"You know we have a lot of (good) traits or qualities that we do not give importance, because we give more importance to other things in the Philippines," Rosales said in an interview.

The Cardinal who said yesterday’s mass for the National Migrants Sunday (NMS) celebration at the Nuestra Señora de Guia Shrine in Ermita, Manila, noted some of the qualities for which Filipinos are noted abroad but are not given importance in the country. Namely, these are being hardworking, cheerful, industrious, and religious.

"These are the traits of Filipinos that they appreciate abroad. These are the traits that we begin to lose. Filipinos are also industrious, honest, and religious, and these traits are not only exclusive to Christians, but also the Muslims," he said.

But what he finds saddening, he said, is that these qualities are highlighted only abroad.

Rosales stressed that although he is happy that Filipinos are able to spread their good qualities abroad, he said he is also sad because they are not here in the country.

"Why don’t we make Filipinos happy here. I think this is the challenge facing the church and the leadership," he said.

He then reminded the people whether they are already abroad or is about to leave the country to do the following: to respect, befriend, and love the people they will meet.

"Pray to God that our brothers and sisters will have these virtues. Even if we are here in our own country, we must practice this. After all in our own country, we are all migrants. We are all just passing through heading towards a common destination," the cardinal said.

Present during yesterday’s celebration were President Gloria Arroyo, Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor, and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

After the mass, the three joined Cardinal Rosales in a breakfast of "champorado" (porridge) on a table set up for them at the basketball court just outside the church.

The Catholic Church, led by the Episcopal Commission on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (ECMI-CBCP), leads the NMS celebration yearly in recognition of the many sacrifices made by the country’s millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

More than eight million Filipinos are scattered in almost 197 countries all over the world, the authorities said.