proud to be FILIPINA
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word FILIPINA? Well if you would ask me, I would answer MYSELF… There are a lot of words or even adjectives that you could associate with the word Filipina. Some of which are negative and I hope most of it are positive. The word Filipina is very broad that it can’t just be summarized in just a single post. For now, I would tackle about the difference of Maria Clara to the Modern day Filipina.
Maria Clara, a character in one of Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tangere, which displays the conservative, beautiful, modest Filipina image. For us Filipinas, she is our role model when it comes to those aspects. Centuries back, Filipinas are very conservative in such a way that they are not allowed to go out of their houses when the clock strikes at 6:00 in the evening. They wear their long Baro’t Saya that covers their whole body up to their ankles, the only parts that are exposed is their face, neck and arms. They spend most of their time doing the household chores and serving the family. When it comes to courting a Filipina, you’ll have to undergo an extraneous way in persuading a Filipina and her family. Filipinas way back are deprived of education, occupation and other activities which are dominated by men. They are experience discrimination that limits them to be at their best. Filipinas have less power than men do. They don’t have the “say” when it comes to major decision making. Filipinas are just homemakers back then. They are just bounded by the four corners of their home and nourish the family. Less do men know that being responsible at home and the family is the hardest job of all. It does not only comprise of physical strength but also the emotional part of it. Filipina’s forte is about taking care of the family and helping other people with their needs.
Compared to a Filipina nowadays, Filipinas have proven their mark as a versatile individual. They have proven that they can also do a men-dominated job or field. In every field whether it is for politics, sports, business, show business etc., there is a Filipina. Though modern day Filipinas does not wear their long Baro’t Saya, they still possess their nature being the one giving care to others. Sadly, the modern day Filipina has been stereotyped in other countries as domestic helpers, caregivers and made-to-order brides. Try to look it for yourself, type “Filipina” at any internet browser and look at its results. Less do other people know, Filipinas endure to be away with their families just to earn money and provide a better future for them. Filipinas nowadays are the ones working for the family. If you could listen to those stories behind Filipinas working abroad then you would not think of them as “just” a domestic helper, in fact, you would admire their bravery. Being one among the modern day Filipinas, I want to erase those negative images being thrown to us.
To my fellow Filipinas, let us be one and change the bad image linked to Filipinas. Let us blog about Filipinas, use the word Filipina as many times as possible. Be proud to use it and link the word FILIPINA to Http://filipinaimages.com. It would be of great help to our society. This is just a small deed but if we would all do it, then we would appreciate the results.
Posted by: Dianne Peña | 05-03-2008 | 06:05 PM
Posted in: Blurbs
