It wasn’t long after we arrived in Dumaguete. Janet and I decided to go to the mall first thing when it opened at 10:00. Lots of stuff to get to fill our new apartment. We arrived a couple minutes before 10:00. There was a line at the Robinsons Mall entrance.  We parked in the lot and began walking toward the entrance. Suddenly outdoor loudspeakers began blaring music which I vaguely recognized as the Philippines National Anthem. Janet stopped but I kept walking. “Stop,” she yelled.

“Huh?”

“You can’t walk until after the National Anthem.”

“Really?” And then I noticed that other people had stopped.

About 30 seconds later the anthem finished and life continued. People started filing past the guard into the mall. That is the guard searched them and then allowed them into the mall.

In subsequent days I discovered that not only were you not allowed to walk during the anthem, if you were driving into the mall parking lot when the anthem was playing, you had to stop your car.

I saw that most people stood at attention or at least stood in a respectful way. They certainly didn’t dare talk during the anthem. Janet would shush me until I learned not to talk.

All this, while minor, was one more reason the Philippines is just plain different.

We just spent a couple of weeks back in the U.S. One reason was to see my daughter graduate. The ceremony was held in a large arena. As we awaited the ceremony I began to wonder whether, considering the recent controversies, the national anthem would be played. I looked at the program and sure enough the anthem was listed.

Now, I am not the big patriot type nor did I ever serve in the military. But I never thought that spending a minute on the national anthem was a terrible thing.

As the ceremony started and I awaited the National Anthem I wondered how people would react. Would there be any protests or taking of knees?  I’ve been long enough away from the U.S. that I just didn’t know.
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In reality people acted like they always act. The anthem began, led by a choir. People shuffled uncomfortably waiting for it to be over to get to the good stuff. No one objected but no one much joined in. In fact this is the way it’s been for decades in the U.S.

My recollection is that it was different when I was a kid. But once Kennedy was shot and there was a Vietnam War and another Kennedy was shot, as well as Dr. King; well there wasn’t a lot of point in singing patriotically. Plus by then I was a young adult and knew it was all bullshit.

Of course it isn’t all bullshit. Sure, it’s just a minor piece of symbolism but now that I am an old fart I kind of think it matters.  So at the graduation I sang; ok I mostly just moved my lips. After all, nobody else was singing.

Truth is as I have aged I occasionally regret that I wasn’t in the military. Maybe I should have joined the CIA. It’s probably just my latent desire to shoot somebody.

So, I kind of like the fact that Filipinos stand at attention for their anthem and expect me to do the same. There doesn’t seem to be the attitude of “Hey, I didn’t vote for Duterte, so why should I show any respect.”

Some expats think that Filipinos are too patriotic or just blindly follow. I’m not so sure. Is it really so bad to spend a minute showing respect for this country?

Of course I’m not stupid. There’s a guard in front of Robinsons and he’s got a gun and it’s quite possible the gun actually works. So I stand at attention.