Think about it
Was Rizal a lover boy?
By Jun Velasco
“A genius has no country.”Anonymous
ON SUNDAY night (October l), high school classmate Marlene Espino-Ocampo who lives in Arizona blew into town.
It appears the avant garde will be here for a long time because she laid out a plan to bring in (again) stateside goodies, which she used to do before.
There was an impromptu bienvenida thrown out by accountants non pareil Jaime Siapno and Penny Baniqued-Rosario and Marlene’s faithful cousin Brenda Mendoza-Manese in two places: the Cafe du Marc French restaurant of Marlene Gutierrez and Charlie Ngo’s Star Plaza Hotel.
When Marlene is in town, class reunions are the talk of the town. Well, there’s the much awaited Dagupan City High School annual homecoming on December 28.
Yes, Min, class reunions are always heaven for the heart. Conversations may touch on current events but are actually reminiscences that always tug the heart strings.
Among our classmates, Marlene has the most graphic memory of the carefree years. Although she lives in Arizona with hubby Romeo Ocampo, one time vice mayor of Sta. Barbara town, Marlene’s heart is forever glued to Dagupan, especially City High.
Her talks about high school affairs make everyone’s eyes perk up. We told her she was like Ramon Jacinto of RJ & the Riots fame. Their world belongs to the 60’s.
In an encounter at Rembrandt Hotel’s bar not long way back, we told RJ: “You are the happiest Filipino, amigo.” How come? Because his music is rock ‘n roll when everyone was young.
Marlene says she is reviving her old Cilamar (acronym for Prescilla Marlene, her real name,) a stateside boutique at the 2nd floor of Espino Building across St. John’s Cathedral on Burgos Street.
If you know her, the “exclusives” hub will overnight become a rendezvous of the Pangasinan elite.
Better catch up with the times — with Cilamar.
* * *
Due to Marlene’s bienvenida which lasted up to midnight, we felt groggy in our talk before the “star sections” of St. Elena High School in Marikina City opens at 8 in the morning, and the Pasig High School at 2 in the afternoon the next day.
Our date with the young in Metro Manila was arranged by Dr. Pablo S. Trillana III, last year’s deputy supreme commander of the Knights of Rizal, who had to produce steaming hot coffee to keep us awake.
With the Philippine horizon becoming fuzzier justice everyday, the Rizalistas, now under their supreme commander, former Supreme Court Hilario Davide Jr., are getting more aggressive in “developing new Rizals” around the islands.
In the two forums (Marikina and Pasig), questions like “why Rizal, not Bonifacio is our national hero?”; “Was he a lover boy?”? “Did he retract his membership in the masonry?” and several others were raised.
We posited that the national hero showed what a Filipino could be capable of achieving.
Bonifacio’s revolution, by the way, was inspired by Rizal’s two books – the Noli and the El Fili. And in the KKK headquarters, Rizal’s framed picture was at the center. He was Bonifacio’s hero, too.
Rizal, who was only 4’ll”, was admired and loved by so many women. We told the young people that what dazzled the ladies were his wit, charm, boundless love for country. He was not a playboy but an admirer of beauty. It’s said that when his relationship with a beauty was about to “go overboard,” the hero’s thoughts came back to country.
His nationalism was heightened by the abusive Spanish colonizers, but he was never an advocate of narrow nationalism. He was an internationalist, even antedating the “global village” of media oracle Marshall McLuhan.
How would you rate our present leaders’ patriotism? Take a look, you know the answer. The best way to deal with these entrenched twisted patriots is to get the idealist young and empower them with the hero’s boundless love for country.
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
