IT'S THE SMALL THINGS

“The state of our nation is sound and improving. Dumating na po ang bagong Pilipinas.” President Ferdinand “BongBong” R. Marcos ended his second State of the Nation Address in that most hopeful tone. After a little over an hour of stating factual highlights and accomplishments of his administration thus far, plans that are along its way, as well as some challenges we still continue to face as a country, it was promising to hear straight from the mouth of our country’s commander in chief that we are in fact on a positive trajectory. As the saying goes, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” And as a nation collectively, regardless of who we voted for, in giving our trust to our president (because such is the way a democracy works) and our elected officials, we too, expect a substantial amount from them in terms of progress, growth, and overall betterment. Although there are many ways and statistical indicators to measure these, at the end of the day, we often resort back to our daily lives, and whether or not we feel a difference — in term of some ease, and more room for comfort — to gage if we are satisfied. Ika nga, may ikinaginhawa ba sa araw-araw nating mga buhay? Your answer will differ from mine. In fact, what I am most certain of is that at the end of the day, no one will share the same answer. But if there is one thing in common we should all work toward, it is having a collective mindset toward growth, and oftentimes, the first step is to simply embrace change. Big, or small, change is the only constant in our ever-evolving world. Without change, there is no room for growth, and if we continue to hold on to the past, and stay within the realms of what we are used to, we are inevitably resisting change, suffice to say, and thus, impeding progress as well. While it is human nature to complain and criticize, we must also avoid crab mentality because truly, it helps no one. Together, we must work beyond the “pwede na” mindset and notion to eradicate the culture of mediocrity, and instead, strive for excellence. We can only be fully proud of our country, and to be Filipinos if we ourselves take pride in our everyday actions, and contributions to society and the community. Whether these gestures are big or small, the fact of the matter is, in everything we do, we are investors of our future. So if we cannot change the mindsets, the plans, or the actions of others, what is most certain is the fact that we can most definitely change our own. Change comes, and begins from within. And if we make it a conscious effort to live our lives as agents of change — starting out with small gestures to better the lives of others — then we can perhaps have a bigger chance of looking forward to a better, and a happier Philippines. Let us all be a part of our nation’s growth in whatever way we choose. Let us never forget that the success of our president and our leaders is the success of the Philippines, and the Filipino people. Loud and proud, we match on towards a brighter tomorrow. Magsama sama tayo para sa isang panibagong Pilipinas. The success of a new Philippines we all look to achieve lies in our hands.