World Refugee Day: In Memory of President Quezon

Photo courtesy of America Public Television 

A striking and heartfelt statement was uttered by President Manuel L. Quezon during the Philippine Commonwealth Period in the early 40s. And he said, 

"The people of the Philippines will have in the future every reason to be glad that when the time of need came, their country was willing to extend a hand of welcome."

That statement was in response to the firm intent of Quezon to accept thousands of Refugees during the Nazi Germany Holocaust, where millions of European Jews were persecuted under the powerful command of their leader, Adolf Hitler.

Although physically weak and dying due to a pulmonary disease during that time, Quezon chose to be a humanitarian to give social justice to those persecuted. Of the potential 10,000 refugees that Quezon would want to accept, about 1,200 refugees were given shelter. We have opened our doors and welcomed them wholeheartedly. They were given a piece of land and a livelihood for security and survival.

Quezon was right, after all. Fast forward to that future which is our present day. In 2018, a film was produced in his honor entitled "Quezon's Game," which was shown to the world in December and in the Philippines in May 2019. The film showcased our solidarity and compassion to others that we have an open-door policy in accepting refugees.

I watched the film this month, and it gave me a sense of pride as a Filipino that we are indeed a Nation of kind-hearted people with a sense of humanity and social dignity.

When the world turned down those refugees, only one nation embraced them with open arms: the Filipinos. We gave them not only shelter, but we have helped them regain their identity and sense of humanity. That goodwill was recognized by the Jews when a statue of Quezon was built in Tel Aviv, Israel, in his memory and the friendliness of the entire Filipino nation.

When some of our present-day leaders would utter words of killing his own people, President Quezon was different and indeed a gentleman with the highest regard for human life by saving more than a thousand lives.

Today, we need a leader who is tough and values and upholds the sanctity of human life. Hundreds of millions of stateless people are currently seeking refuge due to wars, armed conflicts, persecution, and even economic downfall. They are sick, dying, and unwanted by their own people. However, they are still hopeful for a miracle for the second life they deserve.

Today, June 20, is World Refugee Day and a celebration for Filipinos of our dignity and pride. May our sense of humanity be upon us all for those who are abandoned, unwanted, and persecuted. We are Filipino and a life-saver from our past and forever.

© 2019 Del Cusay

Related Post:

👉 A Weekend Stroll at Quezon Memorial Circle

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

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