Eight Reasons Why We Are Independent (Featuring the 116th Philippine Independence Day)

[07.12.16] This was written two years ago for an online homework in Journalism class. I must say it took a brave heart now to share this again; since then, many things have changed, including principles contrary to or deepened beyond what was. Technology has greatly empowered the youth to have a voice, looking back, I wish this could have been less elliptical and expounded.

Contrary to number 4, I believe it is not “our creativity [that] shows wisdom from independence.” Instead, through time I guess it is perhaps the mystical wisdom of independence that has made us justify our creativity for redefining freedom. Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan :) 

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1. We independently believe that “No man is an island”

                     We are no island. We have 1,107 islands. But it seems they're not enough. 

     2. We have our own natural resources to consume; therefore, we are independent.

     We don't need China's nor Russia's large landmasses to dump our waste into. Right we have our own 1,107 islands to spoil? We don't need to depend on any of them. We have ours. 

      3. We independently fight against independence

      It was never wrong to ask. But asking again, and another, endlessly - think over it. Sometimes the answers are just right in front of you. Try standing up, you might not see them while lying. 

       4. Our creativity shows wisdom from independence. Definitely, we are Malaya. 

        People are free to do whatever they wish to. They have a myriad of options: tambay sa kanto, tambay sa school, tambay sa mall, tambay sa bahay, tambay sa simbahan, etc. Free means malaya in Filipino. – we are creative. we have created our own dictionary. 

        5.  We are a strong advocate of “Right to Education” because we are free, and because we are independent

      Former system: complain. K-12: complain. Yes, education is a right, quality education is a privilege; however, hardly anything, can ever be reasonable to take studying for granted. There are loopholes in our educational system, yet aren't we forgetting the spirit of bayanihan? Do your part.

       6. We Independently Know What’s Best For Inang Bayang Pilipinas

           We know by heart, mind, soul, and spirit that we must eradicate all marks of graft and corruption. Destroy the ever-famous crab mentality. Extinguish the burning flames of poverty. And arouse nationalism. Nationalism. We know these things. And we just know them, do you?

        7. We have faith in independent miracles

      We pray. It is good to pray. When we are in need, we pray. When we are grateful, we pray. And we just pray, so hard. We believe that prayers will be our last refuge when we never worked an inch. Because miracles are so powerful that they don’t need our help for them to come true.

       8. We never stopped longing for true independence

       Yes we are a developing country. A third-world country. But for as long as someone believes no matter how small or big, or affluent or impoverish, a spark of hope will be kept alight and the fight will not meet its end. For as long as someone stands having a tight grip of integrity and determination, we will not wage combat in vain.

     Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan, Mabuhay Tayong Lahat!

Photo credits (nos. 2-8): Google Images