i'm not so sure that our colonial past is to blame. Meron naman diyang ibang former British colonies that are doing quite well. Then again, pansin ko karamihan ng mga former Spanish colonies di rin maganda ang katayuan ngayon.
i really think that, at the root of it all, we have to be "proud" of ourselves first...proud enough to preserve that dignity no matter what, to put ourselves at a higher level...to believe that we can be better than what we are today. Medyo corny but when you look at Taiwan, South Korea, i firmly believe that they really loved their country even if it's in ruins(post WW2), so much so that they've made it into first rate countries that their children can be proud of.