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08, The More The Merrier – Leni Robredo Says We Millions Must Contribute. What? Love!

Servant Leader: Leni Robredo, is a 134-page volume published by San Anselmo Press, Manila, December 2020. I have my copy, thanks! I say neither author, Ed Garcia, nor Editor, Danton Remoto, foresaw it, but here is my review in 5 words:

Ah, a book of love!

Ed Garcia’s name is on the cover, signifying authorship; actually, he wrote many of the chapters, yet he composed the book including 13 other writers: Aida Robredo, Bam Aquino, Chit Roces-Santos, Dean Mel Sta Maria, Doods M Santos, Fr Albert I Alejo SJ, Gay Ace Domingo, Gemino H Abad, Hazel Lavitoria, Jim Pascual Agustin, Leni Robredo, Philip Dy, and Tricia Robredo.

Browsing, I find that the most telling – pun intended – is Chapter X, titled “Leni Speaks,” specifically pages 92-93, which contain her entire online address to the graduates of 2020 delivered via Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM, 08 May 2020. She speaks for herself best. It’s a total of 1055 words, author and title included. It’s Taglish. (For my free English translation, email frankahilario@gmail.com.)

The title of that message is Love expressed in 3 words and in Tagalog (Filipino):
Palabas At Pasulong.
(Outward & Forward, my translation)
It is a message of Love.
Not simply for graduates, but for all of us Filipinos, including farmers.

The 5th paragraph of that speech spills it all out – and all in English:

This is where your real work as graduates begins. With imagining the future. You are asked to answer questions like: How do we make sure technology brings people closer, instead of driving us further apart because of the digital divide? If we can never go back to the old way of doing things, how do we make sure that the new world will be shaped more fairly, more equitably, in a way that bridges social gaps and dismantles the injustices of the past? How do we relate with one another in a post-Covid world?

I note specially: “How do we make sure that the new world will be shaped more fairly, more equitably, in a way that bridges social gaps and dismantles the injustices of the past?”

I understand Leni’s “Palabas At Pasulong” like this: We must get out of ourselves (Palabas) and into society and help it move forward (Pasulong). And that can happen only in an atmosphere of LOVE – inside and outside.

Outward and Forward. This, my dear graduates, is how I propose we approach the future. I do not know if you know or have read the works of novelist Arundhati Roy: We all are passing through the same portal going to the new world, that is what we are experiencing right now. He emphasizes and I quote: “We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.”

Fight! And your only weapon is? Love.@517

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