I've always admired Prof. Winnie Monsod, ever since my college days when my classmates and I sneaked in and sat in her Economics class.
She really knows how to give an excellent lecture. Students were entranced and listened to her every word. Students would sit up each time she'd raise her voice and would relax and laugh out loud each time she'd crack a joke.
She's convincing. She's scary. (I heard that a friend of ours peed in her class due to fear.) She's charismatic. But most importantly, she's real. And she tells the truth.
And those qualities of her that I first encountered more than 10 years ago are still in her lectures today. Just like this lecture that has been going around the cyberworld and has probably been viewed by millions of people - Pinoys and foreigners alike.
I'm glad that this lesson was posted on youtube and gained a large audience. Because in this lecture, she gives us 3 important lessons. These are lessons that are important to me because I believe them, and I've always believed them since I was in my UP days. These lessons are:
1. "If you're going to help the country, you have to be IN the country."
2. "The Philippines needs you more than you'd ever think."
3. "If it's not you, who else will do it."
Like Prof. Monsod, I have great faith in this country. Faith that transcends politics or political leaders. It's faith in the Philippines, faith in the country, faith in the Motherland.
And if only we persevere hard enough, if we change fast enough, and if we believe fervently enough, we can bring our country back to its former glory and take our rightful place in this world.
If everyone in the Philippines listens to this lecture and believes in this lesson, our country would definitely get somewhere. Not to mention be in a much better place.
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