Father's Day Special: Greatest Life Lesson

I have followed and learned from our world's best teachers, and they are the source of inspiration and motivation on how to live well, living with dignity and a sense of purpose. 

From the Dalai Lama to Deepak Chopra, both world-renowned teachers have guided me on the path of spirituality through powerful knowledge and wisdom.

Master Del Pe, a modern Sage and life mentor, has also significantly impacted my life and led me on the path to higher consciousness and balanced life.

But today, I give my highest honor and gratitude to the one who gave me life in this world and continues leading my life through his words and actions. He is none other than my Father. My great teacher and life mentor. 

My Father is  Leading the Way when I am frightened and don't believe in myself. He gives enlightenment when the path seems dark. He pushed me when I didn't feel like standing up for myself. He saw my struggles, but he let me do it my way. He believed in my capability and that I could always make it as he did. He taught me the greatest life lesson; to believe in myself when nobody else does.

For 3 decades of my existence, I have been grateful for the great life I have been given. I may not have had the gift of a more comfortable and luxurious life when growing up, but I know that I am filled with love and affection.

Today I feel so blessed that God has given us a responsible and loving Father, and I will forever be grateful for all the sacrifices he made to fulfill our needs and his continued guidance even up to this time.

© 2019 Del Cusay

121st Philippine Independence Day: Our Struggle for National Identity and Unity

The present-day "Pearl of the Orient Seas" underwent a massive transformation in terms of Socio-cultural, political, and economic factors, but since the beginning of the Philippine civilization, we may have one of the greatest challenges of all time; to learn about our identity and to achieve national unity.

Las Islas Filipinas under the Spanish regime have made a great effort to map our thousands of islands, naming and renaming the places and trying to unify the Filipino people while imposing on their culture and religion.

Spanish influences, as evidenced by our religion, festivals, food, music, and dances, have thrived through centuries. We have celebrated cultural and religious fiestas in honor of Patron Saints. We serve Spanish dishes like Adobo, Afritada, Caldereta, Menudo, Mechado, Arroz Caldo, and Arroz a la Valenciana. We have Spanish influences in our folk dances like the Fandangos; we have the most popular Pandango sa Ilaw, or Dance with light, which originated in Mindoro province. Another is the Pandango Oasiwas (Wasiwas) which originated from the fishing town of Lingayen, Pangasinan. We have several La Jota dances like La Jota San Joaquiña, which originated from San Joaquin, Iloilo. And we also have an affectionate dance, Cariñosa. These are some of the Philippine folk dances I had the opportunity to be part of in High school until College, which made me appreciate our Philippine Arts and culture even more and up to date.

With the treaty of Paris in 1898, Spain sold us to the United States for 20 million dollars, which concluded the Spanish-American war. Then came the declaration of the first Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898, headed by Emilio Aguinaldo at Kawit, Cavite. We thought Americans were on our side, but we suffered a significant defeat in the Philippine-American war from 1899 until 1902. We had been under their rule until they granted us independence on July 4, 1946 ⁠—our absolute independence.

During American rule, we started a modern way of living and had our new identity Americanized. We had free education from the Thomasites and learned the English language. And the Filipinos had religious freedom with the establishment of new religions founded by Filipinos. Today, there are several American influences on our culture; we eat hamburgers, sandwiches, and oatmeal. We dine at fast-food restaurants like McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and KFC. We wear polo shirts, belts, tennis shoes, baseball caps, coats, and ties. Filipinos love American culture as we continue to speak English, which is also a great job opportunity for workers in the Business Process Outsourcing industry. We appreciate American music and dance, and some Filipinos covet the American dream of living and working in the land of the free —Uncle Sam.

During World War 2, the Japanese occupation came in 1941 and invaded our Islands and had contributed little cultural influence for about 3 years. Still, they have left us with painful experiences, struggles, and deaths. For the shortest time of Japanese occupation, the most significant influence would be 'discipline' due to the imposition of curfew. Today, Japanese influence has been part of our culture as we have embraced their martial arts like Karate, Judo, and the Filipino version, Karatedo. We have Japanese elements in our gardens. We eat sushi, sashimi and Ramen. And some Filipinos are now eager to visit Japan because it is an ultra-modern nation with natural wonders and a better way of living as a first-world country in the East.

Over 3 centuries of Spanish settlement, over 4 decades of American rule, and over 3 years of Japanese occupation, we are left with painful memories of the past that haunts us. We have embraced different cultures from foreign invasions, but we have struggled with our own Filipino identity.

Today, foreign invasions have not ended yet. Trade wars are happening between economic giants from the East and the West. Religious wars are endless in different cities of the world. There is bullying of a more enormous country over a dot on a map in the Pacific.

We Filipinos may have a world-class spirit and a globally competitive people. Still, with the current trend of globalization, the desire to be different, having a colonial mentality, and being confused with our identity, we might secretly be invaded by foreign entities already in this 21st century.

This day, June 12, 2019, marks the 121st anniversary of Philippine Independence. It's my first time celebrating a momentous event in the historical place of Rizal Park. To have witnessed the flag-raising ceremony on this day gave me a glimpse of a nostalgic past and a vision of an uncertain future. 

Today, it is a challenge to retain our real identity of being Filipino, and achieving unity for all Filipinos is even more challenging. From the Katolikos (Catholics) of the North down to the Moros of the South. The fight of the Manobos and the killing of the lumads. The struggles of the Aetas, Igorots, and Mangyans. The differences between Tagalog and Bisaya. The war between the Philippine armed forces and the local terrorist groups. Diverse groups and cultures strive to establish and secure their local and indigenous identity while striving for significance with national identity —to be a Filipino and be proud to say that I Am a Filipino. 

The solemnity of the flag-raising ceremony on this day signifies our unity in diversity. We may come from different Philippine Islands, but we aspire to raise our voices even in silence, to raise our dignity, and to raise our humanity. With Freedom in Our Hearts, we can achieve lasting peace and unity by instilling a sense of national pride and distinctive identity.

© 2019 Del Cusay

Descrip Among 

Eid'l Fitr: A Moment of Peace and Harmony

It has been a wish that one day I will glimpse an Islamic religious celebration and have a deeper understanding and experience of the faith of our Muslim brothers and sisters. Today, that wish came true. 

I am a Christian, but I have celebrated and been immersed in other Religious holidays, particularly Hindu festivals like Diwali and Holi, major celebrations commemorating the triumph of good versus evil. That was a few years back when I could work and travel in India from 2011 until 2014.

In this new world age, we have started to better understand different faith, and slowly we have gained experience, wisdom, and enlightenment. We have begun to embrace the world of secularism not because we have a wandering soul but because we desire to stop interfaith conflicts and wars, prejudice, fanaticism, and misunderstanding. We have one big desire in this world of numerous faiths and creeds: world peace that is achieved through acceptance, humility, and love.

There is so much misconception about the Islamic faith since some radical Muslims are tagged to be involved in terrorist activities, mainly in the Middle East and other countries. The negative actions of a few do not define the character of a greater whole, so it is time to discover more about Islam and break the barriers to understanding their faith.

I have met some Muslim brothers in India but was not exposed to their major Religious celebrations. So now, as the world celebrates the end of the Holy month of Ramadan or Eid-al Fitr and declares a national non-working holiday in the Philippines, I have to take the opportunity to be one with our Muslim brothers and sisters as they celebrate their freedom and victory after a month-long of fasting and sacrifices.

My journey started as a simple walking tour heading towards the Golden Mosque found in the busy district of Quiapo in Manila, considered the old downtown of colonial times. I have visited Quiapo several times to visit the Basilica of the Black Nazarene. Still, I haven't explored much on the other side, where the biggest mosque in Metro Manila is found.

The Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila, has a similar structure to those found in Middle Eastern countries like the giant dome with a crescent moon, the pointed arches, the columns, and the artistic carvings. This is also common in Muslim Mindanao, where more prominent mosques in the country can be found.

Celebrating Eid'l Fitr, they give their last best shot until they return to regular activities and break the fasting ritual. This is purely a day of fun and happiness, a joyous moment.

Starting at dawn, just before sunrise, they would prepare their physical bodies, and wear new clothes before heading to the mosque for prayer and sermon, after which they would do house visits to their relatives and neighbors with greetings like Eid Mubarak or Blessed Eid, have some gift-giving or cash gift and sharing of foods and sweets.

Christians and Muslims share the same creed, and I have found some similarities, which is also the center of our Christian faith. In Islam, their teachings include almsgiving to the poor, giving food to the needy, and helping the poor uplift their lives; an act of compulsory giving which is one of the pillars of Islam similar to the Corporal works of mercy among Christians.

Since it is a feast day for Muslims, I had lunch at Pamanganan Malaysian Halal food just a few steps from the mosque entrance. Other Halal-certified restaurants nearby, like Junaira and Landap café, offer Mindanao cuisine.

We may have read the word "halal" on some food labels in the supermarket. For Muslims, it means 'food that is permitted or allowed according to Islamic law' and the term "haram" is the opposite and would mean 'food that is forbidden,' This shows how strict a Muslim diet could be for the sake of physical and spiritual health.

My day trip to the Manila Golden Mosque was a great experience about the Islamic faith and culture. The Arabic architecture and culture make me appreciate their confidence even more. Forget about the radical groups involved in wars and terrorism; they would also condemn it since they do not represent honest Islam. I know Islam is for peace, and with great appreciation and understanding, we can live harmoniously without instilling harm, hatred, and fear, but instead, a culture of love and respect for each other.

© 2019 Del Cusay