FELINO WY PARAS, RESEARCHER-AUTHOR-PUBLISHER DAW!

Who is this researcher-author-publisher?

He is a Rizalist, named Felino Wy Paras, born on March 15,1944, at the town of Cabiao, Province of Nueva Ecija. A naturalized Belgian with Filipino-Chinese blood born during the year (1944) that the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, President Manuel L. Quezon, died. According to his father a priest in the town of Arayat, Pampanga, with Tata Ensiong Paras, his godfather, baptized him four months after his birth in complete catholic rites, at the foot of mount Arayat, Pampanga, and this was during the Philippine-Japanese war.

His father was Indolencio Parungao Paras, born May 15,1907 in Cabiao, Province of Nueva Ecija, and his mother was Escolastica Wy, Filipina-Chinese origin and a native of Rosales, Pangasinan, born August 15,1910. Sir Lino Paras has seven (7) brothers, Jose, Perfecto, Alipio, Zoilo, Leonardo, Godofredo, Juanito, and two (2) sisters Corazon and Angelina. He was married to Elsa Aloquina Castor, on September 21,1965 and his wife died after a long period fighting of cancer. They have two (2) sons Fernando and Alberto, both married and have nice family living in Brussels.

Sir Lino Paras immigrated in Belgium in the year 1965 one of the first Filipino established in the heart of Europe. He became the Filipino godfather in the area, not only giving shelter to new Filipino arrivals but extended financial assistance and helped secure job placement most especially for the unemployed Filipinos.

He followed courses at the University Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Graduated in Master of Business Administration.

In 1977 he joined a company whose specialization was Studio-Radio Television lighting equipment. 1980, he was employed at the Bank Brussels Lambert (BBL) in Brussels, and in 1995, he setup his own businesses: The PhilAir Travel International Sprl, and Fibel Trading International LTD. 1979 he joined several Filipino organizations: The "Asbl" Philippine Sports Community of Brussels (PSC), Benelux Filipino Sports Federation (BFSF), The Alliance, Belga Cultura of Belgium, Belgian Chamber on Philippine Economic Relationship, The "Asbl" Philippine Chaplaincy, Belgian-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and The "Asbl" Philippine Tourism Promotion Office in the Benelux. Presently, a Radio Broadcaster of DZXL-RMN Belgium online "Bantay OCW" with Susan K. and Cesar Padilla.

He married Baniza Lasota Seit on January 30, 2002, a lovely young and talented lady of Negros Oriental, born on August 15, 1979 in Sta. Catalina, Dumaguete City. A Foreign Service Graduate at the Lyceum of the Philippines. She passed the civil Service Examination in 2001,with distinction. Decided to write books and look personally their lovely daughter Marie-Christine rather than joining the government service.

What one to say of the book? It is obviously, as the researcher-author-publisher says a labor of love, and this love makes Rizal come vividly to life. No detail of what controversial life is slurred that would provide insight into a reluctant hero - reluctant, but a hero notwithstanding. The highest moments come, of course, when Rizal himself speaks. What a true man, not a blank figure, is revealed! There is no posturing in his letters, only brilliant mind though "perplexed in the extreme" is exposed, and a beating heart. What he wrote as he await death in the morning would melt a heart of stone. There is no pity for him, only thought for others, for those he loved whom he brought so such suffering when he followed his conscience – a reflection of God's will on earth.

Sir Rudy Nollas, KCR

NB. Please check out Born To Be A Hero at http://ningaskugonbaga.blogspot.com/2006/07/born-to-be-hero.html.