Liberty or freedom is a principle so deeply founded in the human breast, that it can’t be accounted for otherwise than by presuming that the Almighty Maker of mankind, in constituting humans as intelligent beings, desired them to be free.
In a stunning revelation for love and loyalty of country — as epitomized in the national anthem “Lupang Hinirang,” which states, among others, in its second stanza, paragraph 3 and 4, in English version, “Ne’er shall invaders; trample thy sacred shore,” — three out of four Filipinos will bear arms and fight for the Philippines should a conflict erupts with a foreign enemy, a recent survey reveals.
Independent consulting firm University of the Philippines-based OCTA Research reached out last December to 1,200 adult respondents nationwide and found out 77% of Filipinos are willing to defend the Philippines against foreign adversaries.
Respondents’ ages ranged from 18 to 75 years old.
Eighty-two per cent of males are willing to fight for the Philippines and 72% females said they would do the same.
OCTA stressed in the survey that Mindanao holds the highest percentage of willingness to defend the nation at 84%, followed by Luzon at 79% and Visayas at 62%.
Seventy-six per cent respondents coming from Metro Manila said they are willing for fight for the Philippines.
Such a finding translates to 8 out of 10 Filipinos volunteering to defend the Philippines following escalations as China ramps up its claims in the South China Sea.
Last Tuesday, protesters in Manila trampled on an effigy of Chinese President Xi Jinping as they condemned China’s aggression against the Philippines in the South China Sea.
Protesters marched towards the Chinese consulate in Manila, yelling, “China Leave!” while others called out China’s aggression against the Filipino people.
Responding to the OCTA survey, House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez said, “This unwavering commitment to safeguarding our sovereignty and protecting our own people is a testament to the indomitable spirit that lies within every Filipino.”
“Regardless of our regional backgrounds, we all share a common desire to protect our nation’s integrity,” Romualdez further stressed.
For the second time in three months, the China Coast Guard deployed water cannons and aggressively blocking a Philippine convoy carrying supplies to military personnel stationed at Ayungin Shoal, a reef occupied by a dozen or so hardened Philippine Marines.
In that latest incident, one supply boat turned back and four crew members were injured. The survey commenced promptly after the China Coast Guard bombarded the Philippine convoy headed by the Bureau of Fisheries and aquatic Resources and was commissioned by the Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP).
In the survey, 23% or 2 out of ten said they would not fight for the Philippines. Given such a fact, the question now hangs like a Damocles sword on the heads of these Filipinos refusing to fight for their country at a time when their nations need them the most?
Where do their loyalty lie when the Philippines will be invaded by a foreign aggressor?
Or, simply paraphrasing the question: Will they be the Filipinos who, instead of resisting aggression on their country, instead welcome aggressors with open arms and open the doors of their homes for them? If that be the case, that borders on being traitorous to the Philippines.
As for the 3 out of 4 Filipinos willing to sacrifice for the love of country, they endear that freedom works and freedom is right, to secure for their nation a more just and prosperous life for every Filipino through free markets, free speech, free elections and the exercise of free will unhampered by the state.
Among socio-economic classes, respondents in Class D were the most willing at 80%, Class A and Class ABC respondents nearly tied up at 68% and 67%, respectively.
Respondents aged 45 to 54 or 87% were most willing to fight, followed by younger respondents aged 25-34-35 to 44 at 77% while the youngest, 18-24 year olds or 74% came third.
The OCTA survey posed one major question for respondents which was: “If there is a conflict between the Philippines and a foreign enemy, are you ready to fight for your own country,” and also translated in Tagalog.
City dwellers or 80% were more likely to fight for the country, compared to people living in rural areas at 73%.
Respondents or 86% with vocational training were more likely to take up arms against a foreign invader than those with school education (79%), undergraduate or postgraduate (70%) or those with elementary level or no formal education at 74%.
AFP Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner, Jr., said, “Let us take the result of the survey as a call to action and prepare for when we are called upon by the government to defend the state.”
“Aside from fighting, Philippine nationals can help by informing our friends around the world and echoing our call against the illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive tactics that other countries are doing against our country, particularly in the West Philippine Sea,” Brawner added.
While General Brawner did not name any country, political observers hinted it was an apparent dig at China for its apparent claim over territorial waters of the Philippines, like in the Ayungin Shoal and others.
The results come on the heels of another recent OCTA survey that revealed “70 per cent of Philippine citizens now believe the government should prioritize military action to protect the country’s rights in the South China Sea,” an apparent 7% increase since the poll three months prior.
Military action, as defined by respondents in the OCTA survey meant “expanded naval patrol and troop presence in the Philippine Sea.”
In response, the government has approved a revised military modernization plan which would see ramped up acquisition of modern weapons and equipment to bolster its defense capabilities against emerging threats.
The nation’s military wish list will spend around two trillion Philippine pesos or $35 billion which will include acquisition of multi-role jet fighters, frigates, missiles systems, radars, helicopters and the country’s first submarine fleet.
It will also focus on increasing the country’s domain awareness, connectivity, surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering capabilities.
The Philippine military remains one of the weakest in the ASEAN region and is re-aligning its modernization program to strengthen territorial and coastal defense amid snowballing tension with China.
Aside from these ways, 41% of Filipinos said they want the government to expand diplomatic efforts with countries within and outside the region to reduce tension in the West Philippine Sea, while 40% want joint maritime patrol and exercises with allies.
Political observers conversant with the OCTA surveys explained that Filipinos who love their country believe in order – and not in the order of tyranny and that their stance stands out the more as contrasted within these degenerate times.
David Balibag, 56, a Cordilleran said “Look deeply into our national anthem and what it says particularly about sacrificing for love of the nation.”
Balibag was referring to the English version of Lupang Hinirang, in its last stanza, where it states, “Beautiful land of love, oh land of light;
“in thine embrace, ‘tis rapture to lie,”
“But it is glory ever we thou art wronged;”
“For us thy sons to suffer and die,”
The Tagalog version of Lupang Hinirang, in the last phrase of the last stanza, simply states, “Ang mamatay ng dahil sa ‘yo.”
Balibag said “How many times have we sang the Philippine national anthem and have not really taken it to heart. But for those who internalized the anthem, sentence by sentence, they are the ones who can bravely say they will die for their own country,”
Rolante Dagiw-as, 49, also a Cordilleran and residing at Cervantes, Ilocos Sur emailed and said,” The link of patriotic and liberty-loving Filipinos will strike those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of Filipinos.”
Filipinos only have to remember why the Araw of Kagitingan (Day of Valor) is celebrated every April 9 yearly and the devastating tale of the fall of Bataan where unsung Filipino and American forces fought against incredible odds.
Their heroism, together with their American comrades during World War 11 stands as testament to their valor and heroism that never again will the marching military boots of aggressors stomp on Philippine shores.
It is a day remembering the bravery and sacrifice of Filipino and American soldiers in the face of insurmountable adversity. But in the end, their efforts were not in vain. For in the end, freedom eventually won.
Beyond the formal ceremonies conducted by different government offices nationwide, Araw ng Kagitingan fosters a sense of community among Filipinos as they participate and conduct volunteer work, community projects and other outreach endeavors in honor of fallen Filipino heroes.
As Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said: “May their valor serve as an inspiration in the unity of the people and in responding to the challenges of the times, towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous Philippines.”
In response, General Brawner, on the other hand, said, “As we commemorate this historic day, let us not only reflect on the sacrifices of the past but also reaffirm our commitment to upholding the principles of democracy, peace and freedom for which our forefathers fought so valiantly.”
