Shamcey sees foreigner's video critical of PHL as a 'wakeup call'

Ms. Universe 2011 third runner up Shamcey Supsup believes that the recent, much-debated “20 Things I Dislike about the Philippines” viral video made by American Jimmy Sieczka is a bad case of “hasty generalization” about the country.

Having triumphantly represented the Philippines in the international arena last year, Supsup cried foul over Sieczka’s unwarranted “criticisms” that could affect the country's name overseas.

“Ano naman ‘yun eh, it’s perception and maybe I’m very sorry lang na kung ano man yung na-experience niya sa Philippines, pero we cannot generalize,” maintained Operation Smile’s “Smile Ambassador" in an exclusive interview with Bulletin Entertainment during the organization's medical mission at the Sta. Ana Hospital on March 22.

She added, “Kasi for me, when I go to another country, [kung] sa isang part of it ganito ang naexperience ko, [tapos] i-gegeneralize ko na ganon pala lahat [sa bansang ‘yun], kumbaga, it’s not fair.”

But before Filipinos get too sensitive on the matter, Supsup urges that instead of seeing the video as something intended to malign the nation to potential visitors, she notes that we could take it in a positive light.

“It’s also a wakeup call for us na dapat talaga hindi lang tayo sa isang part mag-focus. Kumbaga we must try to improve our country in every aspect. Not just [the] economy but also sa mga infrastructures, sa education, sa tourism. So madami talaga,” the 25-year-old architect-beauty queen pointed out.

According to her, though, it’s not going to be an easy process and not one that must only be undertaken by the government. In fact, it's going to be an extended and tedious task that would “need a lot of help from everyone, from every Filipino.”

Active participation

It is not a secret that one of the country’s debilitating problems has always been instigating “action” from the citizenry. Following her declaration that Filipinos ought to actively participate in the country’s rehabilitation, Supsup is asked how she thinks this could be done.

“Kasi it’s always us trying to promote our country to others whereas, dapat, we have to promote our country to ourselves first,” she began.

Supsup deems that it would quite be “futile” for us to “convince” other nationalities to like our country when “we, ourselves don’t even like our country.” So to effect any improvement, Supsup says that Filipinos have to change their “mindset” first.

“Kumbaga dapat ikaw mismo proud ka na Pinoy ka, na maganda ang Pilipinas. ‘Yun ‘yong isa, kasi ako I think we still have that colonial mentality na ‘people from other countries are better than us’ or 'other countries have more ganito, are better here,'” she lamented.

Why ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’

Meanwhile, since the Department of Tourism launched its slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” early this year, countless Filipinos have jumped on the bandwagon and shared their insights on what makes it more fun in the Philippines.

As a seeming response to Sieczka's own list, the beauty queen famed for her “Tsunami walk” gladly enumerated, “It’s more fun in the Philippines because [of], first and foremost, the people.  I’ve been to other countries, [and I can say that] how we are to our family [is] how we treat strangers also.”  She quickly added, “And that’s not like in other countries.”

She also cites the country’s topography as an advantage compared to other landlocked countries.

“We have very rich resources [and] very good places to visit. We have rich natural resources nga eh, kumabaga we have water, we have mountains, ‘di ba?

“And [our country is] an archipelago eh, so kumbaga, ‘yung ibang tao sa ibang countries they’ve never seen a body of water pero tayo we’re surrounded by water,” she mused.

Lastly, regardless of how erratic our weather has been of late, Supsup notes how the country’s two-season climate may prove to be advantageous.

“Ako, I like our climate kasi it’s never too hot or too cold. In other countries, grabe, may times na sobrang lamig, may times na grabe ‘yung heat so tayo tama lang. Kumbaga sa atin, it’s just right lang—[we have the ideal] climate to be able to enjoy the country,” said Supsup.

By MAUREEN MARIE BELMONTE 

MB.COM.PH

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