The goal to grow

Manny V. Pangilinan, widely respected in the field of business and philanthropy, showed his courage and integrity when he offered to resign as chairman of the Ateneo de Manila University’s board of trustees over what many would consider a “tempest in a teapot.”

Newspaper reports have it that some people spotted portions of the speeches Manny delivered during the Ateneo’s graduation rites on March 26 and 27 which they said were lifted from the speeches of notable personalities, like US President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey. The discovery caused much heated discussion over the Internet, particularly in Facebook.

Embarrassed, Manny wrote a letter to Ateneo President Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J., expressing his wish to retire from his official duties at the Ateneo.

A reading of the speeches would show that the alleged “plagiarized” portions were minor and could not have affected the entire context of the speeches, which were indeed inspiring and visionary, and obviously carried Manny’s original ideas. It was disclosed by sources that two newly-graduated Ateneo writers had inserted portions of Obama’s and Winfrey’s speeches into Manny’s addresses.

Manny, like many famous people, have their speeches written by writers primarily because they are too busy to write them themselves. US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, noted for memorable sayings, had his speechwriter, and so does President Barack Obama. Some of the late President Cory Aquino’s speeches were written by now Congressman Teddy “Boy” Locsin; the most well-applauded of them was the one the president delivered in the US Congress soon after EDSA Revolution 1.

 Father Nebres in his reply note to Manny, noted, “… [W]e know that this has happened without your full awareness, though you take full and sole responsibility . . . Thus, this does not diminish our admiration and respect for your person and for your care and accomplishments for our country and the Ateneo. In fact, your acceptance of responsibility and apology command our utmost respect.”

Many noted that the comments on his speeches posted on Facebook have, as Manny wrote in his note to Father Nebres, “started to spill beyond graduation.”

“Under the circumstances, it is best for the Ateneo and myself to shorten the life of this controversy and prevent it from spinning out of control.”

From my stand, Manny’s accomplishments are far too brilliant to be stained by an insignificant misstep on the part of his trusted men who have might chosen the wrong speechwriters. What is important is the inspiration to the youth that Manny transmitted from his life experience in his two graduation speeches and his act of nobility in taking responsibility for the incident.

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Mercury is rising off the charts not only because of the sweltering summer heat, but perhaps also due to the political frenzy generated by the fast approaching national and local elections. Competition is stiff, to say the least, with some 85,000 candidates vying for 17,000 posts. Political aspirants are hard pressed to stand out and give voters reasons to believe. 

Amidst all the noise they are making, the common promise that seems to be bandied by most candidates is that of growth and development. It is the most pressing need at the moment as the citizenry is hard pressed to find solutions to the continuous rise of daily expenses. The electorate is looking for leaders with a sound program that can actually uplift the current economic situation (both macro and micro). Some endeavor to inspire the Filipino to rise and soar, but it is difficult to touch with words alone, the heart of a person with an empty stomach. Basic needs have to be satisfied before one can grow to his full potential.

Many of our present leaders and political aspirants forget that their posts actually call for stewardship. The constituency needs to be nurtured and given adequate support, just as parents constantly wish and make every effort for their children to grow up well. Sadly a great number of our current politicians have lost sight of this, possibly because they have never been materially in lack. Perhaps having privileged upbringing has some drawbacks. How can they feel for the uneducated or the impoverished when they had the opportunity to enroll in good schools without having to take their classes feeling hungry? 

Hopefully, these elected and aspiring officials wake up sooner rather than later, so they can lead us to something better. We can only wish that they do not ignorantly remain stunted by their own tunnel vision and selfish aspirations. After all, growth is necessary. In fact, it is inevitable. If the status quo remains however, with the upper crust enjoying their opulent lifestyle (has anyone seen the Batasan parking lot lately?) while those in the lower strata languish in dire straits, how can we collectively grow as a nation?

President Obama was criticized for being a socialist when he sought broader health care for all Americans. The spirit of his reform is actually admirable because those who cannot afford to see a doctor should never be denied that right. Nobody should fall into debt to cover rising health care costs. 

While I agree that staying healthy should not be a burden on one’s monthly budget, before we even venture into the issue of inexpensive medical care, think about the adage, ”an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” If the basic needs of a nutritious and balanced diet, secure and sanitary shelter and proper clothing could be met for every Filipino, beginning with babies and children, then we would certainly be a healthy nation, standing tall and proud. The Cheaper Medicines Bill (which has been used as leverage for votes) would probably be superfluous. If the essentials were available at the onset, the C, D and E segments would not have to suffer from ailments borne by dirty water and unhygienic surroundings. 

Given this scenario, it is comforting to know that there exist products like “Grow” — an affordable milk with the Grow Boost System to support the development of kids. What mom or dad wouldn’t want their child to stand out and, who knows, become the next president to truly lift our country?

There may be no direct correlation to achieving greatness due to any particular brand of milk, but receiving complete and balanced nutrition at a young age does have benefits in the long run.

While medical and health experts always encourage eating right to maintain optimum health, when good food is scarce, it is important to supplement. By giving kids milk like Grow, that’s guaranteed quality nourishment that is quite affordable as well.

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My e-mail:[email protected].