Many times I have been perplexed by our penchant for identifying celebrities who happen to have some Filpino lineage, no matter how minuscule, as Filipinos. It does not matter to us if they were not born here, are not Filipino citizens, or do not identify as one of us. Basta, Pinoy sila! And that makes us proud.
Remember how excited we were with American Idol?s Jessica Sanchez because her mother is Filipina? We instantly became her cheering squad and made her a celebrity. Jessica is quite talented, no question about that. But the country would not have been as engaged if she turned out to be half something else and not Filipino. To a lesser degree, we also did this to Honolulu-born Jasmine Trias.
When one Pinoy hit it big internationally, in whatever field, we are also quick to claim them as ?Pinoy pride? no matter if they do what they do purely for personal gain and has no positive impact whatsoever on our country and our people.
It is disturbing that our national pride is almost always hinged on celebrities, and mostly, whose pursuits have nothing to do with being Filipino.
We need to rethink this and be a bit more discriminating in our choice of ?heroes?. We have to go beyond being satisfied with personalities having Pinoy blood or those who succeed and thus, have put the country in the map. We have to have higher standards when it comes to bestowing the label ?Pinoy pride?.
Surely, there are those who truly give the country honor because of their achievements. For instance, those bestowed international awards in the fields of development work, science, public service. Students who represent the country in international competitions,and others who carry our flag in other fields.
Our choice of ?national pride? and the way we spoil them sometimes work against our own well-being and interests.
A case in point is Manny Pacquiao. His is a very inspiring rags-to-riches, nobody-to-big-time celebrity story. His grit and determination to hone his boxing skills are indeed admirable. His success in the boxing ring is nothing short of stellar. And his many years of hard work have been rewarded with the highest honors from the boxing world, international fame, and riches that perhaps he never imagined he would ever have.
Pacquiao is an outstanding boxer, period. But the way we have been treating him goes way beyond his being a great boxer. We raised him as a spoiled brat.
He is hailed as a hero. He is the epitome of Pinoy pride. He could do no wrong and we spoil him to the max.
People were willing to close their eyes to Pacquiao?s much publicized womanizing and talks about gambling. We were quite sympathetic when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) found problems in taxes he paid, or did not pay.
He wanted to play basketball, no, not ordinary basketball but in the professional league. So, Pacquiao became the playing coach of one of the teams in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). I wonder how the other players and coaches must have felt. Especially those who spent many years before turning pro.
Pacquiao likes to sing. So, he records, comes out with CDs, and performs in his own concerts!
Everything he does is news. Even his mother?s clothes and bags. He has enchanted the whole country because he is our national pride.
When he wanted to enter politics, his province made him its representative in Congress. No matter if Pacquiao has been a top absentee and among the worst performers in the House of Representatives, he of course got reelected. Not only this, wife Jinkee is now the incumbent vice-governor of their province.
Pacquiao became so popular that despite his dismal record as a lawmaker, some ?wise? guys in his camp have been floating the idea of the boxer running for higher office?the Senate, or even, God forbid, the Presidency! Don?t look now but Pacman is presently number 15 in the recent Pulse Asia survey for possible senatorial candidates.
Anything that Pacquaio wants, he gets. Or perhaps that?s what he and his people thought. This is how badly the country has spoiled this pinoy pride.
We have been so enamored despite the fact that everything he has done is really for himself?for a lot of money and fame. Do we believe that he fights for the country? Most certainly, Pacquiao fights for Pacquiao. We are just too happy to claim otherwise.
When Pacman lost the ?Fight of the Century? to Floyd Mayweather, we were quick to judge the latter as having cheated, and the judges as biased. We called Mayweather ?negro? and ?gay weather?. Our ugly racist and homophobic head showed.
Now that more information are surfacing including the possibility that Pacquiao and his group might have willfully concealed a shoulder injury, a possible violation of rules, and which, many consider as a game changer and possible reason for his lackluster performance, I wonder how our pride as a people will be affected.
I do not hope for Pacquiao to be penalized or found guilty of any violation. But if this comes to pass, the country could possibly lose our pride.
It?s about time that we learn to be better at nurturing real national pride. We have to look at substance, not just claim celebrities.
We have to correct our distorted concept of ?Pinoy pride?.
