No History, No Self. Know History, Know Self.

The rest of my guest's chronicles of his Philippine experience can be read in this link.

Aside from the misspelled surname (it's Ocampo), all of the things mentioned above are correct except for the first sentence—I'm now 30 :-)

This is just a snippet of a feedback that I got from a Filipino-American tourist who I guided last week. One of the best things about this job is the quality of guests that we handle.

A tour becomes pleasant when a guest asks good questions because it shows a great deal of interest in what I have to say. It also means that my research won't go to waste and that the person recognizes my capability to answer his/her question. What makes it even better is when I learn something from the visitors.

My guest displayed a good grasp of Philippine history because he is a local historian who made ground in California by tracing the very first recorded Filipino who stepped foot on the US mainland. 

Aside from contributing to their local paper, he's into Filipino Martial Arts, the arnis. He is proud of his heritage that he literally wears it on his skin—indigenous Filipino tribal tattoos decorate his body.

I learned that he also gives lectures in Fil-Am communities to help the younger generation appreciate and treasure their heritage. His battle cry is relevant that it reaches our shores, "No History, No Self. Know History, Know Self."

* * *

Perhaps, this also applies to Filipinos in the motherland. I sometimes feel bad for some who do not see value in their culture and history.

There is so much to know about us especially in those years when we fought and won our freedom. Not a lot of people know about the atrocities committed by the Americans when they invaded the islands or the senseless killings in Intramuros during the Second World War. Some of them don't see the value in their past that they'd rather forget it and not even learn from it.

What bothers me more is that some of them belong to the educated class. When I told a friend that I'm now a tour guide, he made a remark that's almost short of being sorry for me for taking the "low route". From that retort, I think that he doesn't see value in promoting ourselves, in seeing what's needed to be seen, in gaining not only financial rewards but opening doors for future Filipinos who want to promote this beautiful country.

All I can think of is pity for that person. He is missing a whole lot about the Philippines.

* * *

I could only guess that he's probably one of the many who haven't been outside Metro Manila and this is where I'd like to make my point—the most vocal Filipinos are often found in Metro Manila. Sometimes, some of them are quick to make judgments about the entire country without even knowing it well or didn't have the diligence to go beyond the usual chaotic, polluted, and overpopulated setting.

These judgments/opinions are picked up by guests who take them home and are then shared with their loved ones, their neighbors, and their whole community. Imagine the kind of publicity going around that is not entirely accurate.

Yes, this is still the Philippines. Taken in Ivana, Batanes.

We are not perfect. Nobody claims to be flawless. There is no need to sugarcoat the return of the Marcoses, the corruption index, pollution in Metro Manila, poverty, and all other sad facts BUT we also need to acknowledge the beauty of these god-given islands and its warm people that make the Philippines a very good country to visit. Yes, we have problems but there are people who are doing something about it.

We need to go beyond what we see and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and of our history. By doing these steps, it becomes a giant leap that can transform a new generation of Filipinos. As a tourist guide, I'd want to take a stab on it.