Like the 'salt of the earth'

When is a woman truly powerful? And does power diminish the gentleness of a woman?

Force and strength alone do not define a powerful woman, though she may possess both of these attributes. A woman is truly powerful when she has the ability and capacity to change and improve lives, and she translates that capacity into reality. The more lives she touches for the better, the more profound her effect on others, the more powerful she is.

The Forbes Power Women list ranks the world’s 100 most powerful women by “the scope of their constituencies, spheres of influence, media buzz and money controlled.” They include German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the top two slots, and US First Lady Michelle Obama in eighth place. The Philippines’ Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was once on the list, but expectedly, she has dropped out of it. The only Southeast Asian on the list is Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

As powerful as a nuclear bomb, but with the reverse effects, are the world’s dedicated educators. One of them is Maruxa Pita, one of the pioneers of the Poveda Learning Centre in the Philippines. Because of the difference Povedans have made in the Philippines, Maruxa is a powerful woman in my book. To Maruxa, however, making a difference could accomplished silently, but potently  like the salt of the earth.

Maruxa in 1934.

“Maruxa was very firm with us in our formative years, she taught us the importance of prayers and how we should be the ‘salt of the earth,’ where we must make a difference in whatever path we choose to take. We should be like salt, making a difference without having to be seen, without tooting our own horns. Maruxa also taught us to be humble and compassionate,” recalls Povedan Ruthie Vera, a successful investment banker.

Ruthie says the Aquino sisters Ballsy, Pinky, Viel and Kris “are true Povedans.”

“Their mom became President, their brother is now President but they remained the same,” observes Ruthie.

Ruthie shared the following article by Bu Villanueva on Maruxa, who will be bestowed the Mother Teresa award today.

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Maruxa in the 1940s.

Little did Maria Dolores Josefa Cirila Ángela de La’O Pita Lissarrague of Betanzos, Galicia-Spain know that, 62 years later after having reached Philippine shores for the first time, she would be honored with a most prestigious and coveted award.

Maruxa or Señorita Maruxa, fondly known to most, came to the Philippines in 1959 as a member of the Teresian Association (Institución Teresiana), an international association of lay people committed to transforming society and promoting human values in accordance with the spirit of the Gospel. Maruxa has a younger sister, Chita, who also is a Teresian Association Member.

Maruxa finished her Master’s in Teaching Mathematics (Licenciada en Ciencias Exactas) from the prestigious Universidad de Complutense de Madrid in 1952. A year after her arrival, the Teresianas built a school, which was named Institución Teresiana. It was the only pink school along Ortigas-EDSA, then known as Hi-way 54. Equipped with such an experience, Maruxa was one of the Teresian pioneers who formed the staff of the school together with Ma. Pilar Sarasqueta (1st director), Angelita Barcelon (1st principal), Mariluz Ferrer (administrator) and Chuchi Pacia (Gr. 4 teacher), just to name a few.

Maruxa was the school director from 1965 up to 1973. Following this directorship, she then worked at the Centro Cultural of the Spanish Embassy for 17 years.

Maruxa is first and foremost an educator, a teacher. Her dream well resonates with the spirit and style envisioned by St. Pedro Poveda: “a humanizing and transforming presence, which finds in the mystery of the Incarnation the inspiration of its being in the world.” She continuously fulfills being salt of the earth with her unassuming stance of evangelizing while educating.

The call to holiness is a daunting goal. Her journey towards responding to this call began in the early ‘90s when she creatively transformed an abandoned space in Poveda and slowly converted it into a little classroom for street children loitering about the EDSA Shrine and around the vicinity. Soon enough, she co-established the Makabata School Foundation in 1995 for street children. As the years progressed, with more street children yearning for a good education, it was time to move the little space to a bigger place located in Cainta. The school is primarily kept alive because of Maruxa’s unconditional love for the poor; providing them with food to eat, clothes to wear and an education to transform them as potential leaven of society  this was Poveda’s Guadix, hers, too. With the collaboration and assistance of generous hearts: Queen Sofía of Spain, the AAP (Asociación de Alumnas de Poveda) and other close friends, the school breathes a future full of hope.

Maruxa with the Makabata School Foundation students in 1994.

Looking back at Makabata School Foundation’s humble beginnings, Maruxa’s selfless ways, exemplary vocation, extraordinary commitment and tireless efforts in serving the poor are now being graciously recognized and rewarded, which most fittingly coincides with the Teresian Association’s 100th year.

The Manila Jaycees (JCI: Junior Chamber International-Manila) and AY (Alfonso Yuchengco) Foundation shall honor Maruxa Pita, a deserving committed lay Teresian, the 24th Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Award 2011 today at 3 p.m. at the RCBC Building.

For God, nothing is impossible…

Para Dios, nada es imposible…

Holiness more than ever!

¡Santidad más que nunca!

(You may e-mail me at [email protected])