WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TACKLE AND ADDRESS THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION GRANTING PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP TO MAODO “MALICK” DIOUF (SENATE BILL 1596), AND ELIZABETH JEANETTE MEANS (SENATE BILL 1594).
WE HAVE A CENTER FROM SENEGAL WHO BECAME AN ICON IN UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL AND A WOMEN’S FORWARD WITH FAMILY ROOTS IN NAGA.
THEIR NATURALIZATION RAISES AN OLD, SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTION: WHAT MAKES A FILIPINO A FILIPINO?
(IS IT) LANGUAGE? (IS IT THE) COLOR OF OUR SKIN?
WE FILIPINOS ARE A PEOPLE SHAPED BY CROSSINGS, HALO-HALO SABI NGA NILA — MALAY AND CHINESE TRADERS, SPANISH EXPLORERS, AMERICAN TEACHERS. YET WE ARE BOUND BY SOMETHING STURDIER THAN BLOOD: SHARED STRUGGLE AND SHARED ASPIRATION. I SAID HALO-HALO DAHIL YUN ANG PABORITO O FAVORITE DELICACY OF THE FILIPINOS WHERE IN EVERYTHING IS MIXED. THIS REPRESENTATION ON MY MOTHER SIDE WE HAVE LINEAGE, MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS JAPANESE AND MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS AMERICAN ON THE MOTHER SIDE. ON THE FATHER SIDE WE HAVE CHINESE, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS HALF CHINESE SO HALO-HALO.
BUT, I THINK BY LARGE, TO BE FILIPINO IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS TO CHOOSE TO BELONG TO A COUNTRY THAT IS OFTEN HARD TO BELONG TO.
AND YET FOREIGNERS ARE DRAWN HERE. EVERYWHERE ELSE, THEY PREFER FILIPINO NURSES FOR EXAMPLE, AND OTHER O.F.W.’S.
THEY ARE DRAWN TO THE WAY FILIPINOS WEAVE STRANGERS INTO FAMILY. TO THE INSTINCT TO SHARE EVEN WHEN THERE IS LITTLE TO SHARE. TO THE GENEORISTY. THE HOSPITALITY. TO THE STUBBORN OPTIMISM THAT TURNS BROWNOUTS INTO VIDEOKE NIGHTS. TO THE QUIET LOVE EXPRESSED NOT ONLY IN WORDS BUT IN ACTIONS.
THESE ATHLETES ARE NOT MERELY CHASING MEDALS. THEY ARE CHOOSING A STORY. THEY ARE BELIEVING THAT FILIPINO IDENTITY IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB BUT A LIVING PROMISE: THAT IF YOU SWEAT, SACRIFICE, AND STAND FOR THE THREE STARS AND THE SUN, THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE WILL EVENTUALLY CLAIM YOU AS THEIR OWN. THANK YOU!