

It’s the slow death of patriotism in the country that sometimes makes Senator Manny Pacquiao emotional whenever he sings the national anthem, Lupang Hinirang.

Pacquiao talked about patriotism when asked what he would do for the country after the Commission on Appointments promoted him from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel as a reservist of the Philippine Army.

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“Lahat basta proud ako na kakantahin palagi ang bayang magiliw…Ang mamatay nang dahil sa’yo,” he told reporters after getting confirmed by the commission on Wednesday.

Pressed if he was willing to die for the country, the senator said: “Huwag na nating kantahin yung pambansang awit natin kung sa bunganga lang tayo tapos wala namang aksyon. Dapat ipakita natin ang loyalty natin.”

In fact, Pacquiao said he was thinking of filing a bill at the Senate that seeks the inclusion of a subject on patriotism in Philippine education.

“Kasi wala na e. Karamihan sa atin, Pilipino magtraydor sa kanyang kapwa at magtraydor sa kanyang bansa. So we should teach that patriotism na mayroon tayong loyalty sa ating bansa,” he said.

“Kaya nga minsan pag kumakanta ako ng bayang magiliw, naiiyak ako because mahal natin ang bansa natin dahil dito tayo, ano man ang mangyari, wala tayong ibang pupuntahan kung hindi dito rin.”

Pacquiao lamented how some people seemed to have not taken the national anthem by heart whenever they sing it.

“Kita mo pag kinanta yung bayang magiliw, yung iba gumagalaw, yung iba balewala kasi hindi na nga naituturo. Yun ang nagiging kulang natin…” he said. /cbb

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