Fidel V. Ramos By Fidel V. Ramos Former Philippine President   Last 14 February 2015, FVR was the guest of honor and speaker at the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Manila from the occupying Imperial Japanese Forces. This was upon the invitation of retired Ambassador Juan Jose Rocha, president of the “Memorare Foundation,” an NGO devoted to the preservation of the tragic history of that period so that people could learn important lessons from it. Johnny Rocha, had been our Philippine envoy to Spain, and the immediate predecessor in that position to Ambassador Isabel Caro Wilson, now also retired and a director of Memorare. THE BATTLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF MANILA IN FEBRUARY, 1945, WAS UNDISPUTEDLY THE GREATEST TRAGEDY, AND THE WORST MAN-MADE DISASTER, IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY. THIS FACT IS INDISPUTABLE: IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF LIVES LOST – 100,000 NON-COMBATANT CIVILIANS KILLED ON TOP OF THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION AND IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE SUCH AS NATIONAL MONUMENTS, COMMUNITIES, CHURCHES, LIBRARIES, ART WORKS, ETC., ESPECIALLY IN MANILA SOUTH OF THE PASIG. SUCH TERRIFYING IMPACTS ON OUR NATIONAL LIFE WERE INCALCULABLE: WE SEEMED TO BE A DIFFERENT COUNTRY AFTER THAT BATTLE OF MANILA. PHYSICALLY, OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A STINKING, DEVASTATED RUIN. BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS YOUTHFUL LIVES LOST – THE RANKS OF OUR FUTURE FILIPINO INTELLECTUAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC, LEADERSHIP WERE GREATLY DECIMATED. FOR ALL THESE TRAGIC BUT VALUABLE REASONS WE MUST KEEP ALIVE THE MEMORY OF THAT LANDMARK BATTLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF MANILA AND THE LARGER CAMPAIGN FOR THE RECAPTURE OF LUZON STARTING IN EARLY JANUARY 1945 WITH GENERAL MACARTHUR’S LANDING AT LINGAYEN GULF IN PANGASINAN, AND MOST OF ALL OUR HEROIC COUNTRYWIDE GUERRILLA RESISTANCE MOVEMENT FOR 3 1/2 YEARS. WORLD WAR II COST OUR COUNTRY OVER 1.1 MILLION DEATHS, OUT OF A PRE-WAR POPULATION OF 17 MILLION OR ONE OF THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA CASUALTY RATES IN THE WORLD. IT WAS AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH PRICE TO PAY FOR OUR FREEDOM, BUT IT WAS A PRICE THAT WAS PAID VALIANTLY AND UNFLINCHINGLY. THIS IS THE PRECIOUS LESSON THAT FILIPINOS TODAY AND ALL OF THOSE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS MUST NEVER FORGET – AND THAT IS: WAR IS NOT AN OPTION!   PRELUDE TO THE U.S.-NOKOR SUMMIT It is now well known that the US and North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK) Governments headed by President Donald J. Trump and Leader Kim Jong Un, respectively, will meet in Singapore on 12 June 2018, three weeks from now. (For the unconcerned, remember 12 June is Philippine Independence Day). We are told that the ultimate objective of this summit is the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the subsequent reunification of the two conflicting Koreas. It is also anticipated that all this can lead to the total commitment of every member nation of the United Nations to the use of nuclear power only for peaceful purposes, and never for mass destruction. INDEED, THIS THE ABSOLUTE ASPIRATION OF ALL WHO HAVE KNOWN THE HORRORS OF WAR (LIKE FVR), AND TODAY’S “MILLENIALS” WHO ARE MOST SAVVY (AND SCARED) OF THE WMDs. THIS INDEED IS THE UNQUESTIONABLE RELEVANCE OF FVR’S MESSAGE IN INTRAMUROS, MANILA LAST FEBRUARY 2015 AT THE FOOT OF THE 1945 MEMORARE MONUMENT. THIS IS SO RELEVANT THAT IT MUST BE REPEATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN: WAR IS NOT AN OPTION!!!   UNITY, SOLIDARITY, AND TEAMWORK OVER THE YEARS, THE FILIPINO PEOPLE HAVE CALLED UPON THEIR UNITY OF PURPOSE, SOLIDARITY IN VALUES AND TEAMWORK IN NATION-BUILDING IN TIMES OF GREAT UPHEAVAL. AND, BECAUSE OF THESE PRECIOUS VALUES, WE HAVE SURVIVED FOREIGN OCCUPATIONS, WARS, REVOLUTIONS, REBELLIONS, BLOODY COUP ATTEMPTS, AND PERIODS OF VIOLENT STRUGGLE, AND EMERGED TRIUMPHANT OVER OPPRESSION AND EXTREMISM BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH IN GOD AND FAITH IN OURSELVES. OUR FAITH IN THE ALMIGHTY’S ALL-EMBRACING COMPASSION AND OUR FAITH IN OUR OWN QUALITIES AS A GOD-FEARING, LAW-ABIDING, AND CARING NATIONAL COMMUNITY HAVE REMAINED UNSHAKEN DURING TROUBLED TIMES. BUT, WE NEED LEADERS WHO CAN PUT THE INTERESTS OF THE MANY ABOVE THOSE OF THE FEW. WE NEED LEADERS OF VISION WHO SEE TOMORROW’S BRIGHTER POSSIBILITIES – FAR BEYOND TODAY’S POLITICAL DIVISIONS, ECONOMIC CRISES, VIOLENT EXTREMISM AND TERRITORIAL CONFLICTS. WE NEED LEADERS WHO CAN RESTORE HOPE – ESPECIALLY TO THE YOUTH AND THOSE MIRED IN POVERTY – BECAUSE THE CAPACITY TO INSTILL HOPE IS A CRITICAL QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP.   OUR VISION OF A BETTER FUTURE THE VISION OF A BETTER FUTURE FROM WHICH NATIONS AND PEOPLES CAN BENEFIT EQUITABLY – REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, RELIGIOUS FAITH, CULTURAL BACKGROUND, SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION, AND ETHNIC ORIGIN – IS THE UNCEASING, ULTIMATE ASPIRATION OF ALL. IT IS EVERY COUNTRY’S PERMANENT NATIONAL INTEREST. THAT VISION, WHICH IS THE UNIVERSAL HOPE OF HUMANKIND SHOULD, ACCORDINGLY, PROVIDE STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO THE DECISIONS AND POLICIES OF TODAY’S LEADERS AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, WITH EACH ADMINISTRATION ENABLED TO ADVANCE PEOPLES’ QUALITY OF LIFE TO A HIGHER LEVEL. IN PROVERBS 29:18, GOD WARNED THE LEADERS: “WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH...” WE SEE CLEARLY THAT THE TROUBLE IN SOME COMMUNITIES, CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENTS AND NATIONS TODAY IS THAT LEADERS ARE IN A HURRY TO HARVEST WITHOUT FIRST PLANTING AND NURTURING. GOD’S LAW OF NATURE MANDATES: “FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, AND A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN: A TIME TO PLANT AND TIME TO PLUCK WHAT IS PLANTED... (ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8)” OUR CURRENT PROBLEMS OF POVERTY, CORRUPTION, VIOLENCE, AND INJUSTICE ARISE OUT OF SOMEONE’S GREED, SELFISHNESS, AND INORDINATE AMBITION. WE PRAY THAT GOD SPARE US FROM THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE THAT STILL PREVAILS IN TOO MANY PLACES – INSTEAD OF THE EQUITY OF OPPORTUNITY TO REACH ONE’S FULL POTENTIAL WHICH IS EVERY PERSON’S HUMAN RIGHT.   OVERCOMING PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF MASS POVERTY, ENDEMIC DISEASE, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION, CORRUPTION, AND THE GAP BETWEEN THE “HAVES” AND THE “HAVE-NOTS,” WE NEED LEADERS WHO CAN SEE BEYOND THE GLOOM AND DOOM OF THE MOMENT TO THE BRIGHTER POSSIBILITIES OF THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THEIR VISIONARY VIRTUES – WITH THE MORAL CONVICTIONS AND SKILLS TO CARRY OUT PAINFUL REFORMS. GOD TOLD OUR FOREFATHERS, AS WE PRAY HE WILL TELL OUR LEADERS NOW: “YOUR FATHERS WILL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD. I WILL GIVE THEM SINGLENESS OF HEART AND ACTION, SO THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS FEAR ME FOR THEIR OWN GOOD AND THE GOOD OF THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM. I WILL MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH THEM: I WILL NEVER STOP DOING GOOD TO THEM, AND I WILL INSPIRE THEM TO FEAR ME, SO THAT THEY WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM ME. (JEREMIAH 32:38-40)” “I WILL GIVE THEM ONE HEART, AND PUT A NEW SPIRIT WITHIN THEM. I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE FROM THEIR FLESH AND GIVE THEM A HEART OF FLESH, SO THAT THEY MAY FOLLOW MY STATUTES AND KEEP MY ORDINANCES AND OBEY THEM. THEN THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD. BUT AS FOR THOSE WHOSE HEART GOES AFTER THEIR DETESTABLE THINGS AND THEIR ABOMINATIONS, I WILL BRING THEIR DEEDS UPON THEIR OWN HEADS. (EZEKIEL 11:19-21) “   GOD’S REVELATIONS AND, IN THE END, WE PRAY TO GOD THAT HE CONTINUES TO BLESS THE PHILIPPINES AND FILIPINOS HERE AND ABROAD, AS WELL AS ALL OF EARTH’S PEOPLE SO THAT WE ALL MAY HARVEST HIS VISION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. AS GOD SAID, “I AM MAKING A NEW EARTH AND A NEW HEAVEN. THERE WILL BE NO WEEPING THERE, NO CALLING FOR HELP. BABIES WILL NO LONGER DIE IN INFANCY AND ALL PEOPLE WILL LIVE OUT THEIR LIFE SPAN. THOSE WHO LIVE TO BE A HUNDRED WILL BE CONSIDERED YOUNG... PEOPLE WILL BUILD HOUSES AND GET TO LIVE IN THEM. THEY WILL PLANT VINEYARDS AND ENJOY THE WINE – IT WILL NOT BE DRUNK BY OTHERS... THE WORK THEY DO WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, AND EVEN BEFORE THEY FINISH PRAYING TO ME, I WILL ANSWER THEIR PRAYERS. WOLVES AND SHEEP WILL LIVE TOGETHER IN PEACE, AND LEOPARDS WILL LIE DOWN WITH GOATS. CALVES AND LION CUBS WILL FEED TOGETHER AND LITTLE CHILDREN WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM. EVEN A BABY WILL NOT BE HARMED IF IT PLAYS NEAR A POISONOUS SNAKE. IN THAT PLACE, THERE WILL BE NOTHING HARMFUL OR EVIL. THE LAND WILL BE AS FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE SEAS ARE FULL OF WATER! (ISAIAH 11 AND ISAIAH 65) “ AS GOD THE ALMIGHTY HAS DECLARED: “WAR IS NOT AN OPTION!!!” AND SO, WE IMPLORE PRRD TO REMIND PRESIDENT TRUMP AND LEADER KIM••• “WAR IS NOT AN OPTION!!!” FOR ALL THESE, WE FERVENTLY IMPLORE, ALMIGHTY GOD, FOR THE GREATNESS OF YOUR KINGDOM ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN. MABUHAY THE U.S.!!! MABUHAY NORTH KOREA!!! THANK YOU, AND BEST WISHES TO ALL!!! MABUHAY MEMORARE-MANILA FOUNDATION, MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!!!   Please send any comments to [email protected]. Copies of articles are available at www.rpdev.org.