Luisito Vallo, Pangasinan: We can excel in any endeavor if we just put our minds to it and if we are given ample support by the government. We are a talented race; with proper logistics, we can be the best in any undertaking.
Imee Aglibot, USA: Nothing in particular. We are a talented lot and we excel in whatever field we choose. We have world-class talents and OFWs. Once poverty, hunger and unemployment strike, Pinoys can make the best of anything.
We can excel in any field
Diony Yap, Bacolod City: In good times or bad, magaling ang Pinoy dumiskarte. ‘Pag may ulan at baha, payong lang at tabla, pera na!
Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: I believe that we can excel in any field, but we are known globally in the following: Sports, music and arts, and health care.
Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: We Pinoys are oozing with talent, be it in showbiz, science and sports. We need government support to fully harness these talents.
Meg Barcellano, Bacolod City: I heard my sister saying to her Japanese boss: “It’s called Filipino ingenuity.” I think Filipinos excel in whatever field that they choose as long as they have enough interest and determination. Besides, Filipinos are known to adapt easily to different environments.
Fe Lintag, Pampanga: Filipinos tend to excel in so many fields because we are flexible, unlike other nationalities. This is why we excel in any field we choose.
Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: Filipinos’ talents are unlimited. With our innate prowess, we can be the best in any field.
Dave Velasco, Marinduque: Filipinos can excel in everything, especially music, boxing, math, movie-making and other moneymaking ventures, just to mention a few.
Sahlee Reyes, Las Piñas City: The Filipino, given the correct guidance, motivation and character training, can be driven to excel in any field of endeavor. We excel in sports, particularly boxing, billiards and chess. Our talents are famous in these fields worldwide. We also excel in singing, with more and more talents recognized internationally. And we are now internationally acclaimed in the acting arena. The Filipino is innately talented, creative and innovative. And I would just want to mention one great teacher, Dr. Josette Biyo, who was featured in international papers as the first Asian teacher to win the Intel Excellence in Teaching award, defeating 4,000 other teachers around the world. She has a Ph.D. in Biology from the UP Visayas. Despite her 23 years in teaching, she has continuously tried to improve her method of teaching and learned new skills to harness her craft so as to be interesting, relevant and fun to students.
Felix Ramento, Manila: Given the right foundation and opportunities, Filipinos tend to excel in any field of endeavor, maybe even as astronauts.
J-Dub Wenceslao, Quezon City: Honestly, we can excel in anything we put our minds and hearts to, with a little bit of luck. In boxing, we have Manny; in music, we have the Greyhoundz, etc.
Eddie Yap, Kabankalan City: Filipinos are generally intelligent people endowed with skills and enough initiative to cope even with the most adverse situation. Given the chance, they can excel in practically all kinds of endeavor. There are countless success stories of Filipinos who have risen from rags to riches in fields outside their expertise.
Ching Gaspar, Laoag City: We are not far behind other races when we speak of talent, intellectual abilities or any field of endeavor as proven by some of our artists, inventors, sports icons, national leaders, etc.
Sad to say
Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: We tend to excel in almost anything. Sad to say, we are still a Third World country.
Showbusiness
Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: In the field of arts and music. Filipinos love to sing, which is why there is always a videoke in any social gathering.
Jose Parco, Kalibo Aklan: A lot. However, let me just cite one in particular: The performing arts. One person that earned worldwide acceptance and respect is Ms. Lea Salonga, beginning with Miss Saigon. At present, I have a niece who has been a performing artist at the Hong Kong Disneyland ever since it opened.
Jimmy Donton, Puerto Princesa City: Filipinos are the best entertainers. We elect actors and actresses in government positions to witness blockbuster governance, resulting in showbiz-type democracy.
Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: In the field of entertainment. We have Jiro Manio, Coco Martin, Gina Pareño et al. in acting; we have Charice Pempengco and Lea Salonga in singing. World-class talaga.
We excel in notoriety
Jae Delos Santos, Muntinlupa City: Obviously, we excel in all extraordinary work that every individual could ever imagine. From pirating, to the selling of vital organs for a living, name it and Filipinos can surely excel in it.
Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: There are lots of endeavors that we tend to excel in. But for me, producing more babies, as evidenced by our fast-growing population, tops them all.
Lorenzo Fernandez Jr., Cabanatuan City: Filipinos are only excellent at sniping (parinig sa Tagalog, in a figurative sense). Wala nang tatalo sa kanya sa buong mundo sa pagpaparinig, dahil duwag siya, traydor, at hindi marunong magsalita nang diretso. Puro paliguy-ligoy at pasaring lang ang nalalaman.
Vic Sanchez, Pasig City: Filipinos tend to excel in agriculture. Our government officials are all excellent agriculturists because they are expert grafters. This endeavor, which was institutionalized by Marcos, was further improved by his successors, making Marcos a saint compared to them, especially the present administration where kickbacks and commissions run into billion of pesos. We always land in the top ten list of most corrupt countries in every independent survey. I pray that in the near future, some country will dislodge us from our present position because we can hardly afford it. Dystopia and misery, which are the direct results of unbridled corruption, will someday wreak havoc in our lives, irrespective of whether we are rich or poor.
Filipinos excel as workers
Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: We Pinoys excel in the field of labor export, as evidenced by the fact that 10 million Pinoys are out of the country helping keep our economy afloat.
RJ Nabong II, Saudi Arabia: I cannot think at the moment of any field of endeavor Filipinos tend to excel in since most Pinoys are just employees or servants and many are jobless. I can only think of one thing: That is, going abroad for work.
Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Most Filipinos tend to excel in practically any endeavor, as shown by our OFWs who are based all over the world. Our bad reputation is their setback.
Jupi Arevalo, Marinduque: Quite simply, “foreign service”. That is what the Philippines produces: A bunch of fake heroes.
Leonard Villa, Batac City: We’re good at being domestic helpers. It is not only uneducated Filipinos who have become such; even college graduates. And there are millions of them. It’s a sad fact we can’t deny.
Entrepreneurship
Johann Lucas, Quezon City: We do well in the food business, whether big or small, since we all love to eat. I can say that this is the field of endeavor that Filipinos tend to excel in.
Cris Rivera, Rizal: Most Filipinos do well in medium-scale businesses. Sipag at tiyaga and putting customers first in their endeavors have made them successful entrepreneurs.
Rex Earlou Calmerin, Iligan City: Business, big or small. That’s what I observed when I was in Manila for several days. There is nothing wrong with it because Filipinos really need the money.
Any field but business
Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: It’s a fact that Filipinos excel in almost every field of endeavor, except in business where the Chinese dominate from sari-sari stores to business complexes. If we only had good leaders, we can tap more talents and skills that remain hidden due to lack of good breaks.
Health care
Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: Filipinos excel in the medical field. It’s sad, however, that they have to practice their profession outside the country to sustain a life of comfort.
Jony Lei Veloso, Metro Manila: I think we excel the most in caregiving. Be it a profession or not, we’re known for our hospitality.
Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: Nursing, care-giving, domestic helping we export to the max. Oh, yes, we’re also good at washing our dirty linen in the international public.
The performing arts, music and science
Carolyn Coquia, San Juan City: I think the fields of endeavor most Filipinos excel in are the arts, entertainment, sports, and science.
Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: Arts, music and invention. Just think of Charice, Arnel Pineda and Apl De App of the Black-eyed Peas and other talented local singers, plus other amateur and promising singers. One of our biggest, brightest and most promising achievements is the invention of a gadget that could use water as an alternative to gasoline invented by Mr. Dingle. Sadly, it wasn’t given priority and attention by the government perhaps because of the stronger and more powerful influence of big oil companies.
Ishmael Q. Calata, Paranaque City: We excel in individual pursuits in the arts, especially in music, and in sports where heft and height are not necessary. The arts have given us Lea Salonga, Cecil Licad and, now, Charice Pempengco, among others. In sports, the three sporting Bs (boxing, billiards and bowling) have produced Manny Pacquiao, Pancho Villa, Flash Elorde, Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Dennis Orcullo, Rubilen Amit, Paeng Nepumoceno, Biboy Rivera, among others. Also, we had Eugene Torre and now Wesley So, a grandmaster at 14, in chess. In other fields, our doctors, our engineers and skilled laborers have earned accolades for us. And, we ought to know and be proud that without our nurses and our sailors, who both make up 20 per cent in their field in the international front, hospitals and the maritime industry would be paralyzed!
William Gonzaga, Marikina City: Filipinos excel in sports, music, arts and sciences. Likewise, they’re excellent business managers and educators.
C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Destructive politics, rumor-mongering and backbiting. Kidding aside, Filipinos are good in science and technology. We have lots of inventors.
Rose Leobrera, Manila: In the entertainment field. Look at Lea Salonga, Charice Pempengco, Arnel Pineda, Lani Misalucha, and Apl d Ap. They’ve all conquered the music scene. Those Filipinos in Hong Kong Disneyland are the pride of our country, too. Ang daming Pinoy dun. In singing contests, seldom na matalo and Pinoy. We have Dulce, Jed Madela, and Regine Velasquez. In beauty contests, we have Gloria, Melanie, Margie, Lara and many other beauties. In the Middle East, many still prefer Pinoys to their Asian counterparts, because of our skills and English proficiency. Caregivers excel as well. In fact, the Pinoys strike everywhere, and when they are there, they see to it that they are worthy of the trust of their employers. Watch Talentadong Pinoy. It shows the talents of the Pinoy in different fields.
Sports, particularly boxing
Lydia Reyes, Bataan: Many Filipinos excel in sports. Manny Pacquiao is an inspiration. It’s our moment now, with Mommy Dionisia in tow.
Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Boxing and singing are just two fields in which we excel, giving us world attention and acclaim.
Romeo Caubat, Masbate: We tend to excel in boxing as exemplified by Manny Pacquiao, where height isn’t much of a factor.
Jacks of all trades, masters of none
Joana Rizza Bagano, Benguet: Filipinos are good examples of jacks-of-all-trades. They can do a portion of everything. This, however, isn’t very effective nowadays, when specialization is highly in demand.
Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: We are jacks of all trades, but masters of none. Our neighboring countries have excelled in electronics, agriculture and other sciences and we are still in the planning stage. This is a glaring fact that underscores government neglect to support and harness our bounteous skills.
Positive and negative
Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: Pinoys excel in anything we set our minds to: Sports, like boxing, golf, etc.; music and arts; fashion; counterfeiting; scams; computer hacking; plunder. Proof? Manny Pacquiao is the No. 1 boxer in the world. Dottie Ardina, etc. excel in golf. Charice, Lea Salonga, Banig, etc. excel in music. We have Juan Luna and Amorsolo in arts. We had Marcos, Imelda and Erap in the Guinness Book of World Records for plunder and the most number of shoes! Even Egypt pales in comparison to the number of “pyramids” in RP! (Darn Bernie Madoff for grabbing the No. 1 title from us). I say Pinoys excel in any endeavor, good or bad. It’s really up to us to choose.
Rowena Remiendo, Quezon City: On the positive side, most Filipinos are good in communication and pakikisama. On the negative side, most Filipinos are good liars and are proud.
Love of family
Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: Love of family is the most important value of Filipinos. This is the reason why Filipinos work hard and grab any opportunity they can, even to the point of leaving behind their loved ones, sacrificing loneliness and disregarding all the hazards along the way, even risking their lives in order to make sure there is food on the table for the family and money for the children’s education.
Quick to learn new languages
Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: Japayukis learn Japanese in six months. Pinoy factory workers in Korea speak Korean after two years. All Pinoy construction workers in Saudi know what “haram sadik” means and how and when they have to say it. Filipinos are best at twisting tongues. We learn quickly when it comes to learning other languages.
We’re able farm hands
Digoy Coro, Batangas: Filipinos excel in every field of endeavor, especially farming. If only the government funds supported the rights of intended beneficiaries, we wouldn’t have to import rice, etc.
Politics
Atty. Avelino U. Falcon, Saudi Arabia: Politics. From the lowly barangay chairman to the highest elective position of the land, everybody seems to have a Ph. D. in the art of going into politics.
Lolong Rejano Marinduque: Filipinos tend to excel in politics, aside from trying to get juicy positions in government agencies. We have observed during elections that several candidates run for different positions from the lowly barangay level up to the Chief Executive. Abroad, some OFWs exhibit unusual talent in any profession, creativity in any applicable job, and honesty and dedication to their work, for which we are admired by other nationalities.
Love of food
Dino Monzon, Caloocan City: Culinary arts is the one field Filipinos can excel in. Nora Daza and Sylvia Reynoso-Gala are world-renowned cooks. Dishes like adobo and lechon are famous.
Too many to mention
Dr. Dennis Acop, Baguio City: Filipinos tend to excel in many areas, like most people in other parts of the world. It would be inaccurate to even assume that Filipinos only tend to excel in one thing. Many kababayan have proven themselves world-class in the areas of academics, sports, music, theater, cinema, trustworthiness, industriousness, honesty, love of God, country, and family, etc. For instance, there are the likes of Jose Rizal, Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Manny Pacquiao, Paeng Nepomuceno, Onyok Velasquez, Freddie Aguilar, The Madrigal Singers, Charice Pempengco, Arnel Pineda, Martin Nievera, Leah Salonga, Cesar Montano, etc. I can even cite my own wife, Jocelyn Guerrero, who was our most bemedalled Filipino athlete in the 1977 Southeast Asian Games as an archer. She also represented the nation in the 1978 Asian Games and the 1977 Archery World Championships. Joji qualified with Fermin Barrenechea to represent the country in the 1984 LA Olympics but both athletes were not sent due to politics. Joji, therefore, went on to become an international judge in archery following retirement and served in the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2008 Special Olympics in Beijing. Let us not also forget our world-class workers who are actually our silent heroes for advancing Filipino pride in the humblest of ways and professions around the world. Filipinos are the preferred housekeepers in Europe because of their trustworthiness. Filipinos are now the present-day Vikings for dominating modern-day sea faring. Filipinos are the preferred caregivers in medical centers and homes all around the globe. Filipinos have advanced Christianity wherever they are. They have safeguarded the reputation of their home country and weathered all kinds of challenges to provide for their families halfway around the globe.
Service to God and others
Elizabeth Oximer, Negros Occidental: Service to God, country and people.
We’re good teachers
Rey Onate, Palayan City: Teaching, law and entertainment, auto mechanics.
Lucas Banzon Madamba II, Laguna: Teaching, medicine, computers, and business are fields of endeavor that most Filipinos excel in.
Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.
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