SOME of my businessmen friends have raised their eyebrows after readign me column ib PB's last issue. They question my too positive outlook on the Philippines' future. They doubt my belief that the Filipino nation can still rise up from its present econmically bed-riden status and reclaim the respect of other nations despite its continued declining economic performance in the past several years.

     I replied that statistics are not the main basis for my optimism but my faith in the inner strength and determination of Filipinos many of whom have been born into very poor families, studied in low-esteemed public secondary schools, worked part-time to finish college, and with only transportation money rode ships or buses going to Manila to look for scarce jobs. After years of difficulties, they are now successful.

     I am optimistic because I have personally met Filipinos who told me their rags to riches stories. They came from different parts of the Philippines with the least common denaminator and that is abject poverty yet today they live in their own houses and their children have finished college and are working in prestigious firms in Metro Manila.

     When they started in Manila, they had nothing else to show except their diplomas, their good minds and their never-say-die attitudes.

     One of those Filipnos whom I am proud to be aquainted with is Rolly who is a lawyer. Born into a family of 14 children. Rolly, like other Filipno fresh garduates at his time, left his hometown to study law in Manila because there were no jobs in his province to sustain his college education. He sold law books during the day, studied at night and stayed in an overcrowded dormitory. Someho he graduated, passed the bar, supported his other sibling through college aside from sending his own children to prestigious schools.

     Like other successful Filipinos, Rolly spent no time crying over his disadvantages in life. He did not listen to the discouraging words he heard from others who at an early age gave up and accepted what "fate game them". Like other determined Filipnos, Rolly looked at his poverty as a challenge to aspire for better status in life and decided to reach for it. And because he focused on it, the difficulty and sacrifices did not matter. He gave up so many pleasures and distractions so that he will arrive at his ultimate objective.

     Like other Filipinos, Rolly, during his youth, had his dreams. But unlike others, he did not sit on the sand at his hometown beach and dreamed of a ship to come from the sea and fulfill his dreams. He did not wait to win "massiao" nor for his prayers to be answered so that his life would improve. Although, Rolly was a religious person, he knew that success will not be delivered to him by Heaven but it was right there for his taking if he go for it. He knew that for his dogged determination God will reward him.

     That's why I believe in the Philippines surviving the present crisis. I believe that it will rise and claim its rightful place in this part of the world. It will survive and be great again because of Filipinos like Rolly.

     I can see Rolly in the faces of young men and women leaving the Philippines to work abroad and improve their lot. They know the difficulties ahead and they are determined to overcome them and go for their dreams. I can see Rolly in the thousands of OFWs working in Korea. I can see them in the willingness to work hard, the discipline to focus on their dreams and the stubborn determination to succeed. And God will reward these OFWs. Like what He did to the Israelites, He will choose a Moses from among them, free them from their yokes and deliver them back the land He has given them.

To my incredulous friends, I assure you it will come to pass within our life span.