Rizal: The Sower

By Edwin D. Bael*

December 30, 1896 marked the culmination of Rizal’s preparations for sowing into the Filipino soul the ideas and virtues of love of country, dignity, inner strength, inner peace, integrity, honor, bravery for liberty, courage to stand up and, if need be, to die for one’s convictions.

Almost six years before, he wrote Mariano Ponce: “We die only once and if we do not die well, we lose a good opportunity which will never come up again … If one has to die, at least one must die in his own country, by his country and for his country.” (Letter to Mariano Ponce, Brussels, 9 July 1890, Epistolario Rizalino, III No. 386, p.)

About a month prior to that, he wrote his sister Soledad on the importance of honor even in seeming defeat: “To fall with the head high and a serene brow is not to fall; it is to triumph. The sad thing is to fall with the stain of dishonor.” (Letter to his sister Soledad, Brussels, 6 June 1890, Epistolario Rizalino, III, Doc. No. 383, p.56)

On the way back to Manila after his trip to Cuba was aborted and he was arrested for alleged complicity in the revolution, he wrote in his diary: “I believe that what is happening is the best that can happen to me. Always let God’s Will be done! – I feel more calm with regard to my future. This afternoon I have meditated because I had nothing else to do nor could I read. I feel that peace has descended upon me, thank God! Oh God! Thou art my hope and my consolation! Let your Will be done: I am ready to obey it. Either I will be condemned or absolved. I’m happy and ready.” (Diary: Barcelona to Manila, 1896, p. 3)

Right before his execution, he wrote his family: “Give thanks to God that I may preserve my tranquility before my death. I die resigned hoping that with my death you will be left in peace. Ah! It is better to die than to live suffering. Console yourselves. (Letter to his family, without signature or date, Documentos Rizalinos, p. 91)

In an article, he wrote: “When one dies for love or for the conviction that his death will do some good, death is a pleasure.” (“The Creator Gazes on the Philippine Islands”, MS)

He was motivated by love of his country which he described as follows: “…love of country is never effaced once it has penetrated the heart, because it carries with it a divine stamp which renders it eternal and imperishable. It has been said that love is the most powerful force behind the most sublime actions; well then, among all loves, that of country is the greatest, the most heroic and most disinterested.” (Article “Love of Country”, La Solidaridad, Madrid, 31 Oct 1890, p. 247).

These snippets of his writings indicate that Rizal was ready for his death. Thus, his pulse was normal before the firing squad.

But what good did he die for?

We cannot add to the eloquence of his expression in the fifth stanza of his Ultimo Adios: “Enchantment of my life: my ardent avid obsession: To your health! Cries the soul, so soon to take the last leap: To your health! O lovely: how lovely: to fall that you may rise! To perish that you may live! To die beneath your skies! And upon your enchanted ground the eternities to sleep!” (English translation by Nick Joaquin)

Like the rice seed that must perish in the ground so the seedling can spring forth, Rizal intended his death for the rising and living of his nation.

But what kind of rising and living? And how?

He wanted freedom, dignity, self-respect and respect by others for his people: “My dreams when a lad, when scarcely adolescent: my dreams when a young man, now with vigor inflamed: were to behold you one day: Jewel of eastern waters: griefless the dusky eyes: lifted the upright brow: unclouded, unfurrowed, unblemished and unashamed”. (4th Stanza, Ultimo Adios, Nick Jaoquin translation)

He wanted moral and material development of his country: “… the thought of my whole life has always been love of my country and her moral and material development …” (Letter to the Governor and Captain General of the Philippine Islands, Hongkong, 21 Mar 1892, Epistolario Rizalino, III No. 577, p. 306). Because: “Man is not a brute, he is not a machine … xxx … His object is to seek happiness for himself and his fellow men by following the road towards progress and perfection.” (“The Indolence of the Filipino”, La Solidaridad, 15 July 1890, p.159) Isn’t this a vision to try to realize in our archipelago an approximation of the Lord Jesus Christ’s intention: “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”? (John 10:10)

He wanted his people to win freedom with courage, honor and education: “Liberty is a woman who grants her favors only to the brave.” (Letter to the Members of “La Solidaridad”, Epistolario Rizalino, II No. 250, p. 158). “… let us win it by deserving it, exalting individual reason and dignity, loving the just, the good, the great, even dying for it.” (El Filibusterismo, Ghent, 1891, p. 283). “I have given proofs as one who most wants liberties for our country and I continue wanting them. But I put as a premise the education of the people so that through education and work, they might have a personality of their own and make themselves worthy of them. In my writings, I have recommended the study of civic virtues without which redemption is impossible.” (“Manifesto”, 15 Dec 1896, Fort Santiago, p. 1, MS)

He dreamed of a politically free Philippines: “Tomorrow we shall be citizens of the Philippines whose destiny will be beautiful because it will be in loving hands.” (El Filibusterismo, Ghent, 1891, p. 191). Thus, he wanted politics to be done right: “… my ambition is not to win honors or hold positions but to see that what is just, exact, suitable, is done in political matters …” (Letter to Juan Zulueta, Europe, 14 Aug1891, Epistolario Rizalino, III No. 471, p. 211).

He had an approach to abuse that contemporary government may want to take heed: “A nation wins respect not by covering up abuses but by punishing them and condemning them.” (“The Philippines a Century Hence”, La Solidaridad, 15 Dec 1889); “… demoralization cannot be corrected by sealing the lips of accusers … but by the government inquiring into the cause, persecuting the crime, and letting fall who may fall.” (“The Truth for All”, La Solidaridad, 31 May 1889, p.85).

He dreamed about a responsible and deserving citizenry, because: “Every country meets the fate that she deserves…” (“The Philippines a Century Hence”, La Solidaridad, 15 Dec 1889); thus, he encouraged Filipinos to have one general goal: “Let this be our only motto: For the welfare of the Native Land.” (Letter to Mariano Ponce, 27 July 1888, Epistolario Rizalino, II, 32); and demanded of them to be good citizens: “The principal thing that should be demanded from a Filipino of our generation is not to be a literary man but to be a good man, a good citizen who would help his country to progress with his head, his heart, and if need be, with his arms. With the head and the heart we ought to work always; with the arms when the time comes” (Letter to Mariano Ponce, London, 27 June 1888, Epistolario Rizalino, II No. 177, p.21).

He reasoned: “The duty of modern man to my way of thinking is to work for the redemption of humanity, because once man is dignified there would be less unfortunate and more happy men that is possible in this life.” (From “Science, Virtue and Labor”, a paper read by Rizal in 1883, at Solidaridad Lodge, Madrid). And advised: “He who wants to help himself should help others because if he neglects others, he too will be neglected by them. One midrib is easy to break, but not a bundle of many midribs tied together.” (Message to the Women of Malolos, Europe, February 1889, Epistolario Rizalino, II Doc. No. 223, p.117)

He envisioned himself being eclipsed by so many other Filipinos: “I am neither immortal nor invulnerable, and my greatest joy will be to see myself eclipsed by a pleiad of fellow countrymen at the hour of my death. If they kill or hang one, at least twenty or thirty would take his place, so that they may go cautiously about killing and hanging us. Many people do not want to kill ants because they say the more they multiply. Why should we not be ants?” (Letter to Mariano Ponce, London, 27 June 1888, Epistolario Rizalino, II No. 177, p.21)

Yes, he even wanted our people to be like ants, as in Proverbs 6:6-9: “Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom; for though she has no chief, no commander or ruler, she procures her food in the summer, stores up her provisions in the harvest; how long, O sluggard, will you rest? when will you rise from your sleep?” And, we might add: ants don’t move like columns of soldiers in straight lines as in magnetic atoms; rather, individual ants move in an un-rhythmic sometimes zigzag-like or seemingly chaotic pattern but in one general direction as a group. Isn’t this a good description of democracy?

These excerpts from Rizal’s works give us some answers as to what kind of rising and living, and how. In essence, I submit, these constitute what he sowed and planted on December 30, 1896.

But as the Prophet Ezekiel would ask: “True, it is planted, but will it prosper? Will it not rather wither, when touched by the east wind, in the bed where it grew? (Ezekiel 17:10).

Especially, when such east wind would consist of the triple concupiscence that many Catholics may have forgotten or never learned about? - “The "mastery" over the world that God offered man from the beginning was realized above all within man himself: mastery of self. The first man was unimpaired and ordered in his whole being because he was free from the triple concupiscence that subjugates him to the pleasures of the senses, covetousness for earthly goods, and self-assertion, contrary to the dictates of reason.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 377)

Still, there is always hope. For “for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”. (1 John 4:4) And we are, after all, recipients of abundant grace. As Dr. Rizal wrote to Fr. Pastells: “I, too, pray now and then, but really when I do so, it never occurred to me to ask for anything. I believe I have everything and as all that happens to me is His will, I am contented and resigned.” (Letter to Fr. Pastells, Dapitan, 1 Sept 1892, Epistolario Rizalino, IV No. 566, p. 39) This seems to affirm Saint Paul’s teaching in 2 Cor 9:8 that “…God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”

The parable of the sower, with Rizal as the sower – in imitation of Christ - brings us to the conclusion of this short piece. “"Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold." He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."” (Mark 4:3-9) xxx “The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." (Mark 4:14-20).

Fellow Filipinos: In regard to what Dr. Rizal has sown, we have the power to determine whether our hearts/minds/souls become the path, the rocky ground, the patch of thorns, or the rich soil. The choice and the responsibility are ours.

It is never too late for us to nurture the tree of Inang Bayan, watered by the blood of Dr. Rizal 114 years ago, as well as by those of our other heroes, and make it grow more and yield the fruits of moral and material prosperity, human dignity, self-respect and respect by others.

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* Edwin D. Bael is a Knight Commander of the Order of the Knights of Rizal. He was Consul General of the Philippines in Los Angeles, California (2000-2002) and is now the Managing Principal of Bael Consulting, LLC based in Phoenix, Arizona.

WISE HEARTS AND SHARP MINDS

By Sir Edwin D. Bael, KCR

“Sharpen, perfect, polish then your mind and fortify and educate your heart.” – Dr. Jose Rizal

From September 3 to 5, 2010, Knights of Rizal from all over the world will converge in Las Vegas to attend the Knights of Rizal 3rd USA Regional Assembly, mainly to exchange ideas on the theme: "Proper Education: The Key To People's Freedom From Poverty And Ignorance”.

The theme leads us to ask: what is ‘proper education’ from Rizal’s perspective?

In a letter from Dapitan to his nephew Alfredo T. Hidalgo dated 20 December 1893, Dr. Rizal encouraged his nephews to study, thus: “Go ahead then; study, study and meditate well what you study. Life is a very serious thing and only those with intelligence and courage go through it worthily. To live is to be among men and to be among men is to struggle. But this struggle is not a brutal and material struggle with men alone; it is a struggle with them, with one’s self, with passions and one’s own, with errors and preoccupations. It is an eternal struggle with a smile on the lips and tears in the heart. On this battlefield man has no better weapon than his intelligence, no other force but his heart. Sharpen, perfect, polish then your mind and fortify and educate your heart.” (Epistolario Rizalino, IV, No. 617, p. 184.)

In essence, this letter says that on the battlefield of life man has no better weapon than his intelligence, no other force but his heart; to be prepared, one has to sharpen, perfect, and polish the mind [reason] and fortify and educate the heart [passions].

It can also be added that this approach---impeccable logic under wise values---should straighten crooked ratiocinations as well as tame unbridled emotions running helter-skelter as knee-jerk reactions to various stimuli from changing environments.

From this understanding, it can be submitted that “proper education”, in the Rizalian perspective, has the dual and intertwined meaning of sharpened and polished reason (mind) as well as strengthened and educated passion (heart).

A closer look at this formulation would give us a new appreciation. It does not seem to imply that “mind directs heart” but rather “heart directs mind”. For a strong and wise heart propels and navigates, while a sharp and smooth mind cuts and pierces. Heart is force; intelligence is weapon.

Could Dr. Rizal have been on to something that our nation and educational system have overlooked or neglected, namely: equal, if not more, focus on strong and wise hearts, not just sharp and pointed minds? Could not the continuing problems of the Philippines like massive poverty, political corruption and environmental degradation be connected to too much mental sharpness exercised in the absence of heart wisdom?

However, we Filipinos are not alone.

Albert Einstein viewed mental faculties as intuitive and rational. He said: "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." Einstein is also quoted as saying: “The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking...the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind.” Furthermore, he wrote: “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

I submit that a person with Rizal’s ‘educated heart’ would have an intuitive mind, wise thoughts and unlimited imagination.

The Holy Bible teaches that the heart is the first faculty with which to love and seek the Lord and wisdom; it is also a well from which so many not-so-good things spring forth.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30) "... the wise man's heart knows times and judgments; for there is a time and a judgment for everything." (Ecclesiastes 8:5-6) “Happy are those who observe God's decrees, who seek the LORD with all their heart. They do no wrong; they walk in God's ways. (Proverbs 113: 2-3) “Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.” (Proverbs 23:13) “Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others…” (Colossians 3:23)

“Out of their stupidity comes sin; evil thoughts flood their hearts.”(Psalm 73:7) “... the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy. These are what defile a person …” (Matthew 15:16-20)

“I, Wisdom, dwell with experience and judicious knowledge I attain… Mine are counsel and advice; Mine is strength; I am understanding. By me kings reign, and lawgivers establish justice; By me princes govern, and nobles; all the rulers of earth. Those who love me I also love, and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. (Proverbs 8:1; 12; 14-18) Thinking thus within myself, and reflecting in my heart that there is immortality in kinship with Wisdom, and good pleasure in her friendship, and unfailing riches in the works of her hands, And that in frequenting her society there is prudence, and fair renown in sharing her discourses, I went about seeking to take her for my own. (Wisdom 8:17-18)

With this insight of heart (wisdom, intuitive mind, passion, art) guiding mind (science, reason, logic, rational mind, intelligence, brains), it might be advisable to use them, respectively, as strategic approach and primary weapon for unleashing and discarding chains that stunt progress, like poverty and ignorance, as indicated in the second part of the 3rd USA Regional Assembly’s theme.

In a letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar from Brussels, dated 4 April 1890, Rizal said: “I am assiduously studying the happenings in our country. I believe that nothing can redeem us except our brains.” (Epistolario Rizalino, III, No. 360, p. 8.), thus indicating that incisive intelligence should be the main weapon for Philippine redemption. Moreover, I hazard to submit in this case, that he must have been referring to both our intuitive and rational brains, long before Einstein coined those words.

In his poem “A La Juventud Filipina” Dr. Rizal wrote in the third stanza: “Baja, con la luz grata de las artes y ciencias, a la arena, juventud, y desata la pesada cadena que tu genio poetico encadena”. This stanza, translated into English by Nick Joaquin, reads: “Bearing the good light of art and science, to the battleground descend, o youth, and smite: loosen the heavy pound of chains that keeps poetic genius bound”

In other words, using art and science---or wise passion and sharp reason---our people (especially the youth) can unleash our own (poetic) genius for moral and material development!

Why moral and material development? Because it was Rizal’s magnificent obsession! His letter from Hongkong to the Governor and Captain General of the Philippines Islands dated 21 March 1892, in effect, says so: “...the thought of my whole life has always been love of my country and her moral and material development...” (Epistolario Rizalino, III, No. 527, p. 306)

Perhaps we, the Knights of Rizal and like-minded souls, should also make this obsession ours, here and now, given that the dawn he saw at his death has not yet really turned into a bright morning for Inang Bayan. Let’s work, as Rizal paraphrased a more common expression in a letter to Mariano Ponce: “Ad majorem Phil. gloriam” [To the greater glory of the Philippines] (Epistolario Rizalino, II, No. 191, p. 46.)

The indicators for the realization of Dr. Rizal’s dream were immortalized in his poem Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell), thus: "to behold you one day, Jewel of Eastern waters: griefless the dusky eyes: lifted the upright brow: unclouded, unfurrowed, unblemished, and unashamed!" (Nick Joaquin translation). Based on this, I submit, his compelling vision was to see the Filipino respected by himself, by fellow Filipinos, and by the rest of the world.

We are still quite far from the fullness of that kind of respect. For, beholding our country today to include expatriates, do we see a majority of self-respecting, self-esteeming individuals and communities, respecting fellow Filipinos and respected by a majority of other peoples? I’m sure we all have varying answers, as the perception of truth according to Rizal, is like the different perspectives of a group of artists viewing a statue. But, may be, we can have the consensus that, at minimum, there is room for improvement in the areas of self-respect, respect by fellow Filipinos and respect by other peoples.

Right values and wise hearts with incisive, impeccable logic, all for Inang Bayan’s moral and material development---this, it is respectfully submitted, is a vision and recipe for education that translates to R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

On this score, perhaps the KOR 3rd USA Regional Assembly might want to pass a Resolution urging President Noynoy Aquino and our Congress to revise the emphasis of our educational system so as to give priority to the unfoldment of wise hearts among our youth even as the sharpening of minds continues.

Of course, other interested and patriotic parties are encouraged to freely take initiatives along these lines.

RIZAL - NOBILITY OF FILIPINOS

Nobility as used here means the character, virtue and internal quality of a person. It could refer to adjectives like worthy, generous, upright, honorable, virtuous, and magnanimous; it could also mean the state or quality of being (a) morally or spiritually good or (b) exalted in character. It is not used here to refer to a hereditary class with special social or political status, often derived from a feudal period, nor to persons belonging to a privileged social or political class, nor to inert gases.

Emilio Jacinto in the Kartilya ng Katipunan wrote that a life that is not dedicated to a noble cause is like a tree without a shade or a poisonous weed. He clarified that: (a) a deed lacks nobility if it is motivated by self-interest and not by a sincere desire to help; (b) a person with a noble character values honor above self-interest, while a person with a base character values self-interest above honor; and (c) to a person of honor, his/her word is a pledge. Andres Bonifacio’s Decalogue specified the “Duties of the Sons of the People” including, among others, the instruction: “Engrave in your heart that the true measure of honor and happiness is to die for the freedom of your country”.

By his life and works, Jose Rizal exhibited this nobility and honor. He described his life-mission as working for more liberty, more justice and more sacred rights of man in the Philippines. Rizal’s noble cause was to give more light that the people may be able to discern their own way, and if it were necessary, to shed his blood [spill my blood and tint your dawn] and die for the country [to fall that she may rise]. In letters to Blumentritt, he said he would rather give up his life for his people than remain in Europe to enjoy life there, and that he had to return to the Philippines to give an example not to fear death even if this may be terrible.

His strategic approach was education. In his Message to the Women of Malolos, he recommended: “Let us be reasonable and open our eyes, especially you women, because you are the ones who open the minds of men. Consider that a good mother is different from the one created by the Friars. Raise your children close to the image of the true God --- the God who cannot be bribed, the God who is not avaricious, the God who is the father of all, who is not partial, the God who does not fatten on the blood of the poor, who does not rejoice at the plaints of the afflicted, and does not obfuscate the intelligent mind. Awaken and prepare the mind of the child for every good and desirable idea --- love for honor, sincere and firm character, clear mind, clean conduct, noble action, love for one’s fellow men, respect for God --- teach this to your children. And because life is full of sorrows and perils, fortify their character against any difficulty, strengthen their hearts against any danger. The country should not expect honor and prosperity so long as the education of the child is defective, so long as the women who raise the children are enslaved and ignorant. Nothing can be drunk in a muddy and bitter fountain. No sweet fruit can be picked from a sour seed.”

Yes, by Bonifacio’s true measure, Rizal died for the freedom of his country and inspired his countrymen to work together, transcend debilitating in-fighting and lay the firm foundations for independence, even as he understood that the struggle for liberty (who gives favors only to the brave), justice and sacred rights of man must be bravely continued by new generations of Filipinos.

Dr. Jose Rizal showed the Filipino can be noble. “If the Filipino wills, he can” so he said.

Bayanihan Spirit

Recently someone sent me a copy of an article entitled “Doing a Geragos” which talks about the Attorney of Scott Peterson in the trial for the murder of his wife, Laci; Attorney Mark Geragos promised so much and delivered really nothing for his client. ‘Doing a Geragos’, according to that article, means to promise a lot and produce nothing.

When we expatriate Filipinos talk about “pagkakaisa” – oneness or unity – ‘doing a Geragos’ seems to be a usual response: meaning, most of us tend to treat it as a dream that promises a lot but will never happen. This response seems to spring from the assumption that ‘Filipinos have never been united and so will never be’.

The bases of this assumption are the innumerable cases of disunity and in-fighting among our people as borne out by our history to include now the history of expatriate communities all over the world. That is true and undeniable.

But is that sufficient basis to conclude that ‘Filipinos have never been united’, and then proceed to assume that ‘Filipinos will never be united’?

Unity, per se, is not what we are about. There is no human society that has, one hundred percent, operated like the atoms of a magnet; even dictatorships and authoritarian systems---political or religious---need some ‘compliance police’ to effect conformity.

We are a democracy or are governed by majority rule, in the hope that because of that rule the greatest good of the greatest number can be achieved.

So the ‘unity’ we refer to, really is consensus of the majority on common goals and common actions to realize those goals. It means being able to work together for mutual ends among the majority.

With this clarification, have we Filipinos been able to work together?

Of course we have. The very independence declaration we are celebrating [1898], now in its one hundred and twelfth year, showcases that moment in our history [1896] when a great majority of our people were united in fighting against the Spanish oppressors, finally transcending the individual, familistic and tribal uprisings of more than three centuries which were suppressed with the use of other Filipino groups. Our people’s establishment of the first republic in Asia came about because our majority was no longer engaged in fighting amongst themselves but rather fought against a common enemy.

EDSA 1 [1986] was also a showcase, among our majority, of “people power” in overthrowing an oppressive regime.

Therefore it cannot be said that Filipinos have never been able to work together; it cannot be concluded that Filipinos cannot work together.

Our bayanihan spirit belies that. Picture a nipa hut being lifted and moved to another place on horizontal bamboo poles by a group of men. That is the spirit of bayanihan that is our people’s cherished legacy.

Yes, we have been able to work together and yes, we can work together, now and hereafter.

It is a matter of choice.

Unlike animals that live on instinct, we humans have free will or the power of choice.

Take a vulture and a hummingbird. They fly the same grassland area. The vulture finds what it is looking for: decaying carcass; the humming bird finds what it seeks: honeyed flower. They find what they look for. So do we.

The difference is that birds have no choice. Their instincts dictate what they seek. We have the power of choice, even if that might be made more difficult by the momentum of habit and the inertia of history. We can choose what to look for.

Our power of choice is undergirded, according to the Bible, by the spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind, not by the spirit of fear.

Precisely, Dr. Jose Rizal advocated enlightenment and education for the liberation of the Filipino because the real battlefield is in the mind and the heart---in the realm of thoughts, ideas, suggestions and emotions. This internal battle continues all the time.

When Dr. Rizal called the youth ‘the fair hope of this land of mine’, he expected new generations to continue that internal battle and improve on the achievements of their forbears.

We are this new generation and our sons and daughters are the newer ones. Whether we like it or not, we are engaged: this internal battle continues inside each of us.

If we do nothing and do not exercise any choice in the matter of what we look for and expect, then we are bound to repeat the negative aspects of our history. Just as grass and brambles overtake untended fields, so will negativity dominate our minds and hearts if we do not keep on ‘transforming ourselves’ through constant ‘renewal’ of our minds.

Our choice is either to let our focus lazily continue on disunity, in-fighting and ego dominance or to consciously, intentionally and resolutely give our attention to our people’s ability to work together and uphold the common good.

With power, love and sound mind, let us choose to seek and expect the latter: for working together in the spirit of bayanihan is a heritage we can profitably pay attention to.

If we seek, then we find, so the Word of God assures us. That, surely, is not ‘doing a Geragos’.

Balik Tanaw Tungo sa Kaunlaran

PHOENIX ADDRESS
(Balik-Tanaw Tungo sa Kaunlaran)
PIDC Keynote Speech, June 5, 2010, by Edwin D. Bael
ASU West, 4701 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ 85306-4900

One hundred and twelve years ago, Filipinos declared that thenceforth, the people and the government in their seven thousand one hundred and seven islands shall be independent and free from the control and shadow of any nation and shall be known as the Republic of the Philippines.

Today, like other expatriate Filipino communities the world over, we here in Phoenix have come together, once more, to remember that date in history. Happily, the name Phoenix recalls the legend of the bird that rises brand new from the ashes of many yesterdays. With our theme, we want to look back at yesterdays to help ensure that the future is better for new generations of Filipinos.

Our timing is auspicious because our people have just elected a new President based, among others, on Senator Noynoy Aquino’s moral platform, which reminds us of Dr. Jose Rizal’s vision for unleashing the moral and material development of the Filipino.

Kudos and congratulations go to the PIDC (Philippine Independence Day Committee) leaders and participating groups; your continued concerted efforts to maintain this whole day event in the ASU (Arizona State University) West Campus, for years now, has solidified mainstream recognition of the presence and significance of the Filipino community in Phoenix.

In holding these commemorative activities, however, we cannot remain content with usual things to do. We might want to consider that our remembering could have impacts both here and back home.

We can ask ourselves whether what we do here can help improve the capabilities and competencies of our people back home. For, in face of discontinuities and ultra change, there is no security, only opportunity. And opportunity can be seized only by those who are enterprising, resolved, able and agile. These human capacities constitute the kind of educational outcomes advocated by our heroes, like Rizal and Bonifacio, not just the training of efficient cogs for global employment, which describes the majority of our educational institutions’ graduates whose general aim is ‘to work abroad’. So, what can we do to help generate these enterprising ability and agility outcomes? The answers could be projects that our various groups can look into and undertake.

We might also want to consider that it is for us, expatriates, to effectively participate in the politics of the countries we have adopted, that we may have a place in decision-making circles to help benefit our Inang Bayan and Jewel of the Orient Seas. So, can we be more effective in political action? Yes, of course. Rizal said: “If the Filipino wills, he can.” Let us then just summon that needed community will.

Still, when we can, we cannot presume to tell those in the motherland what to do. We are far too removed from their daily realities. But, we might want to show first that we can: (a) hold each other in high esteem; (b) expect the best of each other; and (c) live our lives so as to merit such high esteem and best expectation. Then, perhaps, we can have credibility beyond remittances and may be there can be more receptivity when we suggest a path to moral and material advancement. This path can be threefold, namely: (1) being anchored on the One-Source-of-All; (2) individual excellence; and (3) team-spirit; these, plus constant awareness and intentional disregard of colonial distortions particularly the usual superiority games and predispositions to prove fellow Filipinos wrong and inferior. Being equally important sons and daughters of God, we cannot afford to be derailed by such distortions.

Mga Kababayan, Ladies and Gentlemen: At the end of this hectic day, as you lay your head on your pillow and right before you go to sleep, remember: the Filipino is not only worth dying and commemorating for; more importantly, the Filipino is worth living, cooperating and succeeding for.

Maraming salamat po.

Arizona Knights of Rizal, Inc.

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