While on a family trip in the province, one conversation made me question the privileges I have today compared to my parents and relatives decades ago. Parts of Iloilo City, such as Lapuz and portions of the Iloilo River, were where people lived in poor conditions: simple shanties, trash everywhere, and a crime-ridden environment.
Today, the Iloilo River hosts the Esplanade, where people get active in the morning and have breakfast at one of the establishments beside the promenade. Present-day Lapuz is not as crime-heavy as it once was, but plenty of poor people still live there.
Living standards have increased thanks to the government's consistency in improving quality of life. That’s a difficult feat to achieve. And my generation is part of it to reap the rewards. But I’ve noticed lately, especially on social media, how some people take for granted the things they have now. The constant chase for the next best thing, the desire to experience the latest trends, and the tendency to take what’s easy over hard. All the while forgetting history.
For one to realize and be mindful of the privileges they have, they must reflect and ask whether they are doing it “right” and, if not, how they shall change for the better.