RD's Third Filipino Pride

In fantasies, heroes are those who arrive in time to save someone in misery and oftentimes, to finish off the villain. These heroes serve as the defenders of the world and may, at times,be the enforcers of the law. In this world of make-believe, no one else dies but the bad guy.

But hey, we are not living in a fantasyland! In our world today, the bad guys in most fantasies are usually not people. In most cases, these bad guys are no other than apathy, poverty and violence. In the Philippines, often victims of these misdeeds are the poor kids with no family to run to and with no education to start with. These poor kids are forced to stand on their own at an early age and are likely to end up chipping in dirty businesses. These things happen because they are not given appropriate rights – the right to life, the right to a comfortable and nurtured upbringing, the right to be heard and respected, and above all, the right to be loved.

Looking at the bright side of reality, today’s heroes are not “costumed characters” with secret identities, nor warriors who need to die first before reaching triumph. The modern-day Filipino hero does not usually come with being the “superman”. They don’t have amazing powers; what they have are compassionate hearts and the will to change things for the better.

The above depiction of a Filipino valiant deed is further characterized by a recent event that wows not only the Pearl of the Orient, but other nations as well. “Diether Ocampo lands Reader's Digest Asia cover,” as bannered by most broadsheets. “After comedian Michael V. and boxing prizefighter Manny Pacquiao, Diether Ocampo is the third Filipino to grace the cover of the said magazine.” I know some may ask, “What is his blockbuster movie, anyway? How come he lands on the cover of the largest circulated magazine in the world?”

Well, you are mistaken if you are one of the “some” who assume that way. As a matter of fact, Reader’s Digest Asia (December 2009 issue) recognized Diether Ocampo not as an actor, but as a philanthropist. He is one of the few well-known personalities who set their stardom to meaningful use. The popular magazine lauded him as “the Filipino actor and activist” mainly because of his involvement with the “Kabataang Inyong Dapat Suportahan” (K.I.D.S.) Foundation as its founding president.

“The K.I.D.S. Foundation is a non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organization that seeks to uphold children’s rights based on existing laws, and most importantly, on the intrinsic principles of benevolence, love and the best that humanity can offer,” Ocampo humbly shares with RD. He also reveals that he established the charity as a reflection of his own childhood, since he came from humble beginnings too.

Aside from this emerging Filipino pride worldwide, the December 2009 also features other Asians like Sharifah Mazlina, Malaysia’s first woman to hike the Arctic and Antlantic; Marina Mahathir, a women’s rights activist and blogger; and Singapore’s William Tan, a paraplegic and a world record holder for fastest person to complete seven marathons.

This feat is actually the second recognition Diether has received in 2009 for K.I.D.S. In fact, earlier this year, this 33-year-old actor’s humanitarian efforts got him a special invitation from Harvard University to attend the On-Campus Conference Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR).

There is no doubt; Philippine actor cum activist Diether Ocampo is a modern-day Filipino hero. Leaving the recent spotlight with a remarkable line, he says “If you can initiate positive change in your own country, then you can inspire positive change worldwide”.