We commemorate today Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor, remembering the Fall of Bataan and the Fall of Corregidor where many of our countrymen lost their lives.
But this day should be more than remembering what transpired many years ago.
It should also be a reminder that some situations call for not just braveness, courage or boldness. One such situation is where we are today.
Modern-day Philippines is beset with numerous problems on numerous fronts. The hapless Filipino, meanwhile, simply wants to get by from day to day without much aggravation. Have a source of income, have decent food on the table, send children to school, and be able to dream—even just a little—of better times ahead.
Looking to traditional and social media it is easy to get disheartened at what is happening. Income inequality is gaping, elections are more of a circus than a sober exercise, and eking out a living becomes more difficult by the day.From the economic to the political and social, there appear to be trouble. For instance, income inequality is gaping, elections are more of a circus than a somber exercise, and eking out a living becomes more difficult by the day.
These are made worse by the distractions we allow ourselves to be sucked into: sound bytes that infuriate and polarize, scandals that preoccupy us with the lives of others, and circuitous discourses that attack personalities and offer no real solutions.
All these are terrifying, indeed. It takes a special kind of courage to remain hopeful that despite all these, we can live in peace and nurture some hope that good times are ahead.
Fortunately, despite our propensity to put ourselves in sorry situations, Filipinos are also blessed with extraordinary resilience and optimism. Times like these, with the absence of clear or credible direction, such courage—no, valor—is a gift.