Writing to me did not come naturally. I was never a reader nor a writer. In all honesty, my first ambitions were to follow my family’s steps and become an accountant.
I started my early elementary years as a sheltered, English only speaking middle class boy with no care for society around him. My eyes were shut to the realities around me because I was taught to follow the rules and refrain from asking questions. Furthermore, my understanding of the world around me, revolved around me.
Fast forward a couple of years, I entered my first year of high school clueless to the daily struggles everyone around me faced. This, however, all changed when I met my mentor and long-time friend, Mr. Alfred Lozanta, who was at the time our grade 7 AP teacher. He challenged us to look at world from the perspective of every Filipino, not just our own. He made us realize that we as Filipinos have the obligation to help those who cannot help themselves. This pushed me to look deeper into myself and ask the hard questions, “What is my purpose as a Filipino?” I often asked. Frankly, I still have a hard time answering that question, but now, I have a better idea of what I need to do. If my goal before was to get rich and live a glamorous life, my paradigms shifted to something even greater. To help my nation with the talents and skills given to me, this would be the goal I learned to resonate with.
As I write this now, the writer I am today continues to evolve and change, I am who I am, a writer for the Filipino people. The simple-minded child who I once was has opened his eyes to the harsh but truthful reality of society, currently we are not all equal. This is the challenge I face as a contemporary media writer. How will a person like me combat the inequality our nation faces? I may not have the answers right now but one thing is certain, my values and goals may change with time but my heart will never stray for the love of my people and nation. To summarize, I am not a media writer for myself, I am a media writer that seeks the betterment of his nation and people.
BLOG 6050 