The road to education and success is not always paved with a college or university diploma. Ask Bill Gates of Microsoft, who dropped out of Harvard to establish the world’s biggest computer company that is now the universe’s most famous brand like Coca Cola.
Our own national hero Andres Bonifacio , reached only third year high school in one of Manila private schools,but was well versed in the French Revolution.
Eventually, he founded the secret society the Katipunan to unite Filipinos in their fight against the Spanish conquistadores.
In Philippine journalism, two giant figures stood out. One is the late Blas Ople, former secretary of labor and foreign affairs and the other was the recently departed Adrian E.Cristobal .Both were reverently described as “eminent drop outs “by colleagues in the media. Their command of both Pilipino and English language were impeccable, their prose elegant and their vast and seemingly limitless vocabulary sent people scrambling towards their thesaurus or dictionary to “decode “ what they have just uttered or wrote. Of the two Cristobal could be said as the passionate one and undisputedly the “thinker “ as his ideas and thoughts were sought by many in both government and private sector. Because of this, he was considered by colleagues as “L’homme engage “ or roughly one who is constantly searching for ideas and philosophy and raison d’etre .
A PILLAR OF PHILIPPINE JOURNALISM; WRITER OF CONSEQUENCE: Cristobal, known for assisting budding journalists and writers , died last December 22 and is credited for the establishment of the University of the Philippines (UP) Institute of Creative writing while serving as a regent of the state university.
Ironically, Cristobal quit studies from this same university, which he served as a regent, perhaps the only Filipino to be appointed without a college or university degree. He was also a professor in the UP Asian Center.
His peers in the media, government and literati described him as public servant and administrator, presidential adviser and spokesman, award winning playwright (a Palanca awardees, the most prestigious literary award), journalist, and publisher “but he was first and last. A writer “.
He had a deep interest in the National Hero Andres Bonifacio and his many works and writings dwelt on the life of the Great Plebeian who like him, grew up in Tondo, Manila.
His last work on Bonifacio was titled “The Tragedy of the Revolution “in which he wrote “It is ironic therefore, That among our national heroes, Andres Bonifacio is destitute of a LIFE in more than one sense, no memoirs, no diaries “. In that book, he argued that Bonifacio is deserving of better treatment than being lumped together with other Philippine heroes in the observance of National heroes day, in the same way that Rizal is being honoured.
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Young and aspiring Filipino writers will surely be “orphaned “ with his demise. On our part, the Philippine Press Club of Ontario (PPCO)wishes to pay tribute to his contributions to Philippine journalism and literature.
One of our colleagues, Jojo Taduran ,a veteran newsman wrote “ I have a chance to work and exchange views and ideas with Adrian Cristobal.I remember, it was the another, the late labor and foreign affairs secretary Blas Ople who introduced me to Mr.Cristobal who was a great journalist with a literary touch. Ruben Cusipag, Balita’s publisher and editor in chief and myself were his colleagues in the defunct Evening News. Sometimes, we interacted with him in some important issues and I learned many things from him. “
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On a more personal note, the passing of Mr.Cristobal or “Kuya Adrian “ to most of us Sorianos meant the last of the reunions. It was he and his wife, Teching who volunteered to host the annual family reunion after the death of our grandmother in 1968.
Since then, those gatherings were the most awaited family events where not only gaiety reigned supreme but the ever lively exciting exchange of ideas, views and even rumours that range from the mundane or ribald, political and religious and trivial matters over bottles of beer, brandy or cognac and other spirits that he termed “bastat nakakalasing “.
As the National Press Club described him “ (Cristobal) , the man who wrote, drank and smoked his life away to give light to many other men’s discourse will forever be an inspiration to many writers, accomplished or just beginning “.
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Milestones/Going-ons: Birthday greetings to my bro, Gus Soriano (Dec.3)Master Jaden Soriano (Dec.7), Nayds Foronda-Pua (Dec.12) Andrew Jacob Soriano and Christian Felix (Dec.26), Jessie de la Cruz (Dec.21), his wife Jocelyn S.de La Cruz (Dec.29) and Ira A.Soriano (Dec.30).
Quit: Rafael “Paeng “ Nebres from the Philippine Independence Day Council (PDIC) as executive vice president.
A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO OUR READERS !