reflection regarding the speech of president garcia's att he commencement exerciseso f the manila law college
Answers
MY first words are warmest congratulations to each and all of you on this great moment of your graduation and felicitations to your Alma Mater—the Manila Law College—for turning out this big bunch of brained youth to the field of action and productivity.
At a time like this—shortly after the tragic misfortune that has befallen our people because of the demise of our beloved President Ramon Magsaysay—it is well to take stock of ourselves. It is necessary to appraise our assets as a people in the midst of a momentous period in our national life. It is imperative that we make an honest examination of conscience to find out whether or not we have made ourselves worthy of the responsibility towards our country. Now that we have been orphaned of our leaders, what can we do? What shall we do?
Thus I have chosen as my subject: PATRIOTISM.
Every Filipino loves his country. But not every Filipino is a true patriot. He who loves the Philippines only for what the country can give him—lands, houses, plantations-is not necessarily a patriot.
Patriotism is unselfish like Rizal’s love of country. Patriotism is a passion that cannot be denied like Mabini’s attachment to his beloved Philippines. Patriotism is boundless like Magsaysay’s devotion to his people.
But this infinite affection, this predilection for our country, means a number of concepts. It means a belief that our land is the most beautiful, the most fertile, the most healthful in the whole world. Patriotism also means that wherever we may be we are proud of our culture—our dance and our arts and the traditions of our people. To us, the most glorious history of all mankind began with the scroll written with the blood of Lapu Lapu in Mactan, which was unfolded through the centuries and embellished with the deeds of Dagohoy, Tamblot, Del Pilar, and the unsung heroes of ’96 and of Corregidor and Bataan.
Patriotism has come to mean love of our countrymen. Each one is a part of us. Each one is a part of the Philippines. You hurt one Filipino and you hurt the whole nation. Every Filipino is an inherent part of our nature. Therefore, any misfortune that a Filipino suffers is a misfortune of the entire Philippine archipelago. Thus, perhaps among ourselves, we do not feel intensely the harm we sometimes inflict upon our own fellow-countrymen. But let a foreigner pull one single hair from a Filipino’s head or step ever so lightly on his toes and, as one man, we rise in his defense.
And so patriotism means that we love and cherish our fellow-Filipinos. We admire their courage, their diligence, their patience, their peaceful and law-abiding nature, their hospitality, their kindness. We feel a terrible pain when Filipinos are accused of indolence, indifference, smugness, and complacency. And we proceed to teach ourselves to be more alert, more industrious, more persevering. This explains why PATRIOTISM is such a perennially fascinating subject. Patriotism is progressive and, like wine, it mellows with time. Patriotism is not isolationism. It is not chauvinism. It is the antonym of patrioteering.
How can we preserve this love of country forever? We can keep the patriotic spirit through education and information; through the practice of honesty and the observance of honor—above everything; through constructive action often impelled by what is known as civic conscience.
If we wish to preserve a genuine love of country, we ourselves must employ all the means at our command to enable us to sing with pride:
“Land of the morning …” and
“This is my own, my native land.”
Then suddenly we shall stiffen and say in an ominous undertone:
“Never shall invaders trample this sacred shore.”
But why speak of enemies? Who are our enemies?
We have two types of enemies. One is external; the other, internal.
The external enemy is COMMUNISM. He is the Communist just outside the Philippines. He creeps onto our shores in swift, silent boats—like a thief in the night. He melts away with the shadows. He shouts his threats and chants his siren song through radio transmitters in Moscow and Peiping.
He is disguised sometimes as a neutralist.