Pinoy (Can’t think of reasons to be proud of being Filipino, we are going to show you that it’s easy as A-B-C)

Animals like the Philippine eagle, tamaraw, Cebu flowerpeckers, golden-crowned flying foxes, and the Negros forest frogs are but a few of the endemic species (species that are found nowhere else in the world!) that thrive in our country, along with the tarsier (world’s smallest monkey), pawikan, dugong, and Palawan’s pilandut mouse deer (world’s smallest deer). These exotic animals make our country one of the top five priority hotspots for global conservation.

Boracay rocks! Ask anyone who’s ever been there—the list includes supermodel Claudia Schiffer, master magician David Copperfield, singer Kevyn Lettau, and a host of Hollywood stars and foreign dignitaries. Popular for its pristine white sand and clear blue waters, this beach is among the must-visit destinations for sun worshippers and party animals around the world.

Although choral singing isn’t an indigenous Filipino musical form, Philippine choirs have become world-renowned for the talent they display in international festivals and competitions. Known as the trailblazer for homegrown choirs on the global front, the University of the Philippines-based Philippine Madrigal Singers bested singers from all corners of the globe in the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing. Other Filipino choirs who have toured the world and gotten rave reviews include young groups like the de La Salle Chorale, UST Singers, Ateneo College Glee Club, UP Singing Ambassadors, and the Mandaluyong Children’s Chorus.

Diosdado Banatao- a Cagayan-born electrical engineering graduate from the Mapua Institute of Technology, is credited for major contributions to information technology. He introduced the first single-chip graphical user interface accelerator, a tiny chip that makes computers work a lot faster. He also helped develop the Ethernet chip, which first made Internet possible, and the very first Windows accelerator chip in 1989. Today, the technology he created is used by computer giant Intel.

EDSA Revolution 1 or 2—it doesn’t matter which one, we still fought for what we believed in and got it! The first EDSA revolution in 1986 ousted a dictator sans bloodshed; the second one in 2001 booted out a president being investigated for ripping off millions of pesos. Armed with only flowers and prayers, the Filipinos have shown the world that democracy can be attained minus violence. Other countries have drawn inspiration from these peaceful People Power revolutions.

Freedom was something our forefathers and heroes, like Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal, gave their lives for. Struggles to liberate the Filipinos from colonizers like Spain, the United States, and Japan resulted in the freedom and independence we enjoy today.

Statuesque Gloria Diaz is best known for being the first Filipina to bag the Miss Universe crown in 1969. Pinay beauty was acclaimed on a global scale as Gloria’s lovely smile and graceful charm were beamed to black-and-white television sets all over the world!

Hospitality—this is the trait Filipinos are best known for all over the world. The Pinoy will go out of his way to make one feel welcome in his home.

Incubators, which help save the lives of tiny premature babies, are an invention of Filipino doctor Fe Del Mundo, the first Asian to have entered the prestigious Harvard University’s School of Medicine. She is credited for her studies that led to its invention

Jeepneys are the country’s commonly seen and most pocket-friendly form of transportation. They’re also a unique testament to the Filipino’s resourcefulness and out-of-the-box thinking. The general purpose “G.P” (a.k.a jeep) left behind by the Americans after World War II, was converted by enterprising locals into the jeepney of today: a public utility vehicle boasting fancy adornments and decorations which can accommodate 10 to 15 passengers.

If karaoke is one of your fave ways to hone your budding career as a singing superstar, be sure to thank Pinoy inventor Roberto del Rosario when you receive your first Grammy award! Del Rosario claims rights for the invention for the “one-man-band” system, which he later renamed the Sing-Along-System (SAS). This innovation eventually led to the development of karaoke, a Japanese term for “singing without accompaniment.”

Lunar Rover may sound like the latest four-wheel drive, but it’s actually the first land vehicle to cruise the moon! More popularly known as the Moon Buggy, it was conceptualized by Filipino inventor Eduardo San Juan and was the car used by Neil Armstrong during the historical landing on the moon in 1969.

Mount Mayon, a volcano known all over the world for its majestic beauty and near perfect cone, is located in Albay in the Bicol region, and is a popular climb destination

Native delicacies we grew up with and love to bits, to name a few: thick, hot tsokolate during chilly mornings, steaming bibingka and puto bumbong at Christmas time, sweet treats polvoron, pastillas de leche and peanut brittle, green and golden mangoes during summer, even streetside staples like “dirty” ice cream, taho, and fishballs. Take a moment to think of your fave Filipino food and let your mouth water!

So.. why are you proud to be a Filipino?