Land of the morning, child of the sun returning

Paradoxically, schools open every year simultaneously with the celebration of Independence Day, which is fixed on June 12, historically the day when we became independent of Spain.

As usual, by tradition, Filipino students start the day singing “Bayang Magiliw, Perlas ng Silanganan. Alab ng puso, sa dibdib mo’y buhay…” (English version: Land of the morning, child of the sun returning. With fervor burning Thee do our souls adore).

Is the flame of life truly stirring the nation?

Is the flame of life truly stirring in this nation? Although the Filipino lyrics of our national anthem is beautiful poetry, I miss the old English version, composed during the Commonwealth era, when the Philippines was still a colony of America. It is a fascinating thought that centuries earlier, America used to be a colony of Great Britain. It took Americans four centuries of battling with English soldiers plus a long civil war to liberate the country to become the current United States of America. And so as Filipino representatives clamored for independence, America felt it her duty to prepare us for our own independence installing President Manuel Quezon as the Commonwealth president, but unfortunately war intervened. Japan invaded America, bombing Pearl Harbor and consequently the Philippines. It was only after America detonated the atomic bomb in Hiroshima when Japan surrendered in 1945. Immediately after, America restored freedom to a ravaged and devastated Philippines by July 4, 1947. Until the ’60s, school children sang “Land of the Morning” during the daily flag salutation.

This was part of my school-day memories at the San Andres Elementary School at Ermita, Manila as well as my high school and college days at St. Scholastica’s College in Leon Guinto St., Pennsylvania, Manila.

Its sparkling English poetry was a joy to sing although its deep significance was not as clear to me as today. The second stanza is: “Land dear and holy, cradle of noble heroes. Ne’er shall invaders trample thy sacred shores…”

Is the child of the sun returning?

When the youngest Filipino child steps into formal Grade I this June, has he been weaned from dependency? Or is he still feeding from the bottle, being followed around and being spoon-fed? Is he still sleeping close to his mother, lola, ate, etc. instead of sleeping alone?

Poor Child of the Sun. When will he ever be “sun-crowned” or enlightened when he is surrounded by a host of elders? Unlike his western counterpart who grows up only with his parents, the Filipino child is often smothered by the widely-extended Filipino family.

Observe that usually young married couples with their first children still stay with their parents. Thus, their children during the first six years acquire varied sorts of parenting from the unmarried aunts and uncles. Another type of parenting comes from two sets of grandparents. The result is a Filipino child who cannot decide for himself and has a weak sense of responsibility. These indulgent adults can also be tyrants.

One would think that this conditioning to dependence would end in high school when the child is physically grown up. Yet, it extends to college days until the first job is found. The young man or woman, in spite of their generous salaries still ask for extra money.

Dr. Maria Montessori, in her UNESCO speeches in the fifties, referred to the child as the “forgotten citizen.” She confirmed how adults who misunderstand the true nature of children actually love the children, but end up oppressing by spoiling them. She discovered that the key to man’s lifetime, independence is the special conditioning during the absorbent years before Grade I.

We hope that the 30-year-old O.B. Montessori Pagsasarili Preschool Project in NHA ZIP zones for laborers in Caloocan, San Juan, Pasay and Olandes, San Roque, Marikina and Pulung Bulu Elementary School, Angeles Pampanga, will serve as models of Early Childhood Care and Development centers. True to its logo of a child holding a lighted candle that envelopes the whole community in golden beams, their specially trained Montessori teachers have helped discover the “new Filipino children” who prefer work to play, love, order and become self-confident and independent.

Old Manila as designed by architect Daniel Hudson Burnham

My earliest recollection of Manila was as a four-year-old child taking a walk with my late father, Atty, Calixto Silverio around our neighborhood of Ayala Boulevard. The Legislative Buildings, the City Hall and Post Office with their Doric columns impressed me as palaces. Sometimes, Papa would take me to buy fish from the red brick Ice House and Cold Storage at the foot of Quezon Bridge.

Across Plaza Goiti was the art deco Metropolitan Theater, where I would be treated to Tagalog stage shows. Every time we would leave the theater, I would be dazzled by the crisscrossing roads and the numerous avenues, which burst out like a fan to the four bridges: Jones, Sta. Cruz (named after McArthur after the war), Quezon and several blocks away, the silver-arched bridge of Ayala.

I know that across the big Pasig River was “downtown”, where the stores were. Escolta, Avenida Rizal, Carriedo and Quiapo were part of my childhood vocabulary. That educated me about the order demanded by the Zoning Law. Shopping was across the bridges. Residences were quiet and peaceful. Schools were near the residences.

America sent her best urban planner, architect Daniel Hudson Burnham to design Commonwealth Manila as capital of the country. He designed the major cities of Washington D.C., including its picturesque Union Train Station, Chicago and Pittsburg. Known as the original builder of skyscrapers, he was the director of the 1893 Columbian Expo of Chicago, which celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America. This “imported” genius completed the plan to include the Philippine General Hospital complex with the Nursing School off Taft Avenue, the main road that cuts through the old Manila from the Post Office to San Andres circle down to Vito Cruz Street.Note that the art deco facade of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum complex is similar to that of the Metropolitan Theater.

Behind the Nursing School along Padre Faura Street, is another set of handsome buildings, the Justice Department, the University of the Philippines, etc., crowning the Ermita district. Along this opposite side was Dewey Boulevard promenade and the Luneta Park. How I loved to walk along the clean and green pathway where bulky shade trees would drop huge pink hairy blossoms, I wish I knew the names of those exotic ornamental trees. Only one place carries his name, the remarkable Baguio City landmark of Burnham Park.

Is the land dear and holy?

Just as the womb provides the environment of life for the fetus before it matures into a newly-born baby, so does the self-sufficiency of the homes, school, community and historical public places condition our living.

Right after independence was granted, the Filipinos in 1974, the Republic of the Philippines or post-war government begun. The elected national president, provincial governors and city mayors took over the responsibilities of governing our land and serving the people.

The high standards of city planning patterned after American cities began to slowly disintegrate. The prominent city planners and engineers, who were US pensionados, together with NBI and police chiefs, continued to maintain the cleanliness and security of old Manila for a while.

Then, politics reared its ugly head. Political recommendees, who were not competent enough nor disciplined for work, began to fill up the city halls. The law does not impose college education to mayors and congressmen so the unenlightened ruled and guided us. Population grew rapidly with many people drawn to live in the cities. Manila of the fifties stretched to Makati of the sixties followed by Quezon City residences spilling over to Marikina, Navotas stretched to Valenzuela, etc. By the seventies, when Mrs. Imelda Marcos “took over” the administration of the so-called “Metro Manila,” the metro extended to the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal and Laguna.

No uniform city plan was made for the expansion of Manila. The mayors of San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Caloocan, Makati and Quezon City had various city layouts instead of adhering to a common city plan. For example, post-war Germany developed a “50-year city plan,” for a growing population, which provided for modest but elegant city halls, historical landmarks, schools, churches and properly landscaped parks. Commercial and residential zones were distinct from one another. Proper garbage disposals, transportation systems, police outposts and cemeteries provided all a strong sense of security.

Now, Metro Manila is one big whole mess. Shanty towns have been allowed to encircle all districts. No provision has been made for soldiers and their families. They squat around Camps Aguinaldo (formerly Camp Murphy), Crame and Fort Bonifacio. Former First Lady Ming Ramos found it difficult to clear the Pasig River. Viewing it from a helicopter, she saw both banks of San Juan and Pasig rivers encrusted with squatter huts.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) surveyed the existence of 400 squatter areas over Metro Manila. NHA could manage improving only 32 of them, which means plotting 25-30 square meter lots with narrow cemented pathways and providing drainage, plumbing and electric systems. The other 368 are hotbeds of disease, promiscuity and crime.

Aking adhika, makita kang sakdal laya

Our leaders have generally betrayed us. They continue to desecrate and destroy the land and the people. It is no longer the “cradle of noble heroes” but a hot bed of mediocrity and greed.

Thus, the sad song of “Bayan Ko” concludes like a prayer: “Aking adhika, makita kang sakdal laya” (My only wish for you my country is to see you truly free one day).