Reviving Hope

"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries" – Aldous Huxley, English Writer

And I about mine.

oOo

Our trip to Puerto Princesa could not have been timelier.

It was just 3 days after the hostage crisis, and we were falling into a nationwide depression. It was a shameful, pathetic event that left me wondering seriously why we’re so good at messing up, and for the entire world to see at that.

What is wrong with us? Why can’t we take off? I am a masochist who begs for answers to these questions even before the tragedy struck. But when Aug 23 happened, I just thought there was no point asking. It just is.

If this country is in a free fall, I can simply go down with it or leave it. I’m going down with it. No more thinking, no more questions, no more struggles, no more big dreams. Go with the flow. It’s easier. Ganito talaga tayo. Mahirap nang baguhin. Puede, pero matagal. Pero hindi na ako mashadong mangangarap.

And then, Puerto Princesa beckoned

I caught a part of myself wanting to hold on to Hope, even if I was ready for disappointment. Somehow, a part of me was still hoping to catch a glimpse of redemption for my country in this beautiful, enchanting place. I was hoping that perhaps its beaches, rivers and mountains would blow my mind away and convince me this is, still, a beautiful country, one that I can be proud of.

I was not disappointed.

Puerto Princesa is indeed an enchanting, even spiritual, place. One should not miss the tours down the Underground River, Sabang Mangroves and the Iwahig River for the fireflies. Down there, nothing else seems to matter. We don’t matter. Governments, people and news come and go, but the mangrove trees continue to grow and the rivers simply flow. Life goes on in spite of people and events.

But it was not about the beaches and rivers and all its untouched natural beauty that gave me hope again.

I realized I’m actually tired of that cliché, the one that says we will discover how beautiful our country is if only we get to see its powder white sand beaches, coral reefs and the ever smiling faces.

I’m tired of that because I realized that was kind of an elitist view. Because if that is so, not all Filipinos will be given a chance to see the natural beauty of this country. Because then, only those with the means to travel or the lucky few who live in the country’s select beautiful places can experience the beauty of this country. And that’s always been our tragedy. There’s always been a huge divide.

I was not disappointed in Puerto Princesa because there I realized that its beauty lies not in its tourist attractions but in its very soul: its people.

Puerto Princesa shines because its people still has the courage, the determination, the heart to FIGHT:

against degradation
against short-term thinking
against consumerism and materialism
for the next generation
for the community
for self-respect
for dignity

There’s no blatant haggling for tip, no appeal for pity, no beggars on the street, no unsightly garbage, no shopping complexes. It’s a city bent on staying true and sticking to what matters in life.

I asked to find a glimpse of redemption for our country in Puerto Princesa and I found inspiring possibilities.

There’s always hope, if you know where to look.