Evolution of ‘love of country’

I trembled when I heard that they had shot Sen. Ninoy Aquino at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983. I attended Ninoy’s burial as he was taken to his grave surrounded by countless Filipino mourners. The melodramatic scenery made me ponder.

As we commemorate Ninoy’s 34th death anniversary, I feel that I am witnessing an evolution of love for our country in the following sequential mutation: from “Our country is worth dying for” to “Our country is worth fighting for” to “Our country is worth living for” to “Our country is worth killing for” to “Our country is worth earning a living from” and to “Our country is worth leaving from.”

In other words, a competitive survival of the fittest in the jungle of human evolution.

We cannot survive as a people if we do not love, help and coordinate with each other under a democratic and moral system of government. The wealth of our country is enough for every citizen, but unfortunately, it is never enough for greedy politicians, public servants and business leaders.

However, the people should not and cannot realistically demand for equality in our human society as we have to accept that we were not procreated equal, but, at least, our people can demand for justice and equity.

This is, indeed, an enormous challenge for our body politic and may need another kind of social evolution as we remind ourselves that a social evolution is better and more productive than a bloody revolution.

AMAY P. ONG VAÑO, [email protected]