Filipinos everywhere are celebrating the 113th anniversary of Philippine Independence this month, specifically June 12 – in Toronto. The festivities were held June 11-12 at Nathan Philips Square, featuring a lechon parade. The roasted pigs were chopped and served to the people after the parade. Various presentations from different organizations featuring some aspects of Filipino culture entertained the audience.
In Markham, the traditional flag-raising was held at the Town Center grounds on June 12, followed by a feast and a program of activities at the MFFC center attended by about three hundred people. Messages of congratulations and appreciation for the Filipino co9mmunity were delivered by government officials from the provincial and municipal governments.
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti underscored the contributions of the Filipino community to the development of this very multicultural town and expressed his appreciation for the cultural input which he believes makes this part of Canada unique. The gathering was made colourful by the Filipino native costumes worn by several of the participants.
The chair of the Independence Day committee reminded the audience of the bravery and courage of our Filipino forefathers who valiantly fought, Spanish colonization that led to the declaration of Philippine Independence. One of the speakers referred to the Filipino flag that embodies the symbolisms of what Independence Day brings back for Filipinos to commemorate. These messages were made and heard in passing which leave scepticism on how much they are valued and remembered.
For the young Filipinos here in Canada and elsewhere in the world other than those born and educated in the Philippines, there is that doubt on how much blood, tears, energy and sacrifices this independe3nce that we are now celebrating had cost, in the three hundred and thirty three years of Spanish colonization. There is also that feeling of doubt of how much independence we got after the colonists had been driven away from our shores in terms of the imprisonment of the Filipino psyche to the attitudes and values of the invaders. Have had those more than three centuries of Spanish rule followed by another half century of American invasion affected the original Filipino mentality and culture? What happened to our original languages, customs and traditions? Can we still identify any of them now? Are most of those traditions which we value now and call Filipino, really ours?
There are records in Philippine history that show that the Filipino elite preferred the European suit and the mestisa dress during the Spanish occupation. Our well known heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal, Antonio Luna and Juan Luna were always wearing European suits. The native Filipino dress as we know it now was also known as the mestiza dress in the past. Andres Bonifacio who was known as one of the heroes who came from a background of poverty is remembered in an outfit similar to the “barong Tagalog.”
Many of the Filipino dishes that are served now are actually Spanish or Chinese, modified in some ways.
The feudalistic system in agriculture that still exists in some parts of the Philippines, which has affected Filipino politics as well as the economy was handed down from the times of Spanish rule when large tracts of lands were owned by influential people who had the farmers as tenants or what we called “kasama”.
These landowners still control the tenant’s choice of whom to vote in elections. This is one of the main causes of discontent among the poor in rural areas in the Philippines. Where is independence when you do not have the power of choice on whom to vote for? This is also the source of graft and corruption in the Philippines.
Many poor parents in the Philippines try to have their children educated to the extent of selling whatever little property they possess. These people believe that education is their only hope to be able to rise from poverty.
Unfortunately, most of the time, the children have difficulty finding employment in their hometowns or even in the urban areas. If these offsprings find jobs away from home they do not usually earn enough to help the parents who sold their property to send them to school.
Many highly educated Filipinos go abroad and take jobs way below their training and education. They often suffer from discrimination or manoeuvres of some fixers who promise them lucrative jobs that do not exist.
No matter how meagre they earn they send some of the money to family at home, who depend on them? It is an unending chain of responsibility that costs an individual the independence he or she craves for National independence is not being thought of here; this is the need for individual independence. This brings to mind the shiploads of slaves from Africa brought to the New World. They suffered as individuals but later on banded to fight for their freedom from slavery. Filipinos work individually to rise from poverty and gain freedom from the responsbiliti8es to the family.
Many young Filipinos seem to be free from the ties of their origins. They were born outside the Philippines and were raised and educated in a different milieu. They do not have the baggage of “utang na loob” to their parents. They were brought up to be self confident and independent as individuals. Their concept of extended family ties is different from what Filipinos who were born and had grown up in the Philippines know and feel. I am talking of third and fourth generation Filipinos outside the Philippines
Filipinos who immigrated to other countries as adults are proud of their being Filipinos. They are proud of the culture they brought with them no matter how many layers of influence that culture has undergone. We have own language which we still retain and use among ourselves. We feel sad that our offsprings do not seem to value our native language as much as we hope they would, but we are also aware that our knowledge of other languages had helped us adjust better in this new land we now call our home.
There are Filipino customs and traditions which we still value and hope to transmit to younger generations especially those that concern our regard for the family but our offsprings may consider them as limitations to independence.
Well, you lose some and gain some. That is the price of independence.*****
