Is it the Philippines to be blamed or the People to start change?

The Philippines is known all over the world. The culture, the tradition, the archipelago and even its
people. Filipinos are hospitable showing care, good relationship, and love to others. Filipinos show
resiliency despite that we are prone to natural disasters. In top of that, we are known to be talented,
resourceful, and undeniably effective citizen across the world. But with these capabilities and
certainties, we cannot also deny the fact that we face huge crisis that we know we can solve possibly but
still far from now.

Why Filipinos are Poor? By F. Sionils Jose discuss how Filipinos could not get out in a zone of poverty and
we are still behind despite of how we give our best for the country’s development. In the text, it was
stated that there is a comparison between the Philippines and the neighboring countries in Southeast
Asia. Why the country could never have any progress even we have been set free from foreign
colonialism. The text inculcates to us how we Filipinos should start changes. We are capable to achieve
better for the country yet that there are still thorns and Goliaths that are preventing us in coming out
our Davids through us. Moreover, F.S. Jose stated the causes of poverty in the Philippines.

I do agree in the assertion of F. Sionil Jose why we are poor because of our lethargy and indolence.
Many people will disagree about this but one thing I find was truth and factual scenery in his analysis.
Filipino’s mindset of “okay na yan”, “heto lang kami eh” at” basta masaya kahit mahirap” mentalities
will not make us better. I felt discouraged with the result of 17.1 percent of poverty rate in the country
as it still an alarming issue. Aside from laziness, the characteristics of some Filipinos such as drunkards,
gamblers and gossipers are frequently seen in the streets. If we just sit down and do nothing when will
the Philippines set free from chains of poverty.

I am prompted also because I am very disappointed with the narcissism and self-centered Filipinos. We
became poor because of our ignorance on what is happening in our country. The narcissism and
egocentrism showed by the Filipinos makes difficulties in setting priorities and mindset to productivity.
We are only revolving on what makes us good. If it does not benefit us and our family, then we don’t
have any interest of the issue that the country and even the world is facing. I really felt sad to those
people who puts first their own than realizing the interventions and what can be good and how we can
help for bigger and greater things ahead. With the ignorance and negligence to corruption, it is hard for
us to make progress.

I also felt bad, and it strikes in my heart how we Filipinos set our wants before our needs. We have that
attitude that we difficultly setting our priorities and we invest in important ones. The author emphasizes
that, Filipinos spend more time with spending rather than saving money for the future. And this is not a
bright decision at.

Moreover, I feel triggered that most of Filipinos are not open for the real change. We are only fixing
ourselves, adjusting to each other preventing us to go out of our comfort zone. Because also we tend to
follow trends, we started to imitate them and sometimes we only accept our own tradition and custom
as better than others. Our minds are not open to opportunities, and it prevents us to grow on our own.
We are narrow-minded to what opportunity will give us. I felt apologetic to some extend because of our
ignorance and apathy of what our country is facing. We are the real enemies of our motherland, and we
are the very reason why we are experiencing poverty. I felt sad for younger generations of what world
we can create and made for them. Are we really satisfied of the world we want them to live?

In my experiences, it is like a story. I will tell you a story about our country. One day, I was passing by the
narrow street, going home from school. Yes, I live in a slum area were almost of the families are poor. I
saw poor children sitting on the other side of the street and approach them. I tell them to come with me
and we will be having a mini class for them. I saw the smile on their faces because of excitement. I ask
them to fold their paper into two and write what they want to receive and what they want to give. As I
read them, half of them confidently answered that they want to receive food, money, and a house. And
as I finished reading, only one knows what he wants to receive and give which strikes my heart. It is a
short prayer, a prayer to stop poverty, spread love and a prayer for the world to change.

I really felt sad of how Filipinos really address the problems. I, myself, is guilty of how we cope up with
the countries Philippines. I felt bad for also experienced the main causes why the Philippines is hard to
arise on top as it is in the past. The article is interesting, the fact that it opened my eyes to see the real
situations, the real Philippines rather. Unfortunately, I feel discouraged of how the Filipinos think with
regards to the huge crisis of poverty in the country, but it challenged me to start change. The Philippines
had enough. Crisis in poverty, corruption, insensitivity, and indolence. We could not blame this country
in its slow development. The problem is not the Philippines, but the real problem is us. Our ignorance
and apathy for the country will be in our account. We, the Filipinos are accountable why our country is
still unprogressive and still find difficulty to rise. The only thing we can do is to start change in us. Our
micro effort will have a macro effect that this country and its people deserve. Our single step will set a
new beginnings and new greater things. We should not let poverty that will kill their dreams, our
dreams. I really recommending reading this article about how we should know to address crisis we are
facing especially the Poverty.