I’m going to step back from the community celebration for a moment and make an observation, because there is a point worth making.

That Pacquiao could, with his fists and gloves, single-handedly focus the attention of Filipinos is both a feat and a statement.

The feat we all clearly understand: Pacquiao pulled off a convincing and awe-inspiring victory over a favored, and better known opponent. He captured our collective attention and pride.

path-forward

But the statement? The statement is unexplored, or at least not articulated. And because our community cannot afford to waste any opportunity toward self-improvement, let us unpack the message that Pacquiao brings before us.

In my view, the relative peace and order Pacquiao inspired among Filipinos on December 6, 2008 says two things:
1) that the Filipino imagination, inspiration, aspiration, and ambition could be focused into a singular purpose, and
2) that the Filipino is hungry for and capable of creating a common, unifying purpose.

We, Filipinos, make up a diverse breed and we have an unfinished democracy. We tend to fetishize our differences, instead of finding a way to build consensus. We are often known to be as unkind and dismissive of one another as we are extremely generous and accommodating of non-Filipinos.

While we toil for others and our individual families – and while this is all good – wouldn’t it be amazing if we also worked as one toward something? If we gave our collective attention toward one thing? — Maybe a First World Philippines.

Pacquiao’s historic victory – and how it moves all of us, still, to reach for higher ground – reflects the untapped potential in us as a people.

At some point we can’t just be about untapped potential. We have to execute.

What is stopping us? We already know we can prevail.