By Tiara Bacon
 I am a granddaughter of a revolutionary. Whenever I am asked to write a
piece on my family, I always include the little tidbit on my
great-great-great grandfather who was a revolutionary in Compostela,
Cebu. To this day, a statue of this fighter still stands in Compostela.
It feels good to say that in my veins is blood that once watered our
homeland.
Andres Kanen was one of the first Cebuanos who fought against the Spanish friars in Cebu. Looking at our history books, there are more than 40 Philippine revolts that spanned over 300 years of Spanish colonization. Due to lack of resources, limited manpower, and weak mobilization, these revolts often lasted for only one or two years.
But there is something commendable about the Filipino spirit even with forty “failed” uprisings. We just don’t seem to give up. Giving up is out of the question. Giving up is not an option. When the Filipino believes in something, he passionately pursues it. In this case, the Filipino believed that the abuses should no longer continue and that independence must be granted. Never mind the numbers, never mind the funding. The Filipino runs after the dream whatever the cost.
For Andres Kanen, Diego Silang, Dagohoy, and many others, the dream was not realized in their lifetime. They had to give their lives for a dream that they believed in, trusting and believing that someday, change will come about.
I would like to believe that our present generation of Christians is no different. It is in our lifeblood as Filipinos to fight for what we believe in, to be passionately involved in the realization of a dream. And it is the Christian Filipino’s role to fight for godly change and a holy revolution – a dream that can be realized in our lifetime. I do not doubt other nations’ capacity for uprisings, but I believe in the Filipino’s capacity to sustain a revolution.
This is probably one of the things that make us special as a people. Filipinos always seem to be ready for the long haul. Matiisin. We can actually continue on until the uprising is not just a short event or a little spark but a consistent wildfire. Until godliness and holiness becomes a norm instead of a rarity. Once the Filipino is introduced to Jesus, his passionate heart is awakened. There is no doubt that change will start to take place. I am convinced that God wired us this way, that we may live to carry His name. Always ready for the long haul. Never mind the numbers, never mind the funding.
The Pearl of the Orient article category aims to highlight the countless reasons
why we should be proud to be Pinoy, share facts about the Filipino's
uniqueness and its land's richness, and present these with a spiritual
dimension. Bring inspiration to many by sending us an essay for this section. It's time to thank God for our
blessings as Filipinos! It's time to declare why we're proud to be Pinoy!
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
thanks for sharing your story, tiara
