I'm staying with a couple of relatives for the weekend. My second
cousin moved to Canada in 1989 with her husband and her kids, and is
overflowing with praise for Canada's social programs and peaceful way
of life.

Her daughter and I had a nice chat last night. Juelle is taking up
graphic design in Ryerson. She candidly admitted that she hadn't been
to the Philippines in a while and preferred Canada over the
Philippines. She asked if I was planning to go back.

I said yes without hesitation. When I saw the curiosity in her eyes, I
couldn't help but talk about how despite the political circus and the
economic problems of the Philippines, it's still _home_ for me. It is
a country that desperately needs us. It is a place where we can make
such a great difference.

I don't look down on people who have moved to other countries. I think
that their support is a form of patriotism, too, sending much-needed
dollars back home. I'd like to straddle the divide by spending time in
both worlds, learning new things and meeting people in Canada and then
using my contacts and experience to bring investments to and improve
education in the Philippines.

I'm putting this up on the Net so that you can remind me, if I start
to forget, that in the Philippines there are classrooms without
teachers and students without mentors. There are companies and
organizations waiting to be born or accelerated. There's so much we
can do, so much we can give.

There are lifetimes more to make a difference in other places. Life's
lottery has given me the Philippines, and I will do right by it.