One Must Never Let Go

“And how many times have we been asked, ‘Aren’t you migrating? Think of our children, what future do they have here?’ What future indeed, as the eminent Prof. Jun de Leon would say in his landmark UP centennial speech, ‘When the cultural sources of our education are western and it is inevitable that the expertise graduates acquire is better applicable to a western industrialized society than to a rural, agricultural setting which most of the Philippines is?’ and Florentino Hornedo adds, ‘It looks like the Philippines is spending money for the training of our country’s citizens to become another country’s assets.’

“Filipinos have always been a special race beloved by God — creative and beautiful, graceful and multi-talented, a connecting, resilient, hard-working and big-hearted people, loyal to the max. After finding one’s particular calling as a Filipino, one must never let go of it. Everything is interconnected and into one’s life will spontaneously drop all those helpful occurrences, chance encounters, coincidences and synchronicities to cheer one on. Don’t be impatient. Because five or so years down the line, or maybe when you’re old like me, there will be a convergence. Suddenly you are no longer the underdog. The time for your initiative — whether arnis, saya, aswang or bamboo house, has ripened. And its fruits are very sweet.”

- F. Sionil Jose quoting Gilda Cordero Fernando, Philippine Star, 21 Dec 2009

GCF told me that I would never make money from my business, because as a book publisher and writer, she never did. The reason being, cultural workers in the Philippines hardly ever do. But the intangible benefits and cultural income derived from what we do far outweigh any material gains.

I am of the mindset that I am in the education and export business with my subject and commodity being art. It has been a tough five years since starting this, and every day is a Pandora's box of surprises and nightmares here in the RP. But I can't say it has not been incredibly enriching and entertaining.

GCF held a sold out art exhibition at our SLab a month ago. Who said you can't make from what we do?

We love you GCF. We will never let go.


Image: Jose Rizal at Team Manila Rockwell Store