A Korean’s Essay About the Philippines
Jaeyoun Kim
My Short Essay about the Philippines…
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 the entire country
was destroyed completely 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’s brother also
died because of famine.
Korean government was awfully 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 economy 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 a
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 so many beggars and
street kids. When we went to Pagsangjan, 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 boat men, for the boat men
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 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 small 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 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.
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got this from noni, makes a lot of sense… kailangan nga natin i-reorient ang ating sarili sa pananaw natin sa ating bansa. pero hanggang ngayon marami pa rin ang lito kung ano ba ang pagiging pilipino epekto ng pagsakop sa atin ng iba-ibabang bansa. marami na ang lumaki sa hirap at salat sa edukasyon, kaya hindi napag-uusapan ang pagiging makabayan nila, immediate concerns ang kanilang kailangang asikasuhin, kung may makakain pa ba sila kinabukasan, may matutulugan ba ang pamilya sa gabi, mamumulot na lang ba sila ng maisusuot….
aaargh… marami ang lumaki na sa pagiging makasarili(makasarili in a sense na sariling pamilya, kadugo o kaibigan) epekto na rin ng mentality na na-inject ng ating mga colonizers. yung sinasabi ni Jaeyoun Kim about "loving the neighborhood", struck me sa notion of the ‘community’ na may kultura naman tayo, bayanihan, torogan, canao, etc, all to which involved ang community. sa torogan pa lang ng mga ifugao(tama ba?), a symbol of wealth/stature sa community, ishnare ng mga "wealthy" ang resources nila through feast after the process of making the torogan(thronelike wooden image ng pig na dadayuhin pa ng community ang pinakamahusay na punongkahoy a kanilang lupain para ito’y gawin). —sana tama ang explenasyon ko, antagal na rin nung mapag-aralan ko to eh!–well the point is, equal distribution of wealth(i also heard this from alwin reamillo) na good luck na lang kung ma-iimplement pa ng mga mayayaman o priviledged! o ma-ishare man lang nila yung wealth nila sa mga nangangailangan with the effort to educate pipol. hindi lang dapat mag-take ang mga pinag-bibigyan, alam din dapat nila na dapat din silang mag-share…
ang problem ko lang dito sa essay is the specific mention of the catholic church, pano naman yung ibang relihyon? i for one isnt catholic pero iba-iba ang relihyon sa ating bansa, minorities lang sila kumpara sa catholic. pero other religions also promote loving God, others and the community. and there is this nasty history connected to the catholic doctrine being used to colonize our country for hundreds of years. at may naalala pa ako na lecture about the catholic church being the reason of poverty ng isang bansa including ours, mainly because of its intervention to governance…
ewan, hindi ko alam kung may sense na pinagsasabi ko, pero may sense naman ang sinabi ni pareng Jaeyoun Kim. may mga expressyon nga kaming magkakaibigan na tuwing gagawa kami ng isang project na walang bayad eh sasabihin na lang namin na "PARA SA BAYAN!" isang sarcastic na comment sa aming ginagawa pero malayo sa notion ng loving the country. nasa namumuno pa rin ang kapangyarihan para ipalaganap ang idea na ito, marami kasi tayong kababayan na nagbibigay karangalan sa ating bansa pero mahina ang impact sa ating kababayan dahil pa rin sa laganap na kahirapan. pararangalan ng gobyerno pero pagtagal-tagal nalimutan na nila, we can only do so little…. argh… wala na akong masabi… AAAAART!!!! mag-Art na lang tayo!!! Alternatibong Sining Kultura at Lipunan pa rin AKOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ASKAL 4 short ^_^)