The Philippine Dream

Nais kong sumapit ang gintong panahon sa mahal kong bayan

Nais kong bumukad ang mga bulaklak sa bayang sinilangan

Nais kong masilayan na bughaw ang langit, luntian ang parang

Nais kong manariwa ang yumaong bukal, at sawing kagubatan…

Awit sa Bayan – Ibong Malaya, Volume I,

Tambisan sa Sining

(June 9, 2006) IT WAS probably during my late elementary days when I heard the phrase “American Dream.” During those days, Amerika was more described as the land of milk and honey, not much of an opportunity, as the Philippines was still enjoying a P7-$1 exchange.

Where I grew up, in a small Novaliches barrio, I was one of the more “privileged” ones as I enjoyed playing with “Made in USA” toys, courtesy of my mother, who left us (almost for good) for the United States in search, I guess, of the so-called greener pastures.  My t-shirts were “stateside,” so were some of the canned goods that were proudly displayed in our China cabinet, which was tailor-made by carpenters to match the aesthetics of our two-storey house, along with “imported” chocolate powdered drink, juice, Baby Ruths, etc. 

A set of Hot Wheels cars and a complete three-yard long and two-feet wide race track made me the most popular kid in the subdivision where I used lived, if not in the whole barrio whose parents grew old seeing only rice paddies, cows, carabaos and horses then.

That was in the 70s, when the country was in a “New Society,” back when, in my haste to showcase what we’ve got, I had to wear my Hush Puppies even if they were two sizes bigger than the actual size of my feet. We had pens that had water and things that went up and down, a small gold statue of Liberty, state banners on our walls and, how could I forget, tons of Avon products – from Topaze, Charisma to Jasmine – we had it all. I was only in second grade when without permission, I brought our English Leather perfume, with the wood top cover. I was a show off in class. 

With all these stateside products, you wouldn’t miss your very own mother. American-made toys, chocolates and things to wear from Uncle Sam were enough to bribe our emotions.  As more and more Filipinos left for the U.S., I found out later that more and more kids had things of the same, if not better products. At the University of the East Manila where I finished high school, the students sported Ray-Ban sunglasses, wore Adidas shoes and smoked cigarettes packed in colors I’ve never seen before, and with brands I’ve never heard before. 

The more imported goods I get to see and know, the more I craved for such things, and even requested, if not outright demanded, that I’d get the same things. Colonial mentality had set in, causing a deep gorge into my very young brain, and that all things American tasted better, looked better, made better and envied by everyone.  And we proudly claim to any of our friends that my mom, dad, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, or any relative, was in the U.S. Not only do we get U.S products, we saw the chance of being actually moving to the U.S., courtesy of immigration petitions filed by our relatives on our behalf.   

Young as I was, we were advised not to get married early, lest we lose our petition, our very hope of immigrating to the place where Disneyland was not just a fantasy. Or, should I say, our parent’s wishes.  Moving thirty years later, here I am, reunited with my family, except one sister whose petition is tied up in a very long backlog because she married early (how dare you, sister!). Now all of us are “living” the American Dream. Or, are we, really?

If we gauge things materially, majority, if not all, would say yes, can’t argue with that. Since we like things American, it goes without saying, that hey, what more can you ask for? We are living it.  This Saturday, on June 10, community leaders will gather to celebrate our 108^th Philippine Independence Day at the Westin Bonaventure in downtown Los Angeles, donning Barong Filipino wardrobe and feasting on beef or chicken a la carte and will be hearing the speech of Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Flavier. I expect that he would be reporting on what the country has achieved or trying to achieve, where the country is heading and what we can do to help.   

Help, the most abused word each time a Filipino congressman, senator, or government official comes for a visit and dialogues with the Filipino-American community. Well, some of us do, while we are always recognized for the dollars we remit to our home country, because if we don’t, the visitors may not have something to talk about except beg.

We give because we toil. We help because we can.  It is all because of the American Dream. If only I could be the guest speaker, then I would tell the Filipino-American community that, today, we will no longer wish of leaving for the United States, we will begin our quest and live the Philippine Dream.(RFL)

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