I hope to be writing the first of ten fortnightly pieces by mid-September when I shall be turning 95. By then hope to be signing “30”. This, after 28 years of writing for this paper. It was Dr. Andrew Gonzales who was then Chairman of our Asian Institute of Journalism’s board of trustee and a vice-president of Manila Bulletin who encouraged me to write a column. I welcomed the opportunity as I was then a commissioner of the National Centennial Commission (NCC) which in 1998 celebrated the country’s 100th year. We were appointed by then President Fidel V. Ramos to implement a strategy prepared by the Executive Department. The Commission headed by then former Vice-President Salvador Laurel was tasked to oversee activities for the Centennial which included the refurbishing of historical sites, the preparation of an information and communication strategy, and the conduct of activities which focused on the life of Rizal and other heroes who fought for our freedom and independence. We held seminars and conferences in several regions of the country and engaged some of our local social scientists to update current historical research. Among our outputs were several books and publications.

My Bulletin columns over these past three decades covered a wide range of topics - from social, political, cultural, economic and international affairs, media and communication, education, governance, and the environment. Too, several pieces dealt with gender, children, the indigenous and other minority groups, within the sustainable development framework.  Among others, I examined the factors that had caused the wide divides between social groups, and possible solutions in closing these gaps. I have also monitored the continuing struggle of our democratic forces which tried to seek participation in the political, social and economic space of our highly stratified society. And the continuing deterioration of our democracy with the rise of populism.

The first title of this column for the first 15 years was “More to the Point.” When we were asked to shorten our titles, I decided on “Pagbabago” which I thought would reflect many of the concerns of our times.

Most of my pieces had dealt with change – a restructuring not only of our institutions but our mindsets, attitudes, and lifestyles as well. But I believe many would agree with me when I say that there has not been much change in these areas. We thought that EDSA People Power would have resulted in a genuine transformation but the change that we expected only lasted for a while. Over the years, we have experienced upheavals which could have led to authentic change in our values and behavior, but the change was cosmetic and superficial and lasted only for a while. The lesson that we have learned from these failures is to seek solutions that are sustainable. And this we expect to happen with enlightened leadership and human resources.

Having been one of the framers of our Constitution, I used my column to respond to several attempts to revise, or re-write the Charter as well as responding to queries on specific provisions. And supporting initiatives in access and free flow of information and the fight against disinformation.

We – members of my group and myself, have not given up. Nation-building we realize, does not happen overnight. Building trust and commitment requires patience, and fortitude. It is a much more difficult task in a country like ours with its geography and cultural diversity and weak governance. But as we have observed through experiences in other countries, we can overcome these weaknesses with an effective communication and educational system. Our advocacy in these areas have been consistent and we hope that we may be able to leapfrog from being a third world to a second world country in the next few years, and hopefully, a first world soon after. ([email protected])