Mabuhay from my bahay!
Starting June, some cities have already declared General Community Quarantine from the Enhanced Community Quarantine. Those who are considered essential businesses together with the hospitals and food manufacturing companies are finally open as well and the employees have come back to work. But leisurely travels and trips are still limited and there's only so much we can do outside. Cases of citizens positive from the COVID-19 are rising instead of slowing down and dropping. So it's still safer inside our homes.
Now that June 12 is approaching, the annual celebrations of the Philippine Independence Day are postponed. What else can we do to celebrate the most important event we know as Filipinos?
Here are 12 ways to glorify the beauty and remember the colorful story of the Pearl of the Orient at home:
1. First of all, #RaiseOurFlag this #Kalayaan2020!
If you have your own Philippine Flag, display it proudly outside your homes, offices, buildings, or even cars.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) launched the 14-day celebration of National Flag Days (1) last May 28, 2020. This came from the epic victory in the Battle of Alapan where the Philippine National Flag was unfurled.
Make it memorable by uploading your photo online and use their official hashtags.
2. Participate in the annual Twitter event, #RP612fic.
The #RP612fic is the work of modern and witty Filipino Twitter users. This dates way back in 2009 and has successfully trended worldwide on Twitter last 2014 (2). #RP612fic is great for writers who like to imagine notable Filipino people, heroes or not, in the modern world.
What challenges will our Philippine Heroes be doing on TikTok? What does Gabriela Silang think of the #MeToo Movement? And what would General Antonio Luna think of our current uniformed men?
Ready your mini-stories for posting on June 12!
3. Create meaningful artwork.
Paint your feelings for this country. Sing your desires for its future. Or become the piece of art.
Lately, I've been fond of Filipino comic artists. They always give me a good chuckle every time I browse Facebook. Some have really been vocal about all that has been happening in the country. And that's important because they have made use of their platform wisely.
Some of my favorites are:
4. Prepare an all-Filipino meal for your family.
It can be a simple breakfast of sinangag, itlog, and tapa. Maybe a hearty lunch with your signature sinigang / adobo / menudo recipe.
Or go big time and assemble a boodle fight at home! Nothing bonds a Filipino family more than good food.
Speak Tagalog (or your preferred native dialect like Cebuano and Ilocano) for 24 hours with your siblings! No Taglish, no borrowed words, so download your Filipino-English Dictionary App ASAP! The winner gets treated sorbetes in a bun or a giant glass of taho by the losing siblings.
6. Love shopping? Support local!
For makeup and skincare enthusiasts like me, there's a ton of local brands to choose from!
I am also currently looking into Philippine-made bags and apparel and I can't even choose where to get my supply. These brands are thriving!
Here's a list of my favorite Filipino brands:
7. Pass the time with Filipino Games!
Most kids are on a really long (and probably even longer) vacation from school since March. This is the right time to teach them classic Filipino games! Their phones, tablets, and consoles can rest for a day (and so does the electricity bill) by playing one or two of these challenging games:
Play outside by teams:
Tagu-taguan
Moro-Moro
Patintero
Piko
Langit-Lupa
Agawan Base
Or stay inside and use your mind:
Sungka
Game of the Generals
Teks
Pogs
Jolens! (Marbles! Not Ms. Chuvachuchu.)
8. Visit the Historical Sites of the Philippines through the internet.
We cannot really travel anywhere now with ease like the pre-pandemic days. It takes numerous travel clearances and papers from the local government units to be able to travel elsewhere. If you're missing the lush greens, beaches, and historical sites of the Philippines, the internet has it for you!
Watch the countless travel vlogs on YouTube or create your own itinerary by using Google Earth.
Take this one for example. This is a 360-degree view of the Banaue Rice Terraces where Thanos sat in peace after he snapped away the superheroes of Marvel.
Here are other places to check out:
9. Watch Filipino-centric films.
Up for a movie night? Prepare your Banana Cue family recipe and sit down with your loved ones for a marathon that creatively shows the history of the Philippines. Start from the clever MCU-like treatment of Jerrold Tarrog with Heneral Luna (2015) and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018) and finish it with the late Peque Gallaga's Oro, Plata, Mata (1982).
10. Donate to fundraising events that help the COVID-19 frontliners.
We have the power to make a move. There are donation drives everywhere! Make sure the organization running these fundraising agenda are legitimate and transparent about their collections. And don't worry! I know all of us are financially compromised that's why donations may not be monetary. You can get food delivered to hospitals, the military at checkpoint areas, or even to any stranger who is in need. Your home-cooked meal could ease his worries for the day.
11. Engage and participate in discussions about the Philippines.
And educate yourself in the process. Being apolitical is not entirely bad, but participating is an unspoken rule that a citizen of a country must embark on once or twice in his life. Remember that you can change your stance based on the current events.
You can also admire a public servant but not entirely that you cannot acknowledge his faults and incompetencies. Public servants are also not strictly black and white. They can be wrong or right in different instances. But still, they should ALWAYS have the heart to help his fellow countrymen. Because that is what their duty calls for. Sadly, this is a rare trait nowadays.
12. Lastly, rejoice your Filipino roots by resting.
Yes! Reset and don't forget self-care! You need the energy to fight for our motherland whether it be by words and spreading nationalistic ideals like Dr. Jose Rizal or through actually walking down the streets to stand your ground. All of these would only be possible by becoming your best self. So start with YOU. It's Siesta Time!
Is there another way to celebrate our Independence Day at home? Let me know and comment below!
Happy #Kalayaan2020!
Padayon!
SOURCE/S:
(1) National Historical Commission of the Philippines. (2020, May 27). Celebrate National Flag Days from 28 May to 12 June by flying our National Flag from our homes, offices, and other buildings. It was on 28 May 1898 when our National Flag was first unfurled after our victory in the Battle of Alapan. [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/101821106540229/posts/3018489744873336/
(2) Sabillo, Kristine Angeli. (2014, June 12). #RP612fic: Alternative PH history trends worldwide. Inquirer. Retrieved from https://technology.inquirer.net/36869/rp612fic-alternative-ph-history-trends-worldwide#ixzz4ArIrQfQ7