Approximately two days from now is a 3-day accreditation for one of our colleges in my workplace and as expected were all busy inside the office preparing our documents and the physical vicinity. Unknowingly, while we were there throwing out papers and unnecessary stuffs in our stockroom, peoples' lives were also trashed out at Quirino Grandstand in Manila. I went home for lunch but didn't even try to turn on the television as usual. I just ate lunch, that's all that I had in mind. The rest of the afternoon was history just like any normal afternoon inside the office. Earlier this evening, I just learned from a colleague (fromTGIF) around 7:45, that there's a hostage crisis in Manila. When I reached home, my father was tuned in to a local news network, so I asked for updates about the hostage crisis. I got shocked when my father changed from one channel to another with the Breaking News captioned on every international media channel where it says "Manila Hostage Crisis". I got totally disheartened by what I saw.
For almost 13 hours of fame, globally to be exact, we were at the limelight. The crisis is the word of the mouth and the trending topic in almost all of the social networks online. We are living in a third world country, it's an accepted reality alright, but what has happened today just made it worse. This is a challenge to P-Noy and Sec. Robredo. We all want to be in CNN, BBC, Aljazeera etc etc.. but not in that way right? We cannot blame the media, it's just their plain work, nothing more nothing less. With this reality, my dear fellow Filipinos this is a wake up call for us all to learn how co-exist with one another. Care for others' business, live within your reach but mind your own business. Fame out of what?? I'd rather not say the word.
We don't know the full details yet about the incident but for sure people will be pointing fingers at someone by tomorrow and the next few days to come. *Sigh* Remember that if you point your finger to someone, the remaining four is pointing back to you. The crisis today will have a domino effect to all the other sectors in our country. And for that I pray for the following:
- I pray for those who were killed and the survivors.
- I pray for the law enforcers and our government.
- I pray for all of us Filipinos, especially the OFW'so that they may stay strong and be prepared for any labeling that may happen.
- I pray for the media to not to over sensationalize what happened today, speak out truth but I pray for kindness.
- I pray for other countries to have an open mind. The Philippines is not a perfect country but we do not like to be labeled on the passport "Not valid for travel in the Philippines"
This is a time for all of us Filipinos to pray for our country, no matter where you're from, no matter what your religion is, we need prayers to heal the scars that the incident had caused today. We need other countries in order to grow. We live in only one planet. Our government is young. The Philippines is not perfect, we live in a third world country but we love our country with our hearts in a first-world kind of way.. no matter what.. we love our country.
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