ceremonies and country men

What a way to start the week. For the second time since April, I have been asked to be the master of ceremonies (emcee) for the Monday morning flag ceremony at our company.  Today's program was good run, better than my first one, since I have gained courage to cut my script and do a bit of adlib. I hate public speaking but I recently learned how to swallow my shame and just get on with it. Perhaps the reason why I was more confident today is because I had caused a blunder, only a month ago, also on the same stage which was quickly forgiven by the whole company.

 

On September 03, following our successful Vendors' Night in Makati Shangri-la (arranged with the leadership of yours truly) I was asked to lead the recitation of the Panatang Makabayan (the old version, which IMHO is more beautiful) during the flag ceremony (featuring the previous night's festivities). I thought to myself that if I had survived emcee-ing two weeks into my work, I could handle this short segment. What I failed to realize was that the Panatang Makabayan was to be said in Filipino.

 

So I go up the stage, and start, and stutter through the word, "kapakipakinabang". I tried to say it, around 5 times until finally giving up, apologizing (yes, I said "Sorry", out loud), taking a breath and got through the word slowly. I was very much grateful for the crowd as they waited for me to gather myself. It was embarassing, more so because I found myself having a harder time talking in my mother tongue.

 

I recalled this incident to my friends from another company when we met and after laughing at me (or should I say, with me), we went into a conversation about the beauty of the Panatang Makabayan.

Image Source: http://onwardphilippines.blogspot.com/2012/03/true-pinoy-defined-in-panatang.html

 

What is the Panatang Makabayan? It is translated as the Patriotic Oath, and is one of two that are to be recited during the mandatory flag ceremonies, mostly for schools and government institutions. I am grateful that my company adapted this practise for it rekindled me with this beautifully worded declaration of nationalism.

 

During the times of "global branding"-- the rush to get the hottest westerners to model our local brands, behind the clamor to claim connection to half-blood (mudblood, haha) athletes, artists and performers making splashes in the international scene and through the rampant campaign of the department of tourism to intoduce the beauty and fun of the Philippines to the world, we are demanded more and more to answer the question: what makes a Filipino? Onward Philippines made fitting use of the Panata to define the Filipino. But the oath is more than a defining text; it is, in a nutshell, the RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES of a Filipino sprinkled with proclamation of CULTURE and VALUES.

 

So this I ask to every Filipino, by birth, by blood, by residence, and by association: when was the last time you read and/or recited this oath? When was the last time you thought about what it meant, what it stood for, and what it is telling you?

 

Let us heed the call. It is high time we appreciate what our country provides us; it is high time we give in return the respect and honor she deserves.

 

Bilang ganti, didinggin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang. Susundin ko ang mga tuntunin ng aking tanggapan. Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin ng isang mamayang makabayan at masunurin sa batas.

Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan ng walang pagiimbot at buong katapatan.

I will serve my country without greed and with complete honesty*

 

<3, dee

 

*Unofficial Translation

 

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PANATANG MAKABAYAN

(Original Version)

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas

Ito ang aking lupang sinilangan

Ito ang tahanan ng aking lahi

Ako ay kanyang kinukupkop at tinutulungan

Upang maging malakas, maligaya at kapakipakinabang.

Bilang ganti, didinggin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang

Susundin ko ang mga tuntunin ng aking tanggapan.

Tutuparin ko ang mga tunkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan at masunurin sa batas

Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan ng walang pagiimbot at buong katapatan.

Sisikapin ko maging isang tunay na Pilipino,

Sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa.

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