“Youth fades; Love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; a mother’s secret hope outlives them all”
-Oliver Wendell Holmes
Mothers, the foundation of all humanity, The bedrock of civilization, the pillars of society. Unsung heroes who, can do the most superhuman things. They are the Lord’s love in physical and tangible form. Love as pure as the sunrise and as flawless as the Graff Lesedi La Rona, the largest and clearest certified diamond. They are as powerful as the eye of a strong storm, yet as gentle as a soft feathered pillow.
Endless adjectives, infinite attributes, too long to ever chronicle – is the love of a Mom. We all owe our existence to our mother. Let’s be reminded this Sunday to love, honor and represent our mothers as best we can. This could be a simple act of gratitude for the many sacrifices, the gallons of tears, and the unconditional love that only a mother could give for us.
Though remembering our Mother is an honorable act, we should not forget about our other, beleaguered Mother, who at times remain forgotten in the fog of our daily lives. Silently, this mother endures every sunrise and every sunset, toiling away, doing her best to provide for us and keep us safe. Now, you may be asking yourself, who is this Mother? I only have one? The answer is our Mother, our country—our Philippines, our MOTHERLAND.
Our Motherland is under siege. Sadly, from both internal and external forces.
The reality is our sovereignty is challenged daily. Chinese ships have ravaged and raped our resources and are now a stone throw away from our shores. The intrusion is blatant, the method is wicked and the results have been devastating, not only to our fisher folk brethren, but also to us people who cannot be free in our own waters, our own territory.
Fortunately, the world, through The United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea, has awarded and respected our sacred waters with a landmark decision 5 years ago. This verdict was a big blow to China’s silent invasion. It was a day of celebration, a day of Filipino pride, like on the day David stood over Goliath and decapitated the giant. Fast forward to today, for some strange and hypothetically diabolical reasons, the President doesn’t want to enforce the decision in OUR favor.
Think about it, you, the reader has just won a lawsuit and the judge has awarded you 644 billion Pesos (this is the estimated number of resources stolen from us) and you, the winning party not only refuse to accept the decision, but also threaten to throw the decision out saying that it is merely “a scrap of paper.” Nobody in their right mind would do this. This is a diplomatic solution sanctioned by members of the international community. The actions of our leadership reek of anti–Filipino ideologies. Every statement by this administration has Pro-China undertones.
Now, with many questions as to why this administration seems to be Pro-China we demand answers to help us understand the rationale behind the actions. And like a breath of fresh air, a debate was called, by no less than Tatay Digong himself against Justice Carpio. The challenge surprisingly, initiated by the President via usual tough and profane speech, has himself swiftly backed out after Justice Carpio called the challenge! Yes! In another scratch your head, “what is he doing? What is he thinking? Are the screws all lose?” move, the tough talking – Davao kingpin chickened-out. In all my years on this planet, I have seldom witnessed such an act of absurdity only to expose what this President really is…
A coward.
Afraid to enforce the law and stand up to the bully, afraid to reveal his incompetence, afraid even to fight for each and every Filipino, whether living or dying. It is really revealing of who we voted for in the last election. The same mistake shouldn’t be repeated. The Philippines cannot afford another bungling megalomaniac.
To end on a lighter note, as we honor our mothers in commemoration of Mother’s day, let us not forget our Motherland the Philippines, who at this crucial time in history, needs us, needs us now as we have been betrayed by the actions of many. It is time to push the cowards under their nets, and be heroes for this and future generations. Mabuhay and ating mga mahal na Ina! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
