Is the Filipino the problem or the solution?

We must lift the veil of ignorance that our former colonizers formed within our minds, and created like one element in our DNA, programmed to always see the negative side of things and always debate on the side of what they see and what they don't know.


I called this the "Sisa syndrome" in my recent blogs....the undeniable fact that we always compare ourselves to countries not our equal, and always, therefore, find ourselves wanting. 


If we would only study our history, our progress or growth as a nation was drastically reduced with the interference of foreign powers. Westerners hindered our natural progression, from disparate communities, to one Nation, or country. The 15th century was the beginning of a slow, yet often violent transition and dominance by just one governmental and cultural system.


Many believe that it was Islam that first dominated these lands and introduced the concept of a unitary government. Research shows that we first embraced Hinduism into our communities, from Butuan to the rest of Upper Luzon. 


Islam entered into the picture only as a dominant power by the 13th century. As it continues to progress upwards, several communities resisted but eventually succumbed to Islamic beliefs. Had the West failed to conquer these lands, we, probably would have been like Malaysia, with Islam as our dominant religious and governmental system.


Or, these lands would have been both Hindu and Islam, like what happened in India prior to its breakdown in the 40's. Hinduism or Hinduistic practices would have remained in the middle parts of the country while Islam would have grown much stronger in Luzon and the rest of Mindanao. 


Now, what we need is something like a cultural revolution to re-programmed our minds and accept that we once had a glorious past and it is not too late for us to regain that glory that foreigners stole from us.