JULIAN, JERICO DG.

BS ARCHI- 3B
Is it the Philippines to be blamed or the People to start change?
A Reaction Paper from the Article Why Filipinos are Poor? By F. Sionil Jose

The Philippines is known all over the world. The culture, the tradition, the archipelago
and even its people. Filipinos are hospitable showing care, good relationship, and love to
others. Filipinos show resiliency despite that we are prone to natural disasters. In top of that,
we are known to be talented, resourceful, and undeniably effective citizen across the world.
But with these capabilities and certainties, we cannot also deny the fact that we face huge
crisis that we know we can solve possibly but still far from now.
Why Filipinos are Poor? By F. Sionil Jose discuss how Filipinos could not get out in a
zone of poverty and why we are still behind despite of how we give our best for the country’s
development. In the text, it was stated that there is a comparison between the Philippines and
the neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. Why the country could never have any progress
even we have been set free from foreign colonialism. The text inculcates to us how we
Filipinos should start changes. We are capable to achieve better for the country yet that there
are still thorns and Goliaths that are preventing us in coming out our Davids through us.
Moreover, F.S. Jose stated the causes of poverty in the Philippines.
I do agree in the assertion of F. Sionil Jose why we are poor because of our lethargy
and indolence. Many people will disagree about this but one thing I find was truth and factual
scenery in his analysis. Filipino’s mindset of “okay na yan”, “heto lang kami eh” at” basta
masaya kahit mahirap” mentalities will not make us better. I felt discouraged with the result
of the decrease in the percentage of 18.1% to 17.1 % of poverty rate in the country this year,
it is still an alarming issue. Aside from laziness, the characteristics of some Filipinos such as
drunkards, gamblers and gossipers are frequently seen in the streets. If we just sit down and
do nothing when will the Philippines set free from the chains of poverty.
I am prompted also because I am very disappointed with the narcissism and self-
centered Filipinos. We became poor because of our ignorance on what is happening in our
country. The narcissism and egocentrism showed by the Filipinos make difficulties in setting
priorities and mindsets to productivity. We are only revolving on what makes us good. If it
does not benefit us and our family, then we don’t have any interests on the issue that the
country and even the world is facing. I really felt sad to those people who puts first their own
preferences than realizing the interventions and what can be good and how we can help for
bigger and greater things ahead. With the ignorance and negligence to corruption, politics,
and the government, it is hard for us to make any progress.
I also felt bad, and it strikes in my heart how we Filipinos set our wants before our
needs. We have that attitude that we difficultly setting our priorities and we invest in
insubstantial ones. The author emphasizes that, Filipinos spend more time and money with
unnecessary things rather than saving money for the future. And this is not a bright decision
at all.
 Moreover, I feel triggered that most of Filipinos are not open for the real change. We
are only fixing ourselves, adjusting to each other preventing us to go out of our comfort zone.
Because also we tend to follow trends, we started to imitate them and sometimes we only
accept our own tradition and custom as better than others. Our minds are not open for
opportunities, and it prevents us to grow on our own. We are narrow-minded to what
opportunities will give us. I also felt apologetic to some extend because of our ignorance and
apathy of what our country is facing. We are the real enemies of our motherland, and we are
the very reason why we are experiencing poverty. I felt sad for younger generations of what
world we could create and made for them. Are we really satisfied to the world we want them
to live?
In my experiences, it is like a story. I will tell you a story about our country. One day,
I was passing by the narrow street, going home from school. Yes, I live in a slum area were
almost of the families are poor. I saw poor children sitting on the other side of the street and
approach them. I tell them to come with me and we will be having a mini class for them. I
saw the smile on their faces because of excitement. I ask them to fold their paper into two and
write what they want to receive and what they want to give. As I read them, half of them
confidently answered that they want to receive food, money, and a house. And as I finished
reading, only one knows what he wants to receive and give which strikes my heart. It is a
short prayer, a prayer to stop poverty, spread love and a prayer for the world to change. I felt
sad for younger generations of what world we could create and made for them. Are we really
satisfied to the world we want them to live?
I really felt demotivated of how Filipinos really address the problems. I, myself, is
guilty of how we cope up with the country’s emerging downfall. I felt bad for experiencing
the main causes why the Philippines is hard to arise on top as it is in the past. The article is
interesting, the fact that it opened my eyes to see the real situations, the real Philippines
rather. Unfortunately, I feel discouraged of how the Filipinos think with regards to the huge
crisis of poverty in the country, but it challenged me to start changes. The Philippines had
enough. Crisis in poverty, corruption, insensitivity, and indolence. We could not blame this
country in its slow development. The problem is not the Philippines, but the real problem is
us. Our ignorance and apathy for the country will be in our account. We, the Filipinos are
accountable why our country is still unprogressive and still find difficulty to rise. The only
thing we can do is to start change in us. Our micro effort will have a macro effect that this
country and its people deserve. Our single step will set a new beginnings and new greater
things. We should not let poverty that will kill their dreams, your dreams, and our dreams.
This article starts to create a change that every Filipinos can do. I really recommending
reading this article about how we should know to address crisis we are facing especially the
poverty.