Are Americans and Filipinos really friends?

In the past, July 4 was the day Filipinos celebrated Independence Day until President Diosdado Macapagal changed it to June 12. July 4 was the day the Americans gave us our independence. June 12 was the day Filipinos declared their independence after fighting an anti-colonial war against Spain. His reason was simple. Independence is not given, it is owned and fought for.

We were independent long before either Spain or the United States of America came to colonize us. So giving back what we previously owned is no big deal. Indeed, someday a future generation of Filipinos would ponder on what we might have been if Spain and the US had not colonized us and we had gone on to develop our nation on our own. Having been the first country in Asia to establish a constitutional republic we certainly had distinction and political promise. But it was not to be.

President Macapagal’s legacy may not seem important to many Filipinos, but I believe that it should be central idea for nationbuilding. We should always be reminded of how we fought for the freedom and independence that was snatched from us by another aspiring colonizer at the expense of a million Filipinos who died in its defense. On this day of friendship, it is good to remember that too.

Moreover, when the US granted our independence on July 4, 1946 it was with strings attached, among them the military bases and parity rights for Americans in developing our natural resources. As if these were not onerous conditions enough the US also imposed as a condition that we adopt the American presidential system. As one author wrote, Americans were keen to show the world their superiority not only in war but also in culture, politics and governance. The presidential not parliamentary was their brand.

It was President Fidel V. Ramos who set aside July 4 as the day “to commemorate the liberation of the country by joint Filipino and American forces from the Japanese occupation at the end of World War II.”

In recent days, this friendship has come under strain with a growing number of Filipinos becoming more conscious that we may have been given our independence formally but America’s influence and occasionally direct intervention on how to run our country continue. Manifest destiny and benevolent assimilation remain alive and kicking.

At a recent lunch women who you’d think were not all that interested in politics, the topic of conversation was how the May 10 elections showed all the marks of American interference. They were not misled by oligarchic media or survey groups. They may want America’s friendship but it should not be at the cost of our independence and self-determination.

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Here’s the take from a Hill Roberts, a FaceBook friend who lives in Spain.

“The change, basic change, i.e., attitude/outlook, must come from the majority of the citizens first; then they should start taking stock of what’s really going on in the archipelago: they may live there, but how many bother to understand the “real, genuine situation”? The problem is the citizens themselves. They are easily persuaded by whoever smooth-talks them. They have wasted the May elections — it should have been their Turning Point — their wonderful chalice — but what did they do? They bent backwards, as usual, stood by and did nothing, to tell themselves that, “This May Elections is the most important in 50 years — let’s get really serious...” Did they? No chance. Why? ABS-CBN made sure they didn’t, after all, they were the power behind the elections, the ones pulling the strings of Timmy, Dicky and Hairy, making sure that the common folks voted for their “product”, which, happily, they obliged. See, how easy it is to convince a Filipino?”

(CNP: I would not be so harsh on the illiterate masses but there is a case for political restructuring that will allow them to be less taken by smooth-talking. In a parliamentary government when they vote for their member of parliament and the party he belongs to, the focus will be directed to their needs – jobs, good education for their children and housing.)

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Miscellany: With all the talk on organic food, I decided to try my hand at growing my own vegetables and eating only what comes from the farm. I have met many friends in my quest.

Recently, they brought me to “The Herb Republic” of which I immediately signed up for citizenship. It serves only health organic food. Owned by Herbert and Ranier Pantua the restaurant is in Barangay Maahas in Los Banos. Not only do they raise their own vegetables, they also raise their own organic chickens and organic pigs (something I did not know about).  

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With airlines struggling to survive in the recession, the search is for less and less services for lower and lower costs. Did you know that there may be a time that you can have a cheaper flight by standing during the journey? From the Telegraph comes this story that Ryanair is planning to run flights where passengers stand during the journey at the cost of just £5 per ticket. But the airline’s chief executive added they would charge customers for using the loo (also known as toilet!).

A standing area with “vertical seats” will be introduced at the back of its fleet of 250 planes.

He said that charging customers £1 to make use of facilities would encourage travellers on one hour flights to use lavatories at the airport instead of in the aircraft.

A Ryanair spokesman said the fleet will be installed with “vertical seats” which would allow passengers to be strapped in while standing up. But this will have to be tested for safety by the Civil Aviation Authority. I think that would be popular in the Philippines with most journeys an hour or even less.