How do you practice moral courage in your profession?
January 22, 2006 | 12:00am
When I got a text from Panjee Lopez suggesting that I do an article on moral courage and lakas loob, I had no second thoughts. I strongly feel that it’s time we brought back the days when people gave their best in everything they did without expecting anything in return. When people had the moral courage, the lakas loob to make decisions because it would be good for the greater majority, when they could resist accepting anything in return that may influence their decisions. Having the lakas loob to stand up and do what is right even if it means losing our friends and jobs. If every Filipino can bring back in them the will to want excellence in their work and moral integrity, it will no doubt be the start in creating a better society for our country.
In line with this, the Karangalan 2006, 2nd National Conference and Festival with the theme "Lakas ng Loob: Harnessing Inner Strength to Create Success Out of Societal Challenges" at the main performance hall of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on January 27 to 28.
For more information, contact the Karangalan Secretariat at 687-1309 or visit the Karangalan website at www.truthforce.info.
KORINA SANCHEZ, broadcast journalist, chief correspondent, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs: Lakas loob comes with the territory of what TV journalism and radio commentary require. If you desire a change from the status quo, it requires saying no to pressure notwithstanding harassment, living with some amount of caution if not fear and just saying it as it is and/or as your conscience dictates. I’ve been harassed, pressured and threatened often enough. If that is any indication, I guess I’ve done my part.
FERNANDO "NANDING" JOCEF, artist/cultural worker: As an artist and cultural worker, the guiding principles and the philosophy I hold dear and employ in my profession are those that I learned from some of the most respected Filipino artists-educators-cultural workers: Lino Brocka, Nonon Padilla, Brenda Fajardo, Nic Tiongson, Gardy Labad, CB Garrucho, Remmy Rikken, and many others, mostly involved then and now with the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Having been in this profession for almost three decades now, from the difficult years of the Marcos period to the present, I have acquired no material wealth that can make me feel secure about my future but I hold my head up high as my sense of wealth, pride and honor (karangalan) comes from the fact that I have courageously and uncompromisingly stuck to the principles of artistic excellence and using the arts for values education, social transformation and for serving the interests of the marginalized sectors of our society. The art that I espouse with utmost lakas ng loob is that which is not only beautiful, but also based on what is true and what is morally and spiritually good for the human being and society.
JEANNIE GOULBOURN, fashion designer: In the fashion profession, the current issue against morality is piracy of designs and brand names. Some business companies think it is clever to copy and steal designs, from fabrics to fashion garments to handbags, so as to cut down costs on research and development. It damages the creativity artists and breeds consumers that no longer respect the art of creation. For me, it is really sad because it is a form of theft.
This era will be known as the "fashion fakes" and what a huge change from the period of Coco Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior, when any fake would have been looked upon as bad taste.
CHECHE LAZARO, TV host: I try my best to walk my talk. It is not always easy but I try.
AGOT ISIDRO-SANDEJAS, actress/singer: There is always a certain excitement for me to dive into the unknown. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I enjoy and am passionate about musical theater, a field that I was most fearful of. I discovered that it is in facing my fear that true fulfillment is achieved.
NICANOR PERLAS publisher of www.truthforce.info: Moral courage is the foundation of all civilizations. One attains it if one has developed creative fidelity to altruism and one’s highest spiritual ideals in life. Furthermore, in the midst of trials and weaknesses, one achieves moral courage by awakening the sacred within each one of us and aligning our will with the intentions of the Divine Intelligence that guides the unfolding of the universe. We can encourage the growth of moral courage in society by highlighting achievements of other human beings attained through heroic morality. This is why in Karangalan 2006 (Jan. 27 to 28), we chose the theme "Lakas ng Loob: Harnessing Inner Strength to Create Successes Out of Societal Challenges." With moral courage, we can easily create a better Philippines!
BERNARDO "JOJO" MITRA, chairman, Northern Foods Corporation: It takes courage and faith in God to effect change. Risks in implementing political will is directly proportional to the amount of change needed. Hence, I have faith to feed my courage to constantly make myself and my surroundings change for the better.
GINA LOPEZ, managing director, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.: This is tricky because there are times when one is reacting righteously to a situation but actually the reaction is tinged with a personal reaction that can be shallow.. The actions that come from silence, from a deep knowingness – these are the actions with integrity. So for me cultivating a habit of introspection and silence leads to moral courage and integrity.
NESTOR O. JARDIN, president, Cultural Center of the Philippines: There are many risks, hazards and temptations that come my way and test my lakas ng loob as CCP president – threats, bribes, lawsuits, heartaches, political pressures. I always live by and base my decisions on what I believe is spiritually and morally right. And this is bolstered by the fact that I never asked for this position and would not hold on to it if doing so means sacrificing my beliefs.
In line with this, the Karangalan 2006, 2nd National Conference and Festival with the theme "Lakas ng Loob: Harnessing Inner Strength to Create Success Out of Societal Challenges" at the main performance hall of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on January 27 to 28.
For more information, contact the Karangalan Secretariat at 687-1309 or visit the Karangalan website at www.truthforce.info.
KORINA SANCHEZ, broadcast journalist, chief correspondent, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs: Lakas loob comes with the territory of what TV journalism and radio commentary require. If you desire a change from the status quo, it requires saying no to pressure notwithstanding harassment, living with some amount of caution if not fear and just saying it as it is and/or as your conscience dictates. I’ve been harassed, pressured and threatened often enough. If that is any indication, I guess I’ve done my part.
FERNANDO "NANDING" JOCEF, artist/cultural worker: As an artist and cultural worker, the guiding principles and the philosophy I hold dear and employ in my profession are those that I learned from some of the most respected Filipino artists-educators-cultural workers: Lino Brocka, Nonon Padilla, Brenda Fajardo, Nic Tiongson, Gardy Labad, CB Garrucho, Remmy Rikken, and many others, mostly involved then and now with the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Having been in this profession for almost three decades now, from the difficult years of the Marcos period to the present, I have acquired no material wealth that can make me feel secure about my future but I hold my head up high as my sense of wealth, pride and honor (karangalan) comes from the fact that I have courageously and uncompromisingly stuck to the principles of artistic excellence and using the arts for values education, social transformation and for serving the interests of the marginalized sectors of our society. The art that I espouse with utmost lakas ng loob is that which is not only beautiful, but also based on what is true and what is morally and spiritually good for the human being and society.
JEANNIE GOULBOURN, fashion designer: In the fashion profession, the current issue against morality is piracy of designs and brand names. Some business companies think it is clever to copy and steal designs, from fabrics to fashion garments to handbags, so as to cut down costs on research and development. It damages the creativity artists and breeds consumers that no longer respect the art of creation. For me, it is really sad because it is a form of theft.
This era will be known as the "fashion fakes" and what a huge change from the period of Coco Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior, when any fake would have been looked upon as bad taste.
CHECHE LAZARO, TV host: I try my best to walk my talk. It is not always easy but I try.
AGOT ISIDRO-SANDEJAS, actress/singer: There is always a certain excitement for me to dive into the unknown. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I enjoy and am passionate about musical theater, a field that I was most fearful of. I discovered that it is in facing my fear that true fulfillment is achieved.
NICANOR PERLAS publisher of www.truthforce.info: Moral courage is the foundation of all civilizations. One attains it if one has developed creative fidelity to altruism and one’s highest spiritual ideals in life. Furthermore, in the midst of trials and weaknesses, one achieves moral courage by awakening the sacred within each one of us and aligning our will with the intentions of the Divine Intelligence that guides the unfolding of the universe. We can encourage the growth of moral courage in society by highlighting achievements of other human beings attained through heroic morality. This is why in Karangalan 2006 (Jan. 27 to 28), we chose the theme "Lakas ng Loob: Harnessing Inner Strength to Create Successes Out of Societal Challenges." With moral courage, we can easily create a better Philippines!
BERNARDO "JOJO" MITRA, chairman, Northern Foods Corporation: It takes courage and faith in God to effect change. Risks in implementing political will is directly proportional to the amount of change needed. Hence, I have faith to feed my courage to constantly make myself and my surroundings change for the better.
GINA LOPEZ, managing director, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.: This is tricky because there are times when one is reacting righteously to a situation but actually the reaction is tinged with a personal reaction that can be shallow.. The actions that come from silence, from a deep knowingness – these are the actions with integrity. So for me cultivating a habit of introspection and silence leads to moral courage and integrity.
NESTOR O. JARDIN, president, Cultural Center of the Philippines: There are many risks, hazards and temptations that come my way and test my lakas ng loob as CCP president – threats, bribes, lawsuits, heartaches, political pressures. I always live by and base my decisions on what I believe is spiritually and morally right. And this is bolstered by the fact that I never asked for this position and would not hold on to it if doing so means sacrificing my beliefs.
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