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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Meloto�s Vision
By Antonio C. Abaya Written Sept. 06, 2006 For the Standard Today, September 07 issue In a commencement speech before the graduating classes of the Ateneo de Manila University last March 25, Antonio Meloto urged his young listeners to �let your vision and the power that you have discovered to change the world, define what is real for you. Make your love for this country and our people, especially the poor, your reality and your priority. Make it the foundation of your career plans, your dreams and ambitions for your children and the goal of any political or economic power that you have the privilege to wield. �Wherever you are in the world, excel and prosper but remain connected to the motherland and dedicate your success to the fulfillment not just of your dreams but to the many in your country who have lost their capacity to dream. �Do not be content in finding artificial security in gated subdivisions when you can provide yourself a buffer of peace by caring for the needy around you. Nor be content with living in First World luxury in a Third World environment and contributing to the discontent and the growing threats around the security of your own family. �Give value to the land of your birth by sharing with those who for generations have been deprived of its use and abundance. Be a blessing to your children�s future by making it your responsibility to be father or mother of the abandoned and neglected. �Be the hero who finds courage and the conviction that this country is worth saving, because it is a gift from God and that your life is meaningless if it is not dedicated to the fulfillment of a divine destiny to be a great people�..� How many generations of graduates have heard similar messages from other commencement speakers as they pondered the meaning of the last of their schooldays and the beginning of the rest of their lives? But those speakers� messages have quickly been lost and forgotten, perhaps because they had no connection with the real world, or perhaps because they were too trite to be remembered 15 minutes after they had been spoken, or perhaps because they offered no practical way to relate the message with the choices that graduates must make to start their new lives. But Meloto�s message has gravitas because he offers them a vehicle, a medium, a transformational passageway through which those graduates who decide to make the choice can directly discover how to live a life for others, how to experience a love of country that they have not experienced before, how to find meaning in their own lives beyond creature comforts and self-gratification. I do not personally know Tony Meloto. I talked to him for the first time, for all of 10 minutes, during the gala dinner last Aug. 31 for the 2006 recipients of the Magsaysay Award, of which he was one, for community leadership. I had been invited to be a reactor, with Jaime Augusto Zobel, to the lecture of one of the other awardees, Park Won Soon, of South Korea , who was honored for his role in public service. Mr. Park is founder of several NGOs in his country that addressed national problems that are within the reach of private citizens to grapple with. Thus during the military rule of Gen. Park Chung Hee, Mr. Park lawyered for victims of human rights violations. In the prosperity that followed the successful industrialization of South Korea, Park founded an NGO to soften the effects on those least able to cope with the new paradigm, including a novel fund-raising effort in which donors committed one percent of their annual incomes to a fund for those who have been left behind in society. Tony Meloto was honored for his role in Gawad Kalinga, a project of Couples for Christ, that seeks to build dignified housing for the poorest of the poor through the efforts of thousands of volunteers. To date, GK volunteers have built housing for more than 100,000 families in some 850 communities in different parts of the country. Gawad Kalinga hopes to build 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities in the next seven years. But more than the actual physical structures, GK has built a feeling of community among those who have volunteered their time and energy, which is but a step towards a feeling of nationhood that we Filipinos sorely lack and need. More important also is the ability of Meloto and GK to attract volunteers, even from other countries, to come to these parts and help build dignified housing for the poorest of the poor. In my article Meloto for President (Aug. 16), I specifically did not mention his name until, literally, the very last line, conscious as I was that politicizing what is essentially an apolitical award for an apolitical life�s work was not ideal. Among those who reacted to that article was Meloto�s own British son-in-law, Dylan Wilk, who had given up a life of creature comforts in the UK to be a GK volunteer. Wrote Dylan: �Although he would never consider it, simply promoting the suggestion of Tony Meloto for political leadership could put him in danger and jeopardize the work of Gawad Kalinga. �Yes, my father-in-law shows great leadership skills and is putting them to good use through GK, in the process bringing hope to a troubled nation and bringing about real and significant change in the Philippines. �He has publicly stated many times (and he is very serious about it) that he will never run for political office and that his belief is that the best way to make a positive contribution to the Philippines is to stay out of that arena entirely. This has allowed GK to engage politicians from all parties because they do not see him as a threat. However, if a movement springs up to try to encourage him to run, whether he intends to or not, certain people may begin to look at him as an enemy and react accordingly. �The best way to help the Philippines with regard to Tony Meloto is to simply support his work in Gawad Kalinga and promote GK,a movement that engages all sectors of society and all political parties, as the hope of the Philippines . We have a dangerous and highly charged political situation in the Philippines and my father-in-law works very hard to navigate the shark-infested waters without being bitten�.� Understood. So I promise not to ever mention again that Tony Meloto should be the next president of the Philippines . But I can mention that one major reason why I am so impressed by Gawad Kalinga and�Tony Meloto is that I share their vision that housing for the poorest of the poor, built by student volunteers, is the most effective way to build a sense of nationhood among Filipinos. In the presidential elections of 1992, I supported Candidate Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who asked me to draw up her program of government, which I did. Our flagship program was going to be dignified housing for the poorest of the poor, built by brigades of student volunteers. At that time, Miriam was very popular, especially with the young people, and I had no doubt that tens of thousands would have signed up to join. Slums are the most graphic illustration of government failure, and replacing slums with dignified housing built by student volunteers would have created an urgently needed social good of the first magnitude, and at the same time would have given young people a positive outlet for their idealism. To pay for their housing, beneficiaries would have been organized into manufacturing co-operatives to fabricate products for which there was a real need and demand, starting with the components that go into housing itself, of which I listed dozens that were then and still are being imported. In the hands of a visionary, articulate and credible leader, it could have been the start of a peaceful social-political-economic revolution that this country so badly needs. Turning the unemployed and the underemployed into producers makes them also consumers of other products and services in the larger capitalist economy, thus widening the market base for everyone. It was such a commonsensical idea that I am surprised that no politician ever got to conceive and adopt anything like it . This was described in detail in my article GMA�s Revolution Stalling ( Feb 09, 2003 ) and subsequent articles. The difference between Tony Meloto�s vision and mine, and it is a big difference, is that he managed to turn it into reality, and I didn�t. Here�s to you, Tocayo. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles since 2001 in www. tapatt.org OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Meloto�s Vision� Tony, I admire you for your article. It is well-said. Congratulations for your openness to a job well-done. Give praise to the Lord. Genny Ferrer, [email protected], Sept.o8, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Cheers to you, Tony Meloto,. and to the Gawad Kalinga back home, and to us abroad!!!! Gloria Lilly, [email protected], California, Sept.08, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tocayo, While reading this and other reports on TONY MELOTO and the GAWAD KALINGA, I am motivated to suggest to our leaders, public and private, living today to make use of the internet and related communications technology available for all of us in this day and age and take up the challenge put forth by Tony (another tocayo) Meloto. Let us awaken the TOYM AWARDEES through the ages, THE ROTARY CLUBS IN THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO and their collective capital resources, THE PALANCA CONTEST WINNERS IN ALL GENRES and contribute their talents towards the change agent and programs, to mention a few organizations and make Tony Meloto's message a living reality. Let us avoid the sudden death syndrome known to many as NINGAS COGON for now is the time when we can support this movement. Aim at the youth (high school upwards) and have training programs conducted as supplementary to their high school and college curricula (courtesy of the PSTD, PHILIPPINE SOCIETY FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT) and make this a total, multilevel effort. I am sorry to say many of us over 30 college graduates, working and struggling are no longer effective since we have become PART OF THE TOTAL PROBLEM (SIGH). Except, of course, for a few select sensitive, erudite, fearless fighting nationalistic Filipinos like...You Tony. Tony Joaquin, [email protected], Daly City, California, Sept. 08, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You're absolutely right. The difference between Tony Meloto and other good-hearted Filipinos is that he managed to turn a dream into reality despite an environment that obstructs achievement and merit. But don't sell yourself short, Tony. You've touched the hearts and minds of many Filipinos yourself through the power of the mind and the pen much longer than Tony Meloto. Different strokes for different folks. Raffy Alunan III, [email protected], Sept. 08, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww There are quite a few of Tony Melotos doing each own contribution in today's poor society. I've met some of them on my several trips to the Philippines and coming home. It�s quite impressive how these expats devote their little resources and time to help the less fortunate in our homeland. If these heroic deeds were only exposed to the all Filipinos from the north to the south, let it give shame to those unscrupulous politicians in the country. Ganny D. Cornelio, [email protected], Sept.o8, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Well said, Mr. Abaya, though it is not the rich who should do this. It is the government�s job to give shelter for the people without homes My father got his farm at a late age though he instilled to all his children that as long as your workers are with you, you try and give them shelter . He had it planned even down to the employees of his company, though somewhere along the line the property back in the 60's he ask to get the people or shatters there out and with the help of government to give them another place they could move to, though government and our actions flel on deaf ear's in government and the justice system. So in a way we failed just like you, though it is still a responsibility we try and give our employees other benefits to make it easier. God bless you and your family. Jaime Claparols, [email protected], Sydney, Australia, Sept. 08, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Bravo, Tony! The great thing is that Meloto also rouses the enthusiasm of students -- such as in your and my alma mater, Ateneo de Manila, home to the burgis. My only disappointment is the following: 1) Thus far, his housing has focused on single-story units. But there is only so much land available. We should be concerned about urban sprawl. It's eating up valuable land and contributes to warming. 2) Thus far, he is not interested in re-using and retrofitting the MANY EMPTY BUILDINGS in Manila and other cities. He says he wants to avoid politics and hassles with the owners. That's a pity though because re-using those buildings will do wonders for the city in terms of revitalizing neighborhooods, raising the value of land, and even saving valuable heritage buildings. This path in fact is what UNESCO has been promoting in many countries. This too is what UNESCO has suggested to us in heritage advocacy. But well, I suppose each is entitled to his own particular vision and mission. Meanwhile, cheers for Meloto's work! Butch Zialcita, [email protected], Sept.09, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Reaction to �Freedom from Mediocrity� ( June 13, 2006 ) (Copy furnished) Dear Marilu : There are very few columnists (less than the fingers of one hand) whom I respect - one of them is Tony Abaya (even if I don't subscribe to his position regarding religion, or more specifically, our faith, most especially since he is a product of Ateneo) But clearly, this is one article where Tony Abaya has outdone himself - he has hit more than the proverbial one bird with one stone : 1. the incomprehensible choices of the masa for political leaders : 1.1 in the recent past, 4 of the more glaring ones have been Erap ( the colossal womanizing drunkard); Ramon Revilla (impossible to keep count of his 70 or more wives); ; the 2 Marcos children are entrenched in Congress; 1.2 and today they are saying that Pacquiao (who has not finished Grade 3) is a shoo-in as Vice-Mayor of Manila; Kris Aquino Yap is a run-away bet as senator of the land; the great Imeldific and the convicted jailbird Mark Jimenez fighting each other for the Manila Mayoralty post 2. the Filipino fatal characteristic of ningas cogon - all the cases against the plunderers are still pending. We start on fire (trumpets blaring and all the brouhaha) with the exposition but cut and dried cases are still pending - and sadly no one seems to care anymore. 3. the lack of intestinal fortitude by our political leaders - I cannot see even among the best of anyone in the political ring, anyone who will bite the bullet and make unpopular decisions like the revered Lee Kwan Yew or even the controversial Mahathir. It is not really mediocrity - but compromise that has tolled the death knell for our country and our people. Tony B. Elicano, [email protected], Sept. 09, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww "The Eagle Will Not Fly Without the Poor" By Antonio P. Meloto, Gawad Kalinga Ateneo de Manila University Commencement Exercises March 25, 2006 I asked some members of the senior class last week why they chose me as their commencement speaker. I have no business empire. I hold no political power. and I am no academic genius. I am just an ordinary Filipino, a graduate of the Ateneo, who did not even excel as a student. just an ordinary man who loves to tell stories about the extraordinary things that people are doing for our country today. And they told me--- because I represent a movement that presents hope at this time when many in our country are in despair. You are looking for hope in me, but I am here to tell you that this school and the other members of this university have been a source of hope and inspiration for me in the last three years. When Father Ben Nebres and the Ateneo Board of Trustees bestowed the Ozanam Award on Gawad Kalinga through me on July 23, 2003, they triggered A REVOLUTION OF HOPE in the Ateneo. sweeping the Ateneo from grade school, high school, college, to the Alumni... then leading the way for other organizations abroad to follow their example and joining the bandwagon for nation building. The Ateneo is showing the world that "The eagle will not fly without the poor". Thank you Father Ben for your great love for our country and for inspiring the young to make a difference in the lives of our people. Caring for the poor and restoring the dignity of the Filipino in his own country have now become an urgent mission for Filipinos here and abroad. This is not just healing for our country's poor and neglected but it is healing for me and many like me as well. Unknown to most of you, for 32 years it wasn't easy for me to return to Ateneo. I didn't come to the reunions and homecomings, simply because of a sense of guilt of a person who grew up with the suffering poor but later forgot them after I got an Ateneo education. I was so focused on repackaging, and building up myself that I forgot the accompanying responsibility that came with the privilege of an Ateneo scholarship. I forgot the poor. I left them behind. I left them like so many others before me. There are many who blame the rich and powerful for the plight of the poor. I know there is basis for the accusations but I cannot bring myself to blame them. How could I expect them to love the poor whom they do not know when I grew up poor and yet forgot to help them, too. I realized my great shortcoming as a Filipino in 1985 when I joined Couples for Christ. It was then that I found my faith and grew a conscience and decided to live a righteous life, to correct the mistakes and the injustice committed to our country and to our people by people like me. Couples for Christ taught me to repent for my sins and to be genuinely sorry for the things I failed to do for my country and for my people. I am really sorry for the state of things, because of my failure to do something about it. And many are now sorry, just like myself because of this state of degradation. But feeling sorry is not enough. Sorry does not restore beauty, sorry does not restore dignity, sorry does not restore the plan of God for man. Sorry begins it, but sorry is not enough. What needs to be done is to bring sorry to action, to convert regret to reform, to lift apathy to compassion and development. We who have not done well by the talents and treasures we have been gifted with, we who have abdicated our responsibility of shepherding the poor and the young to their birthright of enjoying the treasures of a beautiful and abundant country, we who have seen the errors of our ways and are sorry --- we must now restore what we destroyed. or allowed to be destroyed. Because the Ateneo is a Christian university which believes in the mission of forming students to become persons for others, the principle of good over evil goes beyond the fundamental understanding of right and wrong. It is not enough not to do wrong. To battle evil, we must do good. The path of reform and transformation for Ateneans. for Christians, must be one of peace . It must believe that good is more powerful than evil, and only in the exercise of good can evil be eliminated. Thus, the path of reform and transformation, personal and social, must be a path of good works. Build homes. Restore abundance. Restore beauty. Restore peace. Build and restore, build and restore. And you did! The eagle has landed in Payatas. Because you could not bring the poor of Payatas to Ateneo, you brought Ateneo to the poor of Payatas. In this once desolate place, you restored dignity, you have brought back hope! The former squatters now have security in their land. You transformed 200 shanties -- the slum and the garbage have now become a beautiful middle class community. Crime has virtually disappeared. Former street children are now in school. The idle have been motivated to find employment and are now living productive lives. Nawala ang sindikato sa lupa, sa tubig, at sa ilaw. (Translation: Those who take advantage of the poor have been removed.) You have transformed hell into a piece of heaven. all because you cared, you shared and you learned to work together. The grade school worked with their parents, the high school students gave up their parties. the college students gave up their weekends. And the Alumni from all over the world also helped. I salute and honor the eagles of Payatas, especially Steph Limuaco, former President of the Ateneo Student Council and now full-time worker of Ateneo for Gawad Kalinga, students, parents, the caretaker team from CFC And Mayor Sonny Belmonte who not only paved the way for the poor to own the land in Payatas but also paved the roads. Again you performed the same miracle in Gabaldon! The surviving flood victims who were once squatters living in dangerous areas now have their own land in sites that have been cleared as environmentally safe and their own sturdy homes. Now the people are growing their own food and planting trees. Land for the landless, homes for the homeless, food for the hungry. For this I honor Mark Lawrence Cruz, the 300-strong Team Gabaldon and Mayor Mandia. You washed away the mud of despair and brought out the gold in the poor of Gabaldon. Gabaldon is part of a massive rehabilitation and reconstruction effort called Kalinga Luzon that goes beyond the usual relief operations after the calamity. Malaki ang tulong dito ng three Atenista (Translation: Enormous was the help of three Ateneans) in helping 40,000 survivor families of the Luzon typhoons and floods. Secretary of National Defense and NDCC Chairman Avelino "Nonong" Cruz , Smart-PLDT Chairman Manny Pangilinan and former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo. This afternoon I invited the proud leaders of Payatas and Gabaldon, together with the mayors of Cabiao, San Isidro, and Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija who have also benefited from the help of Ateneo. They are here to witness the graduation of a new breed of Ateneans and Filipinos who not only have the brains but also the heart for our country and our people. The journey to rebuild our country is just beginning and moving towards massive up-scaling with the entry of corporations, national government agencies, LGU's and Filipino organizations abroad. Corporations too are searching for a deeper and better _expression of corporate social responsibility. Rival corporations are rising above business competition to help. P&G and Unilever, Jollibee and McDonalds, Shell and Petron, Pfizer and Wyeth and Smart-PLDT. and over a hundred others. Shell said, "Kung may layunin, malayo ang inyong mararating". (Translation: If you have a purpose, you will accomplish a lot.) Smart said, "We're not just building homes, we're building a nation". Both campaigns are inspired by the spirit of Gawad Kalinga, the spirit of being a person for others - going beyond conventional charity towards helping the poor become better stewards of their families and their communities. Converting our human resource from liability to asset, expanding the market base by empowering the poor make good business sense! This afternoon we have with us the country chairman of Shell Philippines, Mr. Ed Chua, who is from La Salle and the president of Pfizer, Mr. Gerry Bacarro, who is from Ateneo. Both are firm believers of corporate social responsibility geared towards nation building. It is our hope that the stiff rivalry between Ateneo and La Salle in basketball will be elevated to a higher level of nobility of building the most number of houses and communities and educating the most number of poor children. My fellow Ateneans, when you leave this campus, many of you will join these corporations and will be happy to note that they have a keener sense of social responsibility and a work environment that will nurture your idealism. In the field of governance, more than 300 mayors and governors have chosen the same path of nation building. Hundreds more will join this year and members of Congress are being inspired to do the same. Many of you will be the future mayors, governors and members of congress. and again will be happy to note that your predecessors have begun the path of building and restoring our country. Even Filipinos abroad have found a reason to hope and a way to their love for the motherland. Many have gone beyond sending resources they themselves are coming home to help build the nation of their dreams. Bicolanos helping Bicol. The Ilonggos helping Negros and Panay. The Cebuanos helping Cebu. And the Fil-Am doctors are going beyond the usual medical mission and are building healthy communities as a way of giving back to a country that they have never stopped loving. When you care for others, especially the weak and the powerless, you will be amazed at how God will take care of you and the people you love. Today I thank God for my wife and my five children who have joined me in this mission to help restore this beautiful land. This is the best legacy I can give them. I honor my son Jay, who at 22, left his job and an exciting life of fast cars and beautiful girls in L.A. to help the typhoon victims of Bicol. and my son-in-law Dylan Wilk who left his country England, his family and friends, his extravagant lifestyle - his Ferrari, his Porsche and BMW. in exchange for the poor families in this country that he has learned to love and care for. And of course, the nameless and unrecognized workers and heroes of other Ateneo initiatives like Pathways, Tulong Dunong, Jesuit Volunteers of the Philippines, Leaders for Health and other NGOs and cause-oriented groups who love this county. Today there are tens of thousands of them. Tomorrow there will be millions. Together we will build a slum-free, squatter-free, crime-free Philippines. And so in the same spirit of heroism, I urge you young Ateneans to do the soar to great heights but it will all be meaningless if you fly alone. The poor do not have strong wings like you do and they need you to carry them, inspire them to discover their own strength and greatness. Sana eto ang walang iwanan. (Translation: Hopefully, we will never abandon the poor.) For the parents, as you have invested in the future of your children by giving them the best education possible. Support also your children's desire to invest in the future of this country. They will honor you. Even more if you value their aspirations for nobility and their dreams for a better country that will be a source of pride for them and their children. As we go through this defining moment of Philippine history, let us strive never to forget four things: 1) Never stop hoping for our country. (2) Don't stop caring for our people. (3) Demand greatness of yourself as a Filipino. (4) Inspire greatness in other Filipinos. As you leave the campus to join the real world, let your vision and the power that you have discovered to change the world, define what is real to you. Make your love for this country and our people, especially the poor, your reality and your priority. Make it the foundation of your career plans, your dreams and ambitions for your children and the goal of any political or economic power that you have the privilege to wield. Wherever you are in the world, excel and prosper but remain connected to the motherland and dedicate your success to the fulfillment not just of your dreams but to the many in your country who have lost their capacity to dream. Do not be content in finding artificial security in gated subdivisions when you can provide yourself a buffer of peace by caring for the needy around you. Nor be content with living in first world luxury in a third world environment and contributing to the discontent and the growing threats around the security of your own family. Give value to the land of your birth by sharing with those who for generations have been deprived of its use and abundance. Be a blessing to your children's future by making it your responsibility to be father or mother to the abandoned and neglected. Be the healing of the soul of this nation and the fulfillment of the dream that we have forgotten. Be the proud Filipino that we are not yet, but soon will be. Be the hero who finds courage and the conviction that this country is worth saving, because it is a gift from God and that your life is meaningless if it is not dedicated to the fulfillment of a divine destiny to be a great people. Let me end this speech and send you off with a prayer. Dear God, pour out your blessing upon our new graduates. Guide them in their journey to greatness. Show your power and majesty to this troubled and sinful nation through these young Filipinos who will strive to live lives of righteousness and excellence. Make them healers of our wounded generation of living heroes who will bring this country to our destiny of greatness. Mabuhay kayong mga bagong bayani ng bayan! Kayo ang bagong lakas ng pagbabago! Kayo ang magandang mukha ng kinabukasan! wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Magsaysay Awards: Honoring Filipinos By Jose Ma. Montelibano August 10, 2006 I make it no secret that I am a totally committed worker for the Gawad Kalinga movement. It is by far the most substantial promise of the kind of change that many Filipinos have dreamed of. When I witness the political dynamics of the land, whether it is about Hello Garci, *coup de etat* or charter change, I slowly shake my head in amazement that leaders of this fledgling nation can preoccupy themselves with controversy when all Filipinos tiptoe at the edge of a precipice. The history of Filipinos in the last few centuries has been particularly devastating to a culture that was promising to be one of the most creative and festive. Though natives of the motherland were no exception to hierarchical and feudalistic structures of governance, any pre-Hispanic *datu *system that was in place could not have been as harsh as its counterparts in the world. Understandably, the creative and festive traits of our culture preempted the worst of behavior from societal leaders. But massive exploitation is the mark of colonization here and elsewhere. There must have been greedy leaders among our ancestors in pre-Hispanic times, but colonization is institutionalized corruption, the worst of its kind. There is nothing sophisticated about subjugating a people through force, and then raping their land for what it contained that was of value to the foreign masters. While exploitation can be as physical as it can get, it is also an attitude and perspective that can linger long after the first exploiters are gone. It is the curse of Filipinos that many among the local elite were prot�g�s of exploiters and continued what they learned from their foreign mentors. When institutionalized exploitation was terminated by political decrees, such as the awarding of independence by the Americans, the exploitative habit refused to die and easily found itself as the operating system of the new, albeit, local masters. Colonization cannot be justified. The use of force to subjugate and dominate another people, another country, who had not in any way provoked aggression from greedy bullies is beyond justification. Colonization was a wholesale anomaly that our people still reel from today. But selectively, good also happened in many ways and in many forms. Even in an atmosphere of evil, goodness in people cannot be easily eliminated or prevented from manifesting. Thus, just as there are endless examples of why the use of superior force to take over the lives of other peoples and nations is barbaric in nature, kindness, heroism, and generosity abounded in Philippine soil � both from foreigners and natives. The introduction of Christianity is a boon even if its spotty practice makes hypocrites of many. And the tradition of honor that defined the best among generations who are now long gone is a haunting angst that flickers still in the hearts of a people living in shame. Our shame does not come from centuries of colonization, centuries of being defeated by wave after wave of foreign masters. While we lost, we fought. And while we suffered for so long, we finally won all the wars to rid ourselves of the Spain, Japan and America. We can look back with sadness at what happened to us, but we do not need to look back in shame. Our shame comes from the poverty we tolerate, the corruption new tolerate, the violence we tolerate. Our shame comes from the exodus of Filipinos who have to look for security and promise in foreign shores because they cannot find it here. Our shame comes from the hunger of millions who have been hungry survey after survey, year after year, decade after decade. Our shame comes from our inability to help one another when it is easier to take advantage of the other. Our shame comes from being fearful that a most fertile and abundant land cannot support its own children. We are a people of faith, whether that is Christianity or Islam, or a native belief in a cosmology where divinity and humanity merge. Our shame comes because all our faiths cannot reconcile with a spiritual failure so horrible that our pretension of loving God is exposed by our refusal to love our neighbor. We insult not only ourselves as human beings and our value as the crown jewels of creation; we insult our religious beliefs as well by not practicing what we preach. Now, almost from nowhere, a shaft of bright light, a burning bush in the aridity of a shamed society, a bearer of hope emerges. Gawad Kalinga and Tony Meloto are like lotus flowers negating the ugliness of muddy ponds, and showing that good, indeed, can defeat evil even in its favorite lair. What is majestic about Gawad Kalinga and Tony Meloto winning the Ramon Magsaysay award for Community Leadership is that tens of thousands of Filipinos here and abroad are honored through them. Gawad Kalinga is less an organization than it is a work, a work of faith expressed in good works. Gawad Kalinga builds beautiful churches, chapels and mosques by making its more than 850 villages living expressions of different but harmonious faiths. Gawad Kalinga has used what can be a point of division - the building of the Filipino nation - as a core and powerful bond among Filipinos of different persuasions. Take a bow, Filipinos, there are among us men and women who refuse to live in shame, and who refuse to let those in shame be comfortable in their lowly choice of environment. Among the rich, among the powerful, are a growing number who are turning their backs on exploitation and advocating generosity by example. Among the poor are a growing number who are turning their backs on mendicancy and striving to be productive and contributory to the well-being of their communities. And among the most ordinary are a growing number of extraordinary heroes, those who think of others ahead of themselves. The Ramon Magsaysay awards to Gawad Kalinga and Tony Meloto honor all that is noble in us, for reaching out in care and friendship to the poor, the weak, the old and the young, for promising never again to leave them behind. And to think that the recognition and honoring are done at a time when the work of nation building has just begun can only make us wonder in awe at what more we, as a people in solidarity, can do to lift all our poor out of poverty and recover our honor. *** responses can be sent to [email protected] wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww A Tribute and a Prayer By Jose Ma. Montelibano August 28, 2006 On August 31, Gawad Kalinga and Antonio Meloto will each be given the Ramon Magsaysay award in the category of Community Leadership. These are worthy awardees, maybe even more than what the award citations say about them. Because of Gawad Kalinga and Antonio Meloto, grave fears of a bleak tomorrow are eased in more hearts. As for me, I feel affirmed for having caught glimpses of the power of good examples early on. More than a year ago, I shared the following thoughts to friends around the world. Today, I offer those thoughts again in tribute to Gawad Kalinga and Antonio Meloto. The rich are building the walls around their homes, high walls, strong walls. Beyond that, they are propelling the fast growth of security agencies, and expanding the use of well-trained, expensive guard dogs. And they continue to hold sway with their most powerful protectors � the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. With the men in uniform plaint to their will, the rich are also the powerful. But the poor are everywhere. And whether we like, or not, the way they look and smell, they remain Filipinos, full-bloodied children of the motherland. They may be weak, they may be clinging, they may be subservient, but they deserve no less than an Ayala, or a Gokongwei. And there are a few of us who will not wait until our brothers and sisters are pushed to the edge of their capacity to absorb pain, who now feel one with them in their suffering. We will not wait for their anger to drive them to destroy everything around them, including themselves. We will not wait because they deserve all we can give now, especially our sympathy, especially our empathy. We scour the streets for the worst off of them, the poorest of the poor, the most broken, the most dangerous. We reach out to them as brothers and sisters of the same God, of the same motherland, not to patronize, but to share the blessings that have come our way. And as we hold their hands to re-assure them that they are loved, that they are respected, we walk the path of growth with them, clear the way for their brighter future. We are workers for Gawad Kalinga, tens of thousands of us today who will be hundreds of thousands tomorrow. We are Filipinos, ordinary Filipinos, who are driven by our faith and our patriotism, our love of God and our love of the motherland. In our ordinariness, we stumble and grope like the weak and the pained we walk with. But we will not give up, we will not leave them behind anymore. And if we have to die, then we will die together as one family, one family of Filipinos. There is a God, though, and a motherland, that nurture and assure all who lean on them. We are not afraid of failing, because failure is not the reward of children who are faithful to God and country. We are determined to honor our inheritance, to value our land and make it productive, to respect our brothers and sisters and share our blessing with them, to try and try again until we taste, as a people, the divine promise of Creation. Gawad Kalinga begins with small communities because it believes that the seeds of national strength lie in the vitality of poor communities transformed to become producers and benefactors to the rest of the nation. The greatest liabilities must be converted to their potential - as the greatest assets of the motherland. Gawad Kalinga is committed to show the way. Gawad Kalinga is not a work of charity; it is a mission of nation-building. It is not the mission of an organization; it is a crusade for all Filipinos. There are no walls in Gawad Kalinga, no exclusive entry, no privileged positions. Those who rise in honor are those who do more, who give more, who become true servants in leading the way. There is no other movement, no other program, no other vision of rebuilding a people and building a nation that has presented itself to the Filipino people, except Gawad Kalinga. There is no other mechanism of integrative comprehensiveness, of national scope, than Gawad Kalinga which literally, and simply, means to give care. It is about caring, but beyond. It is about caring and giving that care. We care, and many more do. We dare, and many more will. We move, we act, anchored in the virtues of faith, grounded in the values of patriotism. We plead for all to join, but are determined to proceed whatever the response. We have chosen a path that is designed for convergence, that values traditions, that raises the Bayanihan spirit as a revered native and refined _expression of Christ's exhortation to love. There are now over 800 Gawad Kalinga communities all over the country. Everyday, one or more join to increase the movement. In seven years, we strive for 7,000 Gawad Kalinga communities. That makes a difference, a big difference, 7,000 communities believing in the same dream and acting as one united force. Beyond the 7,000 Gawad Kalinga communities are perhaps 77,000 other communities which comprise the Filipino nation. The 7,000 will reach out to the 77,000, in words backed up by action, in vision articulated by visible and tangible achievements. We will rebuild ourselves. We will build the Filipino nation. To those who pursue their own ways towards the same dream, we have this message. 84 million Filipinos are like 84 million small republics because each insists on his or her own. No matter how beautiful each dream is, we can grow only in unity and harmony, one massive and integrated force with one vision, with one movement, with one leadership. If there is a more beautiful vision, if there is a more powerful revolution with a more powerful army, if there is a more caring pathway, then Gawad Kalinga will subordinate itself to that cause, to that power. But if there is none, as there is none today, then we pray that Gawad Kalinga be our common dream, our common mission. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Hi! Tony Tony Meloto's son-in-law, Dylan Wilk, is right. Someone, like Mother Theresa and Tony Meloto, has to do the challenging work of crossing barriers and treating the consequences of injustice in this world. But others, like Pepe Diokno and Park Won Soon, assume the courageous task of addressing the root causes of injustice itself. In the process, as Dylan Wilk has also correctly pointed out, they invite enemies from the wealthy and the powerful.
I also have the highest admiration for all those who, in ways that they choose, selflessly serve others in need. On the other hand, I only have regret for those who make themselves instruments of injustice and cause others to suffer for personal gain. These apologists of unscrupulous wealth and power are surely going to face God's justice in due time. Gico Dayanghirang, [email protected], Davao City, Sept 11, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Thanks for passing me the news that there are still some people out there who are doing something about the flight of the people left out by society. Maria P. Almeda, [email protected], Sept. 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, How do we, the Silent Majority, send a few good men like Mr. Meloto to national office ? I know it's almost impossible to pit him against the forces of darkness ( Murderous Communists and Lost Leftists, Right Wing Military, Trapos, Sanctimonious and reactionary Clergy, Fornicating Showbiz personalities, Greedy Capitalists without a national conscience, Scam Religions and other denominations, High rolling drug and jueteng lords and other assorted low-lifes dominating contemporary Philippine Society)? Surely, there must be a way short of physically annihilating these forces of darkness. Any ideas ? Auggie Surtida, [email protected], Tigbauan, Iloilo, Sept 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded) Dear Amigo Jaime, Again, muchos gracias for sharing with me the inspiring Meloto message. It is a food for thought worth sharing on how to transform vision of a truly free and democratic society into reality. The spirit of volunteerism displayed by the activists of the Gawad Kalinga is an ideal example of how to help people help themselves in rebuilding their communities and attain better life. The global Filipinos are now in the forefront of this volunteerism of sharing their learning and earnings abroad back to their countrymen in rebuliding their communities for a better life. More power to them. Reglo Taruc, [email protected], Sept. 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony Meloto's son-in-law is right. I think politicizing their "good" works is what makes so many politicians stink. Angie Diaz, [email protected], Sept. 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Tony Meloto's work in Gawad Kalinga has touched me and my family. I sent his message to all my internet contacts. Let all share in this effort to provide housing for the needy. What about education? This could be less expensive. To Gawad Kalinga and other NGO's, I suggest that we help our young people - high school grads and out-of school youth especially, to train in short courses to learn trade skills such as welding, carpentry, electrical and electronics courses - 6 months to 2-year courses - so they can be employed immediately by local employers. There are also thousands of jobs oversees that require only simple skills, but highly paid - such as welders. They are wanted everywhere. Short courses cost much less, but the return of investment is bigger, and more lasting. Giving away fish is welcome, but teaching our young how to fish will feed them for life. They will be able to support their families, and buy their own houses later. And we may not dole out funds for this cause. The beneficiaries may be asked to pay back the cost of their education in an affordable payment term so that other young people may benefit later. This is similar to Pag-ibig fund for housing purposes. This way, the fund will be automatically replenished and will not dissipate. Our young people should not get used to dole outs. Lets put up an education fund for young people. Funds may come from companies, individuals, NGO's etc. This could be centralized so that screening of beneficiaries, awarding, and collection later will be more efficient. Lets invest in the future generation. Lets invest in education. Ody Lumanglas, [email protected], Calamba, Laguna, Sept. 12, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww |