How to be Filipino in red hot boots
By Elizabeth Lolarga
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:20:00 08/04/2008
Filed Under: Arts, Culture & Entertainment
MANILA, Philippines—There she stood on center-stage at the Irwin Theater of the Ateneo de Manila University, radiant in a sleeveless Steve de Leon piña top constructed as delicately as an origami, a black-and-white checkered saya barely brushing the floor and reddish-pink boots bought from Marikina peeking out of her hem.
The last touch is very Gilda Cordero-Fernando.
At a special academic convocation at the Loyola Heights campus in Quezon City recently, Fernando received the Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi for her “pursuit of Filipinism and the Filipino identity through any of the channels of culture.”
Despite an outfit that had echoes of the frail Maria Clara of fiction, Fernando was forceful, speaking from the depths of her conviction as she read her speech, “Learning How to be Filipino.”
The writer, researcher, editor, publisher, painter, art patron and theater producer spoke of how she veered away from her Western upbringing and had her “Eureka moment” upon discovering and studying her Filipino roots.
Fernando, 78, a grandmother of nine mindful of the cultural legacy she would leave behind, noted the diaspora of Filipinos that seems to denote there is no future for one’s children in this country.
Protective of what she loves and calls Filipino, Fernando said, “One must never let go of it… Don’t be impatient. Because five or so years down the line, or maybe when you’re old like me, there will be a convergence. Suddenly you are no longer the underdog. The time for your initiative—whether arnis, saya, aswang or bamboo house—has ripened. And its fruits are very sweet.”
Karina Bolasco of Anvil Publishing Inc., who was in the audience, said, “Each time I am asked to introduce Gilda, I always begin by saying she seems to have been born with a luminous map in her head. She seems to know where she is going next and how long she should stay in one place.”
Bolasco said when Fernando was publishing her Filipiniana sourcebooks (GCF Books published such titles as “Culinary Culture of the Philippines,” “Turn of the Century,” “Streets of Manila,” “History of the Burgis,” “The Soul Book” and “The Body Book”) “she was building for us not only the intellectual but also the psychic and emotional infrastructure for a culture and heritage truly our own. She produced books written by teams of competent writers, Filipinists in their own right who made it their right and duty to know as much as possible of our own arts and culture, our very own values and beliefs.”
Apart from writers and journalists, many visual artists owe their start to Fernando’s eye and encouragement. Sculptor Julie Lluch said, “Gilda gave me my first commissioned work. That put me well on my career path. Ah, the many precious tips on life she gave me over incredible lunches!”
Manuel Chaves, art director of Town & Country and a frequent collaborator of Fernando in her book and theater projects (“Jamming on an Old Saya,” “Luna: An Aswang Romance” and “Pinoy Pop Showtime”), lauded her “for her countless breakthroughs in writing, book publishing and forays into stage production, in short for her bali ng utak (mind-breakers) and fasyon (fashion)!”
Unwavering faith
Freelance writer Chit Roces said, “I owe my rebirth into writing and the increasing satisfaction I get from doing it to her.” First Draft, an informal women’s writing group that Fernando helped put up, pushed Roces to do regular homework at its bimonthly meetings.
Mariel Francisco, Fernando’s co-author of the “Ladies’ Lunch and Other Ways to Wholeness” and “A Spiritual Pillow Book,” said, “Gilda has devoted all her talents, energies and material resources to the exploration, rescue and advancement of what is Filipino in our soul. Her whole life and work have been of unwavering faith and delight in the creative genius of the Filipino artist and in the spiritual destiny of the Filipino people.”
Fe Arriola, co-author of “History of the Burgis,” said this ability to find pure talent is one of Fernando’s traits. “She is a great believer in people so that she draws out their very best.”
Francisco said Fernando has mastered “the art of loving which always begins with knowing yourself and is never in conflict with your highest vision of who you are.”
Freelance writer-editor Lorna Kalaw Tirol said, “Before Gloria Steinem, Oprah and other empowering, inspiring women came along, there was Gilda for me. She inspires, encourages, challenges, scolds, and loves and how! Now that I’m a senior citizen, she makes me feel that I can still be the blues singer she told me years ago I could be. For this I shall always be grateful. She was encouraging of my early efforts at profile writing. These days when my confidence falters, she is always there with generous words for my work.”
Literary critic-retired professor Edna Manlapaz said, “I first met Gilda via her stories which I taught for many years. I was curious to meet the woman who penned these remarkable stories. When I finally did, I was thrilled to discover that she was as interesting as her stories.”
Other awardees
The other recipients of the Ateneo’s Traditional University Awards at its recent special academic convocation included the Very Rev. Antonio M. Pernia, SVD, Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word, for the Bukas Palad Award in memory of Fr. Manual Peypoch, SJ.; Eugenia Duran-Apostol for the Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan (see accompanying story); the Sumilao farmers with lawyer Arlene J. Bag-ao for the Ozanam award; and Dr. Fernando P. Hofilena for the Lux-in-Domino award.
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