Nothing is wrong with it. The National Anthem was sang correctly, even with power (she didn’t have to belt it), and Kyla was able to lead the thousands of Filipinos in attendance. Notice that she even had her right hand on her chest. She didn’t bring attention to herself. She brought attention to her flag and her country.

That’s being Filipino!

Take the case of Revillame. What does he symbolize when he is viewed by an international audience? He symbolizes arrogance, sexism, impunity to insult his fellowmen and general inanity. To expose him for what he truly is, can this be crab mentality?

Let’s take another entertainer, Martin Nievera. How do we perceive him? In the vernacular, saksakan ang yabang (sorry to English readers because this can’t be translated word for word). He was warned by others not to sing the National Anthem (for the Pacquiao-Hatton fight) in any other way than it should be sang.

He didn’t heed the warnings. Instead he sang it the way he wanted to sing it. Why? Is it being Filipino? No, it’s being Martin Nievera. When you’re not internationally recognized, singing the National Anthem correctly will just feature a Filipino celebrity singing the Philippine National Athem. But when you try to give your own version, just maybe, your name will be remembered, i.e. “Martin Nievera just sang the Philippine National Anthem;” especially when you try to give it a rousing ending.

It’s just the same as singers singing other people’s songs. They give their own version so they will be remembered instead of the original singers.

So when Nievera –or the latest one, Dessa– slaps our cultural sensibilities by making a mockery of the National Anthem (not to mention Philippine laws), is it crab mentality to write against it?

Sure, we may write about it in a stinging manner. But we were first stung by the insensitivity of these "professional and talented" singers.

In glaring contrast, look at Lea Salonga. She’s internationally recognized. Obviously she’s comfortable with who she is. This is why she doesn’t have to sing the National Anthem her own way. So we’re proud of her!

Heck, we’re even proud of Sam Milby, because here’s a guy born and raised in the U.S., but who’s really trying to master Tagalog and to even speak it without an American accent (hello, Martin Nievera!).

Yet, we’re not perfect. So, perhaps we perceive things cross-eyed. Nevertheless, think about this: what we perceive may very well be what people are unknowingly revealing.

Didn’t she learn from the criticisms of the bad rendition of the national anthem of His Haughtiness, Martin Nievera, during the Pacquiao-Hatton fight?

Organizers of these boxing matches should make sure that the singers of our national anthem will sing it as it should be sang and with pride. And pleeeaaaassseee, get a real Filipino to sing it. Not a Filipino who holds an American passport.

The problem with singers like Dessa and His Haughtiness is they try to use these boxing matches as a venue to showcase their talents. Desperate for worldwide attention, they try to end the national anthem with a big bang, only to fizzle at the end and have it backfire on them.

They are fortunate that the Filipino boxers win their matches. Otherwise it would have been doubly tragic.

Next time a Filipino mangles the natonal anthem, I suggest he/she gets knocked out in public. After all, they shame the Philippines with their showboating.