For those Filipinos Who Want To Hear

"Only he is truly a patriot who, whatever his post, high or low, tries to do the greatest possible good to his countrymen. A little good done in an humble position is a title to honour and glory, while it is a sign of negligence or incompetence when done in high office. True honour can be discerned in the simple manifestations of an upright and honest soul, not in brilliant pomp and ornament which scarcely serve to mask the deformities of the body.

True honour is attained by teaching our minds to recognize truth, and training our hearts to love it. The recognition of truth shall lead us to the recognition of our duties and Of justice, and by Performing Our duties and doing justice we shall be respected and honoured, whatever our station in life. Let us never forget that we are on the first rung of our national life, and that we are called upon to rise, and can go upward only on the ladder of virtue and heroism. Above all let us not forget that, if we do not grow, we shall have died without ever having been great, unable to reach maturity, which is proper of a degenerate race."

--Apolinario Mabini in his book, "The Philippine Revolution"

Written more than a century ago, Mabini's words continue to find relevance. In our society today, honor is interchanged with positions of responsibility in government. We, the Filipinos of modern times, find honor in pompous titles. We give leis to those who bear the title, " president", "Congressman," Senator", etc. We honor them with streamers whenever they visit us in relocation centers or in depressed areas.

Honor, as written by Mabini, cannot be found in brilliant pomp and ornament, which he says, "scarcely serve to mask the deformities of the body".

True honor rests in the truth lodged in one's soul. It is through the liberation of the mind from apathy and ignorance that we find truth. When we find enlightenment, we then recognize our duties to pursue justice and human rights, even at the cost of our very lives and futures.

Greatness comes when men of enlightenment stand up to fight for other men's rights. It is that action that define honorable men.

As a postscript to Mabini, let me add that those of us who want to hear these things and resolve to ourselves to act in defense of the Motherland, let us act with enlightenment. Let us shatter this political patronage system that represents our bondage as a people.

The first act that we must do as enlightened individuals is to liberate ourselves from thinking that those who are in government, who think of themselves as honorable or excellent due to their titles, ought to be given what is due to them. Those who are tasked with the delicate duty of government should be held accountable for the ignominy that they wrought against the people.

Those who seek honours but have ugly souls should be purged from government and replaced with those whose souls are pure and seek not honor but justice.