In every country, there is always a

destiny.
For
some,
history
had
decided. But for ours, let us make it
our choice. EZV
Written by: Evanessa Z. Villacrusis

A little girl while holding a Sampaguita tried to tell a story one day. She
said that when she was 1 year old she already had a brother she was happy
and the family was happy. When she was in grade 2, at 8 years old, she was
already caring for her 4 siblings there she saw that the family was growing.
When she reached grade 6, at 12 years old, she noticed that the quantity of
her family was already tantamount to her age then her father told her that
she had to drop-out from school. Then, this little girl started to sell
Sampaguita in the streets every night, witnessing happy family visiting the
church and having conversations at the park with smiles on their faces.
Smiles that destiny had deprived her to keep and to exhibit.
My high respect and felicitation to our honorable board of judges, to
our ever-brilliant mentors, to our dear guest, my co-studs Greetings!
The scenario that I have relayed to you on the onset of this discourse
was perhaps very familiar to you. I have taken the story from TV Commercial
I often watched in ABS-CBN or GMA. This commercial was a project of
Department of Health (DOH) and United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) to influence families in our country to indulge in family
planning, but beyond that purpose there is, I believe, a greater message
conveyed by the great mind who crafted the short yet compelling film.

I know ladies and gentlemen that poverty has never been a dagger
concealed by a cloak to us. The picture that I gave you depicts the image of
the majority of the Filipino Families.
Suppose, as you reckon, I am contemplating over a very over-used
subject. Yes! I am. I am contemplating on an issue which is worth
articulating, even if it takes numerous reiterations. Why? Because all these
years, we are still on its battle. And this battle is never-ending.
How many of you here have gone to a slum are? Have you ever feel
the hunger of families who could hardly partake sufficient meals? Have you
ever seen a malnourish child lurking in the darkness of the streets trying to
toil for his family at a young age? Have you ever feel the bitterness of life by
being denied of a good education? Had you ever been tease by the smell of
the aroma of comfortable life, and afterwards be slapped by the reality that
you could never have it? Do know this enduring pain? Do you know this
everlasting agony?
Ladies and Gentlemen! Poverty is living. It is breathing. And it
dominates all mankind.
Poverty is real, ladies and gentlemen.
We already have experienced the effects of poverty. The next question
is What could be its cause?
Now, let me try to solve this enigmatic riddle of all times.
I would like to root this on three major aspects political, physical and
personal factors.
Let us first examine the political factor. Our government is often
condemned as corrupt, inefficient and defective. Unhealthy competition
among the political parties for power has many a times damaged our
national interests. Our political leaders may have but lack nationalistic fervor

and will power to face the challenges that are confronting the nation. Even
though the government is making their share on the means to take to solve
poverty yet most of them are problems. We are given promises and we keep
on believing them. This is the force that keeps us immensely shattered the
madness over power.
Next, the physical factor, takdang-aralin blogs posted a question once.
Why do the Philippines experiences extreme poverty when in fact, it is a rich
Nation? Our land is a fertile ground for progress. In the abundance of its
Natural Resources, the word impoverish would discard itself from where it is
scripted. In a land of great wealth, families must not live in hopeless poverty.
In a land rich in harvest, children must not be hungry. In a land of healing
miracles, neighbors must not suffer and die untended. But we did and we do.
This is because of the force that robs us unknowingly the greed over
material things.
Last, would be the personal factor, personal factor is extensive. Its
limbs also have impact to the previous factors that I have presented. This
has been the stimuli which have caused the downfall of men our personal
choices. No one has told these people to have madness over power and
greed over material things. Not you, not me and not God.
God created this world for us to share and not to keep it for ourselves.
Perhaps, if I possess a very shallow thinking, I would deem that the greatest
mistake that God had made is to give men his free will. However, God does
not make mistakes. In everything, He has his purpose. He wants those who
have power to cause difference to those who do not have. And to those who
seize all material things of this world, be a blessing to those who are
unprivileged.
This old heirloom of ours has no other solution, but us. Our destiny will
rest on the changed character of our people and on their faith. In every

country, there is always a destiny. For some, history had decided. But for
ours, let us make it our choice.
Thank you and God bless.
NOTE: SUBJECT FOR PROOF-READING. I WAS NOT ABLE TO REVIEW
THIS.