LITERARY | The Valor in Modernity

Smoke scattered across the streets of Manila as I experienced the scorching heat beneath the sun. How does a citizen survive a sun so hot that it can even affect one’s overall well-being?

A jeep parked right in front of me caught my attention as the driver yelled and tried to draw customers closer whilst enduring the heat and polluted smoke from the exhaust pipes of vehicles. In times like these, I admire how amazing the capability and resilience of those who work tirelessly to provide for their families.

I entered the jeepney fully aware of the issues with inflation. With the war happening, everyone will surely be affected by the ongoing crisis with fare and gas prices. Individuals who are educated enough are protesting about the domino effect of the price hike, especially those who make a living from using fuel like jeepney drivers. News about the nature of the consequences of what is happening to the world are scattered all across the news and social media–serving as a constant reminder that appears to affect lower-income communities more than the upper class.

“Bayad po,” I said, not mentioning that I am a student. It may seem like a simple gesture for others, but that discount–no matter how big or small - will benefit the well-being of the driver whose smile is reflected in the mirror as he drives off. The weight of simple gestures does not measure the soul. For even if the roles are reversed—if a commuter is made to walk in the worn shoes of a jeepney driver—the burden is shared. To choose indifference is to forget that both have lived at the edge, each struggling, in their own way, for a cause that they believe is just.

As we remember the Day of Valor, it is important to remember that Valor can also exist outside history books and battlefields. Modern valor is a value reflected  in our identities as Filipinos who are resilient, enduring, and brave. The Philippines perseveres, bearing the burden of its hardships with calm resilience despite pain caused by both foreign and domestic parties that would trade the country for profit.

That is why in times like these, instead of throwing hate and animosity towards those who call for a change, maybe we can take it amongst ourselves to be vigilant and educated about what truly affects our nation, so that our future won’t suffer the same fate.

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