About the time Magellan washed up our shores, Daidoji Yuzan wrote: “one who is samurai must, before all things, keep constantly in mind, by day and by night…..that he has to die”. Masaharu Homma was born in 1888, 11 years after the leader of the unsuccessful Satsuma Rebellion, Saigo Takamori, among the last of the samurai committed seppuku. Homma wanted to become a writer but was drawn by the “pitch of patriotism” brought about by the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War. He enrolled at the Military Academy and graduated at the top of his class.

He was sent as a military attaché to Britain, at that time an ally, and learned English. He was able to travel extensively around Europe. As a major, he lived for three years in India which he described as “the most fascinating country in the world”.

Despite his vast differences with the increasingly militaristic ideology pervading in Japan, Homma rose to become a general, assigned to various commands in China. In November of 1941 he was given a few weeks to prepare for the invasion of the Philippines. Homma wrote “War against the USA would be a disaster, I knew, but I could not show any feeling in it, as … I would have been called a traitor”.

He was the commanding general who handed the Americans their largest surrender since Appomattox and dealt our favorite General Douglas MacArthur, the Hero of the Philippines with the worst defeat in his illustrious career. Ironically, Homma was retired in 1943 because he was deemed too lenient with the Filipinos and not aggressive enough in warfare. He spent the remainder of the war in Japan until he was extradited to Manila in 1945 by the victorious American forces. There was an International Tribunal in place in Tokyo but MacArthur insisted he was running the whole show.

The trial lasted three months. It took place in what is now the American Embassy. While vigorously denying that he had knowledge of the atrocities that were committed during the Bataan Death March, the outcome of the trial was never in doubt. Homma was executed by musketry in Los Banos on April 3, 1946.

Supreme Court Justice Frank Murphy who had served as Philippine High Commissioner wrote a critical dissent that was also prophetic: “this nation’s very honor is at stake. Either we conduct such a trial as this in the spirit and atmosphere of our Constitution or we abandon all pretense to justice, let the ages slip away and descend to the level of revengeful blood purges. Apparently the die has been cast in favor of the latter course. Tomorrow the precedent here established can be turned against others… . No one can foresee the end of this failure of objective thinking and adherence to our high hopes of a new world… . A nation must not perish because, in the natural frenzy of the aftermath of war, it abandoned its central theme of the dignity of the human personality and due process of law.”

Homma spent a little over a year in the Philippines. He observed: “Filipinos needed more vocational education, more social efficiency, more sense of duty and obligation.” Homma could not understand why Filipinos were so loyal to their American masters from an altogether different continent and culture. He should have considered the fact that until that time, whatever “Filipino culture” consisted of shared experiences less than 100 years old. The Japanese had had it going for 5000 years already. Obviously, we have much to learn from Japanese culture. Jose Rizal broached the idea of founding an educational institution in Japan for the express purpose of training Filipino youth.

Zen stands for “good” in Japanese. Kaizen means “change for the better”. It has been the system employed by Toyota Motors as a method of continuously improving production by encouraging all stakeholders of the company to experiment with subtle adjustments in order to minimize waste, defined as any activity that adds cost without increasing value. Methods which have been proven to enhance productivity are subsequently standardized.

Kaizen was institutionalized early on at Toyota and is responsible for the culture of disparate stakeholders getting together to continuously generate small improvements towards the unattainable goal of perfection. It helps explain how a large group of people can engage in seemingly monotonous labor for long periods and still achieve progressive growth.

Kaizen is not simply results-oriented. It continuously examines the various processes that produces results. In evaluating these processes it employs a constructive, non-blaming technique (blaming does not add value and is wasteful) and emphasizes systemic thinking, looking at the big picture in order to avoid problems down the line.

We must be able to study different models that are effective in enhancing productivity. This definition of insanity is attributed to Einstein: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Our country urgently needs to change for the better.

I’m trying to remember when I first heard that haunting song. It had been taught to us earlier especially since I was in a Jesuit grade school but I think the very first time I was struck by the lyrics as well as by the melody was when I was in a church attending a prayer rally for Ninoy Aquino who was on a hunger strike. Lorenzo Tanada, Soc Rodrigo, Jose Diokno, and other heavyweights were in attendance.

The English translation of the title of the song is “Brother to Brother”, directly translated from Tagalog it is “Responsibility”. The composer of the song is Eduardo Hontiveros, SJ who died yesterday. His song stays with us.

Despite never having any formal training in music Fr. Hontiveros was able to compose quite a number of memorable songs that stir our sacred chords. But my favorite remains “Pananagutan”: We don’t live or die for ourselves. We are responsible for one another. Whenever we love and serve others, we proclaim the saving power of God.

Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay
Para sa sarili lamang
Walang sinuman ang namamatay
Para sa sarili lamang

Koro:

Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't-isa
Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos
na kapiling N'ya

Sa ating pagmamahalan
At paglilingkod kanino man
Tayo ay nagdadala ng balita ng kaligtasan

Sabay-sabay ngang mag-aawitan
Ang mga bansa
Tayo'y tinuring ng Panginoon
Bilang mga anak

Ed Panlilio is a catholic priest in the Diocese of Pampanga. When Kapampangans realized in the last election that their choices for who was going to be governor of the province was unacceptably slim, many people urged parish priest Fr Panlilio to run. He was very very reluctant, his Bishop would not hear of it and so he prayed and prayed. Meanwhile, nobody wanted to take on the two traditional politicians whose war chests were bursting full. Most common excuse heard was: politics is not for me, I can help my country in some other way (another way of saying, let’s leave politics to our trusted, dependable politicians who will always do the right thing for the people).

Incredibly, Fr. Panlilio won by a slim margin. Of course his rival immediately filed a protest and paid for a recount which is currently unfolding. Scuttlebutt since October has it that the good father is certain to lose in the recount. And to cover all bases, all but 2 of the Mayors of the province are opposing Gov. Panlilio. Most of them are being uncooperative and are intentionally slowing things down, to demonstrate to everyone that a Governor who doesn’t play by the rules shouldn’t expect any help. Stories have appeared in the newspapers detailing plans to recall the Governor.

It’s just too bad because Fr. Panlilio was first thrust into the spotlight when Mount Pinatubo erupted. The province was plunged into total disaster and was literally buried under millions of tons of lahar (which is a compound of pyroclastic material and water). Panlilio was at the forefront of the giant rescue mission. Misfortune was converted into a blessing when it was discovered that the same lahar, cooled-down, made for first-rate construction material. This was the beginning of the fortune that could be made off the “quarrying” of lahar.

When he became Governor, Panlilio was able to collect from all the revenue of the quarrying a sum of money in one month that his traditional predecessor took 12 months to accumulate. See what happens when an upright person is minding the store. The problem is, honest business practices are anathema to the traditional political manner of doing business. Hence, Governor Ed Panlilio is seen as a threat.

We are all looking for ways to help our country. The struggle at hand will require sacrifice and it will not always be pleasant. How shall freedom be defended? MacLeish asked, and then replied: By arms when it is attacked by arms; by truth when it is attacked by lies; by democratic faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always, and in the final act, by dedication and faith.

Together with other citizens appalled at the multiple improvised political traps that the enemies of Gov Panlilio are furiously setting, we made an appointment to see Among Ed and we expressed to him our full support and gave our cell phone numbers just in case he might need us. He is about as gentle as a human can get. He has vitiligo, which is a chronic skin condition that causes loss of pigmentation resulting in depigmented patches all over the body. Unfortunately, Fr Panlilio’s face is riddled with these patches.

You don’t have to go to the Pampanga Capitol. I don’t know what you can do to lend your support to the embattled Ed Panlilio. You will have to figure that one out yourself.

Most Filipinos continue to hope in their hearts for genuine conversion that will lift the overwhelming majority from dehumanizing poverty. Most Filipinos are willing to work and sacrifice for revolutionary reform even if it means sowing the seeds of change today for results that will be realized past our lifetime.

Gawad Kalinga is 7 years old. It is a movement that strives mightily to provide decent housing for squatters. Forget for a moment that 70% of Filipinos are landless and despite the phenomenal good press that GK has been receiving, the people behind GK will be the first to admit that the surface of the massive problem is hardly being scratched. I want you to momentarily forget these realities because I want you to be convinced that it is very possible for our country to be transformed within a short period of time. It can happen and it can happen quickly.

The movement began in a squatter colony (curiously named Bagong Silang or newborn) of a million people. Crime, hunger, disease and hopelessness reigned. A few well-meaning people thought that if you slightly improved the horrible living conditions of these unfortunate persons by painting their shacks and planting some shrubs, you would be restoring a portion of their humanity and cause them to live less like animals whose overriding instinct is to survive and more like productive individuals concerned about the future.

The experiment worked because the hypothesis, which was not exactly original or cutting-edge science was simple and sound. Treat your fellow person like you would treat your neighbor, with dignity and respect and they begin behaving like humans once again.

I saw how children who live in the notorious “Smoky Mountain”, dumpsite to the waste products of 5 million people, were able to participate in a fairly complex dance routine that was choreographed by artists from the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I heard children from the rough neighborhood of Tatalon sing a native version of “Birdland”, a cappella. Listen to these kids, watch them dance and you will know that it is possible.

If you are searching for a way to help our country, check out Gawad Kalinga