This Ginebra Music Video Captures the Spirit of NSD

IN the book Patriotism, Morality, and Peace, author Stephen Nathanson defines patriotism as containing the following qualities: a special affection for and a sense of personal identification with one’s own country; a deep concern for the country’s well-being; and a willingness to promote the country’s good.

Our patriotism can manifest in a number of ways. You have the OFW who tells anyone that he and his fellow Filipinos are the hardest-working bunch on the job. You have the soldier who bravely marches into battle with nothing but a prayer and the flag spurring him on. You have the athletes and the sports fans who keep a positive attitude even when the odds are against them. And yes, you have those netizens who, in social-media posts, shout their pride whenever someone with a drop of Filipino blood achieves something noteworthy.

But what is it about our country and culture that makes us feel patriotic? The serene and often underappreciated beauty of our country’s natural landscape? The delicious food we pine for whenever we’re away from home? Or our innate can-do attitude and underlying sense of bayanihan?

If our country’s history has proven anything, it’s that being Filipino isn’t easy. Foreign powers have time and again tried to take what is ours, but we’ve always stood our ground, banded together, and fought for what we believe is right and just. Wherever we are in the world, we continue to fly our flag proudly and strive to improve our lives.

In the world of local basketball, one team has lived by the NSD spirit through the years—Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel. Despite undergoing challenges in the past few years, the team remained resilient, thanks to the support coming from fans and its former players especially Robert Jaworski Sr. A couple of years ago, when asked about the team’s rebuilding process and problems it faced, the Big J said: “Kailangan dito team tayo. Let team spirit from top to bottom prevail.”

Even those who struggle the most continue to get up each day and fight. No matter what life throws at us, we face it with a never-say-die attitude and the support of our friends and loved ones. LA Tenorio of Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel know this too well. Tenorio encountered lots of challenges throughout his basketball career but he never faltered, in fact he played more than 500 games in the PBA.

Ginebra San Miguel’s new video, which currently has more than 6.5 million views on YouTube and Facebook, shows the famous Pinoy spirit at work in our day-to-day lives. Along the way, it reminds us that regardless of our professions and status, we’re all together in this fight called life. 

So really, there’s no better way to celebrate our collective victories than to get together, in true bayanihan fashion, relive the challenges and raise our glasses toasting to the hero within. We’ve worked hard and beat the odds, and that deserves recognition. Shout it from the rooftops and cry out to your heart’s content—we are proud to be Pinoy! 

To find out more about Ginebra and to watch the music video, visit Ginebra San Miguel’s official Facebook page.