THE WAY WE WERE AND THE WAY WE ARE TODAY

A Latin expression from the FILI is about Filipinos today

THE WAY WE WERE AND THE WAY WE ARE TODAY

To understand the kind of people we are today, let us open the past through the pages of the FILI novel to read a Latin expression that Rizal borrowed from an ancient Roman poet.

Dead for almost two centuries ago, Dr Rizal like a good father still casts his long shadow to describe the people he cared who were victims of Spanish and American colonialism culminating into damaged culture. Colonization like imperialism in reality is short of subjugation of people including their displacement and death

Ironical and strange Rizal was not even called the “father of his country” yet he has both the veneration and adoration of the people, and through his writings we remember and often borrow quotations from him, although not all quotations are originally his.

Horace, the ancient Roman poet whom the Order of the Knights of Rizal borrowed the Latin phrase, “non omnis moriar” has bequeathed another Latin expression that Dr. Rizal borrowed and used to show his universality of ideas and at the same time revealing his keen interest and understanding of the Roman classics.

Here is a quote you can find in “El Filibusterisimo”, “AETAS PARENTUM PEJOR AVIS TULIT NOS NEQUIORES” which translated to English means, ”The Age of our fathers, worse than that of their fathers, has bred us even worse than them”.

Take a look at our people today on what writer F. Sionil Jose says is suffering from moral malaise. Take a look at what Mrs. Pura Santillan-Castrence, prolific writer and critic of our social values said in her beautifully crafted words regarding “religious Sunday Filipinos” ,“as those who take confession and communion on Sunday but the rest of the week are devoted to either receiving bribes or bribing government officials or engaged in corrupt practices.”

Still another observer pointed out, “those families who amassed wealth during Marcos regime continue to keep amassing wealth under the different presidents succeeding him. What an intriguing observations for the present generation of Filipinos to confront!

Its not surprising to see once in a while to hear “howlings” in the streets of Manila and suburban towns “Revolution!” Spirit of EDSA, “IBAGSAK ANG GOBIERNO” “DAYA! MAGNANAKAW!” reminding President Gloria Arroyo the lessons of the past. Was this not what Marcos read too but refused to believe the “writings in the wall” in the years before 1986?

Are we still looking for EDSA type of “palace revolution? What good is the “revolution” if it only brings false hope to the excited masa expecting a ” real” revolution of higher expectation? Take note that the price of galunggong kept on increasing before and after the fall of Marcos and that of Estrada!

How true is Latin dictum depends on how you look at the way public servants behave in the conduct of their office? It also depend how the people prostituted themselves dancing with the wolves in the government or with the politicians for few pesos dole come election time. This is a bad legacy to the coming generation but as the saying goes, “The buck stops here!”

Jose Sison Luzadas

Delray Beach, FL