I gathered that the One Visayas Expo, a weeklong presentation of Visayan culture and arts held at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) was a great and stunning success. I couldn’t make it to the final night as we arrived late from our bike trip to the southern tip of Cebu. Allow me to doff my hat to Cebu Gov. Gwen F. Garcia for her tireless effort to promote the Visayas not only to the rest of the Philippines, but to us Visayans as well. Gov. Gwen has inspired Cebuanos to unite under her leadership; now she has inspired the rest of the Visayas to recognize that in unity, we can be strong and weather this global crisis.
Certain friends in Manila have been asking me whether or not this One Visayas thing was going to turn into a political exercise. I told them that it was not. But I don’t blame them for thinking this way. The election season is upon us and politicians just won’t pass on a non-political activity that could very well be used for their political ends. But Gov. Gwen never used this opportunity to propagate her political agenda. She is happy that finally, all the people of the Visayas can be proud of our diverse language and culture.
In the book “1904 World’s Fair: The Filipino Experience” written by Jose D. Fermin (you can get a copy in FullyBooked) gave us that embarrassing story that some 2,000 Filipinos were sent to the St. Louise World’s Fair in 1904 to become an anthropological exhibit to the Americans. They brought and displayed Negritos, Moros, Igorots, Bagobos and Visayans to the World’s Fair. They looked at the Negritos as a potential “Missing Link” to our primate ancestors.
But for the Visayans, we were considered, “The neatest, most industrious, polite and most pleasing and intelligent class of natives that spoke three languages.” This gives us an idea that even the Americans were impressed by our ancestors. In today’s times, all the more they should be impressed that we have just done the One Visayas Expo. I gathered that Capiz will be the host for the next One Visayas event in the year 2011. Once more, kudos to Gov. Gwen for uniting the people of the Visayas.
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I have two important guests who are dropping by Cebu for a one night stay. He’s Mr. Louis Jurika, whose father and mother were born in Zamboanga during the American times. Louis has focused his life on finding out things about World War II history, which is why we got close. But for this trip, he’s brought with him Mr. Jim Zobel, a man whom I first met through the emails. Mr. Zobel is a very interesting fellow. He is the Archivist of the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia.
MacArthur Memorial or (MacMem) is the final resting place of the American Caesar Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his wife, Jean. It is located in the beautifully landscaped MacArthur Square in downtown Norfolk at the old City Hall. Everything that had to do with the life and times of Gen. MacArthur is put there on display, from his famous Ray-ban sunglasses to his corn-on-the-cob pipe and his old Chrysler Limousine. MacMem is not just a museum, it is also a library that promotes American values, Duty, Honor, Country. Values that we Filipinos and many Americans have long forgotten.
Visiting MacMem has always been one of my plans, however due to time constrains; I have yet to make this pilgrimage. I was a young kid when Gen. MacArthur came to Cebu on his sentimental journey in the early 60’s just before he died in 1964. I did get to see and shake his hands at the residence of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. where he visited his old friend, then Vice-President of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon and eventually President of the Philippines when they both waded ashore in Red Beach Tacloban, Leyte during the invasion of the Philippines and famous Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Jim Zobel sent me, through our good friend Marisa Fernan, an advance photos from MacMem of Cebu during World War II. One black and white photograph showed the 132nd Infantry of US Signal Corps, Americal Division looking over the town of Tabogon. Another photo showed Filipinos helping the American bring casualties from a steep ravine in Central Cebu.
Another batch of photographs showed the construction of the Osmeña Waterworks up in Buhisan Dam. Then there’s a photo of Cebuanos greeting an M-7 “Priest” a Sherman Tank based chassis with a 105 howitzer. These photos are mere samples of what’s being kept in the MacArthur Memorial. If by chance I get to visit there, I would be like a kid left behind in Disneyland! But while Jim Zobel and Louis Jurika are only staying for a short time, I have gotten their permission to interview them on my talkshow, so that Cebuanos would have an idea of what the MacArthur Memorial is all about.