in those dark times and in these dark times

I was with Beb.

We went to The National Museum. Our Philippine National Musuem, the one in Finance Road, Manila. That old but very classy looking building in white and beige. The one across the Manila Bulletin building. That day, we were the 10th and the 11th visitor. It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. The Museum closes at 4:30pm.

The last time I was here was during my Journalism class in 3rd year high school. Probably two decades ago = ) It was sort of a field trip.

We spent the morning within the chamber of The Philippine Senate. The Senate used to be housed in this building. I still remember, they were debating and discussing about whether the US Bases should be allowed to continue or not. And in 1990, August I think, they, in one of the proud moments of Philippine democracy, the Senate voted for the discontinuance.

And in the afternoon, together with my barkada, we walked around the National Museum. Noise and this teenage "rebel without a cause" attitude was our companion as we looked and observed the displays. Maybe we acted like that for two reasons: our raging hormones and the fact that the place was kinda creepy back then. The halls were dark. We were scared but we were scarier to admit it = )

But my attitude and my awareness of myself changed when I saw, for the first time, "strapped" artistically, against this huge wall, Juan Luna's obra maestra - The Spolarium!

I felt suddenly small. Awed. As if I am in the presence of something great.

The picture we see in the books of The Spolorium does not do justice to the power and energy that resonates from the actual obra! You have to see it first hand! And when you see it, it is hard not to hear Juan Luna screaming at the top of his lungs and in front of the educated and sophisticated Espanol, "Hindi kami indio! Hindi kami alipin! Kami ay Filipino!"

And when we see it, we will understand why it went to win the top honors in Madrid during the Spanish colonial times! To contextualized what that honor means to 21st century beings like us, it could be liken to, as a poor second, but not quite, winning the Oscars for Best Picture!

And the trip I took last week was not different in substance. In fact, my appreciation of the place was really on, on a lot of levels. I, once again, was reminded of how great the Filipinos are. It is the same spirit that caught Ninoy Aquino when he said, "The Filipinos is worth dying for..."

To understand who we are, and what we could be, we have to go back to who we were and realize that all is not lost. That hope is not just a word and that it could be a reality. We were once the Pearl of the Orient.

To those who read this blog, I challenge you to go the National Museum and sit at the two benches at the second floor and read what's in front of you. And you will see!!!

What is 70 pesos compared to knowing yourself a lot better! I guarantee you, you will have a moment. A life moment. A moment where you are more aware of what really surrounds you. Your eyes will see new things. You will be engulfed. And then, you will be different. Better. A Filipino for the first time!

And please, do not forget The Spolarium! = )

Take it all in!!!