Re-imagining Pinoy Pride

What is Pinoy Pride? Perhaps we can loosely define it as the feeling we Filipinos experience when one of our countrymen or the country as a whole accomplishes or is recognized for something. It’s a phrase we’ve all probably heard before—when Manny Pacquiao scores a knockout, when the country ranks high on a global survey, when the Philippines is used as a location for international movies (even if it’s just for a scene or two), or when there’s a half-Pinay singer on X-Factor.

It could be said that there are those who use Pinoy Pride to mask their attempts in riding along with someone else’s achievements. It’s something often seen around athletes who’ve experienced great success. From billiards to basketball, once an athlete makes it (especially overseas), you’ll see support from Filipinos exponentially grow because many of us feel this wave of pride creeping behind our necks. But why?

What does Pinoy Pride say about Filipinos?

We attribute the success of others to their being Filipino/having Filipino blood and/or genes. At times, we even celebrate international personalities for being even a quarter Filipino by blood. It’s something we feel good about. Pinoy pride reflects a sad truth that we are prouder of the success of our “fellow countrymen” abroad rather than success reached here in our own land. It’s as though we require an international audience in order to be proud of our country and our people.

This phenomenon demonstrates that we are selective on what we like about being Filipino. We have this tendency to almost only recognize success, and only then do we become proud to be Filipino. If it were something other than positive recognition, the more common shared feeling is shame for our country. We’re only “proud to be Pinoy” when the rest of the world tells us that we have something to be proud of—just like a child seeking approval from his/her parents.

Tracing history, a deeper understanding of Pinoy pride’s roots

The hold of Western influence on us

This kind of pride by association isn’t unique to Filipinos, but there’s reason to believe that our brand of pride traces back to an insecurity rooted in the country’s colonial history. We have been colonized by, and arguably; still find ourselves under the grasp of the West. As a result, this influence has made us grow sensitive to how the rest of the world sees us.

When we are recognized in larger circles, it makes us feel good, it makes us feel kilig. We crave recognition and validation from the rest of the world. This desire for validation could be explained by relating it to the concept of identity. Our notion of the Filipino identity is so fragile that the international recognition we receive becomes a factor in the shaping and reshaping of our identity.

How do we re-imagine Pinoy pride?

What it really is/what it really should be

We need to re-imagine what Pinoy pride could be. It need not be set in the confines of how most Filipinos define it today. We need to stop letting the rest of the world be a factor when it comes to our pride. Let’s instead try to look inward and ask ourselves what is it we’re truly proud of every time these words come to mind. Let us use it as a way to celebrate the life and stories of the Filipino, as a collective. To re-imagine something is the job of the mind, but to transform Pinoy pride into something more requires action.

Highlighting our local successes and businesses, etc

What makes you proud about being Pinoy? Think about it. There is plenty to be genuinely proud of in our country, including our culture and tradition.  The Philippines is abound with a variety of local products—products that show our diverse sources of material and produce, and displaying the ingenuity of the Filipino imagination.

Proud of my culture, my identity, and my country

Showing pride in being a Filipino entails being proud of who we are as a nation—and not simply being proud of those among us who succeed. Pinoy pride should express the richness and vibrancy of the Filipino identity in our heritage and culture. Pinoy pride should be an appreciation of the Filipino and the Philippines, where we come from, who we are, and all that we will become.