Filipino Pride

Filipino Pride is more than just a book project. The people behind this project believe that pride to one’s nation is essential and the people behind this noble endeavor believe that instilling national pride is a crucial element in nation building.

Building a nation is more than building bridges and infrastructure. Its about nurturing our self esteem, our pride and our love for our homeland. If there is pride, we will not be indifferent to abuse, corruption and issues that concern our country even if they do not directly affect us.

The book does not claim to be an answer to this Filipino Pride dilemma. It may only be a catalyst for change apathy and imbue national pride and love of country among Filipinos. Although this seems to be an overwhelming goal, the project aims to encourage others - average Pinoys, in their own small ways- to come together in the spirit of volunteerism and contribute to make the Philippines a great and proud nation.

Our Goal

The Filipino Pride documents the best of the Filipino achievers in their respective endeavors, whose triumphs and world-class achievements are worthy of being anthologized in the book. This came up because there is a need to appreciate and honor the success of our fellow Filipinos because in their search for excellence, they came to serve as models for other Filipinos. The examples they set inspire and uplift the spirits of our people, encouraging us to achieve more.

Our Beginnings

One of the contributors had experiences in the US where some Pinoys, on several occasions, would deny that they are Filipinos or of Filipino descent when asked. After some debates and talks with friends and acquaintances, we surmised that people usually deny their identity if they are not proud of it. This goes to show that our national pride is not as intense as those held by Americans, Japanese or French towards their respective countries. Maybe, if we put together a list of things, commonalities that we can be proud of as Filipinos, then perhaps it may spark our pride for our country. This book is largely a reaction and a response to this need (Please see Introduction for more on the rational behind the book).

This is just the beginning though. In addition to the next volumes, we plan to come up with other publications concerning such stories as those extolling Filipino Honesty, Integrity and Courage. We also propose another book with the working title of If I Were The President, which is a collection of suggestions on how to improve the country's governance coming from Filipino citizens themselves.

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What people say about Filipino Pride

"Many congratulations for such a unique but extremely timely project. It is about time - in fact, this has been overdue - that we take pride in ourselves and set aside, even for a moment, our native skills at self-immolation.

I am further gratified that you are launching this project on a voluntary basis. This should make it great fun and great achievement!

May these books propel all of us into a process of self-discovery, and finally produce pride in the Filipino!"

- Manuel V. Pangilinan
Chairman
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)

"Over the years, we have witnessed the Filipino spirit survive over endless battles and crises. We have a beautiful country with people of unmatched values of hospitality, service and hard work. This book, 'The Filipino Pride', is a timely piece of truth. It serves as a reminder of our country's pride. It reminds us of a number of reasons why we should never stop surviving and succeeding as Filipinos who will always be proud of our country."

- Joey Concepcion
Presidential Consultant For Entrepreneurship And Founding Trustee, Philippine
Center For Entrepreneurship

"You are a Filipino if you are proud to be one! This is the message of this book, which itself should make all Filipinos proud. Not everyone nor everything that makes Filipinos models for citizens of other countries is in this book, but this is a giant step towards restoring Filipino pride. Happy are those that are Filipino"

- Isagani Cruz Playwright, short-story writer, writing critic, educator, columnist and publisher

“We all need to be reminded once in a while why we should be proud to be Filipino. ‘Filipino Pride’ reminds us of what is good and the best in all of us. More importantly, the authors remind us that the reasons to be proud reside in all of us, just waiting to be discovered. ‘Filipino Pride’ is not about discovering the greatness in others, but the greatness in each of us. Not only should this book be on every Filipino shelf, it should be in every Filipino heart!

- Vincent Lazatin
Executive Director
Transparency & Accountability Network

“As immense as my pride for the gallant Filipinos hailed in this book is my deep appreciation to everyone who’s behind its publication. There is certainly hope for the Philippines because of the nobility of the great and the admirable sense and humility of those who uphold them.”

- Gov. Maria Gracia Cielo M. Padaca
2008 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Government Service

"We congratulate the authors of the Filipino Pride Book for showcasing wonderful Filipino achievements that makes us proud wherever we are located around the globe. We as a Filipino race, should never stop loving and believing in the Filipino ingenuity, resourcefulness and national spirit. Jollibee has been and will always be a Filipino pride."

- GILDA PATRICIA C. MAQUILAN
Corporate Communications Manager
Jollibee Foods Corporation

"A must read for every Filipino"

- Felipe Landa Jocano
Philippines Studies Professor Emeritus,
University of the Philippines
Filipino anthropologist and historian

"It is a brilliant and patriotic initiative, it highlights the many positive qualities and accomplishments of Filipinos. I would commend this book especially to Pinoys abroad."

- Bernardo Villegas
Economics Professor
University of Asia and Pacific

“This is a brilliant piece of project illuminating the totality of our past and present Filipino culture and achievements. This work is not just a piece of literature review but an effective tool aimed at emancipating the confused minds and feelings of our own youth including 2nd and 3rd generations of Filipinos living abroad whose denial and confusion from knowing their very own root can be substituted with pride and strong sense of connectivity to our Filipino nation. I therefore commend contributors for this valuable project they have done.”

- Henelito A. Sevilla Jr.
Former President, Filipino-Irano Community in Iran
Asian Studies Assistant Professor, University of the Philippines

"Many people volunteer precious time and talents for causes they are passionate about; or simply, because they want to serve. Volunteers set up the Mangyan Heritage Center in 2000, and volunteers still keep it fired up. Filipino pride exists because the volunteer contributors love our country….For me, these spell hope for the Philippines!"

- Lolita Delgado Fansler
President, Mangyan Heritage Center

"More than instilling Filipino pride, this book serves as an inspiring proof that anybody can contribute something to help build our nation, but we can make a bigger difference if we will choose to work together as a people. This noble project is indeed a product of modern-day “bayanihan” spirit, a trait that is distinctly and proudly Filipino. It also posts a great challenge to every Filipino to excel and be a source of pride and inspiration to the people around them. May we all be united and always be at our best to help move our country forward. Mabuhay ang Pilipino!"

- Samie Lim
Vice-Chairman,
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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The Contributors

The project is neither government-initiated nor instigated by a private foundation. “Filipino Pride” is inspired by a motley group of ordinary Filipinos who neither belong to any commercial institution nor to an organized affiliation. They just bond together to come up with the idea of heralding the collection of what might be sources of Filipino Pride. The group is inspired by an old adage that goes - “Kung hindi ngayon, kailan? Kung hindi tayo, sino?” The project initiators do not seek any credit for this effort. The project simply hopes that as individual Filipinos who bond themselves, they may contribute to inspire other Filipinos.

Edna E. A. Co is the Dean of the University of the Philippines' National College of Public Administration and Governance and a professor of Public Administration at the University of the Philippines’ National College of Public Administration and Governance. It is natural that her advocacy is on good governance but on top of this she is currently involved in political campaign reforms.

Ones L. Cuyco currently works at the National Livelihood Development Corporation. He attended a multi-disciplinary course in Japan together with young professionals from ASEAN countries under the IATSS Forum. He advocates development of rural communities through the provision of micro-finance and micro-entrepreneurship.

Dale Dennis M. David is a social entrepreneur and heads Mighty Minds, an educational nonprofit organization. He got his degree in Marketing from De La Salle University and holds a Graduate Certificate in Management from Harvard University. He also took his Master of Public Administration from the University of the Philippines. He conceptualized the Filipino Pride and other ideas that led to the formation of Filipino Matters.

Lucio B. Pitlo III is a research manager for a private research firm and is currently a student of the Asian Center, University of the Philippines (UP), taking up MA in Asian Studies. He took his BA in Public Administration in UP. He served as the chief editor of the Filipino Pride book project.

Julie B. Tañada is a professor in Advertising and Marketing at the De La Salle University. She took her MBA at AIM and is currently completing her dissertation for her Ph.D. in Communications program at the University of the Philippines.

Filipino Matters also received support from other like-minded people. Their contributions enabled us to complete our first project, the Filipino Pride Book:

T. Lloydon Bautista had worked with the government for seven years before becoming a faculty in Politics and Governance at the University of Asia and of the Pacific. He finished his undergraduate course on philosophy at Ateneo de Manila University and obtained his MA in Public Administration from the University of the Philippines and is now completing his dissertation requirements to secure his PhD diploma in Public Administration in the same institution.

Rodolfo V. Brul is a long - time print journalist, editor and broadcaster. A campus journalist and editorial scholar in his college days, he finished his AB in Foreign Service from the Lyceum University and his MA in Filipino (major in Wika) from the University of the Philippines on a UP Presidential Scholarship grant and graduating with the honor of a summa cum laude. He is a strong advocate of the Filipino language.

Ron de Lima • Arnel Bonto • Noel Caballo • Jeff David • Arlene David

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Filipino Pride Book is for EVERYONE!

This is a downloadable FREE copy of the book. This is a lite version and is NOT FOR SALE. You may purchase the actual copy of the book complete with colored front and back covers and illustrations, please email us at info@filipinomatters.org. With your purchase, you will be supporting our cause of distributing free copies of this book to public schools nationwide.

Note: These free downloadable files are available in PDF format only. To download and read these files, you need an Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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