Celia on Doy Laurel’s legacy/Chit’s ‘Personal Space’

To mark the ninth death anniversary of V-P Salvador H. Laurel, his widow Celia Diaz re-launched Nick Joaquin's “Doy Laurel in Profile” and opened the Salvador H. Museum and Library in San Pedro, Laguna.

Says Celia: “I thought of commemorating the National Artist’s tribute to Doy because they both shared a fierce love of country, Nick through literature; Doy, through public service.

“This passionate love of country is evoked in every page of Joaquin’s biographical sketch. As Doy himself published his own book of speeches, he wrote: ‘Since my childhood, my father had always impressed upon me the importance of love for country. This is precisely why, as I grew to manhood, no other thought has ever overcome my love for my country and people.’

“The Museum and Library will preserve for posterity not only his memory, but also his burning desire to inflame the youth with a selfless love of country.”

“After his work as chairman of the National Centennial Commission — the expression of his last full measure of devotion for his country — Doy wrote: History belongs to the youth...I would readily attribute the forces that brought about the birth of our nation, to the young freedom fighters and visionaries Rizal, Bonifacio, Gregorio del Pilar...

‘If we can keep the pride, the spirit, the vision and the memory steadily burning in our people’s hearts for the next 100 years, then our generation would have fulfilled its role.’

Celia adds: Cardinal Rosales, in his homily during Doy’s state funeral, said, ‘...he gave of his life so completely to the quest and helped recover freedom not by forwarding himself, but by volunteering to slay his own personal ambition...’

“After freedom was peacefully restored in the Edsa Revolution of 1986, Doy’s was the face that the international community first saw as the Foreign Minister who found it an honor and privilege to represent before world leaders a people reborn in freedom.

“In the twilight of his career, he was borrowed’ again from his family by President Ramos — for one last full measure of service as chairman of the National Centennial Commission. Again, he relished this golden opportunity to serve his country and people as we celebrated 100 years of the First Philippine Republic in 1998.”

In a historical documentary, Celia voiced: “From the roots of the first Laurel in the ancient kingdoms of the datus of Brunei to Doy’s blossoming as a lawyer, we see the Lord's Guiding Hand.

The zealous champion of the poor and defenseless as a pro bono lawyer of CLASP, which he established, and as senator, he fought all forms of injustice to preserve his people’s freedoms.

“In serving his country, Doy risked his life, his family, even his lifelong hopes and dreams. We celebrate that selfless love today...

“In life as in death, Doy’s spirit soared high to inspire the youth to love our country. Our fervent hope is that his dream will live in the hearts of his people — there to burn forever,” Celia concludes in the commemorative edition.

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Chit Roces-Santos, author of “Personal Space”, belongs to a prominent family whose two distinguished journalists, Alejandro and Alfredo led her to pursue a journalistic career. Chit’s own father, Titong, was a five-time congressman. Further, the family belongs to the old school to which delicadeza is the norm. In this regard, one of my favorite essays in the book is “The Educated Heart”; it implies that the holder of a doctorate degree may not necessarily have an educated heart and, therefore, may not know the meaning of delicadeza.

The book is mostly on relationships — I admire Chit's surprising candor about her relationship with husband Vergel Santos, eminent editor, writer, book-author and publisher — on relations between parents and children, between  friends, between Filipino wives and foreign husbands, between  teachers and students, between wives and much younger husbands, even between good sex and bad sex!

From these relationships, one draws diverse and enriching values given by a keenly sensitive and perceptive observer. There is every reason to read Chit's highly literate, often riveting essays. Vergel’s amusing and witty sketches add to them a spicy quality which indirectly stresses Chit’s contention that she and Vergel are a blissfully wedded couple.

Lorna Kalaw Tirol writes the introduction to the book printed by Anvil.