Why We Should Move On From Asking Why Our Philippines is Poor.
“Why is our country poor?”
I know all too many Filipinos who have stopped asking this question or any question altogether out of exhaustion. As a matter of fact, most just jump straight to the conclusion that our country is simply indeed bound to be poor. It’s as if they genuinely believe in their core that there isn’t any way out and our country’s fate has already been sealed. We have always been critical and judgmental of our country’s past, so much so that an overwhelming population have already decided that the country’s future is doomed with all the corruption around.
Well I don’t.
See, the true freedom of the country wasn’t until the 1946 independence from the United States. This means that as a nation, we haven’t reached our centennial independence yet!
As our nation is still in its infancy, we’ll probably do better by being patient with one another so we can foster a trusting community that could engage in mass cooperation for the future of the country. It hasn’t been until the dawn of the new millennium that we’ve started to see the influx of trade and information which has now been lifting millions out of ignorance.
The new millennium opened all sorts of opportunities for many Filipinos to go out of the country to work and provide for our families. This same period has also welcomed the emergence of the evolved technology of the internet that has and continues to change our lives (and the whole of humanity for that matter).
Over time, the Filipinos who have seen all the corners of the world(quite literally) would then be able to share some insights as to how other leading and affluent nations have managed to do so. Such insights and the technological progresses of the time could give way to a new era of illuminated perspectives, mind sets and even belief systems, all of which are critically necessary for our nation to thrive.
“The mind is a powerful force. It can enslave us or empower us. It can plunge us into the depths of misery or take us to the heights of ecstasy. Learn to use the power wisely.” — David Cuschieri
Of course, we’ll have to accept that this massive mind set shift will have to take time. Perhaps even several generations. Our people were subverted for more than three centuries so it’ll surely take some time to shed off the limiting beliefs our people have been programmed to.
Nonetheless, the worst thing we could do to sabotage this upcoming era is to be dismissive of the idea that we, as a people, is capable of changing the course of our nation for the better.
To be dismissive for the sake of nostalgia and of of blind faith, to be dismissive from the lack of hope and fear of the inconveniences by the action towards the goal itself, that would be our true failing.
It is high time that we move on from asking why we are a poor nation. Because deep down, we already know far too many answers. Instead, let’s focus on the alternative mindsets, behaviors and attitudes that will shift our nation to greatness.
I suppose we can call it the dawn of Philippine Enlightenment.
It has long been overdue.
