Wednesday, September 10, 2014

INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH : 116th Philippines Independence Day and VSO Tanzania Docufilms International Launching

Speech delivered  last June 14, 2014 @ Golden Tulip Hotel, Dar  Es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania

His eminence, the Papal Nuncio Francisco Montecillo Padilla,Your excellencies, the Ambassadors, Head of Missions and Consular Representatives,  our corporate sponsors, our international and Tanzanian friends, and fellow Filipinos here in Tanzania, magandang gabi po!

First, I would like to acknowledge my VSO International family especially VSO Bahaginan and  VSO Tanzania for producing these documentaries  and  I hope these films  will continue to inspire everyone, that each one of us in our own little ways  can  do something to make our lives better whether in the foreign soils or in our native land, the Philippines. I would like to express also our special gratitude to the Filipino Community of  Tanzania  for their support to us Filipino volunteers especially for launching these films and  for engaging us also in their community outreach programs like the annual  medical missions where we volunteers were able to participate. FCT maraming salamat po,  you continue to inspire us volunteers

The comedian Russell Peters once commented that Filipinos are well scattered around the world, and that even in hell you will find a Filipino!  It indicates we Filipinos are all over the world, like any other nationalities. But what makes us Filipinos distinct from rest of our international brethren aside?  Once I   was seated between my two volunteer  friends,  a Japanese,  and a South Korean sipping our   kahawas   in one of the café’s in Zanzibar talking about the famous Petronas Towers of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. My Japanese friend  said that they help build one of the towers, and my South Korean friend claimed too that they too also help to build the other tower  while both of them keep looking at me. And I asked them why there is  a bridge  between the two towers? Both of them answered in Swahili, sijui!  I told them that  the two towers cannot stand alone independently, that the Filipinos  build the bridge to connects these two towers to support to let the building stand majestically!

It is innate for us peace and freedom loving Filipinos to always consider everyone as part of our family  by providing a bridge  to  support and connect  everyone to the make the bond of unity  stronger  and deeper.

We work with passion and compassion, and it is evident in the excellent service provided to you when  you will meet  Filipinos  from the different service industries like health care, hospitality, and  development work.  We are always there with a  smile, and ready with words of comfort, empathy, understanding, and love.

Thus, volunteerism is manifested in our culture and engraved in  our genes, the Spirit of Bayanihan.  As volunteers or as an expats, anywhere and whenever, we always  willingly  lend a hand  with passion and commitment that makes us distinct from the rest, and we offer it with a smile!

Mga kakabayan,  ang dugong Filipino ay maharlika, thus we have to continue  giving our support  and lend our talents in the world stage whether as a volunteer or as expat to promote global unity and understanding   while respecting   and safeguarding human rights  and  freedom as peace  loving Filipinos.

Magkaisa po tayo para sa karangal ng Inang Bayan, at ipabunyi ang Lahing Filipino! Viva Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang  Lahing Pilipino!  Muchas gracias and good evening everyone.

Docufilms launched during the event were  SI JUANITO SA TANZANIA (Juanito Estrada - Education), ED and the GREENHOUSE IN ZANZIBAR ( Eduardo Juacian - Secure Livelihood) and RIZ: Volunteering In Tanzania ( Rizalito Hizon Rectra - Health).

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