Critical Commentary 3: Indigenous Filipino Theories

The Philippines is home to a population ready to welcome any visitor with care and friendship. We are a race of friendly and kind hearted individuals who are willing to accept any foreigner from any land with open arms. It is this trait that has made our people known throughout the world and our country a destination on many traveler's map. But underneath the exterior lies a nation of many ethnicities who put their province before their own country.

There are many ethnic groups residing within the Philippines from the people of Pampanga to the people of Ilocos, most of them identify with their province and not their nationality. It is this lack of unification that hinders us from moving forward as one nation. In almost every province there is it's own dialect it's own way of preparing a national dish and it's own way of thinking to the point were one could argue that the Philippines is just a collection of different groups of nationalities. The fact that our country has been around for more than a hundred years and still we are debating on what our national language is speaks volumes of the problem that stems from this way of thinking.

Perhaps the first step that our nation must take to the path of greatness must first be to unify all who live in our lands, To convince and inspire all citizens to be proud of who they are and from where they come from. It is only by respecting ourselves and our country can we be respected by the nations of the world and agreeing on who we are as a country is the first step to achieving greatness. One language, one mind and one nation.