This is a great opportunity to reach out to all the Filipinos in the US and around the
world. We may be halfway across the globe, we may now speak with an American twang and
our children and children's children may have totally imbedded the culture of Uncle Sam but
nothing can ever change the fact that we are filipinos. Filipinos are Filipinos, wherever we are.
Our rich Filipino heritage should not be forsaken. It should be a source of pride for all of
us. What could be more Filipino than the Simbang gabi at Christmas time or the Santacruzan
during the month of May? Do we still remember the folk tales of our childhood, the stories of
Dr. Jose Rizal or our beautiful love songs? In embracing a foreign culture, have we totally
forgotten the values that we were always emphasized in the Filipino home, such as respect for
our elders and the sacredness of the family?
It is our objective to be faithful keeper of our rich heritage for future generations. Let
us continue to undertake vital strides toward the awareness and promotion of our solidarity. Let
us raise the consciousness of kababayans and empower Filipinos in America to capture
relationships.
Hopefully that by recognizing and celebrating our heritage, we can come together as a
people. Together we can reach out to our kababayans. We can help each other in bayanihan
spirit, instead of pulling down each other, like the proverbial crab mentality. It is in looking
back to where we came from can we move forward as a people.
In this age of information superhighway, the Internet is an excellent medium to promote
cultural awareness, unity and solidarity. This is designed to keep everyone attuned with the
current news from the Philippines and around the world plus exciting information connecting
Filipinos. PhilConnect aims to get to the heart of every Filipino.
Mabuhay!
