Monday, February 12, 2007

Bayani

According to the American Century Dictionary, a hero is a "person noted or admired for
nobility, courage, and outstanding achievements." Although for most of us Filipinos, "hero" may pertain to people like Andres Bonifacio who contributed to the freedom of out nation, there are also other kinds of heroes, serving as inspirations, and models to different people.

Media has often depicted in news reports and documentaries the Overseas Filipino Workers
as the "Bagong Bayani", admired for his hard work outside the country to provide for his
family. The OFW sacrifices life with the family in the Philippines for such a cause. From an
economist's point of view, OFWs bring in a big bulk of the country's money through taxes.

Manny Pacquiao is often idolized and called hero because of the pride and honor he brings to
the country. With all the unneeded publicity Pacquiao is getting, critics may disagree with calling
them heroes; but the fact remains that he inspires and gives joy to many Filipinos, whether he boxes in the ring, or sings his own songs with an Extreme Magic Sing. It is still the dedication to boxing that brought sports glory to our country, and these are what the people ultimately admire him for.

While media can give us the impression that being a hero needs publicity and a wide range
of "fans," the idea of having our very own personal heroes contradicts this view. As an example, my mother sees my grandmother as her hero. According to her, even though she was a simple public school teacher, she was able to raise her children well."Lahat ng ginagamit ko sa buhay ko ngayon na ugali at pagitingin sa buhay, sa kanya ko natutunan." My grandmother was a hero to her very own child, with the love and care that she has
given them.

Different people have different heroes, heroes who have touched and inspired them in a certain way, either by doing well in his career, or giving out of love. Though heroes are called such for different reasons, a person cannot strive to be a hero for heroism's sake. Andres Bonifacio fought not to be called a hero, but to free his country. Manny Pacquiao probably did not dream of becoming an "Aydol;" he boxed to represent and bring pride to the country the best way he could. My grandmother clearly did not become a great parent just because she wanted her daughter to tell her grandson decades after that she was her hero. It takes more than those things. At the least, it takes immense perseverance, generosity, and most certainly love to become a true hero.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

OFW: Bayaning Taksil

Bayani nga bang matuturingan
Kaming mga nagtaksil sa bayan?

Perang inilaan sa kaban
Anong patutunguhan?

Di ko mawaring isipin
Kami rito ay alipin

Ngunit kung babalik dyan sa atin
Ano ang aming kakainin?


Culture Shiok!


Creative Commons license apply

Anonymous said...

Mikee,

I'm selling my domain name "meltingpen.com" and I thought you might be interested. Please email me at kevin@turnerinternet.com if you are.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Again, I wish I can write like that! You are very good, Mikee. You write very well.

Anonymous said...

great article dude..makes me reaize how important my dad is... haha.. without him i wouldn't be here.. (what? connection??) haha.. anyhow.. you are such a hell of a writer.. haha.. keep it up!

jusz said...

you're such a great writer! grabe!

Anonymous said...

very well said... such a great writer i must say...
keep up the good work..tc

Anonymous said...

we regard so many people as our hero but what matters is our personal heroes--our parents.

hope you can link me up.
thanks.

Anonymous said...

what if i say you're one of my heroes? joke lang! hahaha!

Anonymous said...

again, your latest post was nicely written. im thinking of linking your blogspot on my multiply. can i? i just want more people to read your posts.

Anonymous said...

amazing... i didn't know you're a good writer too... though your topic might seem so simple, it touches me... these articles of yours reflects who you are and what you believe things are... ang ganda ng pananaw mo about life..keep it up and God bless... God-given talent yan...i hope and pray you'll use it for His glory...

Anonymous said...

"a person cannoot strive to be a hero for heroism's sake."

Politicians should live by these words.

i hope you write more often. i always learn something new whenever i read your entries. :)

Anonymous said...

you write good. and i miss seeing you on tv. :) take care.

JoiceyTwenty said...

just linked your page on mine. :)

http://bunsochuchu.blogspot.com

B said...

Everybody loves Manny the Boxer. Idol ng Masa, Bagong Bayani or what-have-you.

But, Manny the politician?

Hmmm...? Begs the question, does he know where he's getting at?

Tsk. A poor victim of the circumstances.

Anonymous said...

i consider my mom as my hero... :D

Anonymous said...

ung hero thing... if you got offended, sorry talaga, mikee... my friend blackmailed me to write that comment... but seriously, i really admire your writing style and the way you think... so i guess, in some way, you are my writing role model!

Anonymous said...

i like watching manny pacquiao's games 'cause they actually showcase tru filipino sportsmanship but i don't htink it would be a good idea for him to be a politician. i mean, we all have our own individualities and he is, after all, an athlete. crossing to another path, politics, that is, may be a difficult and certainly not an option for him :D

yup, heros are everywhere be it OFW's but for me, there is only one hero: my Lord. who else? i mean, i love me mom asnd she is really my living hero but of course, nothing beats my faith.

i'm hoping to hear from you, too! :D

abidubi said...

We all have different perspectives on things, media just tests us if what we believe in would be affected by them.

Anonymous said...

you're a great writer. you should have used your intelligence inside Kuya's house. keep up the good work. god bless!

Anonymous said...

kaya tinawag ng "bagong bayani" ang mga OFW ay upang mapagtakpan ng gobyerno ang kakulangan ng trabaho sa Pilipinas.

ngayon pabor sila sa pagpapadala ng mga propesyunal mula sa ating bansa upang maging katulong sa ibang bayan upang mabawasan ang mga taong nangangailangan ng trabaho dito.

ngunit masasabi ba nating bayani ang mga ito.. hindi bat nakakababa ng ating pagkatao bilang Pilipino.

Noon ang itinuturing nating mga bayani ay yaong nagbuwis ng buhay para sa kalayaan ng ating bayan.. at ngayon ang ipinatuturing sa ating bayani ay yung mga katulong sa ibang bayan.

nakakalungkot isipin.. at ito ay dahil sa kawalan ng trabaho sa Pilipinas.

Anonymous said...

sorry if this is not a comment to your post.

i've heard that you will be going here in SM Lucena. hehehe pupunta ako. here is my friendster BTW http://www.friendster.com/jarofcrap

crystaljade said...

I have lots of relatives who are OFWS, so I can relate. With the way things in our country are going, most of my friends and classmates are taking up nursing so they can get the hell out of Pinas as soon as possible. Hmmm... Thanks a lot, your entry really made me think

Anonymous said...

wow...im really amazed and awed at your writing skill...you should find time improving your layout. i loved reading your posts! inspiring and really works the mind of wonders. :D

Anonymous said...

mikee,

you're such a wonderful being...
and dami mong talent...

i felt good reading your blog...
its nice to know what is inside a teenage human being like you...

Sey said...

haloo! nice to see u here.ΓΌ

Anonymous said...

WOW!
you really are FAMOUS already not only as a young celebrity but also as a blogger/writer!!!
imagine..?.. your blog has been viewed more than 7500 times already and most of your readers are responding positively judging by their great comments!

ihopeyoufindmoretimetopostnewentrieshereonyourblog.summervacationnamandiba?ipagpatuloymolangangmagandangadhikainmosabuhay.Godbless.

Anonymous said...

¤ wow! ur blog is very interesting and ideal.

Anonymous said...

watta post by the author. you're really good in writing, idol!

Anonymous said...

Manny Pacquiao is overrated by the media.

For me, there are more "heroes" in our society which must be given more attention and concern, other than Manny Pacquiao, who just became famous because of sports and entertainment.

The heroes in the battle against terrorism...the soldiers; and the heroes in the battle against ignorance...the teachers.

They also deserve what Manny Pacquiao deserves because they really benefit us, they work hard not just for the sake of entertainment, but for the betterment of our lives beyond television.

RM Bulseco said...

inquisitive and very articulate. You write like an editor of time magazine. hahaha lolz. congrats dude =)

kim said...

ang galing mong magsulat! hehe...you really have a talent...hehe...dumadaan lang po...hehe...

Leahcim said...

ezramariegatusKamusta ka naman, Mikee? Haha.. Galing moh! I enjoyed reading it. Keep it up! Kudos!

Leahcim said...

Kamusta ka naman, Mikee? Haha! Galing mo! I enjoyed it. Keep it up! Kudos!

Anonymous said...

you really have a strong opinion o what is currently happening around you, unlike other boys// kids in your age range. i really admire you for that. you're also a great writer, i think you'll have a nice career in literature. ;) keep up the good work.;)

Anonymous said...

deep mehn :))

Anonymous said...

Hi Mikee!!! I read your posts whenever I have the chance to surf the net. Anyway, I like the way you write. It's just so good! Yup, you're right, love is the key to be a true hero. =)

Peppermint Streak said...

Hmm. kasali ba sa GDP ang kinikita ng mga OFWs?

and if yes, makaka-up ba ito ng credit credibility ng Phils?

lalakas ba ang piso?

Anonymous said...

oh mikee lee... you are, and will always be, a genius. :)

Yan said...

your entries are very sensible. it's hard to find teenage blogs like this. ;)

Anonymous said...

nice article, made me nod and smile:)

Soultified said...

Hey! I dont really know who you are, but I really like what you wrote. You should create a myspace (www.myspace.com) and post blogs there, since its an easy access for me. Haha. Well you can email me at soultified@yahoo.com that would be great if i get a response. Thanks

Soultified said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I agree... they consider Pacquiao a hero. But others fail to recognize those who die fighting for our country.