There are times that we are tempted to ask what we can get from our country. Let's think about that for a moment. For one, it provides us our home in this place we call earth. It also gives us our identity as Filipinos. Seems to me, this is enough to be thankful for especially if we consider that some people have to fight and die to have these same privileges up to now.

With the coming 117th birthday of our dear country on June 12, also known as our Independence Day, it is but fitting to think of ways we can give back to this very significant geographical entity we call The Philippines. It is very timely as Jollibee asks: Anong gift mo sa Pilipinas? I choose to answer this question with my family.

My eldest daughter's gift to our country is to be the best migrant worker that she can ever be. There is no room for mediocrity or "puwede na". By showing what Filipino workers are truly capable of, we help create an image for our country that is not only positive but beneficial to those who would decide to work abroad in the future. Working overseas does not make one less patriotic especially if the income generated is funneled back to the Philippine economy.


My husband promises to be the steady foundation of our family by continuously upholding positive Filipino values and doing his duties with love and acceptance. By doing so and by being a good father, he hopes to give our children a good head start towards becoming responsible adults and Filipino citizens. Every productive citizen is an asset to the country.



As for myself, I resolve never to give up on our country, even in the most uninspiring times. I will continue to do my civic duties. I will promote the good side of the Philippines without turning a blind eye on the bad. Most of all, I hope I can use whatever talent or skill I have to make even the slightest ripple that can contribute to national progress.



My Say

To borrow one of John F Kennedy's famous lines, " Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country..." , it is important to realize that a country can only be as good as its people. If we are contented with mediocrity, if we focus on the bad rather than the good, if we refuse to do away with bad habits, if we avoid our responsibilities, and if we give up on our country, we have no right to ask for a better Philippines.

That said, here is my family's collective answer to the question posed by Jollibee: