Mother of dragons

Over three decades ago, I met Dr. Leonor “Liling” Briones, a UP professor, a crusader and one spearheading the movement for nationalist economics and painstakingly educating us about timely, relevant issues, concerning our foreign debt service, the US bases and the US “contribution and participation” in our economy, policy making, running our country and many more.

I was awed at her brilliance, clarity in communication and legitimate and factual presentations.

At that time, she and thousands who were similarly like-minded could not have been wrong! And indeed, many who espoused the same ideas and principles were less fortunate, as they had to give up so much, some including their lives, to stand their ground and ensure that their voices were heard.

Liling never wavered on what she stood for and I knew that hers was the right position.

And guess what? I found out later she was born in the Year of the Dragon, like me! I think all of us who are have a common thread that is woven into us.

Dragons are enchanting! They can be good or bad! To the Chinese, the dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, associated with power, achievement and excellence, good luck, harmony and prosperity.

In the Christian religions and in Europe, dragons were associated with demons and snakes ­-- ­thus, considered evil and the enemy of humans.

Dragons are believed to possess magical powers and said to be capable of breathing fire; as such, they have been used in film, TV shows like Game of Thrones, video games and fairy tales, eventually becoming more acceptable as they’ve become more friendly in popular culture.

As Secretary of Education, Dr. Briones is at home in the company of dragons.

“I collect both Asian dragons which are without wings and a lot of them in my collection are water dragons. Basta may wings, they come from Europe,” Liling explains.

“I have dragons here in my DepEd office, my UP office and my home in Dumaguete. My favorite is this one with wings. It’s from Europe and it’s my favorite color, purple,” says Liling.

“Having been born in 1940, I am a metal dragon,” she adds.

“I love dragons because they are very fierce and colorful,” she proudly declares.

She makes a conscious effort to collect dragons in all forms. “I have dragons of brass, stone, ceramics, crystal, metal, wood and even made of bread! A painting of a dragon, painted by my son for me, now hangs in my home in Dumaguete.”

She also collects books and movies about dragons and says, “I will one day, hopefully, produce a book about dragons and their origins.”

Liling enthusiastically claims she can relate well to dragons as they are “colorful, vibrant and dominant sa lahat ng Asian mythology. I think they are beautiful and endless are the forms and variations in which they are found — the water dragon, fire dragon, metal dragon and others.”

“When President Javier was UP President, there were five of us who were his vice presidents. Siya plus all of us were dragons so magkasundong-magkasundo kaming lahat,” she reminisces.

“The first dragon I collected was that Japanese one,” Liling says, pointing to a particularly cherished one. “It was a gift from my husband.”

“That dragon mother with her eggs from Wales is very unique; it is made of bread. This one is made of wire,” she says of another, as we walk through her collection.

“Some dragons that were made of glass I lost when there were still kids at home,” she laments. Glass breaks, after all, even if dragons are immortal.

Liling’s dragon collection covers an almost unlimited color palette and indeed, each one has a character of its own. No two are alike, of course; each stands proudly on her long table in her office seemingly, guarding her from the forces of evil and inspiring her to be creative and attentive to problems and concerns. It may be that dragons are where she draws her “magical powers” from to help overcome challenges the Education sector faces in these trying times.

“In Asian mythology, dragons are really the best, most spectacular, colorful and highly gifted creatures,” she says.

“Si Loch Ness parang dragon; there’s also the Komodo dragon. They are not purely mythical. Indeed, there probably did exist dragons or something like them many, many years ago,” she muses.

She mentions that there are three dragons in her family. “Nobody feels anything evil or unharmonious about that.”

What’s most important is that throughout her professional life, Dr. Briones has always maintained her stand on nationalism, sovereignty, democracy and what is for the common good. And the country, indeed, is fortunate that throughout the terms of eight Philippine presidents, in different capacities, Liling has served our people both within and outside of government — all the while  enriching and inspiring those who work with her and those who are influenced by her principles and ideals to chart an independent course for our nation and as a people.

Trials have come and gone in her life. She has seen how persecution and imperialism have reared their ugly heads. But like the dragon, Liling has never failed to stand her ground. Confidently, she knows exactly of what she speaks and does so hoping that the result in will help shape a more positive nationalist mindset in our young. Let us listen and hear her out. That’s the way of the dragon.

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Email the author at nikkicoseteng2017@gmail.com or text her at +639974337154.