Being truly Filipino

Conchitina Sevilla-Bernardo, wife of our Philippine Ambassador to Spain Lani Bernardo, wrote a book entitled Being Truly Filipino: Expressions of an Identity, recounting her experiences as the wife of the Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain. The book embodies what being a Filipino truly is, even while Conchitina strikes a balance between the acceptable norms of the country they were in with that which is distinctly Filipino.

She sent me an advance copy of her book, which she is launching tomorrow at the Manila Polo Club. Breezing through it, I couldn’t stop reading because it reminds me of our Spanish roots. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Conchitina achieves what most academics and historians fail to do — evoke interest from the reader about this country’s shared history with Spain, a topic that most Filipinos take for granted. She writes the book in an easy, conversational manner and presents history without the heavy and convoluted language that is typical of history books.

It was fitting for historian Ambeth Ocampo to have written the foreword, articulating quite well the initial impressions I myself had about the book. Ocampo notes the effortless manner by which Conchitina writes on food, fashion and style, showing that it is possible to place Filipino elements in an international setting. "That she could write a short survey of Philippine history based on Spanish materials was surprising, more so because it is made accessible to a general interested reader, and is mercifully free of the incomprehensible prose and jargon that pass for academic history these days," Ocampo says. I totally agree with him, especially since one could see both the passion and the pleasure Conchitina had during her voyage of "discovery." This was obvious in every chapter, even from the preface alone where one could already have a sense of things to come, as she skillfully weaves in personal sentiments with historical information. The author speaks of writing the book in the sunset of her life, a period she describes as truly enriching and stimulating.

Conchitina eloquently expresses it when she invokes the old saying, "Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan" (translated in English as "One who does not look back from where he started will not get to where he is going") and uses it as a fitting context for the Filipino’s search for his roots, and his quest for his national identity. I believe that when one finds his roots, only then will he begin to understand his identity. Conchitina makes a compelling argument about who the Filipino is, citing historical and anthropological data to prove that way before any European contact, the Philippines already had interaction with various races like the Malays, Chinese, Indonesians, Arabs and Indians. Even prehistoric Filipinos already had culture and expressions of artistic creativity, seen through ordinary objects that feature Basque and Polynesian designs. Knowing all these makes us realize that even before the word "globalization" became a byword, the Filipino has been truly global — a point that should bring pride to every Filipino.

What also makes the book truly fascinating are the illustrations that accompany each chapter, especially those that detail the Philippine Embassy and Residence, where every effort was made by Ambassador Lani and Conchitina to evoke all things Filipino. Her husband, the author reveals, wanted a Filipino house, but he also wanted it to be contemporary as he feels that modern Filipino furniture (made by Filipino designers) is world class. Beautifully photographed dining tables, eye catching presentation of Filipino dishes contribute in making the book visually interesting as well. Perhaps what would also be most appreciated by readers are the personal memories and experiences of Conchitina during her five-year stay in Madrid, as they serve as a guide for Filipinos on how they can project the Philippines wherever they may be, and whether they are OFWs, diplomats or exchange students.

Being Truly Filipino is a must-read for all of us, and it should be included in the required list of readings for students of Philippine history and culture. Congratulations to Conchitina for this well written, excellent book. She is indeed the epitome of a well-bred, classy Filipina lady — a perfect match to our Ambassador to Spain.

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Healthy lady, healthy economy

As Manila Overseas Press Club president, I accompanied Agence France Presse (AFP) Manila Bureau Chief Karl Wilson and the Regional Director Eric Wishart for a meeting with the President yesterday, who graciously invited us to join her for lunch. In polite society, one does not ask or discuss a woman’s age or weight, especially if she’s the President — but I couldn’t help myself. I commented to GMA that for someone her age, she looked extremely well, and has lost a lot of weight. (GMA and I were born on the same year.) The President said that she exercises a lot more nowadays, and like the economy, she feels much healthier. (More on our conversation with the President and the economy in my Thursday column.)

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