Love of country, subordination of personal interests to the

“Love of country, subordination of personal interests to the common good, concern and care for the helpless and the impoverished — these are among the lost and faded values that we seek to recover and revitalize as we commence our journey towards a better Philippines.” Thus spoke Rodrigo Duterte, in the solemn cadence of one calling his people not merely to obedience, but to remembrance. His words are both lament and summons — a lament for the virtues that have withered in the hearts of men, and a summons to revive the spirit of nationhood, that sacred bond which binds a people to their land, their history, and to one another. In this call resounds the age-old wisdom that no nation rises through strength alone, but through unity, compassion, and sacrifice.

The origin of this quote lies in Duterte’s inaugural address as President of the Philippines in 2016 — a moment heavy with expectation, spoken to a nation weary of division and corruption. His message transcended politics; it was a moral appeal to his countrymen to remember the forgotten virtues that once defined them. He named them plainly: love of country, the flame that ignites patriotism; subordination of personal interest, the discipline of selflessness; and concern for the helpless, the mark of humanity. He saw in his nation not the absence of ability, but the fading of virtue — and like the leaders of old, he called for a return to the principles that make civilization endure.

To speak of love of country is to speak of the sacred relationship between people and homeland. It is not mere sentiment, nor blind loyalty, but the awareness that one’s fate is tied to the soil beneath one’s feet and the community that shares it. In ancient times, the Greeks called this philia — the love that binds citizens together in pursuit of a noble cause. The Romans called it pietas, the devotion owed to family, gods, and country. In every age, this virtue has built nations, for love of country is not only waving a flag — it is the willingness to serve, to preserve what is good, and to repair what is broken. Duterte’s invocation of this love was not for ceremony, but for action — to awaken in the Filipino heart the truth that patriotism is not proclaimed; it is practiced.

But patriotism, as he reminds us, is hollow without selflessness. “Subordination of personal interests to the common good” — in these words lies the eternal struggle between selfishness and service, between comfort and duty. Every great nation is born from the courage of those who choose sacrifice over self. Recall the story of José Rizal, who laid down his life not for personal glory, but for the awakening of his people. He did not raise a weapon, yet his words became the sword of a nation. His martyrdom teaches that true love of country demands that we see beyond our own gain, and work for the common good, even when the reward is not ours to reap.

And what of concern for the helpless and the impoverished? Here Duterte touches upon the deepest of moral imperatives — compassion. For what is a nation if its weakest are abandoned? Civilization itself is measured not by the comfort of the powerful, but by the care of the poor. History is filled with examples of societies that perished not from war, but from indifference. The great leader Mahatma Gandhi once said that a nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. This truth crosses every border and every era. When we uplift the poor, we do not only restore their dignity — we restore our own humanity.

In these values — love, sacrifice, compassion — Duterte’s words gather the timeless virtues that sustain every society. Yet he speaks also of their loss, calling them “faded values.” It is a warning: that progress without morality is decay disguised as success. The modern world, in its hunger for wealth and convenience, too often forgets the soul of the nation. What use is prosperity if it divides rather than unites? What use is freedom if it serves only the few? The leader’s call, therefore, is not to return to the past, but to revitalize the virtues of the past — to bring the ancient wisdom of service, courage, and mercy into the heart of a new age.

The lesson, then, is both clear and profound: if we would build a better world, we must begin within ourselves. Each of us must rekindle the flame of love for our homeland; each must learn again to place community before comfort; each must stretch forth a hand to the poor and the broken. The destiny of a nation is not written by rulers alone, but by the quiet acts of millions who choose goodness over gain. To recover and revitalize these values is not the task of one administration, but of every generation that wishes to leave the earth better than it found it.

Therefore, my friends, take this teaching to heart: let love of country be your compass, selflessness your path, and compassion your daily act. Remember that the strength of a nation is not measured in wealth or armies, but in virtue — in the moral courage of its people to serve something greater than themselves. When we live for others, we live for our nation; and when we live for our nation, we live for all humanity. In that way alone will we, as Duterte declared, “commence our journey towards a better Philippines” — and indeed, toward a better world.