Three Stars And A Sun

We all know that our Philippine flag is composed of three stars and a sun. I am really amazed how the Master Rapper Francis Magalona emphasized on it that somehow made it his trademark.

I am not a fan of Philippine Hip-Hop, but I admire Francis when I see him perform on television. His songs are not senseless. There’s a deep meaning to every song he wrote, and every word he uttered.

His clothing line helped pave the way for many of us to become aware that the there are still a lot of reasons why should we be proud as Filipinos. It’s just sad that we recognized and appreciated this advocacy of Francis when he was diagnosed with leukemia… and when he died last Friday…

I watched the interview of his wife Pia on several TV shows over the weekend and I could say that I agree with her point. We Filipinos should have self respect so that others will respect us. We can help our country by helping ourselves first.

Recently, I bought a book from National Bookstore entitled, “12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country” by Alexander L. Lacson. I haven’t read the book yet but I like to share the 12 things that Mr. Lacson pointed out. Maybe I’ll give my opinion about these points soon.

1. Follow the traffic rules. Follow the law.
2. Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ask for an official receipt.
3. Don’t buy smuggled goods. Buy Local. Buy Filipino.
4. When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively about us and our country.
5. Respect your traffic officer, policeman and soldier.
6. Do not litter. Dispose your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.
7. Support your church.
8. During elections, do your solemn duty.
9. Pay your employees well.
10. Pay your taxes.
11. Adopt a school or a poor child.
12. Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and love our country.

After reading those points, maybe most of us will realize that those are just simple things to do. But these little deeds can produce a very big and positive effect to our country.

By doing this, it’s sure that we can be able to follow Francis M.’s advocacy of making each one of us a proud Filipino. Above anything else, we are doing these things for our own self…

Let us make the three stars and a sun shine brighter.