Philippines: A perpective difference

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
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 BR 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 wan ted 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 Pasan gjan, I
forced my parents to
take a boat because it would fun. However, they were
ot happy after
aking 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 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 stru cture 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 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.

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My Short Essay on this short essay
Thirdy Lopez

My opinion is simply this.. I totally agree love for one's country is a strict factor to attain a good Philippines.
By good, I mean successful and well-off. If Filipinos would just sacrifice for more than their own interest but
for the good of other Filipinos as well. If Filipinos would stay here in this country rather than go to other countries
to find money and success. Our capabilities will comprise to become a great Philippines. By great, I mean becoming more
than a third world country.

But initializing actions must start with somebody. Somebody could not be me alone or us together but a collective effort
in the country.
How do we start collective efforts? We need a model. Who is our model?
Our leaders, but with the current state of our government. What kind of example are these people setting?
What kind of a Philippines are they creating?

Yeah, yeah you said it yourself. Your president Park initiated the action, calling for help and doing the
action to attain a goal. You couldn't have started your progress without your president. A president is a leader,
a leader of a country. The personalization of what a country is and what its stand for.

Meet our President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She had cheated her way to her position. She had created controversy herself
to destabilize our country.
Her country is asking her to resign and she retaliates by exercizing and not paying attention to what the country wants.
A president not willing to care to listen to her subordinates. A president promoting dishonesty and insincerity.

No wonder Filipinos are poor. Poverty is the goal of the country, maintaning that poverty is what it currently does.
To our president, together with thousands and thousands of Filipinos, I call for your resignation.

To the youth of the Philippines, united we stand to create a great Philippines. Future leaders are we. Leaders
geared with hope and idealism to create a great Philippines. A free Philippines.
A Philippines loved by Filipinos..

Mabuhay ang Kabataan!!

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Note: Mas mahaba yung sa kanya kasi hindi siya kulang sa tulog