www.soriano-ph.com

Judging from the President’s spiritless endorsement of Gibo Teodoro as a presidential candidate and her party’s languid campaign performance, rocked by shifting party loyalties, it would appear that GMA is not keen on, or perhaps has abandoned the idea of, having a partymate succeed her reign. On this premise, I think GMA knows her politics too well.

It will not serve any practical purpose for GMA and her lieutenants to plot electoral cheating in a national scale, or worse a takeover using the armed forces. It would not matter to her who wins, although from many indications she seems to prefer a Villar presidency. It would matter to her though if she can prove and proclaim to one and sundry that the first automated election in this country is perceived as orderly and credible. This is crucial as a last minute attempt to save the sullen image of her presidency once it ends. Yes she will step down – but the credibility of the results of the 10 May 2010 polls is consequential in the pursuit of her post elections agenda.

And what is the agenda?

When GMA filed her certificate of candidacy as a congressional candidate for the 2nd District of Pampanga, she said that “after much contemplation I realized I am not ready to step down completely from public service” – a traditional politician’s favorite tagline as if elective officials have the monopoly of public service.  Obviously, the statement only meant – “I will stay or be back in power“.

She needs to be in the mainstream of political authority, first to avoid a repetition of an Erap-type prosecution for the sins of her administration, and second to take another attempt as Chief Executive of this country working within the limits of the Constitution.

Is it not a source of wonder why GMA did not run as Vice-President or Senator or Governor of Pampanga? The simple answer is that these offices would not serve her hidden but evident agenda. She opted to run for Congress because she wants to control the House of Representative by being its Speaker.

But why the House of Representatives?

We all know that impeachment cases are initiated in the House of Representatives. In case of a GMA prosecution, the case will begin at the Office of the Ombudsman. And there is a public perception that the incumbent is an ally, who cannot be replaced except by impeachment. In the unlikely event that prosecution proceeds, it will surely go all the way up to the Supreme Court, whose members including the Chief Justice would be her appointees by virtue of a recent decision. I would like to believe though that our Supreme Court would assert its independence when confronted with a legal controversy involving the matter. Justices of the Supreme Court cannot also be removed except by impeachment.

We all know also that there is an open constitutional question whether or not amendments to the Constitution may be done by a vote of 3/4 votes of all its members, the members of the House and the Senate voting jointly – which makes the vote of the latter totally insignificant in the process. Again, this issue would eventually fall on the lap of the High Court and its collective judgment would say with finality what the law is.

If GMA and her colleagues in the House succeed in this effort, we might have a parliamentary government with her as Prime Minister holding office side by side with the elected President depending on the quid pro quo and the terms of the charter amendments. The only remaining stumbling block for this is the ratification of the people in a plebiscite. Here, GMA needs to restore the trust of the people. But how?

The key is to make the 10 May polls credible as she gracefully exits the presidency come noon of 30 June 2010. Equally important to realize her political agenda is to ensure the election of her stalwarts in local elective posts for governors, mayors and congressmen, regardless of their party tag.

GMA’s intent is evident when she started releasing the pork barrel of allied solons during the campaign period; was reported to be supporting sympathetic party-list groups; insisted on appointing the Chief Justice and even the Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan; tolerated shift of party affiliations if that’s the practical way to ensure that her candidates would win in their localities. This maybe the reason also for the reported scarcity of campaign funds for national candidates but not necessarily for local candidates, particularly her congressional aspirants.

While many sectors of society are worried about fraud in the national results of the automated polls. They could be barking at the wrong tree because at the end of the day GMA might have her last laugh and stand taller over the issue. It could also be a diversionary tactic to cover up for a possible retail electronic cheating in the poll results for local candidates. This could be the reason why Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales found out for himself that “some people were already trying to bribe polling officials“. Offhand, this seems to be a modus operandi confined at the local level.

Needless to say, there is no pre-proclamation controversy in congressional posts and it is no longer a viable legal option when a winning candidate for other local position is already proclaimed. The sooner GMA’s congressional allies are proclaimed the better for her – and this can be facilitated by the unparalleled speed of electronic transmission.

I hope that this political insight is totally amiss because if it is true I do not see how the results of the coming polls will bring about change and a better life for our people. It would still be the business of politicking as usual.

I do not want to be a pessismist. Thus, I welcome your comment and tell me why I could be wrong.

I join our countrymen and the world in mourning the passing of Tita Cory. I learned about her death while I was in Naga City. And when I came back last night after a grueling land trip to Manila, I and my son, Jimbo, did not waste any time in paying our last respect for her at La Salle Greenhills.

Many great things have been said about Tita Cory and she truly deserves all the accolade.

But I love Tita Cory because she made us believe that what it takes to be a great leader and human being is neither education nor experience nor brilliance, just plain and simple sincerity, honesty, integrity, modesty, faith and the fortitude to rise above difficult circumstances – qualities that are rare these days and you can hardly find in any of our present day leaders.

I love Tita Cory because she made sure that we, our children, and hopefully the next generation enjoy the blessings of freedom under a regime of democracy. They say that absolute power corrupts but Tita Cory did not succumb to the temptation, when it was very convenient for her to do so. Her presidency had its own share of weaknesses but no one can deny that she served us well by making sure that every Filipino enjoy the fruits of liberty.

And I love Tita Cory because she distinctly made me proud to be a Filipino. The phenomenal and world-acclaimed People Power of 1986 was bloodless and peaceful simply because Tita Cory was its icon, its inspiration, its moving spirit. And I now reminisce that part of my life circa 1983-1986 with great pleasure which I want my children to cherish and understand well.

I dare say that Ninoy’s life and death was actually meant by God to prepare Tita Cory to be our own Joan of Arc. God must be on our side for giving us Tita Cory.

“I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life”, Tita Cory once said.  You did, Tita Cory.

“I hope that history will judge me as favorably as our people still regard me, because, as God is my witness, I honestly did the best I could. No more can be asked of any man”, Tita Cory said in her last SONA.  We know you did, Tita Cory.

With your death, may the hopes of the Filipino people live again by tying that yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree.

Thank you Tita Cory. Thank you. Farewell.

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

Below is a song composed by my best friend, Corazon Guidote, arranged by Roy Del Valle, performed by Lisa Del Valle and photoshow assembled by Mike Reyes.

This is under  CC-BY-NC-ND Philippine License 3.0

LINK: ‘Note Verbale‘, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Section) - 3 August 2008 Issue

It is safe to assume that Filipinos, as a people, are among the ‘easily pleased’, as compared to the other nationalities of the world. This notwithstanding, they also get hurt very easily, very onion-skinned in a manner of speaking. Little things make Filipinos in general happy but even the slightest incident could also trigger their disappointments.

Thus, a typical Filipino would always have something to complain about. More likely, however, he will keep the matter to himself than openly express, confront or even directly settle his gripes.  A Filipino would rather open his heart to, and seek comfort from, people who are close and dear to him even if they do not have any stake in his concerns. Many times, complaints are settled, or even exacerbate, through the grape vine in the chain of gossips and rumors.

Nevertheless, Filipinos love to communicate and express themselves. The Philippines would not be the text capital of the world if it were otherwise. Filipinos are everywhere in the digital divide with their blogs. Internet social networks like ‘friendster’ in fact are dominated by Filipinos. Filipino passion for music as a form of human expression is simply amazing.

While Filipinos are generally expressive, it is wonder why they would rather endure for as long as they can perhaps up to boiling point, than break the status quo. Make no mistake about it but the average Filipino has the heart for change, and would always hope for it, but he will never stake his person on it, especially if it would put his immediate family in jeopardy. He would rather suffer and protest in silence in this case until the clamor for reform or change has put the bandwagon in locomotion, that is when the battle lines are drawn.

Filipinos would openly express their love for their country but judging from how they live their daily lives as citizens, it is a source of wonder whether in fact they do. What should have been good for the country more often than not has to take a back seat in favor of convenience and parochial personal satisfaction. Choosing between what is good for the country and what is good for his very own or even his family’s interests (a usual line to justify his actions), a typical Filipino would obviously take the latter.   

A typical Filipino would have big dreams, high ambitions and would love to idolize and look up at a role model in pursuing his direction. What is disturbing these days is the impatience of many Filipinos to embrace the dignity of labor and hard work to ensure their economic success. Many are easily lured to professions, false opportunities, and even criminal endeavors that offer a quick fix. No wonder that when times are hard, there are more Filipinos lining up lotto betting stations, the illegal number game of jueting continues to flourish, there are incidence of corruption both in the public and private sector, the news never get tired of reporting people being duped of investment and money scams, and many young people abandon their dreams in favor of the career fad of the times. Nowadays, the only perceived measure of true success is money, and more money. Of course, this country is not alone in today’s highly materialistic environment.

Filipinos are generally reactive than proactive. They do not anticipate, or maybe refuse to aniticpate, difficulties and problems before they arise.  And when things go wrong, finger pointing starts, there would always be somebody to blame, and seldom would someone actually take responsibility for the mess.

In good or bad times, what is striking about Filipinos is their ingrained nature of finding joy in simple things and putting humor even to the most catastrophic situation. A Filipino is usually affective and easily shed tears while at the same time laugh at the situation without being necessarily happy about it.

There is no mutual exclusivity in the psyche of the Filipino. Anything goes so to speak. Whether this is good or bad could be seen where this country is, right now.

LINK: ‘Note Verbale’, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Times) – 30 March 2008 Issue

Congratulations to the hundreds of thousands of Filipino youth who received or will receive their diplomas in various graduation rites this month of March and next month after completing their elementary, secondary or tertiary education for school year 2007-2008.

Special kudos to James Soriano and the rest of the Ateneo High School Batch 2008 as they officially bid farewell to high school life today.

Former US President John F. Kennedy once reminded his countrymen that “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” 

US educator Horace Mann, the first great American advocate of public education in the mid-nineteenth century put it in this wise: “Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.”

Everywhere in the world, there is no argument that education is a key element in emancipating individuals, families and nations from the bondage of poverty and misery.  This country in fact even ordained in its Constitution to give the highest budgetary priorities in government spending for education.

But it seems that the world, including the Philippines, is merely paying lip service to the vital role of education in human survival and progress.

Some global reports and statistics say that today, there are still 125 million children who never attend school. At least 150 million children of primary age start school but drop out before they read or write. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 notes that based on enrolment data, approximately 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world, 57 percent of whom were girls, were not in school in 2005.

One out of four adults in the developing world is illiterate. Nearly a billion people entered the twenty first century unable to read a book or sign their names. A child in Mozambique is fortunate to go to school for two to three years while European or American child spends at least seventeen years of formal education.

And yet, according to the magazine, New Internationalist, less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it never happened.

In the Philippines, the enrolment ratio of children going to school seems high. Most of them though are in the public school system presumably because most families are unable to afford the exorbitant costs of private education. In fact, less than 20% of Filipino children are enrolled in private schools. And this aggravates the perennial predicament on the inadequacy of classroom and academic facilities, books, and qualified and competent teachers that necessitate huge public spending allocation every year. Worse, it is perceived, and the perception is most likely true, that there is a great disparity between the quality of education between private schools and public schools. 

The irony of it all is that the country’s educational system graduates hundreds of thousand of students every year many of whom obviously appear undeserving of the diplomas that they hang in the walls of their homes. It is a case of education for diploma’s sake and not for learning’s sake. Thus, it is no coincidence that the country still nurses a high rate of underemployment and unemployment. Filipinos use their diplomas simply as a passport to get a job period. Never mind if their employment is not necessarily what they prepared for after at least fourteen years in school.

Education does not guarantee success, wealth or fame. Education offers only the hope and the preparation for the attainment of human aspirations at the very least. In the scheme of things, getting educated is certainly most important than just having a diploma. 

The poverty of education looms. The world would not afford to have tomorrow’s parents and leaders out of today’s uneducated children and educated derelicts.

LINK: ‘Note Verbale’, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Times) – 24 February 2008 Issue

Tomorrow is the 22nd anniversary of the so-called ‘people power 1’ that toppled the authoritarian regime of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos and brought the country from a brief revolutionary regime to a constitutional democracy. Certainly, it was a fine moment in human history that the country can be proud of.

More than seven years ago, the strong political clamor to remove former president Joseph E. Estrada on charges of corruption gave rise to ‘people power 2’. Following a constitutionally-defined succession in which the Supreme Court gave its stamp of approval, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the post of chief executive.

While both versions of people power are being held in high esteem by the international community for the bloodless takeover of political regimes, there is no dispute that they would have not succeeded without military intervention. People power 1 and 2 were peaceful and bloodless because the top guns of the military hierarchy chose to shift loyalties to a new regime.

The sad reality is that no amount of public expression and demonstration of protest and condemnation even by a majority of the citizenry would topple a political regime without military intervention. Political leaders are naturally driven by the desire to preserve authority and power until all the avenues are closed, which only the armed forces could bring about.

Take the case of the ensuing ‘people power 3’ to restore the Estrada presidency. It failed not because it had no popular support, as in fact, Estrada obtained the most convincing and strongest mandate of the electorate in the country’s history when he got elected to the office. It failed because former president Estrada no longer had the organized support of the military generals.

In the current political controversy hounding the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the shifting of loyalties of the military hierarchy seems close to impossible. The commander-in-chief is astute enough to make the military leadership tow her line. Should the disgruntled junior officers in the military establishment decide to take matters in their hands, ‘people power 4’ would certainly be bloody and does not deserve to be called one. It would either be a rebellion, a mutiny or a coup d’etat.

The only constitutional mechanism to replace a president who betrayed public trust is the process of impeachment. But then again, this political process would not have any chance to even take off because of the president’s political dominance of the House of Representatives.

The church is calling for a ‘communal action’ or for a more meaningful or a new brand of ‘people power’ whatever that means. Certainly, street demonstrations, prayer rallies, and similar expressions of public protests would not bring about a new brand of ‘people power 4’ and make President Arroyo give up her office, even if the cardinals and the bishops are able to physically gather a million Filipinos in Luneta to call for her resignation.  The minions of the president have mastered so well the Machiavellian art of ‘divide and rule’.

For people power 4 to succeed in the same context as people power 1 and 2, but without the usual military interference, there must be some collective political will on the part of Filipinos to show that they are the sovereign authority. This could be done perhaps by momentarily withholding government support in the form of taxes, or by exercising the framework of people’s initiative to constitutionally shorten the term of the incumbent president, or a mass resignation or leave of absence of government servants who still upholds morality in public service. All these would be done only to put pressure to the president to resign and allow the constitutional processes to take shape. But obviously these are arduous paths to take.

In the meantime, a long-drawn-out political deadlock is in the offing. This means some setback in the economy and some political instability and maneuverings here and there. The Filipino people need to sacrifice more in the ensuing tug-of-war because whoever of the opposing camps blinks first loses the game.

If there is still a chance for ‘people power 4’, it should be within the constitutional spirit that sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them. Otherwise, people power 4 could be tragic.

LINK: ‘Note Verbale‘, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Section) - 26 August 2007 Issue

Language is the basic norm that defines a society. It is the building block of every community. 

Language plays an important part in the evolution and consolidation of culture. And every time a sovereign nation is born, a common language ordinarily understood and spoken by the people becomes an integral part of the process that defines national identity. Just like the flag and other state symbols, language is always the source of national pride in most countries around the world.

Never mind if foreign visitors or travelers, who are unable to speak, read, or understand the language in country destinations like Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, Arab states and all other countries that earnestly take pride of their own native tongue, are inconvenienced by the practice. If it is obligatory for foreigners to obey and respect the laws of country destinations, why cannot they oblige themselves to adapt to a foreign national language?   

First world countries like the United Kingdom and the United States have conquered the world efficaciously by consciously or unconsciously influencing people from all walks of life to use English as a standard medium of communication, in the same way that most Latin American counties are predominantly Spanish-speaking because of conquest and people of Chinese descent continue to use their native tongue wherever they are because of their affinity. The extension of these languages to foreign jurisdiction is surely a source of continuing pride to the country origin.

Except for France and its neighboring nations and former territories, the French language has not shown a similar type of dominance in present-day communication. But the French has managed to keep their language officially recognized in international bodies and proceedings like that of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and thus enable them to preserve French pride.

Perhaps it a mere coincidence that countries that do not adopt English as an official language but take significant pride of their own national language, like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Greece, Israel, Sweden or Portugal, are considered and classified as nations with advanced economies. The only plausible conclusion that can be derived here is that embracing a national language even in a parochial sense is never a hindrance to development and progress.

The Philippine Constitution declares that the country’s national language is ‘Filipino’. But for purposes of communications and instructions, both Filipino and English are recognized as official languages, until such time that a law is passed limiting the official language to Filipino. The same constitution has tasked government to take steps to make of it as a medium of official communication and as a language of instructions in the educational system.

‘Filipino’ as a language has yet to attain a definitive direction. At the moment, Filipino is simply the usual standard version of Tagalog, one of the more than a dozen major regional languages or dialects used all over the country by over a million Filipinos.

The shortfall of the country’s policy and resolve on the eventual evolution of Filipino as a national language is that it is a false hope and a dream that would never come to fruition. 

Since the adoption of the Constitution in 1987, government never lifted a finger to take serious efforts to make Filipino as a medium of official communication and instruction in schools. There are also some misgivings and criticisms from various regional ethnic groups to make Filipino predominantly Tagalog based. In the meantime, Filipino workers are tasked to brush up on their English to land jobs abroad and in call centers. Meanwhile also, Filipino families adopt the language or dialect best suited to them within the comfort of their homes.

The net effect of the current scenario is to have more and more Filipinos who are poor in both English and Filipino. Hence, “taglish” (an informal mix of Tagalog and English) was born and has almost permanently evolved as the unofficial national language.

If language is a measure of national identity and pride, it is a source of great wonder how the Filipinos would fare. If the evolution of a national language is the product of a people’s way of life, the country might as well discard both English and Filipino as official languages and give way to ‘Taglish’. 

Right now, the Philippines is ‘neither here nor there’.

LINK: ‘Note Verbale‘, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Section) - 19 August 2007 Issue

Agrarian reform is not a new concept.

In the second century before Christ, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, a Roman politician, proposed a law known as lex Sempronia agraria for the government to confiscate huge tracts of land being held by the latifundia, the wealthy upper class owning large estates, for homeless soldiers. In those times, Roman soldiers were required to serve the long duration of a military campaign and left their farms in the hands of their wives and children, who would lead a life of bankruptcy and forced to sell their lands to the latifundia. Upon their return, these soldiers joined the mob of thousands of unemployed roaming around the city of Rome because they had nowhere to go. This advocacy of Tiberius eventually led to his death after a violent confrontation with the conservative faction of the Roman Senate.

Many advocates hold the view that agrarian reform is a condition sine qua non for the development of successful economies.

And Taiwan is almost always seen as an ideal model. They say that Taiwan’s progress was greatly influenced by land reforms (agrarian reform followed by urban land reform) that led to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor.

In his article entitled: “Five Lessons for Land Reformers: The Case of Taiwan”, author Fred Harrison enumerated the factors that led to the country’s agrarian success.

Harrison first pointed out the proper allocation of land resources combined with the diligence of hard working population. With the reform, Taiwanese farmers began to plant second and intervening crops that doubled their income. In ten years, houses were rebuilt with tile roofs and cement floors and electricity extended to the countryside. The means of transport also improved from the rusty bicycles to motorcycles to automobiles. With each change, new industries were born.

The second lesson, according to Harrison, is not to displace agricultural labor until the industrial sector has developed enough to begin to demand it. At the start of the reform, Taiwan banned the importation of large farm tractors. Agriculture experts argue that mechanized equipments that were only meant to save man-hours in production are not needed in a country with manpower surplus. Harrison said that large landowners can make more money by displacing tenants and mechanizing. But displaced farm tenants have no place to go but to the edges of cities where they cluster in urban slums and where they have to be fed on the bounty of those working.

The third lesson, Harrison relates, is that a land reform which upgrades the economic condition of the peasantry provides an important political power base for the government that engineers the reform. At the time agrarian reform was introduced, majority of the country’s population were peasants. He observed that in Taiwan the central government enjoys much political authority but below this level the regime is quite democratic.

Akin to the third, Harrison pointed out that land reform was imposed on the landowners, who naturally opposed it, by a central government strong enough to do it.

And to make land reform permanent, Harrison noted that facilities for marketing, supply, and credit were adequately supplied and extended so that farmers are not driven back into the clutches of the former landlords. Taiwan did this through the cooperative system and peasant organizations to do away with the influence of the landlords who were also controlling or connected to rice mills, banking, farm input supplies and marketing. Tax systems were made conducive to the farmers.

The Philippine agrarian reform experience is far from this.

The land distribution scheme of Republic Act No. 6657 is set to expire in 2008.  Between the years 1972 to 2005, 3.7 million hectares were distributed to more than 2 million agrarian reform beneficiaries. And the combined agriculture, fishery and forestry production growth rate is only 1.8% in 2005 as reported by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). In terms of employment creation in the same year, the agriculture sector had only a 35.6% of the total pie

While agrarian reform is openly declared as a center-piece program of government, there is no showing that it would perform as an engine of economic growth for the country. Even with their own lands, small Filipino farmers remain to be among the poorest of the poor.

And it seems it would never be, simply because government has a thousand and one priorities.

LINK: ‘Note Verbale‘, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Section) – 15 July 2007 Issue

School debate or debating is a formal method of interactive argumentation in which two opposite parties engage each other to present their side either for or against a proposition within a pre-defined framework and rules of interaction.

Debate is about critical thinking and every debater knows that he or she is under obligation to present his or her side of the proposition regardless of personal belief, bias or opinion. Critical thinking in debate consists of the intellectual process of analyzing propositions that have been offered as true, reflecting upon the specific definition or meaning of the statements, providing evidence or examining offered evidence, and advancing structured reasoning to form a judgment that could very well support a case.

Debate is also about persuasion. And every debater should know that he or she must master the art and science of public speaking particularly in a competitive environment, also known today as ‘forensics’. The term was derived from the Latin word ‘forensis’, meaning ‘of the forum’. As in any form communication, a debater should put into heart five basic elements in his or her manner and style of speaking, which experts express in this wise – “who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?.” A good case oftentimes falls because of the inability of the debater to persuade.

School debating trains, molds and cultivates in students the essential characteristics that would prepare them to properly deal with the own lives in their adulthood. And these are a good sense of confidence, a vibrant personality, the ability to express one self well and clearly, the sense of working with a team, and most of all the love for learning and knowledge. A debater is always, and needs to be, well-informed of the goings-on in the real world. 

Unfortunately, only a handful of the Filipino youth today are attracted to debating. They probably think that it is an elite club for intellectuals or perhaps they tend to underestimate their personal capabilities conveniently forgetting that school debate could be an important part of learning, which they would never learn and imbibe inside the confines of the classroom.

In the recently concluded and the prestigious World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) in Seoul, South Korea, 156 world-class high school debaters from 35 countries competed for the crown to be the 2007 world champion, which was dominated by Australia since 2003. In the final match, Scotland unanimously won over Singapore.

The Philippine team composed of James Soriano and twin brother Carlo and Joey Felizardo representing Ateneo High School, Peterson Poon of Xavier School of Quezon City, Jeanina Tee of Immaculate Conception Academy, and Pia Ranada of Miriam High School entered the octofinals as the fourteenth best team of the world before it lost to Hongkong in a knock-out match. The team was also adjudged as third place in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Category of the tournament. In the nineteen year history of the tournament, the country had its best performance this year thus far. 

In this year’s Australasian Championship held at the Universiti Teknologi Mara in Malaysia held almost simultaneously with the 2007 WSDC, college debaters Charisse Borromeo and Leloy Claudio, both of Ateneo de Manila University, ranked as the sixth and tenth best speakers, respectively, of the competition. The last time the best speaker award was held by the Philippines was in 1998 by Praba Ganesan of De La Salle University-Manila.

The Ateneo de Manila University though is the undefeated champion of the Asian Universities Debating Championship since 2005 with Filipino college debaters, Roland Glenn Tuazon, Leloy Claudio, Charisse Borromeo, Miko Biscocho and Jess Raymond Lopez as tournament best speakers.

Debating is certainly one of the various school activities that the Filipino youth could very well excel in the global arena. And when that happens, it is not only good for the country but more importantly to the future of the Filipino youth.

LINK: ‘Note Verbale‘, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Section) - 8 July 2007 Issue

There are really a number of things that every Filipino should see in a positive light. These nature and norms are characteristically Filipino and in them may lie the strength of the country and its people if harnessed properly.

Family ties. Every Filipino would put his or her family above all things. It is even safe to assume that to an ordinary Filipino it is almost always a case of family first before country. Family members would always find a way to look after the welfare, well-being and future of family members at whatever cost or form of sacrifice. The influx of Filipinos abroad seeking greener pasture is actually a reflection of this motivation. Unlike in other culture, a Filipino could grow old or get bed-ridden without worries that no one would take good care of him or her. A typical Filipino would less likely avoid his or her obligations to the family or abandon them, especially in times of crisis, even in situations of marital conflict when the family is supposedly divided. To a Filipino, blood is always thicker than water. And the family is always worth dying for, to paraphrase the words of a great Filipino, Ninoy Aquino.

Friendship. Next to family, Filipinos value friendship. And there is a natural tendency for a Filipino to be friendly with anyone who comes along his or her way. A Filipino would always feel good to be there for a friend in good and bad times. A close friend is considered as an extension of the family and every opportunity to seal this affinity would be exerted on significant events like baptism, weddings, and similar occasions. For this reason, betrayal and infidelity among friends are deemed as grave sins and oftentimes irreparable.

Fun-loving. Filipinos are fun-loving people. They love to entertain themselves. They would always line up to watch a good movie, or spend time in the company of friends or family members over meals or a cup of coffee or a bottle or cases of beer, organize parties and gatherings*, or simply be glued to a favorite music or television program. People wonder why shopping malls, bars and food houses thrive and are always filled with people even at a time when the economy is bad.  It is simply because Filipinos know how to have fun even if they do not have money in their pockets. Filipinos love to deliver and exchange jokes even over a serious public concern. It is not that Filipinos do not treat problems seriously. It is simply because Filipinos love a vibrant life.

Flexibility.  Filipinos are capable of adjusting to every given situation. They can be in any territory, any situation or condition, or any person or group of people with a totally different orientation. Yet, they would always find themselves fit in a given environment notwithstanding language or cultural barriers. This shows how intuitive and cognitive Filipinos are. They are fast learners too.

Faith-centered.  Filipinos who do not belong to, or are not identified with, a religious sect are rare. And it does not even follow that those who do not are agnostics or atheists. Chances are, they too believe in the existence of a Supreme Being. To a typical Filipino, God is always the source of strength especially in times of need, desperation and ordeals.  The same faith keeps the Filipinos spirit constantly alive despite all the odds that may come along their way.

Some critics and social scientists have viewed this very nature and norms of the Filipino as the root causes of many of the evils and maladies that afflict the country. But should they be?

LINK: ‘Note Verbale‘, Manila Times (Sunday-Career Section) - 24 June 2007 Issue

Valdas Adamkus proved to himself and to the world that there is nothing a person cannot do, said author and life coach, Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott.

Adamkus emigrated to the United States in 1949 at the age of 23 after joining the underground movement against the Soviets in his teens and escaping to Germany in the process. In an interview he related this experience in this wise: “I survived and even managed to get on a ship that was to take me to America. All I had with me was a small backpack which contained a change of underwear and a book — and five dollars in my pocket. I earned my passage doing odd jobs on board the ship, and as I was leaving the ship upon arrival in the States, the captain said that he thought I “would make it real big” in life… It was very encouraging to hear him say it, the first such encouragement in several years of moving from place to place. . . ”

While in Chicago, he worked as a draftsman and in a car factory. Out of sheer determination, Adamkus finished his degree in civil engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology at the age of 34.

As an engineering student, he was a part of the signature campaign to petition the US government to intervene in the deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia by the Soviets. He also raised strong concerns about Soviet activities of his occupied country with then UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and former US President John F. Kennedy.

Adamkus later worked for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He was responsible for the pollution control programs in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. He also implemented a massive environmental cleanup strategy for the Great Lakes. For his work, former US President Ronald Reagan conferred on him the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a civil servant.

After Lithuania declared independence on March 11, 1990, Valdas entertained the idea of going back to his native land to help her in the same passion that he did for America. And so in 1998, at 71 years old, Valdas ran and became the President of Lithuania. After successfully winning a court battle on his eligibility to become head of his nation, Valdas immediately renounced his US citizenship at the American Embassy in Vilnius.

Adamkus served as President until 2003 when he ran for re-election but was unexpectedly defeated by populist Rolandas Paksas. The latter however was impeached and removed from office. And Adamkus seized the occasion to run again for the presidency, a post which he held until today at the age of 81.

According to Dr. Scott, when Valdas was asked about his inner process that led him to aspire for the demanding office of the presidency at a time when he was supposed to be retiring, he replied, “There are no limits in life.”

Adamkus enjoys a very high approval rating among the Lithuanians. Since 1998, he has been honored with more than two dozen decorations and recognition by different countries in Europe including Japan. He was also conferred at least sixteen honorary doctoral degrees by various universities in Lithuania, the United States, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

Adamkus described the ecological state of the Lithuanian soul in this manner, “Ecology is a very wide concept indeed. Ecology is cleansing. In the foundation of the Lithuanian mentality there has always been the most essential, age-old and time-tested values — love and respect for the native land, for its history, for the people of our land.”

He views globalization as a process that no country can avoid being affected by, to a greater or smaller extent. He said that, “The worst effects of total globalization can be prevented if the people of a nation have the national identity and awareness inculcated in them from childhood. We do our best to build the whole system of education and national upbringing with this in mind.”

The personal life of Adamkus should be a constant reminder to all overseas Filipinos that no matter where they are now they should not forget that they have only one country to truly love and work for, the Philippines.