Sunday, June 18, 2017

Father's Day Special: The Greatest Gift


I remember when my father would give us practical advice about living our life based on our choices. He might have gained an ocean of insight through personal struggles and miseries in his early days of fatherhood. As I grew up, I heard several stories that were inspirational and worth emulating; they would have pushed me to follow his path, and I was almost there. His life stories in the form of wise sayings, clichรฉand hyperbole profoundly impacted me and will forever be in my heart and mind. 

It might be hard to emulate his ways, but I have learned from my father all these years to be generous and kind to people. As a public servant, he has the heart to serve the people in our locality and is driven and committed to giving back to society in any way he can. His kindness created a ripple effect of goodwill, and people were quickly drawn to his personality. His values and character make him win people's hearts, and it is his best weapon in staying on the ground and remains to be strong. 

As courageous as he is, I have learned to be challenging yet gentle and always do my best to be on the good side -- never to allow defeat when fighting for the right. His way of handling issues is always simple; he gives outright advice to inspire and move your spirit.


My father may have won several battles, but he is brave enough to surrender everything beyond his control to the Divine. As a wise man, he believes and surrenders to God his challenges and can surpass all those trials through his faith. As our provider, he is 'leading the way' and is always responsible as a father to our family and community.

He always thinks of the welfare of other people and would think of ways how to be of service to a greater whole. I may never know what the future holds, but I will continue to follow the path he has shown and cultivate kindness to others. 

It is always a challenge to me how to become a better person, and it would take commitment and perseverance to become a better version of oneself. It's a choice we make, and when our soul purpose ignites the sleeping giant within, we can move the mountains if we keep our faith on a higher level. 

His journey in life is never easy, as he is confronted with obstacles that make him stronger. As he punches the barriers, he can envision limitless possibilities that we can achieve. He may have started to be a nobody, but with his determination and willpower, he has reached a milestone that we are all proud of. I will forever be a follower and continue the path that was started. After all, the greatest gift is not through materialism, fame, and riches but the gift of everlasting joy and fulfillment through service. 

© 2017 Del Cusay


Monday, June 12, 2017

119th Philippine Independence Day: Freedom in Our Hearts



Philippine national hero -Jose Rizal as a visionary leader, once expressed his deepest sympathy against massive aggression against his countrymen by foreign invaders. In his younger years, he witnessed the abuses and suffering of his own family and carried all the emotional baggage of his youth until he became a full-grown man.

In his youthful days, Rizal was already a champion in many ways, and he has proven his capacity through outstanding leadership in his family and the community where he belongs. He was a great believer in the youth and their power to do great things, so he once uttered,  "The youth is the hope of the Fatherland," a heroic statement we always remember. Back then, Rizal was just a little boy, but with a powerful physical, mental, and emotional character; such a commendable trait in his time. 

Today, in our generation, after more than a century, how many of us have inherited those traits of a hero. Who among our youth has shown the deepest respect and concern about our nation. How many Filipinos genuinely care and will continue to fight for the freedom that we have achieved through the years. Becoming a hero is never an easy task, but to become nationalistic is a meaningful expression of what it is like to become a true Filipino.

Conflicts, violence, and wars continue to happen in our time. It is unending and keeps repeating itself and becoming much worse than ever. Filipinos continue to suffer the consequences of false beliefs and the egocentric mindset of some Filipinos who would spread terror and invade the peaceful land making it chaotic, disorganized, and ruined.

With the sad fate in Southern Mindanao, Marawi City is another victim of conflict and war between Islamic State radical Muslims and the Philippine Government troupes. People lost their peace and sense of freedom to do the things enjoyed by ordinary Filipino citizens. We have lost several brave souls who fought for the dark forces. They have sacrificed their lives for the call of duty: to protect and defend our country and its people against oppressors.

We have lost our freedom. Our countrymen, The Maranao people, are enslaved by fear and struggle to recover their lives, rebuild and stand again, and continue to live despite the odds. It is not only the Maranaos but the entire Philippine islands; the Filipino people also showed the deepest sympathy. We have mourned and expressed our emotions, and we are concerned about the welfare of our brothers and sisters who are in trouble. 

It's difficult not to care about what is happening, especially when dealing with terrorism. We might live in a city far away from the bombings, but we could be the next target. It's easy to be complacent when we feel more secure and guarded. It's easy to get numbed of the unending conflicts and wars. However, ultimately, we cry out loud for our misery when we suffer and become victims. When our country is no longer safe, we can only hope for more protection and salvation to escape various threats. We could hope for a superhero to defend us from invasion and bring back our freedom. We long for a powerful Divine intervention to fill in peace and love in all our hearts.

Our freedom, once lost, will always find its way back on track. As we remain hopeful and resilient, we will always regain what is lost and fill in what is empty until we become whole again. As Filipinos, we must fight for our freedom and to contribute to nation-building. A divided nation will once again work together for the common good, and the loss of national identity will find its meaning.

Do we still care about what is happening these days? Are the youths of today willing to sacrifice their comfort to express their fearless views and show solidarity? Are the Filipinos ready to fight again to regain freedom and establish peace in our land? We might not feel it, but the heroism of Rizal is always in our hearts. That's the greatest gift he has given us, and we must uphold the strength and power we are bestowed. We have the blood of a hero running in our veins, and we could face any obstacle in our quest for lasting peace and order. We will not accept defeat, and goodness will always reign in us. We can't be sure that history will break itself and not be bound to happen again. However, one thing is sure; whatever happens, we will always stand as one... one Philippines ... one Filipino people. 

I am A Filipinoand I am a part of our nation-building. I am a Filipino and will uphold and respect our laws and constitution. I am a Filipino and will be a freedom fighter. Freedom leads to peace, and liberty will always reign in our hearts.

© 2017 Del Cusay


Sunday, May 28, 2017

Where is The Divine Light in a Troubled Nation?

Just recently, President Duterte declared martial law in the entire Island of Mindanao, the southern Philippines, due to clashes between government troops and the local terrorist group "Maute," identified as an ISIS-linked group. That was a late evening of May 23rd, this year, when the news brought anxiety and fear among many Filipinos, especially those who remembered the adverse effects of the 1972 martial law imposed by late President Marcos. 

Widespread violence and violation of human rights triggered the memory from the distant past, a horrible fate experienced by our countrymen on this kind of rule where there is an absence of due process in a civil disobedience act.

Every year as we commemorated the People Power revolution in 1986, it flashes back to the kind of life Filipinos have lived under the martial rule; freedom of expression was suppressed, and thousands were victims of cruelty and summary executions under the hands of the military people. 

That was history! And now history repeats itself. This time the cause of the declaration is different. Martial law was imposed due to massive civil disobedience back then. Still, now the declaration is due to the rising power and terrorism of the local terrorist group called "Maute," which is gaining popularity in the country and getting recognized by the international terrorist group -- ISIS, which is known to be behind deadly attacks in major cities in the world. To date, thousands have been killed, including the lives of innocent people; children heavily injured and killed due to conflicts and wars. People get sick and experience post-traumatic stress symptoms that they will perhaps carry on for a lifetime. Their life was totally hell on earth. Some would have wished to die than suffer. 

In times of chaos and war, our government's primary goal is to restore stability, peace, and order by protecting its citizens from harm and adverse effects. It is a tough challenge, and putting it in the hands of our national defenders would make a difference in resolving the conflict. However, isn't it that martial law was declared to protect our people? Or is it a disguise for a hidden ulterior motive? We may never know the truth.

It's been centuries-long of the battle against terrorism in the Southern Philippines, but it hasn't been totally resolved until the present time. Martial law may be extended to a year or declared in the archipelago. However, it will not be the ultimate solution to end this national problem. 

Where is God at these times? Evil forces gain strength when people pray for peace and spread the darkness. Is God an absolute good? Or Is There A Violent God in Our Times? No one is spared, but anyone could be the next victim of this darkness, even those who may bring the light. In moments like these, we need Divine inspiration -- a Divine light to shield us from evil forces in this world. But why does God allow his people to suffer? Despite economic development, the Philippines is a troubled nation, and the invasion of darkness makes us blind.

We have been fighting for different kinds of war; the drug war already killed thousands of suspected drug users, including dealers. It is suitable for the government to protect the good versus the evil; eradicating them all has never been easy. Instead, we co-exist with these evil forces throughout our lifetime. While terrorism can't be trounced, we desperately call for points of Divine light to shower on us and to protect our loved ones and the entire nation. We can't pass on to the next generation of Filipinos the suffering we live in. We can't imagine our offspring blaming us for their inherited problem. 

Looking forward to 2025 or 2030 and beyond, what will be the fate of our nation? How will we live as Filipinos? Will there be a peaceful Philippines in years to come, or are we about to start living in our darkest era?  Let there be light on our people, the defender of our democracy -- our leaders and the chosen ones. Let there be Good Governance Towards A Better Philippinesand indeed we will see the light after the long tunnel of darkness we're going through. I believe that where there is darkness, there is light! There's healing in every pain and injury, and there's a happy ending in eternity as long as we keep fighting, for goodness' sake, while unleashing the Divinity from within.

© 2017 Del Cusay