One Sun and a Sky
Did you know that the flag of the USA and the flag of the Philippines share all but one color:
yellow? Our sun and our three stars. It is a unifying symbol for an archipelago of thousands of
islands under four celestial bodies of light, a place I was not familiar with until about ten years
ago as I set foot in my homeland. Becoming a Filipino is a multifaceted process that involves
embracing the language, noticing my environment, and envisioning the future.
First, embracing the language initially meant imitating the manners in which my family, friends,
and peers used language in general. When I first moved here in 2014, I only knew a few words
such as “Lola” and “na.” Talking to my titas, titos, lolas, and lolos taught me common everyday
expressions such as “Mano po” and “Kumain na ba kayo?” There was a loose script to follow
when meeting my relatives, and this taught me about respect, family, and more. Moreover,
hanging out with my cousins taught me modern Filipino slang such as “lodi” and “edi wow.” They
also taught me the prevalence of Taglish, a combination of Tagalog and English, and that
modern colloquialisms often had a mix of these two languages. All of this helped me fit in at
school which was my goal. When I reached the sixth grade, however, I was faced with the
challenge of acting as the class representative for an essay-writing contest in Filipino about our
national heroes. I was overwhelmed because I felt like the last person who should’ve
represented my classmates who, in my mind, were more Filipino in every way. Because of this, I
talked to my mom who told me to watch telenovelas and read books in Filipino. This introduced
a whole world of pop culture to me through popular media such as “Kadenang Ginto” teaching
me lessons about friendship and family. I did not win the contest. However, Filipino became less
of a language requirement and more of a cultural immersion which shaped who I am.
Second, noticing my environment was a proactive process that started from my education. I had
the privilege of attending De La Salle Santiago Zobel School (DLSZ) which really emphasized
on helping the marginalized. No matter where one would go, the call would follow. Joining Zobel
Parliament was not so much about being right as being aware. One of our English subjects
included a whole-day outreach program to teach elementary subjects at an orphanage. While
this school was not your typical Filipino school with the majority speaking English, it never
missed out on the sense of community or “pakikipagkapwa.” It made me realize that there was a
world outside of the walls of this classroom, and that the Powerpoints being projected had
real-life implications. While the various cultures of the Philippines made the idea of a single
notion of a Filipino culture a bit difficult for me, I felt some connection to all of them. This line of
thinking ended up leading me to attend a political rally in 2022 with some of my classmates.
With everything that the school had taught me, I wanted to support what I believed to be the
right choice for our country as a whole. This also contributed to me and my group’s efforts in our
capstone project in our last year of high school. We researched about the state of indigenous
communities in the Philippines along with how their livelihoods are affected by the current
economy, and we were able to interview a few individuals from the LAKAS Bihawo community.
This raised my awareness about environmental and economic issues that affect the peoples in
the Philippines who have very little say in politics or the economy. I learned that while being
Filipino could look like studying and working very diligently for one’s family, it could also look like
preserving the agricultural practices and wisdom passed down from our ancestors.
Third, envisioning my future made me utilize my education and culture in order to see what I
wanted to do with my life. I decided to start pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Ateneo De Manila
University, a premier educational institution in the Philippines, that could raise me to be the
person I wanted to be.
In conclusion, being a Filipino isn’t just about the way I speak or eat. It also covers the way I
respond to the issues in our country and the way I share my future. It’s an ongoing process that
doesn’t stop when I graduate. While I live my own life, I share the same sun and sky with many
other Filipinos on the various islands that make up our three stars. That bright connection can
inspire me to stand in solidarity with those around me.
