Forgetting our image as Filipinos

In the contemporary world where culture from various countries collide, we may or may not have realized, that we are in an era where we exchange words, knowledge, expressions, and goods. As Filipinos, it may be a dream come true that products from countries such as Korea and Japan, are accessible; branded clothes and other things promoted by their favorite artists can be purchased with just a swipe of a card. But then, one of the downside of this is its impact on local stores and small local businesses. Will this not allow us to forget Filipino brands?
We are in an age where browsing the Internet is a daily occurrence. It cannot be helped that we see advertisements and promotions on our screens. These pique our interest until we eventually choose these items and weigh which are better in terms of popularity or quality. We pick foreign brands maybe because they give us a certain image.
Filipinos have the mentality that a foreign product is better, as evidenced by those wanting to go abroad and the way they purchase foreign products. We are even more motivated to learn and speak another language than learn about our dialects. We fail to realize, or perhaps, do not want to realize that we are getting consumed by this. Slowly, we would forget what it means to be “ourselves”.
There is no definitive solution to this concern as it is inevitable that we continue to exchange information and culture from various peoples around the globe. That is just how it is in this era of globalization. It is a good thing that we, Filipinos, are welcoming of other cultures. The only problem here is that we are too welcoming that we neglect our own.
The solution to this is the promotion of local products and local businesses. With the right use of social media and right use of technology, local products would be at par with other foreign brands. We can use media to promote Philippine culture and help others understand our history, way of living, as well as our beliefs and practices. Citizens from other countries may then realize how beautiful the Filipino “brand” is.
It is not a sin to like or have things that is not our own. However, we must not forget where we have come from and continue to promote our own. We should be critical and accept the outcomes of exchanging cultures but not give away and forget our identity. At a young age, we need to learn to be patriotic so that we may continue to preserve our identity and still be able to interact with foreigners. (NAPTON JULES E. SERRANO)