According to Tomas Andres, Ateneo de Manila University professor and creator of the training system Management by Filipino Values, “The Filipino as a nation has a defeatist attitude. He is happy and feels lucky to be second best.”
This assetion can be furthered by our ubiquitous disobedience of the most menial rules in our country whether it’s lining up for the MRT, segregating trash, or crossing the road. Often, we chalk up these behaviors to living in a third-world country, as if we’re supposed to settle for civil mediocrity just because of our perception towards our country.
This scenario mocks our identity as a nation. The issue that prevails regarding our discipline is the grassroot of our nation's discordance. To answer the question, it is a yes. Everything is chained to each other. Our lack of discipine entails lack of sense of national cooperation and unity.
Before anything else, let us be reminded that a nation with undisciplined citizens will never propel itself to success. This is true in our case. There has been major manifestations of these things such as in the traffic, political arena, institutions such as school, and family as a social institution is not excused.
Accept it or not but many of us are deviant to the set laws, hence the crimes committed everyday. We tend to always judge other people without being rational, often end up badmouthing them. There are those who live their lives disregarding the principles of equality and equity discriminating people easily. Like what our athletes failed to possess during the controversial FIBA Basketball match's brawl that our country engaged into, we really lacked discipline.
The question pops. What do these things reflect? What do these things say about Filipinos? Moreover, what do these imply in respect to our quest for a globally competitive nation? This is not making hasty generalization. Rather, this is asking what has to be asked?
Our lack of discipline paralyzes our sense of national cooperation and unity because basically, we are on the wrong road. We are impaired within ourselves and so, how can we stand as one if our feet are paralyzed? We can not stand because we have our own agenda which are selfish and self- executory in nature. We can not stand as one becaues we are not willing to be helped by the authorities. We can not because we actually don't want.
In this age of global competition where our country has to level up its game, unity and cooperation are necessities. Yet, we can only be united if we instill discipline in us, have in ourselves the willingness to follow and obey rules, with open heart and open mind. Remove your blindfold, lead or be led.