THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
In Filipino culture, a legend and a myth are both referred to in local language as “alamat.”
Stories surrounding both are passed on from one generation to the next. They are part of what is known as “oral tradition.”
A myth is a character who may be imbued with super powers – but who, everyone knows, is merely a make-believe being. They may have never existed although Filipinos talk about them as if they are real and are a part of their lives. Among the more popular mythical characters in our local lore are Bernardo Carpio and the beloved Darna.
A legend, on the other hand, is a character who did live and exist in real life. There is one thing that defines a person who has become a legend: he or she becomes “larger than life,” as the saying goes. He or she is believed to have been gifted with abilities superior to those of ordinary beings. When a person becomes “larger than life,” local folks compliment him or her in the local language by saying, “Isa kang alamat” (you are a legend).
My father-in-law, Senator Ramon Revilla, Sr., fits the description of one whose achievements in life and whose true-to-life character are both legendary.
Senator Revilla Sr., Jose Acuña Bautista, Sr. in real life, was famous both as a star in the movies and a star in the legislature.
As a legend of the silver screen, he will be remembered for his portrayal of known characters.
Two such characters will always stand out – Nardong Putik and Tiagong Akyat.
Long before I met and married his daughter Andeng, I had been familiar with these two characters whose life he recreated in film. In fact, these two characters had long been the object of small-town jokes among common folks in our province of Rizal.
I clearly remember the jokes.
Here’s the first.
“Nabalitaan mo na ba, bumaba na daw?”
“Sino?”
“Si Tiyagong Akyat!”
Here’s the second.
“Nabalitaan mo na ba, naligo na daw?”
“Sino?”
“Si Nardong Putik!”
Was it his portrayal of these two characters which made the actor Ramon Revilla, Sr. legendary? Or, did these two characters become famous simply because the actor Ramon Revilla, Sr. portrayed them in film?
Regardless of which point-of-view one adopts, the fact remains that it was the actor Ramon Revilla, Sr. who made these names household bywords. His portrayal of these characters made sure that Nardo and Tiyago would be talked about for generations to come. The actor Ramon Revilla, Sr., turned the two of them into legends.
Ramon Revilla, Sr. was also a legendary lawmaker. A two-term senator of the land, he authored three pieces of legislation which had major impact in the lives of many Filipinos. The first was the Public Works Act which sped up the development of many vital infrastructures in the country during the Ramos and Estrada presidencies.
The second was the amendment to the Family Code. The amendment, which is more popularly known as the “Revilla Law,” allowed so-called “illegitimate” children to use the surname of their fathers as soon as their affiliation has been established by records of expressed admission by the latter. In his eulogy delivered during the necrological service held by the Philippine Senate, Senator Richard Gordon referred to the Revilla Law as the late senator’s way of recognizing his own mistakes, taking responsibility and “correcting” them.
The third law which he initiated was the "Children's Television Act of 1997,” which mandates the minimum of 15% of the daily total air time of each broadcasting network to be allotted for child-friendly shows within the regular programming of all networks as part of their service to the public.
There were many other “compassionate” laws authored by the senator. These three stand out because they mirrored the quality of his legendary heart.
And, that was who he really was – a man of compassion. In real life, he spent less time hunting down bad people. He spent his time and energies helping others with acts of kindness and being a legendary dad.
My wife Andeng would always remember him as a loving, caring father. He made sure his children were provided for – not just with the material essentials, but also with the opportunity to grow, to stand up on their own.
Andeng would always credit her father for giving her the sense of independence and faith in her ability to pursue her dreams. While she is prone to believe that she is her dad’s favorite daughter, she would confess that she was never pampered. Her dad made sure she learned how to take care of herself, and to fight for what she believed in.
“He made me believe in myself,” she told me a good number of times.
There is one more thing which comes to people’s mind when they hear the Senator’s name: “agimat”. Amulets. There are many who believe he really has one.
“Agimat” is supposed to give the one who possesses it two qualities – invincibility and immortality. Legend has it that one who has an “agimat” cannot be conquered and does not die.
I never saw my father-in-law’s supposed “agimat.” However, I am inclined to believe he did have one.
After all, he possessed an invincible spirit. Setbacks, defeats, and the incessant rants of hecklers never conquered, never curtailed his will to succeed.
What about immortality?
Well, of Ramon Revilla, Sr., it can be said that he will live forever.
His feats as an actor and as a public servant will be talked about for generations to come.
His love as a father and a grandfather will live forever in our hearts.
Rest in peace, Daddy-Lolo.
Isa kang tunay na alamat.
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