>My Short Essay about the Philippines
>Jaeyoun Kim
>September 2003
>
>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 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 Pasangjan, 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.
| |
|
