Emerging The Galing Ng Pilipino

The world has changed rapidly and beyond recognition in the past decade. We now have a very dynamic marketplace, characterized by shrinking distances and information overload. The global citizen has experienced accelerating and decelerating economics, standardization, and customization of industries, products, and services across the globe; war and peace coexisting in the same geopolitic area. Terrorism, communications, science medicine, and politics- almost every aspect of life in the past decade has been challenged, reformatted and transformed.

Curiously, however, for the Philippines, the more the world changes, the more we seem to remain the same. A priest sociologist said that the Filipino defies any definition; he is in the world but not of this world you cannot put him in a laboratory and study him, you cannot predict how he will act or what he will evolve into. You simply cannot second guess the flow of ever flowing saga.

The Filipino seems to be a highly evolved soul living with two parallel realities within one world. When he begins to feel “wala ng pag-asa” that’s when he feels that he was to get himself together “kasi sukdulan na”. In the heat of the moment, in the eye of the storm, in crucible of crisis, the Filipino, more often than not, reveals a nobility of character marking his high call, his potential, and his passion for excellence.

The Pinoy naturally exhibits his true being when “sagad na sagad na siya” (When he is at the bottom of his life and everything that he sees is threatening) he is able to master all the courage in his being and rise beyond his masked self. What is significant about People Power I and II is that they were such strange revolutions, there was no mob rule in these gatherings; people were dancing, eating, texting, singing, and yet everyone is dead serious about toppling the government.

At the same time, Pinoy is unaware of his own power. He is a simple guy with simple aspirations. You cannot depend on him to analyze things scientifically or philosophically. But his collective unconsciously tells him not to worry about disasters, finances, etc. – that is why in the recent surveys the Filipino is the most contented in Asia despite the fact that everything in this country looks topsy turvy.

The Filipino is very good abroad although he/she has no idea of the good he/she does to his/her foreign words. But Americans, British, Japanese are realizing it and that is why they like to hire Filipino nurses, teachers, caregivers, domestic helpers, etc. Apparently, the giant who doesn’t want to be controlled is willing to have their children learning values from a Filipino. Once the Americans, Japanese, Spaniards have influenced and embedded their culture in us. Now, we are getting a chance in Filipinizing them.

It is clear that the Filipinos are “magagaling”, why not, every Filipino, a Galing Pilipino. Intel would not have stayed in the Philippines for 28 years if Filipinos are not competent, efficient, and skilled employers. The Philippine plant is where Intel’s most advanced products are launched including the Pentium IV; the Philippine Operations are expected to be Intel’s biggest assembly and texting operations worldwide. Texas’ instruments have also been operating in Baguio City over 20 years. The Baguio Plants is the largest production of DSP

chips in the world; DSP chips are brains behind mobile phones. The plant produces chips that power 100% of all Nokia mobile phones in the world. American Online (AOL) has 1000 people in the dark answering 90% of AOL’s global email inquiries. And if you drive a Benz, BMW, or a Volve, there is a good possibility that the ABS system in your car was made in the Philippines, and now, we are exporting cars…in quantity courtesy of Ford Philippines.

A big part of our problem is perception and one of the biggest battles can be won simply by believing and making others believe in the “Galing ng Pilipino”. It is time we stop blaming the system. Instead, change, revitalize and transform ourselves. It is time to move forward with the rest of the world and let go develop our economy from within and rebuild our nation from the heart. We need to change our Paradigm… We need to be brand builders of the “Galing ng Pilipino.” Are you with me?