Today our country commemorates the birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines' National Hero. There are many things to describe him but I'd like to emphasize him being a reformer.
Merriam Webster offers the following working definitions for the word reform, the root word of the word reformer:
1: a) to put or change into an improved form or condition b) to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses
2: to put an end to (an evil) by enforcing or introducing a better method or course of action
3: to induce or cause to abandon evil ways
In other words, to be reformed is to become changed for the better
With all the evils and corruption, lack of patriotism, and misformed values, I wonder what Dr. Rizal would feel if he sees the current situation of the country he once fought for. But I still believe his sacrifices will never be in vain. It's up to us, the current generation to live up to his reforms.
How can we do these? Here are some practical ways:
Do your part as a responsible citizen
It's easy to pinpoint the lapses of our leaders and the illnesses of our society but we can't easily identify the problems we participate in. Like, are we even mindful of the traffic lights and signs that should govern our streets? Are we contributors to the enormous amount of trash that is irresponsibly thrown on the streets daily? Do we patronize bribing, red tape, or even extortion? While these are already deeply ingrained in our societal system, the best thing we can do as citizens is to be responsible for our share.
Exercise your rights
I often hear people who say that every leader is corrupt, no one is truly concerned with their constituents. Thus, they lost trust in the electoral system. But I urge everyone not to neglect their right to suffrage. Do register and vote! It gives you power as a citizen to vote and make a difference in the leadership of the nation. Edmund Burke nailed it when he said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Hold your leaders accountable
In a democratic country, the power lies in the masses. I wish I could say this for all countries, that we should hold our leaders accountable. They are not in the position to power trip their citizens, do things out of a whim at the detriment of their constituents. We should ask them to make necessary reforms. We should oblige them to improve the conditions of the citizens. It's their responsibility as leaders.
Uphold your country and its leaders in prayers
As responsible citizens, we can balance our call for accountable leadership by upholding them in prayer. Let's not wish them evil, because their downfall and failure mean our failure as well. I believe that the nation is only as good as its leaders. So if we think they are not doing well, all the more we should uphold them in prayers.
These are just some of my views on how we can be better reformers like Dr. Rizal did while he was still living. Do you have other things to add to the list? Share in the comments below!
Read my BCH-related blogs:
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Hi, I am Marts! Aside from read.cash, I also run my blog - martsvalenzuela.com. I plan on growing my readership while learning to improve my craft and journey towards my passion to write and publish books that add value to people.
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