bag of my favorite pancit palabok!

"From your sister,” she said.

***Sunday February 22, 2009***