WHAT if the Philippines were not the country Filipinos know today?The Philippines has been an independent, flourishing archipelago for over a century.With its unique cultural roots, fascinating people, breathtaking landscape and interesting history, the Philippines sure has gone through a lot to be the country it is today.Three colonizer countries, revolutions on and off, and a catastrophic global conflict — how refreshing the sweet smell of independence must have been to the Filipinos once they were finally free.But what if all that did not happen?What if we were never conquered by the Spaniards and left only to other influences, such as other Southeast Asian cultures?Would the Philippines be any different?The film 'The Kingdom,' directed by Mike Tuviera, dives into the realm of possibilities of what the Philippines could have been had it not been conquered by the Spaniards five centuries ago.An award-winning entry to the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), the film not only captivates viewers with a gripping tale, plot twists everywhere, and talented actors but also an alternate reality of the country's condition had things gone differently.Probably, the Philippines would be a unified monarchy controlled by a 'lakan' who would lead the country to prosperity.Probably, Islam or animism would be some of the main religions in the country, especially with the influence of Southeast Asian neighbors.Probably, tattoos would still be a mark of status, bravery and ancestry, not just ink designs known today.Probably, the classes of that ancient system would clamor at times or lead to a civil revolution.The possibilities are endless.Whether shown in a movie like 'The Kingdom' or just in pure imagination, it is interesting to imagine what life could have been like 'had things gone differently.'If this decision had not ruined everything, if this did not happen, and if one disaster had not led to another.The remarkable thing about it is that those 'disasters' give people the character they need to be who they are today.It is the same for the Philippines.It is not wrong to ponder on the possibilities, but without the struggles, without the fight for independence or longing for it, Filipinos would not have the strength, resilience and experiences that define the Philippines as a country today.It worked out for good after all, as what the Bible says in Romans 8:28: 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,' because it was exactly what was supposed to happen.That purpose still applies even with the endless possibilities, with the seesaw of what-ifs and the strange dice of life that became the history of the Philippines.Janae Hannah Orante is a Grade 9 homeschooler. The original essay was submitted as a requirement for her English class in the fourth quarter.
