A poet once said: “A Filipino is pliant like a bamboo. Neither typhoons nor monsoons could break the Filipino spirit; like the bamboo, it sways and bends with nature’s relentless onslaughts, but it refuses to yield or die.”

I love wearing this shirt particularly when I visit children in mountains and ravaged areas.

I know that when both the children and adults see the 3 bright stars and sun, they are reminded of how we always overcome any condition marked by misfortune, calamity or distress - that we rise up, show courage, sacrifice and 'bayanihan' (helpfulness and cooperation).

This shirt reminds me of the time a big eyed, thick shaggy kinky haired, barefooted, donned in an over sized sleeveless undershirt Aeta boy who took his time standing motionless like a statue a few feet away from me - staring at my shirt.

I picked up a bag of goodies and gestured for him to come and get the treats. He walked towards me and, to my surprise, was oblivious of the bag of treats that I was giving him. Instead, he moved closer to me and touched the sparkly golden star on my shirt.

(Aetas are indigenous people who live in the mountainous parts of Luzon, Philippines.)