Bahay Kubo
AT some point during my time at the Bureau of Immigration, there was an influx of people from Sabah entering our southern border, most of which were Filipino militants who were returning to the country after an unsuccessful lahad Datu incursion in that region in 2013.
Mixed among the returnees were non-filipinos who can, however, speak the Bisaya dialect. To sift through this exodus, our border officers challenged each person with questions like who’s the current President, who is Manny Pacquiao, and where is Luneta. With these questions, our officers managed to identify who the legitimate Filipinos among the militants were. After all, none of them had any passports coming back from Sabah.
In this context, some Filipinos with questionable claims of citizenship are sometimes asked to sing Filipino songs like the national anthem or, “Bahay Kubo” as in the case of a certain local government official. As per her birth certificate, her mother is a Filipino. Hence, she is presumed to have been born and raised where she claims to be, in support of the certificate. Naturally, since she claims to be a “local,” then she ought to know the folklore, like “Bahay Kubo.” Some might forget the words of “Panatang Makabayan,” others might not remember the lyrics of “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit.” But never the homey words and phrases of this famous folk song, usually taught by mothers to their young children at a very young age. This timeless Philippine folk song depicts the simplicity of the Filipino, while teaching the various plants and vegetables. As such, people who claim to be Filipinos ought to know how to sing “Bahay Kubo.”
Under Article IV of the 1987 Constitution, citizens of the Philip
pines, among others, are those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines and those who are naturalized in accordance with law. Further, natural-born Filipinos are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship. This is the law—simple…but not quite. Of course, the best evidence needed to prove parental lineage is the birth certificate, which should indicate that either parent was a Filipino at the date of birth. The complications arise whenever you have a case of late registration, as in case of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo. Late registration of birth aims to allow those persons in the far-flung provinces, who were born without registration documents, to have a record of their births, although belatedly. One of the beneficiaries of this practice was my household helper who was born by way of midwife services in the boondocks of Samar. Sadly, this late registration has been prone to abuse. When I was in the Bureau, I remember encountering one Philippine passport with the name “Joker Aquino,” which turned out to be fake, if not a product of a fake birth certificate. I will not be surprised if there are other “fake Filipinos” who bastardized the process.
Decidedly, being a Filipino citizen is conclusive proof of one’s treatment as a true Filipino. This includes possession of a Philippine passport. Certain matters, however,
transcend the legal definition of citizenship. An example of this would be the knowledge and appreciation of Filipino traditions and values, speaking Tagalog, participating in Filipino celebrations, among others. We often allude to foreigners who are more Filipinos than the real Filipinos—they eat balut, ride the jeepney, do bayanihan, have a heart for hospitality and gratitude (some of the standards that strongly characterize a Filipino). In the case of beleaguered Mayor Alice Guo, we have seen (and heard) her speak fluent Tagalog, and she declares having been raised in the Philippines. Demanding that she sing the folk song Bahay Kubo is a way of testing her acquiescence to the Filipino culture, again as part of ascertaining her true citizenship.
Interestingly, a columnist in one of our national newspapers once reflected the results of the 20132014 National Identity survey in 32 countries of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). The findings on the tested attributes of a true Filipino are: Born in the Philippines (83 percent); Speaks Filipino (81 percent); Feels Filipino (79 percent); Is a Filipino citizen (78 percent); Has Filipino ancestry (77 percent); Lived in the Philippines for most of one’s life (74 percent); Belongs to the main (i.e. Catholic) religion (73 percent); and Respects Philippine political institutions and laws (65 percent).
Even in that survey, one’s birth is on top of the attributes of one’s citizenship. Same thing in the spiritual realm, our “birth” is the number one attribute of our spiritual citizenship.
And our Heaven-citizenship is made possible by being “born” into Christ, thus the biblical truth that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).
It is important to realize that “our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,” ( Philippians 3:20).
We may be IN this world, but we are not OF this world ( John 17:4). Being citizens of Heaven, therefore, means we are to follow Christ’s word and demonstrate it in our words and actions. Singing the Lords’ Prayer (“Our Father”) is not an ample indication of our Heaven-citizenship, just as singing Bahay Kubo won’t prove conclusively true Filipino citizenship.
Unlike the challenge of a Bahay Kubo song for those claiming Filipino citizenship, Christ-believers are challenged not on their knowledge of the Lord’s Prayer or of the Bible but on their identity ( being “in Christ”) based on their faith. True believers are judged not on what they know about the Bible but how they lived and loved just like how Jesus Christ did here on earth. Believers are considered as citizens of Heaven, not on the quantity of prayers they memorize or the multitude of verses they read, but how they live their lives by being “Ambassadors for Christ” ( 2 Corinthians 5:20).
Believers in this country are dual citizens to the extent that they are God’s children first by faith, then Filipino patriots by blood second. With this truthful backdrop, no one can dare accuse them of being fake believers, nor of being fake Filipinos.
A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.
In the case of beleaguered Mayor Alice Guo, we have seen (and heard) her speak fluent Tagalog, and she declares having been raised in the Philippines. Demanding that she sing the folk song Bahay Kubo is a way of testing her acquiescence to the Filipino culture, again as part of ascertaining her true citizenship.