For the love of our flag
my mind, I cannot help but to compare how we Filipinos express our pride to our flag.
Let us say that displaying flags at home is not really a thing in our country. After all, displaying the flag is not really a sole indicator of how much we honor our flag. But have you not observed the attitude of most Filipinos in singing the national anthem during events, ceremonies and convocations? Gone are the days that we sing our national anthem with so much love and passion maybe perhaps it has been a routine that its value has lost as time goes by.
House Bill 5224 or the Act Strengthening the Rules on the Proper Use and Display of our National Symbols and the rendition of the National Anthem provides all the important details on how a Filipino would respect our national symbols. This bill also enjoins educational institutions to be at the forefront in creating a deep awareness of how we revere, treat and deal with our national symbol.
In an action research developed by the Social Studies Department of Xavier University Junior High School, they have found out the importance of the collaborative efforts of all schools to deepen the understanding of our national symbols so as to appreciate its value. This should furthermore be integrated in the curriculum of each educational institution progressively introduced in the different grade levels, starting from their earliest age and consistently introduced in their penultimate educational years.
Furthermore, the love for our national symbols and in our country in general should not just be the sole responsibility of just a few members in each school community. The easiest group being delegated the role to educate our students are the Araling Panlipunan department. But a more effective approach should be holistic and therefore all members should have accountability and responsibility towards creating competencies that will enable the youth to develop a sense of nationalism and citizenship.
Lastly, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education should be on top of empowering schools to strengthen once again the initiatives of both public and private schools. After all, as indicated in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Article XIV, Section 3.2 strongly invokes the responsibility of educational institutions to inculcate patriotism, nationalism, and foster love of humanity and the like.
We may not have that great honoring of the flag as Canadians do, but at least we could work in educating a citizenry that has a deep love for our national symbols and our country in general as we Filipinos should.