Share. Inspire. Move. Act. Change.: I fell in love in Club Paradise, Coron, Palawan!

Just a few good hours ago, I was sitting in a rattan weaved reclining chair, a handful of great friends and business partners, white pristine beach in an island a few miles away from civilization, watching thousands of fruit bats flying to a certain direction. The wind was blowing in my hair, the crisp sea breeze was almost singing me too sleep. We were waiting for CA2020's exclusive beach-front buffet dinner and a talented trio band to sing us while we eat. I was telling myself, this is the kind of life everyone should be living. A perfect place to fall in love.

A few hours before that, we were on our way to Calamian Islands. On a van, I was discussing with a fellow CA2020 Coach how wonderful our country is. It is so beautiful, a great number of untouched natural resources, amazing people but is yet to be developed. We were riding through cattle farms and dirt roads. There weren't much vehicles, only the usual local motorcycles and vans full of tourists. I told myself, after so many years, why have we not fully developed these wonderful places yet?

The answer was a bit uncomforting. I realized that people become well trained in looking out only for themselves. When they see that nothing is happening in where they are right now, they tend to move on to another place, find a greener pasture and hope that everything goes well. Sadly, a lot of people does the uprooting, rooting and uprooting again and again without much of an improvement or change. It becomes a vicious cycle that along the way, you forget where you are heading anymore. I have nothing against OFW's. In fact, I love them. If not for them, the country's economy would be in turmoil. But I can't help myself feel that sometimes people becomes too selfish. We go to another country to find our luck there. We say that we are doing it for our family, which is admirable, but doing that only helps ourselves. This may be a little bit out of proportion for most people, but what if, JUST WHAT IF, more people would stay, develop themselves so that they would know how to develop the place, which in turn will develop the lives of the many others inhabiting it. Instead of leaving a place because they believe that it is hopeless, they find ways to make it a better one. Working abroad, or finding a great company to work for is okay, if you are only doing it for yourself and your family. But if you care enough to see beyond the world of your family, have you ever thought of actually making a difference?

The normal tendency of people is to leave when everything seems tough already. They never thought that they are having a hard time because, possibly, they are doing the wrong things to get something done. If people are willing, not just to learn, but to develop, First World Philippines is not a not far cry anymore. This country has so much to offer, and yet it is sad that majority of Filipinos cannot see it. Staying in Club Paradise made me realize how many great things, Filipinos are missing. Foreigners pay a great amount of money just to see our wonderful places. Why can't we do that as well, and the answer was right in front of me. Not everyone has that "great amount of money". You can go to Palawan on a cheap budget. In fact, you can go anywhere else as a backpack traveler. But I assure you, once you have experienced first class, you are never coming back to wanting to live it cheap. This is one of the reasons why I wanted being an Entrepreneur. I hated living within or below my means, I try as much to expand it. We are the only Filipinos in the resort (there are more if you include the staff and crew), I find it disturbing that people are more proud to travel abroad than see what this country has to offer. Do not get me wrong, I love traveling abroad. I have been to a couple of countries that I would recommend you to visit, but what always struck me was that when we are in a beautiful place, people would say "And ganda, parang wala tayo sa Pilipinas..."

Now, back in Manila. I dream that people would see that there is still to be done here in our country. It may take some time, but it is very much doable. If only there were more people, instead of leaving the country and find their success there, they would find ways to make our country better. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see the world. But to believe that the Philippines does not have a chance to improve anymore, isn't that a little bit unforgivable? To even say "Wala ng mangyayari satin sa Pilipinas" is unacceptable for me. Not everyone is up for this challenge, I know that. Because not everyone is willing to change the world. Most would rather use their time complaining and seeing the negativities rather than what is impossible. Going abroad is very difficult. I should know, I have a lot of friends and family members out there. If we are doing something difficult, why not do something that could benefit, not just you and your family, but the whole country as well?

I fell in love with our country even more, in my three days in Palawan. There is nothing like first class accommodation and service. I saw the inner beauty of the Philippines that most of us cannot see because we are only focused on how corrupt or government is, and how hard it it to live the life that we wanted here. Isn't it a little bit unfair to our country? You are judging it without even knowing our own country. I am staying, not because there isn't something much better, there probably is. But when you love, you see beyond the facade or the usual things that we see. We go beyond what is really there. And even if there is another beauty being presented to you, you admire, but you can never love it as much.

I love the Philippines. I love the people, the places, the culture, the food, and the things that it has yet to offer. There is so many things to be done still. It may be difficult, because only the brave can love as much, and do whatever it takes. Take a risk, find it in your heart to love this country again. Because no matter how many times you leave this country, you know that you will always come back. This is HOME. We might as well give it the love that it deserves. Why don't we do everything we can so that we can enjoy being here in the Philippines, the first class way. Are you with me?