EDITORIAL - What is really wrong with us, Filipinos?

Ninoy Aquino Day came and went with little more than the usual and expected rituals of remembering done by family, friends, and a few who kept what Ninoy stood for alive in their hearts. But for the overwhelming majority of the 100 Filipinos, the holiday and what it stood for came and went with almost no one even knowing what the holiday was even for.

This is not surprising, though. With a population increasingly getting younger, the feeling of detachment from what most Philippine holidays correspondingly grows stronger. And with Filipinos almost naturally weak when it comes to their sense of history, this feeling of apathy can only grow even more widespread, with the notable exception among those who have made it a calling and professional interest to be immersed in the history of their country.

What sense of patriotism or nationalism many Filipinos feel is often inspired by causes other than genuine, unprovoked and unmotivated love of country. All too often, the name of patriotism and nationalism is invoked for the wrong purposes, such as a prop or launching pad for the promotion of political interests. Few words as patriotism and nationalism have been taken to mean what they actually stand for.

Ninoy Aquino, however, is an exception to the unsurprising lack of interest among Filipinos in understanding what our holidays truly stand for. Ninoy cannot be considered in the mold of Philippine historical figures with whom almost no Filipino alive today can share a personal experience or attachment. Ninoy is what can be called a contemporary hero, a hero of our times.

Many Filipinos living today share at least a portion of Ninoy's lifetime. His assassination for the cause of freedom on August 21, 1983 was just a short 32 years ago. Never mind those too young to remember or those who were not even born. But many Filipinos in their millions living today can very well remember the tragic events that happened that day. And yet, it can no longer be said that even a tenth of them even care to consider the significance of that day.

And so Ninoy Aquino Day came and went as just another holiday. And just another holiday to many Filipinos means nothing more than no work and no classes, a time to go and have some fun or do a little shopping, or simply to catch up on much needed rest. Had it not been for the official announcements about the holiday and the obligatory recollections made by media, the day would have passed even more silently.

This attitude has come to a point where it may be asked – what is really wrong with us, Filipinos? The worst example of this is when a person tries to do something good, honest and decent, and then is quickly rebuffed thus – "What is wrong with you? Rizal has long been dead? – the admonition being that this is no longer the time for heroism or heroes. This attitude, coupled with the kind of leaders we choose to lead us, is what is leading us to perdition.