Metro Infanta Foundation

Least we forget. on 08 February would be the birthday of a great
Filipino jurist, nationalist and senator born in 1890 at Tiaong,
Tayabas (now Quezon). Also, years later, on 08 February 1935, as
President of the 1935 Constitutional Convention, he delivered his
Valedictory Address.

He said: "The years and the ages will pass into nothingness and
oblivion; new generations will be born, succeeding the present. . .
history, in its usual fashion, will make its inexorable demands,
changing the meaning of these words if not reversing it completely;
humanity itself, weary of itself and prey to new follies, will again
and again throw the treasures of the ages, . . .; yet, when those who
come after us look back to the past for counsel and inspiration, and
consider the Charter that now leaves our hands, I feel sure that they
will see written in it, the nobility of our purpose as well as the
magnitude of our task; . . ."

Constitutional Convention President Claro M. Recto, the grandfather
of present Senator Ralph Recto and father of my law classmate,
Assemblyman Rafael Rector, ended his Valedictory Address by saying
that the care and zeal that marked their labors "were not a bid for
the plaudits of the present nor for the perpetuation of our names in
fame's eternal marble or bronze, but sprang from the desire to arouse
in our people, through this Constitution, that noble enthusiasm, that
human wisdom and divine fire which an illustrious prelate, pride of
our clergy, invoked the blessings of the Supreme Creator on the never-
to-be-forgotten day of our inauguration: ' Father, Thou, who art the
fountain-head of all power and the source of all happiness, make of
the Philippines a nation of happy people within Thy Kingdom.'"

A timely and relevant reminder to all Filipinos especially at this
time when Constitutionalism, rule of law are among the issues being
discussed in our midst.

Posted on February 04, 2012

By Rodolfo A. Arizala
25 December 2011

As we celebrate on 30 December 2011, the 115th Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, it occurred to my mind that Yuletide 1896 must have been difficult and trying moment to his family as well as to himself. Let us recall the events and dates when Rizal underwent trial and then had to face death by musketry at Bagumbayan field (now called Rizal Park).

The Trial of Jose P. Rizal
On 20th December 1896, Rizal together with his counsel, Lt. Taviel de Andrade of the Spanish Artillery, prepared for his defense.

Five days later, on 25th December, a Christmas Day, Rizal was informed that on the following day, at 19:00 a.m., the Council of War would convene. Rizal wrote his counsel Taviel asking for a conference prior to appearing before the Council, However, it was not known whether such pre-trial conference between Rizal and his counsel took place.

On 26th December, at the Cuartel General de Espana, a soldier’s dormitory was converted into an improvised courtroom.

Continue reading "A Sad Christmas for Rizal and his Family" »

Posted on December 27, 2011

By Rudy A. Arizala
December 2011

Our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal in his novel “Noli Me Tangere” (Social Cancer) wrote:
“It was Christmas Eve and yet the town was wrapped in gloom. Not a paper lantern hung from the windows nor did a single sound in the houses indicate the rejoicing of other years.”

And whenever I see a star paper lantern on Christmas, I remember Christmas of Yesteryears and the Star of the Magi which shone on them more than two thousand years ago.

Continue reading "Christmas and the Star of the Magi" »

Posted on December 16, 2011

By Rudy Arizala

30 November has been declared Bonifacio Day, the birthdate of the "Great Phlebian" -Andres Bonifacio- the "bodegero" who became the founder and leader of the Katipunan (KKK) ; took up arms and proclaimed "Long Live the Philippines" at Pugad-Lawin in the farm of Tandang Sora. He and his followers tore their "cedulas" as sign of protests against Spanish Colonial rule over the Philippines. The fight against Spanish rule started. Later, there was rivalry between the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of the Philippine Revolutionary movements and as a result of the Tejeros Convention, Bonifacio was sentenced by a hastily convened Court Martial to die for acts inimical to the State. He was killed and buried in unmarked grave somewhere near Mt. Buntis while Bonifacio and his loyal followers were on their way back to their own headquarters or revolutionary base.

Continue reading "Significance of November 30" »

Posted on December 01, 2011

(Excerpts from a piece “Assignment Iran”)
by Rodolfo A. Arizala

(*Mr. Rodolfo A. Arizala is a retired Filipino Diplomat)
Santiago, Chile
02 September 2011

I. Arrival in Tehran
When I arrived in Tehran in September of 1977, from my posting at the Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I noted a country at the doorstep of transition - from an ancient country formerly called “Persia” toward a modern Iran under the rule of the Shah.

I learned later that there are thousands of Filipino workers in Iran hired as doctors, nurses, engineers, technicians, hotel employees and some work as domestic helpers. When I reported the next day of my arrival to the Philippine Embassy, I noticed a long line of Iranians in front of the Embassy’s Consular Section applying for student visas so that they could pursue further studies in Philippine universities.

II. Extremely Busy Consular Section
Because of such desire of many Iranians to study in the Philippines, as well as the presence of thousands of Filipino workers in Iran, the consular section of the embassy was always extremely busy. It had to attend to the consular needs of Filipinos and foreigners as well. At that time, there were around 15,000 Filipino workers and dependents in Iran scattered throughout the country. They worked in hospitals, hotels, factories, ports, and oil fields of Iran. As early as 5:00 o’clock in the morning, there were already long lines of Iranian students at the embassy gate waiting for their turn to be interviewed by Filipino consular officers.

Continue reading "A September Affair to Rememember" »

Posted on September 06, 2011

By Rudy A. Arizala
19 August 2011

I. Introduction
On 23 July 2011, we inaugurated in Infanta, Quezon the reconstructed Gabaldon type of school building housing 12 modern, spacious classrooms for the Infanta Central School.

The inauguration of said school building on 23 July was significant in the sense that on said date, a Filipino hero considered as the “Brain of the Philippine Revolution” was born at barrio (now Brgy. Talaga), Tanuan, Batangas. Incidentally, Mabini emphasized not only love of country but but also the value of education.

In paying tribute to his mother in his book: “La Revolucion Filipina” (The Philippine Revolution), he wrote as follows:

To My Mother:
When, still a child, I told you that I wanted to acquire learning, you were overjoyed , because your heart's desire was that a son of yours should be a priest; to be a minister of God was for you the greatest honour that a man could aspire to in this world.

Realizing that you were too poor to meet the expenses of my education, you worked as hard as you could, heedless of sun and rain, until you caught the illness that took you to your grave.

But I was not fated to be a priest. I am, however, convinced that the true minister of God is not one who wears a cassock, but everyone who proclaims His glory by good works of service to the greatest possible number of His creatures, and I shall endevour to be faithful to your desires as long as I have the strength to do so.

Continue reading "KEY TO ENLIGHTENED, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENRY" »

Posted on August 18, 2011