As the year winds down, reflection and introspection come naturally. From where I sit in Washington, DC, thousands of miles away but never distant from home, I find myself asking Filipinos a simple question: What do you wish for the Philippines?
I usually ask this of overseas Filipinos after our embassy events, of visiting businessmen passing through Washington, of friends back home when I call late at night, and of students or young professionals deciding whether to return home or remain abroad. The answers are never rehearsed or offhand. They are honest and candid, sometimes emotional, often tinged with quiet frustration – but always anchored in hope.
Rarely do they begin with politics or government affairs. Instead, they start with family.
“I wish my children could build a very good future at home.”
“I wish we didn’t have to leave to succeed.”
“I wish daily life wasn’t so hard for ordinary people in the Philippines.”
These wishes may sound simple, but they cut deep. They speak of a longing not for perfection, but for dignity.
Overseas Filipinos do not expect miracles from their country. What they want – what they wish for – is fairness and justice; a government that works; institutions that endure beyond personalities and a system where hard work and sincere effort are rewarded, and honesty is not treated as foolishness or naïveté.
In many ways, Filipinos abroad serve as mirrors for what the country can become. Here in the United States, Filipino-Americans do exceptionally well as nurses, engineers, entrepreneurs, seafarers, hotel managers, executives, and public servants. Hundreds of them also serve in the US Armed Forces, most especially in the US Navy.
As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, Filipino-Americans are genuinely appreciated and well-respected in their respective communities. Many have also become very successful, making a name for themselves in their respective careers. Among them is retired US Navy Rear Admiral Dr. Connie Mariano, who was the first female director of the White House Medical Unit, having served under presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Then there is retired Lt. General Edward Soriano who has the distinction of being the first Filipino to be promoted to the rank of general in the US Army; chef Cristeta “Chris” Comerford who has earned the distinction of being the first woman and the first of Asian descent to serve as White House executive chef; former State Department undersecretary and CIA chief operating officer Brian Bulatao; mayor Arvin Amatorio of Bergenfield in New Jersey who is now on his second term and many others who are successful in US politics.
“Overseas Filipinos do not expect miracles from their country. What they want – what they wish for – is fairness and justice; a government that works; institutions that endure beyond personalities and a system where hard work and sincere effort are rewarded, and honesty is not treated as foolishness or naïveté.”
Overseas Filipinos serve as a strong anchor to the people-to-people ties between the United States and the Philippines. Their strong work ethic and contribution to essential sectors like health care, technology, and services have generated deep respect. They are known for competence, reliability, and integrity.
Americans often ask me the same question: if Filipinos perform so well abroad, why does the system at home struggle so much? I understand that it is not a question meant to criticize. On the contrary, it is a question born of possibility.
When Filipinos – the sincere ones who are not out to self-promote or aggrandize themselves – express their hopes and wishes for the country, good governance inevitably enters the conversation. Not ideology, not slogans – but outcomes. They wish for leaders who would spend public money as carefully as they would their own. For a bureaucracy that moves with purpose instead of delay. For laws that apply equally to the powerful and the powerless. They are tired of corruption being treated as inevitable. They wish – quietly but firmly – for accountability to become routine rather than the exception.
Equally strong is the wish for unity. Filipinos are weary of endless divisions that consume energy but produce little progress. They understand disagreement and respect differences of opinion, but they reject dysfunction. They wish for a politics that debates vigorously (passionately even) yet governs responsibly, remembering that no matter how heated elections become, the country remains long after the campaign season is over.
From the many Fil-Am events I have attended across the United States, I see something else that Filipinos wish for: respect.
Respect on the world stage. Respect for our passport. Respect for our voice in regional and global affairs. The Philippines today occupies a more prominent place in international conversations – economically, strategically, diplomatically. This attention brings opportunity, but also responsibility.
There is also a profoundly personal wish I hear repeatedly: a better daily life. Less time stuck in traffic. More reliable public services. Streets that feel safer. Jobs that pay better. Parents wish for schools that truly educate. Farmers hope for fair prices. Fishermen wish to work without fear. Young professionals wish to dream without immediately planning an exit.
These are not radical demands. They are reasonable hopes.
Let me share an interesting story that happened not too long ago.
After my meeting at the White House executive building, while waiting for my ride back to the Philippine embassy, a Filipina nurse working at a New York hospital on vacation recognized me and approached me. She did not ask for help. She did not complain. She simply said, “Ambassador, I hope someday I can go home for good – and feel confident I made the right choice.”
That was her wish. Not extraordinary. Not unreasonable. Simply – hopeful.
Many Filipinos have not given up on their country. And as long as that remains true, neither should all of us in the country give up as well.
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