"Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin ng isang mamamayang maka-bayan at masunurin sa batas.

Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan ng walang pag -iimbot at buong katapatan.

Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Pilipino - sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa."

Words we say in our Panatang Makabayan since our elementary school days but it seems the fervor is gone. Filipinos no longer place their hands across their hearts when we sing "Ang mamatay ng dahil sa 'yo" of our Philippine National Anthem.

It seems old-fashion nationalism is dead.

In many countries they are ashamed of admitting that they are Filipinos - preferring to be called Thailanders, Indonesians or Malaysians. They are embarrassed that many fellow overseas workers are domestic helps like those in Hongkong and London, laborers in the Middle East and Japayukis (entertainers) in Japan.

We have downgraded the dignity of labor, the importance of househelps for working families, and the value of entertainers as long as it does not lead to the oldest profession.

But remember: For every AIDS-stricken Japayuki, every lazy street - digger and dishonest maid, there are hordes of crack Filipino bankers in HK and Singapore, artisans in Italy, top-rate doctors, lawyers and salespersons in the USA, chemists in oil fields and yes, a Lea Salonga in London and Broadway. Plus a score of global beauty titlists: Gemma Cruz Araneta, Margie Moran Floriendo, Gloria Diaz, Aurora Pijuan and (aha) Miss Melanie Marquez - and never mind her carabao English.

Nationalism demands we identify with the cream of the country's crop, not associate ourselves with the scum of the earth. We must build and advance positive Filipino consciousness.

Some overseas workers refuse to invest back in the Philippines saying that it is the government's job and blame the latter for not providing them jobs that led them to go abroad in the first place. Filipinos must learn that the government is not the Philippines, but the Philippines are the Filipinos themselves.

Overseas Chinese staying in RP regularly send back dollars to Mainland China for roads, bridges and livelihood for their relatives there. They think those who have more in life should share with the needy country folks. Why can't our OCWs do the same?

The Chinese hate the communist government but that doesn't mean you should hate your country. Corollarily, that the Philippine government is corrupt is no excuse for one not to pay legitimate taxes, too.

We have nothing against the good things in life but our overseas workers must also set aside some amount to invest in a small business rather than wipe out all savings into TVs, stereos, digital cameras, DVD players, CDs, air-conditioners, top of the line cellular phones, ipods, cars and other forms of status symbol.

As the saying goes we must not eat all the produce and the seeds, we must replant some of the seeds for the future and the rainy days. As this provides work and long term source of cash it has better value than pure consumerism - buying off goodies from the store shelves.

However, we noticed that when a Filipino entrepreneur opens a successful pan de sal store, five other Filipinos open the same shop in the same street and then kill one another in the end. In other ethnic communities bread-making is limited to two individuals and the rest - out of courtesy and in the end business sense - take up other business concerns. Then they support one another with the credit needs at friendly interest rates.

Filipinos, would screw one another with "5-6" lending, on the other hand. What ails us?

In school we allow our children to keep up with the Junior Joneses - insisting that they keep in step with "imported" signature accessories as shoes, toys, bags, phones, etc.

We have allowed our children to dress and behave according to code of conduct of peers - not an old fashion nationalism and thrift.

Sometimes our nationalism is misplaced like limiting foreign investment - when we clearly don't have the capital because we are stingy with our so-called "teeming resources." The Mining Act (new) may have changed that - but how about the implementation? Don't we have enough obstructionists for the sake of objecting?

The coming years till 2010 will be crucial for us - and we should hit the 7% GDP growth for 7 years - before the Palace jokers talk about being a First World country by 2020.

Shucks.

Thus these terrorist-destabilizers should stop masquerading their vested interest with dialogues against Americanism and love for the native land. Likewise business monopolists should accede to a freer marketplace and corruption (P25 billion a year drained by graft) should cease in bureaucracies. We should have a level playing field and real peace - not the peace of the grave with 800 unaccounted deaths by extra judicial means. These are basic requirements before foreign investors look our way.

These Filipinos should all keep the country in mind first and for always, because unless we Filipinos do, no other race will.

We must stop killing our patriots like Ninoy Aquino, Egmidio Javier, Cesar Climaco, Lean Alejandro and Rolando Olalia and stop glorifying exotic jailbirds like the shaven Manero, a child-rapist in Rep. Romeo Jalosjos and a Babbins Teehankee (son of a former chief justice of the Supreme Court) who after being sentenced to two life terms for the murder of Maureen Hultman.

Jalosjos tried to do a Houdini act by disappearing among his constituents in Zamboanga but the long arm of the Law caught up with him - this time not with his pants down (pun intended).

And what about those so-called economic "miracle workers" who tout GNP growths, stock market and exchange rates and International Reserves - while more Filipinos are getting poorer each frigging day and now - will have to fight for his plate of rice, for goodness sake.

And Imelda R. Marcos - what can you say about this lady that has not been once said? She once wanted the dead Marcos (being buried like a hero) as part of the deal of the repatriation of wealth abroad. She has been allegedly trying to cut deals with every administration in place - all favoring the preservation of their ill-gotten wealth, per Guinness. If she is truly nationalistic and her tears really shed for the country folks and not crocodile in origins - she should return the loot and advance through life with a clean slate.

Anything else apart from this is "sleight of the hand" and she should stop playing "patriot games" with apologies to Harrison Ford.

Old fashion patriotism - we want you back.