It's in the frontpage. The new slogan of the Department of Tourism was met by criticisms for its adoption of the 1951 slogan of Switzerland.
The question is, is it really more fun in the Philippines?
Being a citizen of this country for a little more than a score, I would have to say that it depends on where in the Philippines you are in. Having the opportunity to have a month-long trip to a province in the south made me see how beautiful the countryside is. Lots of trees, very few people, fresh foods... And what they say about Filipinos being hospitable and friendly is definitely true.
Being in Metro Manila has its perks because it's the urban center. But it also has many drawbacks. For one, there's the issue of congestion which results in more pollution. These days, I can no longer go outside without covering my nose because of the dust and smoke. Everywhere you go in the metro, you will see garbage. I always am in awe at how indifferent the average Filipino is to his environment and to his fellow Filipinos. There's also the perennially annoying heavy traffic mostly caused by public vehicles who think they own the roads.
Many times I think of going abroad and stay there for the rest of my life, seeing that ours is a hopeless country beset by the same problems we have been contending with for many years now. Many times over we are told that we lack discipline. But knowing this does not amount to anything when not coupled by immediate action. In school, since elementary days we are taught to care for the environment, but growing up we seem to have forgotten the main reason why we are taught thus. In school, I remind my students to throw their trash in proper trash bins and I am ashamed to learn that a fellow teacher herself does not hesitate to throw food wrappers out to the streets. While on board jeepneys, I am horrified whenever I see parents telling their kids to just throw out candy wrappers and such. I don't see the fun there. Even those who received formal schooling turns out to be uneducated after all. And this, I keep on telling my students--- that true education goes beyond the diploma and high grades, that true education is being a man of the self and a man for others, someone who not only knows how to think but also someone who cares for others. And I do not have to say that in taking care of our environment, we also take care of ourselves.
The question is, is it really more fun in the Philippines?
Being a citizen of this country for a little more than a score, I would have to say that it depends on where in the Philippines you are in. Having the opportunity to have a month-long trip to a province in the south made me see how beautiful the countryside is. Lots of trees, very few people, fresh foods... And what they say about Filipinos being hospitable and friendly is definitely true.
Being in Metro Manila has its perks because it's the urban center. But it also has many drawbacks. For one, there's the issue of congestion which results in more pollution. These days, I can no longer go outside without covering my nose because of the dust and smoke. Everywhere you go in the metro, you will see garbage. I always am in awe at how indifferent the average Filipino is to his environment and to his fellow Filipinos. There's also the perennially annoying heavy traffic mostly caused by public vehicles who think they own the roads.
Many times I think of going abroad and stay there for the rest of my life, seeing that ours is a hopeless country beset by the same problems we have been contending with for many years now. Many times over we are told that we lack discipline. But knowing this does not amount to anything when not coupled by immediate action. In school, since elementary days we are taught to care for the environment, but growing up we seem to have forgotten the main reason why we are taught thus. In school, I remind my students to throw their trash in proper trash bins and I am ashamed to learn that a fellow teacher herself does not hesitate to throw food wrappers out to the streets. While on board jeepneys, I am horrified whenever I see parents telling their kids to just throw out candy wrappers and such. I don't see the fun there. Even those who received formal schooling turns out to be uneducated after all. And this, I keep on telling my students--- that true education goes beyond the diploma and high grades, that true education is being a man of the self and a man for others, someone who not only knows how to think but also someone who cares for others. And I do not have to say that in taking care of our environment, we also take care of ourselves.
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