Think about it
A literary genius visits UPang
By Jun Velasco
WE met the new owners of the University of Pangasinan led by their new president, Dr. Chito Salazar, and corporate secretary, lawyer Troy Luna under a delightful circumstance last Thursday.
The university conferred on our revered man of letters, Dr. Francisco Sionil Jose, a native of Rosales, Pangasinan, a doctorate in humanities. We who have elected to build a writing career look up to Dr. Jose not only as an icon but more so, an inspiration because of his proverbial rags-to-riches story and because he is a Pangasinense.
His lovely wife, Tessie, with traces of pulchritude still abundant on her comely face, belongs to a famous Dagupan family, the Jovellanoses, who have produced one of the first presidentes (the equivalent of mayor). As if by dint of destiny, The visit by 84-year old Dr. Jose was timed with the university’s 84th founding anniversary.
With the changing of the guards at the venerable university, we expect massive renovations which Phinma, the new owner, is known for. We will surely miss immediate past president, Dr. Cesar T. Duque, who has his eyes on new challenges. Ditto with the familiar faces of immediate past president, Dr. Catalino Rivera Jr., and his “tropa,” who did their best to advance higher education in these parts. Of course, we won’t miss the ever present Boy Rayos who has kept ther Rayos banner aloft through the years being our fellow Rotarian. Incidentally, Troy Luna is our classmate in Metro Manila’s Rotary circles.
We still have great hope in Upang under the new owners. In a brief chat, the new owners have a bright view of the university in the near future. Phinma, you know, is synonymous with high achievements.
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It was almost 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. l2, when Dr. Jose began his talk before literature teachers and local writing enthusiasts. Before that, we had a brief chat on our favorite topics at Hizon’s Cafe with Oscar Orbos in Ermita, a five-minute walk from his Solidaridad bookstore on Padre Faura. We reminded him about our frequent visits of the bookstore whenever we ran of out of cash to collect our royalties from a book of poems we published in the early 80’s. The old man with the super mind said his novels were all his autobiographies in a sense and embellished with Pangasinan and Ilocano life. Our little extended chat must have “annoyed” Dr. Lex Rivera who asked to sit beside the grand old man in literature and journalism.
His “after luncheon” speech — which turned out to be a fireside chat — was a fatherly counsel and story-telling to his info-starved audience led by UPang professors the likes of Dr. Ofelia Rayos.
When we asked “Who do you think is the greatest Filipino writer in English?.” he snapped, “you are talking to him right now.” That was met with a thunderous applause.
Again, when we asked him, “Do you believe in God?”, a some conservative member of the audience wanted to rebuke us for being discourteous, but the professor said, “No, that is a good question” and proceeded to define his faith in the same vein as other nationals such as those in China, Japan and other countries sustain their faith.
Among the local topics we privately chatted about were Gloria Arroyo to whom he has no love lost, our mutual friend Oca Orbos, Joe de Venecia whose journalism days he has watched rise and fade away, mutual friend Condring Estrella, the late poet Bayardo Estrada whose forthcoming book he has agreed to write the foreword, Ermin Garcia Sr. and Jr., and other familiar personages he either praised or criticized.
We quote the following from his speech: “Who promote bad government? The crooked politician, the racketeering businessman, the traitorous oligarch. Do we ostacize them? No, we glorify them in the front pages of our newspapers, we give them awards, we invite them to grace our social gatherings when we should spit at their faces, or at the very least, turn our backs to them.”
If Destiny will be kinder on this land, the guru will be the first Nobel Prize awardee ever in literature. God who has guided his pen to continuously and prodigiously lift the hearts and hopes of the poor will make it possible. Let’s cross our fingers.
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Many locals who have migrated and come home couldn’t believe the new look and outlook the city of Al Fernandez is projecting to the world. They cite the “heavenly drive along the new Pl.2 billion De Venecia Diversion Road which was completed way ahead of schedule (hello, Jun Ebdane, Fidel Ginez and Rodolfo Dion!)… minus, they say, the over-proliferation of fishpens that shamelessly decorate our rivers in the Bonuan-Lucao area. The city, says Aster Duque, is fast breaking from its cocoon of intellectual bigotry to claim its niche in the pantheon of great cities.
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In Urdaneta, a local businessman — Fernando dela Cruz of Addessa fame — has risen to heights of achievement thru sheer guts, hardwork, faith in man’s innate goodness and God’s boundless love. He will be honored in Manila by the newly reorganized Association of Filipinos Journalists at the Manila Hotel. Mayor Amadito Perez and Councilor Higinio Agsalud say that Pandong, as he is fondly called, is blessed by his ethical business practices and exemplary life as husband of pretty wife, Beth, and father of his children.
He may be a quiet worker in that corner of the world (Urdaneta), but his sterling example speaks to all good men that make earthly life pleasant to live.
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