From Google Images
Philippines Pearl of the Orient Seas
WORDS MARIE JOJINA S. SERRANO
"Philippines, Perlas ng Silanganan.” We have been hearing this line since we started school. It's even mentioned in our national anthem. But what's the meaning behind it?
As an archipelago, our country is surrounded with resources that serve as pride of its citizen since then. Philippines is known to be one of the tropical countries in the world where different summer tourist spots are located. But according to history, in 1751, father Juan J. Delgado who is a Jesuit missionary, called Manila the ‘Pearl of the Orient Seas’ because it has been a way on sea transactions during Asian trade of goods before the Spaniards came in our archipelago. Our ancestors were trading with some Asian countries including China, Japan, Siam, India, Cambodia, Borneo and the Moluccas before Spaniard landed in our country. When the Spaniards came in our land, they closed the ports of Manila to all countries except Mexico and this was the time ‘Galleon Trade’ was born. The ‘Pearl of the Orient Seas’ is used by Jose Rizal on his last poem ‘Mi Ultimo Adios’ or My Last Farewell, before his execution in Luneta (Bagumbayan, back then), one possible reason why everyone never forgets and uses it until now.
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Farewell, my adored Land, region of the sun caressed, Pearl of the Orient Sea, our Eden lost, With gladness I give you my Life, sad and repressed; And were it more brilliant, more fresh and at its best, I would still give it to you for your welfare at most.
But where Filipinos should focus more? Aside from the name, Philippines is also known for its culture and its people. There are Filipino traits and attitudes that foreigners are familiar with. We are known for welcoming visitors warmly and friendly ways of accommodating guests – proofs that show how hospitable Filipinos are. Also, as Filipinos, we have this ‘palabra de honor’; we keep our promises and try our best to fulfill them. As a sign of respect, we use ‘po’ and ‘opo’ in our daily conversation to elders and the ‘mano po’ as well, which is a gesture of respect. These are only a few examples. We have a lot of positive traits recognized worldwide which we should preserve. Cultural activist Carlos P. Celdran, said that “all positive traditions and norms should be preserved and push the advocacy of getting rid the negative ones”. He pointed out that we should also focus on “making Manila a better city and Philippines a better country”. But with these positive traits, Filipinos also have the negative traits to eradicate. One of these traits is the love for gossip. Based on a poll conducted by ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’, it says that Filipinos are very fond of gossips, talking about other people’s personal lives which they call ‘national past time’. Talking about your neighbor’s life could merely not contribute any good to this country; instead, participate on national issues such as government issues or anything that relates in our society, it could probably make this country a better place. The act of preserving our positive traits and norms could benefit the country and by getting rid of the negative ones could make the Philippines a better country.
As responsible citizens of the Philippines, we should know the norms and traits that must be preserved and never forget the history of our beloved country. Know your history Studying your history will not make you a nerdy type of person but it will make you smarter than the others, and it is merely an act of loving and cherishing your own country. It will help you understand things happening in the present and prepare you for the future. Celdran said that knowing your history will be a great advantage with other countries, especially the powerful ones because you will know what to brag and you know what to be proud about. “I think the basic way for people to learn about the value of being a Filipino is to understand it’s history, if you understand our history and you understand Philippine arts and culture you know the struggles that we’ve been through, you know what we are worth, you know what to be proud about.”
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