Edtitorial
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Bringing Filipinos Together
Filipino activity groups worldwide consist of those involved in sports, business, education, and religious pursuits. For one reason or the other, however, some have remained inactive. Moreover, the size of participation is still not significant. Filipinos who are active in business, education, religion, sports, and other fields can be found all over the world. However, some people have continued to be inactive for various reasons. Furthermore, the level of involvement is still not very large. Therefore, it is imperative to promote participation in order to combat the pervasive divisiveness that characterizes Asian culture and the waning sense of pride brought on by the depressing political climate at home.
No doubt the Philippine embassies and their respective consulates are doing its best even with resource limitations. But cohesion could only be achieved if the integral parts are willing to be counted. While absolute solidarity is such a lofty goal, there are simple and realistic means to foster better camaraderie among Filipino interest groups. One way, though ambitious at this point, is to establish a federation; elect representatives who would hold regular coordinating meetings; and implement constructive undertakings that maximize the involvement of as many Filipinos as possible.
Establishing practical networks of communication is another way towards unanimity. With current technologies working to our advantage, this should not be a problem. Using mailing lists and online bulletins, information from the embassy, for example, and group announcements could easily be disseminated in a cost-efficient and high-speed fashion. The Philippine embassies would be the best unit to embrace this initiative. Whatever the action involves the most extensive coverage of the Filipino population in many countries, it would be a meaningful step to purge disunity, problems of identity, and waning pride as a people. It is, therefore, the hope of the DSY publication to help alleviate the current state of the Filipino spirit in lands that are not our own.
Mission Possible
Today, more than two scores past when social media was still in its primitive form, the Dahilsayo publication has risen from its slumber, this time to take advantage of a format that breaks down communication barriers even further. The mission is still the same as it was 15 years ago, although this time, it has the ambition to reach wider coverage, to serve as a symbol of unity and camaraderie among the splintered groups of Filipinos in many countries.
Specifically, the DSY staffers, now consisting mostly of young professionals, thinkers, and entrepreneurs, would like to provide a medium to disseminate information relevant to both Filipinos and non-Filipinos; to inspire our countrymen to excel in life through literary expression, culture, and arts; to highlight only good news in-country and across the globe; and to strengthen links and network with people of other nationalities, to mingle, immerse in, and respect their local ways of life.
DSY would like to pursue the cause of expressing one’s self without embittering others who would read about our works, the cause of being part of the Filipino Diaspora that dares to do something different for the sake of Dear Motherland, the cause of doing something without necessarily having to expect something back. In one of its maiden issues then, it was our wish for DSY to be published perpetually, to be a voice, though soft as a whisper, one that would express the great things about Filipinos outside the Philippines, not as clustered individuals but who would symbolize and exemplify true unity. We pray that this dream might be fulfilled.
References:
Almendral, A. (2021) 10 million Filipinos endure hardship abroad as overseas workers, Magazine. National Geographic. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/filipino-workers-return-from-overseas-philippines-celebrates (Accessed: April 1, 2023).
Covid-19 Dashboard (no date) Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Available at: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html (Accessed: April 1, 2023).
Mapa, D.S. (2022) 2021 Overseas Filipino Workers (Final Results), Philippine Statistics Authority. Available at: https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/survey/labor-and-employment/survey-overseas-filipinos (Accessed: April 1, 2023).
Raine, A. et al. (2023) Over 34,000 dead from quake in Turkey and Syria, CNN. Cable News Network. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/turkey-syria-earthquake-updates-2-12-23-intl/index.html (Accessed: April 1, 2023).