by Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino

They are not the names banner headlines carry. But they are persons I wish to honor by this piece today. We lavish on our actors, actresses, boxers and entertainers all the glitz, and pomp and circumstance at our disposal. I have no problems with that but there are so many unrecognized heroes, so many starts in our national firmament that brightly shine and yet are unnoticed.

Alfred Charles Co is the son of Dr. Alfredo Co, an esteemed colleague, and resident Sinologist of the University of Santo Tomas, author of “The Blooming of a Hundred Flowers”, a well received book on philosophy in China during the Period of the Warring States. But this is not about Alfie, the father, but Alfred, the son. Alfred Charles graduated from the PROC’s prestigious Tsinghua University. He completed a master’s degree in global business journalism. From his batch, he was selected for the honor of meeting the entire Politburo, upon invitation of President Hu Jintao, at the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square. He has been accepted to the PhD program under the coveted “Most Distinguished Scholarship” program. I have never met Alfred Charles, but Dr. Alfie was a professor at the time I was a student of philosophy at UST—already at that time a sought-after lecturer on Chinese thought—and then a colleague in the Philosophy Circle of the Philippines and other philosophical associations. That Alfred Charles has trod the same path of scholarship as his father is tribute to both father and son: inspiration from the father, resoluteness of the son!

Justice Ricardo Puno has the rare distinction of having served in all three branches of government. He was a member of the Court of Appeals, a Minister of Justice and a Member of Parliament (at the time we had a parliamentary government). He is well advanced in years now, but his intellect is in no wise dimmed. It was my honor to invite him to be a regular faculty member of the Graduate School of Law at San Beda College, Mendiola, and he flattered me by accepting to teach. He still does—and many of his students will attest to the fact that the “question hour” with him remains as gut-wrenching as it was in the days of my parents who were his students—so say those who have experienced his teaching both in law school and at the graduate school of law. A foremost authority on civil law who speaks with authority but also with a good dash of humor, and always with utmost eloquence, Justice Puno is well respected in the legal community by those who know whom to respect! He partnered with the iconic Justice JBL Reyes in authoring what they modestly titled “Notes” in Civil Law, but were actually ponderous reflections on the provisions of the Code. The present Family Code is in large measure his handiwork. Such is his expertise on the subject that even in his venerable years, he has been called upon by the Supreme Court to appear as “amicus curiae”—a “friend of the court” invited to enlighten its members on some knotty question of law.

Purificacion Valera-Quisumbing is the wife of Justice Leonardo Quisumbing, but she has established her own reputation by her intelligence and articulateness. A lawyer who started out as a law professor at her alma mater, the University of the Philippines, she headed the institute that promoted studies on Asean law. She did graduate studies in public law at Columbia University that awarded her a doctor’s degree in governance. Very soon she was director for human rights at the United Nations and, on her return to the Philippines, chaired the Commission on Human Rights. During her stint, it was worth listening to the announcements she made because one was sure that you got good law and good philosophy from her. (I refuse to comment on what we get today!) She was also appointed by the Supreme Court as Chair of the Department of International and Human Rights Law of the Philippine Judicial Academy, a post she still holds. Many times, we crossed swords over issues—but our disagreements were always clashes of thought, premised on profound respect for each other. This is one woman I hold in great esteem; she has always spoken out with courage—but with plenty of insight and scholarship—on matters that should matter a lot: human rights.

Two heroes in education are Roger Purificacion Perez, presently president of the Cagayan State University, former executive director of the Commission on Higher Education. Before his presidency, Cagayan State University was hardly taken seriously—although it had some brief moment of prominence in the past. It was ridden with the corruption of university officials, and laden with a bureacracy that stunted its growth. Dr. Roger gave it a face by causing stunningly beautiful buildings to arise. He instituted a system of fiscal discipline and accountability, allowing the university to go by a zero-tuition scheme, the first and only state university to do so. All that students pay are “miscellaneous fees”—no more than two to three thousand a semester—for things like library, publications, cultural events. The other local hero is Dr. Ronald Guzman who converted his resort into a fledgling school– known as the Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines. He devised various schemes private school owners never thought of, including allowing parents to enroll their children in return for planting and tending trees! The school that he runs with his charming wife, Dr. Wilma Roa Guzman, has grown by astounding leaps and has distinguished itself as a center of nursing education and radiological training. It has done well in other fields as well, and Dr. Ronnie continues making life easier for his students—offering free rice even to those who take their meals at school!

Closer to home, I live among “my heroes”, and at this time, my heroes are those who helped me complete what has turned out to be a project of a year and a half—building myself a small house. I must make abundantly clear that PAGIBIG was very unhelpful. When I applied for a loan with which to build my house, I was required to build first, before any money would be released. I know that in the calculations of the calculating, this might make some sense, but this is utterly stupid to one who needs to build a house but may not have the immediate wherewithal. That is why he makes a loan—and that is why the government advertises—and crows (as it keeps on crowing about a number of things!)—about the availability of such assistance. But when you require one who borrows, because he does not have, to build first before he is loaned an amount, that, to me, is lunacy in the extreme. By contrast, GSIS at Tuguegarao City was helpful and accommodating. After my parents had prevailed on me to accept a generous amount from them (which I hope to be able to pay back, at least in part, because they are entitled, in their retirements years, to what they worked for!), I needed some more to bring to some degree of habitability the house that has taken well over a year to complete, thanks to a swindling quasi-engineer I had earlier foolishly trusted. At the GSIS Office at Tuguegarao Mr. Alexander Alais and Ms. Eva Gammad made borrowing a breeze, for me. I am sure they treat all other clients of GSIS with the same promptness, friendliness and courtesy. I have seen them at work, and they are heroes for me. Obviously, so are my parents. My brother, Judge Jet Aquino, took pity on my plight when he saw how mercilessly I was being fleeced by the unscrupulous quasi-engineer. He took over management of the construction. He fired all the crooks and cracked the whip—and the thing got going again. He has since asked his household help to prepare meals for the youngsters painting my house, and volunteered to buy me a dining room set. My “utol”, Dr. Al Narag, spent virtually all of his off-duty time supervising the construction—after having spent endless hours on a pilgrimage of offices that the crazy PAGIBIG made him go through for a loan on which I eventually gave up. He massed a battalion of workers from his home barangay and has put them to work much like Khufu put his pyramid laborers to the task, sans scourge and lash, of course! Then, my friends from the Cagayan State University either love me so much, or pity me so that they have unqualifiedly lent me their assistance. Engineers Art Ibanez, Roger Rumpon and Nestor Rivera saw to correcting the errors of that poor excuse for a master craftsman I had earlier engaged. They gave my simple house an appeal all its own and have laid to rest my fears for structural safety. There is an entire happy caboodle of generous souls who cleaned the house, kept watch with me, gifted me with implements, pots and pans, plates and saucers, including beautiful plants with which to live decently and who, above all, have made the almost-finished house warm with their concern and true friendship. That is good enough an excuse for dispensing with the usual house-warming event!

One thing I am very happy about—my world is not lacking in real heroes!

Courtesy of  Manila Standard Today