"Let us stand like the molave."
"Let us stand like the molave."Every 19th of August, we remember and honor the life of our late President Manuel Quezon—an astute lawyer, a noble statesman, a bold leader, and a notable stalwart of Philippine independence. He made great strides in pushing for our freedom and sovereignty while serving in the legislative and executive. His leadership was identified with social justice and promotion of Filipino values.
His time was of post-war. More than a century hence, Filipinos now live differently. Our struggles, nonetheless, remain the same. Our freedom is still threatened, in one way or another, by this COVID-19 pandemic. Our independence is trampled upon by external influence. We continue to strive to uphold social justice and maintain peace and unity among our people.
Amid all these, I am reminded of President Quezon’s vision which he conveyed in 1938 in front of young students and teachers. He said, “I want our people to grow and be like the molave, strong and resilient, rising on the hillside, unafraid of the raging flood, the lightning or the storm, confident of its own strength.” Have we, then, Filipinos, become like the molave?
Today, more than five months under quarantine, we see the many different faces of our people. We see the weariness of our health care workers who have been manning the frontlines since the first reported case of COVID-19 in the country. We see hopelessness in the eyes of employees who have lost their jobs and sources of income during the quarantine. Business owners are filled with desperation as they try to resume their operations and boost their sales. Our leaders also are faced with the daunting task of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and protecting the health of the people while sustaining the viability of our economy.
Despite the adversities, we cope and bounce back. To a degree, I can say that we have indeed become like the molave. We find ways to overcome and resolve our difficulties, and we help each other. Filipinos are unafraid to help the needy, despite being in need themselves. Thousands have been donating supplies of food and personal protective equipment to hospitals and other health institutions since the start of the community quarantine. People patronize and promote local businesses. We trust ourselves that we will soon overcome and prevail over our difficult situation. We adapt to the exigencies of time. We persevere, endure, and hold our ground.
President Quezon believed in the strength of the Filipino people. He believed that national strength could only be built by character, and that the strength of the people is the power of the nation. The great statesman trusted that the values and character of the Filipinos will pave the way to the country’s success. This made him one of the most outstanding Filipino heroes of all time. His abiding faith in the Filipino people was his legacy, and it continues to inspire us up to this day and age.
Truly, our own strength empowers us as a nation. Our fight to be free from this disease may persist for a few more months. Our spirit may falter, but President Quezon reminded us that shortcomings and weaknesses are pointed out to “awaken and apply these faculties so that our people should become what of right they should be: morally strong, virile, hard-working, refined, enterprising, persevering, public spirited.” With our continuous cooperation, awareness, and unabated compassion amid this pandemic, we will be able to defeat COVID-19. From this strength and power, we will rise and recover, and place ourselves again in the mold President Quezon envisioned for us. The modern molave tree will grow stronger, and more resilient, unafraid, and confident. It will become the tallest it can ever be. It will be proud of its leaves and the storms it has withstood.
In this difficult time, let us make President Quezon proud as we live by his words and stand like the molave.