For the love of our country

Leaving Manila for the Christmas holidays to go to the United States of America was not an easy thing to do. Right after our Christmas party at O.B. Montessori with the school’s personnel where Father Jerry Orbos, SVD celebrated mass, we dashed off to the airport. During the mass, Fr. Orbos, gave us a sermon which touched our hearts, made us laugh and cry. All his reflections reinforced the spirit of Christmas in our hearts. It concluded our Christmas party with a peaceful bang within each one of us.

Fr. Orbos brought his latest book called "Moments" which contains snippets of reflections about God. In one of the pages for the 4th Sunday of Lent it writes, "You know what’s crazy? God so loved the world, He gave His only Son… (Jn. 3, 14-21). A God of love has gotten involved with us despite all our sins and unworthiness. He even sent His own Son to suffer and die for us. It was a losing investment from the very start, with no prospect of ROI, but God proceeded to get involved with us anyway. Crazy? Yes, love is crazy, for love has reasons that reason itself does not know or understand?" Then in another reflection it continues… "But you know what’s really crazy? It is this: God loves the world, but we are destroying it. God loves us, and we are killing each other! It must be all very frustrating to God. I can almost hear Him say: "What more should I say, what more should I do to make you realize that you are loved and lovable, and that you should love one another? Tell me. I gave you my only Son to bring my message of love, and you killed Him, and you continue to live as if nothing happened. You continue to kill each other. And do you know what’s really crazy? He continues to love us anyway!"

In the Philippines today, Christmas is simpler and we are humbled because of what is happening to our country… what is happening to us. Instead of joining the bandwagon of Christmas commercialism, we are naturally directed to a more spiritual Christmas… We are a people who have turned to God and I believe this is what makes it a very special Christmas for us!

As our plane landed in Los Angeles, California with the comforts of traveling on Philippine Airlines (mind you, even if other airlines are very competitive, we still find some haven in traveling with PAL and for Pinoys nothing can beat that) and the sweetness and charm of its stewardesses, we headed for the US immigration. Whenever I pass through this section of the airport, my fear factor is heightened. I cannot explain why this is so. I have nothing to be worried about because my travel documents are all in place and I am not guilty of anything, but that anxiety always works. I have been going to the USA since I was 17 years old and this feeling never fails me. But much to my surprise, even after the 911 and other terrorist security alerts in the airport and all the tales I have heard these past years about US immigration being super strict and cautious … I did not feel that intense fear. Actually, I did not feel it at all!

We were greeted by a Chinese American lady officer with a smile. I looked around for the nationalities of the other officers and there were several represented. Anyway, while she was examining our documents, she took our picture using a web cam and took our fingerprints and then let us go. While waiting for our bags in the baggage claim area, a man offered to assist us in getting our luggage. I told my husband, wow this is service deluxe just like in Manila, although we had to pay the price. We ended up giving $5 and the man who helped us was very appreciative.

Before going out to the passenger pick up area, we began lining up for the customs officials to check our bags. We placed our daughter on top of the piles of bags we had. She looked very cute and other passengers were admiring her, so we brought out our camera. We started taking pictures until an airport security officer called our attention and made us delete the pictures we had captured inside the airport. I thought for a while we were in big trouble but he was friendly and just made sure we had erased the photos. It’s a good thing we had a digital camera. That was the only flaw we encountered at the airport… but it was not that bad… they were just being extra cautious because pictures of the airport may be used in some terrorist attack. It reminded me of the picture incident I had with my American foster parents at the US Embassy in Manila where our cameras were confiscated because my foster mother took a picture of the façade of the US Embassy. But the approach of the security officer in Manila that time was different… it was aggressive and not humane. Don’t worry, I think the US Embassy in Manila already changed their security agency! Although they are still strict they are more respectful now… well, I hope!

I forgot to mention the many balikbayans in the plane. I spoke to a few of them who had so many tales to tell. Of course, they felt sad about leaving Manila during this season. I think most of them had to leave due to their consumed vacation leaves. They had used up all the excuses possible for extending their stay like having a fever, an ear infection, sore eyes, and the likes. Iba talaga ang pasko sa Pinas, one quipped. The other said, "I can’t wait for my next vacation". Another one said, "I will miss my children". That statement made me sad that I had to excuse myself.

I love talking to Pinoys and hearing their stories. One couple who has lived in New Jersey since 1972 has invested on a resort in Tuguegarao. They said they want to help our country by contributing to the development of their province so tourists can go there. Another balikbayan said, "I want to set up a business in the Philippines, but there is a lot of red tape I might end up losing all my savings." I hope our government finds a way to improve this aspect so that more people can invest in our country. My husband’s uncle, my relatives and I’m sure many other balikbayans are also beginning to plan for their retirement in the Philippines.

Every Filipino I meet is very nostalgic about the Philippines (about their provinces).

Grabe! Believe this, at the end of the family Christmas party we attended here in Houston, Texas where my husband grew up, his uncle Tony Saludares started singing "Ang Bayan Kong Pilipinas" with passion. I was talking to some guests when I heard the song and I had to look at him and then I suddenly said to myself, "why in the world was he singing the song?" He just felt like singing it and that was the last song for the night. It concluded the party and all the Pinoy guests went home with that song in their hearts and minds… Probably reminiscing about the Noche Buena and Pasko in the Philippines.

Although Filipinos abroad try to match the spirit of Christmas we have at home, they find it difficult to achieve. Bamba Valdecañas, a cousin of my husband whose family has fled to the US when she was still a teenager in the late ’80s and who is now a nurse, remembers Christmas in the Philippines. She said Christmas in the Philippines is something really different. I asked her what makes it different and she says there’s a feeling she cannot explain. We tried to analyze it but we were not able to get to the very core of it. Our conversation ended by her telling me her intentions of spending Christmas in the Philippines one day with her kids experiencing the caroling scene on the streets, the simbang gabi ritual with the puto bungbong stands and seeing the beautiful parols (lanterns).

I cannot get over how sentimental Filipino-Americans are here in the USA. When I was a student for six years here I had never felt the same compassion for the Philippines as I am feeling right now from our brothers and sisters living in America. They have began to look for ways and means to help our country. I guess it comes with age. As they get older and more stable in their professions, they tend to look or search for a higher level of fulfillment that seems to be lacking in their lives. At the end of the day they ask themselves, "now that I have done enough for myself, what can I do now for my country, my motherland?"

There are actually a lot of balikbayans who have been returning to the Philippines to either set up a business, join a medical mission (like Operation Smile and Operation Hope) and groups who help build homes for the poor like Gawad Kalinga. The head of the Gawad Kalinga Association in Houston is a very close family friend. His name is Philip Punzalan. He goes to the Philippines with his family at least twice a year to visit his projects and bring more funding to set up more Gawad Kalinga communities. A friend of my husband, Jojo Manglongat, heads a Gawad Kalinga group here in Fort Bend County, Texas (in the suburbs of Houston). He works full-time and still finds time to do fundraising activities for Gawad Kalinga. They have raised a total of $27,000 from November 2004 to 2005 and are still working hard to raise more funds in order to build the Fort Bend Village of Texas in Tumawini, Isabela. Aside from constructing 50 homes for underprivileged families, they will have a community center, livelihood center, a school and a health center in that area. He says "it is the Pinoys’ spirit and zest to help the Philippines because they love their country. There’s no place like home. And although they have lived in the US for a long time, they are still Filipino by blood."

There you have it, …Pinoys working abroad still nostalgic and compassionate about their motherland! Have A Happy New Year!