Early yesterday morning, on our way to the Mactan International Airport to send off our very close friends for their trip to Japan, we witnessed many touching scenes that reminded us about the real joys and treasures of our Filipino people, about the simple essences of life that we often take for granted.
In front of us was an old delivery truck with every available space at the back packed with passengers that the driver kindly allowed to hitch a ride with him. “Maki-angkas” is a regular practice among our people. Whether in the city or in the rural areas, it is common for drivers to stop and allow unknown “hitchhikers” to ride with them, for free, to destinations within the route to be taken by the drivers.
This common practice demonstrates the trust and generosity of our people to share their vehicle with others who are needing a most welcome free ride.
Come to think of it, especially now in the midst of escalating oil prices, this practice is a relevant, beautiful collective response to oil price hikes! This generous practice of allowing free rides, gratefully, had started and has continued regardless of oil price fluctuations.
We salute the selfless generous Pinoy drivers who stop to share their vehicle and offer a free, happy ride to other Pinoys!!! Their selfless practice show the essence of our genuine Filipino people, full of trust, full of generosity, ready to help, and be of service to those in need whenever, wherever they can. May this sincere practice of generosity, trust, and, service, of allowing “angkas,” continue among our people!
At the airport, husband Orly and I could not help but smile upon seeing 4 rows of seats vacated when their family members (about 2-3) headed for the gate to take their scheduled trip. Only 2-3 were off to go abroad but there were more than 10, including the old and very young, who woke up very early to bid their family members goodbye!
Again, this is a very common scene in our airports.
Whole communities, not only whole clans, take time to join their close family members or neighbors at the airport, to bid goodbye, to assure the departing overseas Filipinos that they are remembered, that they will always be remembered wherever they go, and that they have nothing to worry about since the community and the clan will always be there for those going abroad and also for their families left behind!
Not only during departures but the same big family and neighborhood entourage will, without fail, be around as well to welcome the same family members for their next homecoming and happy reunion!!!!
Again, this beautiful practice of expressing family and community love - the simple acts of waking up early, bringing the whole family and neighborhood at the start of the journey of other family members/neighbors or welcoming returning family members/neighbors- are tatak Filipino! One sees the essence, the strong bonds of family and community love and relationships at work from home, from community to the airport, to any part of the world, and back.
The same practice and scenario at the airports may appear so parochial, so clannish, so conservative, or even so impractical or troublesome to those who see only the inconvenience of having crowded airports. An effective system of crown management, however, can easily solve the physical problem of airport congestion.
“What is essential is invisible to the eye,” according to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of THE PRINCE. The families/the neighbors who crowd the airports to bid welcome and/or goodbye are demonstrating what is essential, what is most important for all: love and family, love and community.
What a beautiful treat to see trust, generosity, service, love, community and family – beautiful essentials treasured by genuine Filipinos- one early morning on the way to the airport!
Proud to be Filipino! Mabuhay, galing ng tunay na Filipino!!!
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Email: cherryb_thefreeman@yahoo.com