The Resiliency of the Filipino People

The resiliency of the Filipino people never ceases to amaze me. We are less than a week past one of the worst rain storms, Ondoy by name, to hit the Philippines in recent history and already people’s attitudes in Metro Manila are smiling and hopeful. Those least affected by the storms have gone out of their way to get involved in the collection and distribution of relief supplies and money that were collected and raised to help those in the areas hardest hit and, in some cases, are still flooded. A second typhoon just battered the north of Luzon causing further damage and more homes and lives lost. Still, the people greet you with a smile.

There is something to be said for the “can-do” attitude of the Filipino people. The expats who live in the Philippines are full of stories about how the Filipino worker outside the country is one of the best you can hire but they roll their eyes and chuckle when mentioning work performance inside the country. But what they fail to take into consideration is that the Overseas Filipino Worker—OFW for short—looks on the job as an opportunity for both him or herself and the family. Economic opportunity inside the country just can’t compete so the workers inside the Philippines are essentially stuck in a hand-to-mouth existence. That doesn’t make for a lot of enthusiasm.

But despite the lack of opportunity, the local workers are loyal to their employers and they smile in the face of the adversity that they face each day and especially that which they faced in the past 10 days. The government’s ability to respond was limited but respond it did. And the innate generosity of the Filipino people came to the fore with people volunteering to help with the relief of the suffering in the areas hardest hit. True, there was some price gouging and some took advantage of the situation but they were the exception rather than the rule. More common was the willingness to help others and the smiles, both grateful and encouraging.

It's no wonder then that while I am proud to be an American, I admire the Filipino spirit and I am sure that they will overcome their current tribulations. May God bless their efforts.