‘A man they called SEJA’

The late Senator Edgardo J. Angara or SEJA as many of us fondly called him was both a “probinsiyano” (as he often considered himself), and an unwavering statesman.

He was a simple boy from Baler Aurora Province who had both the vision for his own hometown and our beloved nation.

I had the privilege of collaborating with the kind Senator while working both at the Department of Education and at the Senate a few years ago.

I clearly remember being the newbie among staunch public servants yet I was rather taken a back by the simplicity of a man who shared my advocacy for education.

SEJA believed that culture and arts deeply molded our nation and I being the language Chief then, saw how through the years, our deeply rooted shared heritage with our Spanish brothers significantly weaved together the past with the current trends of the 21st century where language also had an economic value.

At a time where Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are growing closer together thanks to social media, those days of carefully and painstakingly laying down the roots and significance of culture and history paved the way for more people to get involved, to participate not only in preserving the past but also spiral forward into the future.

Recently, our neighboring country China initiated the opening of the New Silk Road, an initiative that includes both welcome and worry but nevertheless signifies the importance of understanding our own culture with the aim of not only weathering challenging shifts especially in our economy but rather, become equally competitive in the world market.

This was SEJA’s dream and I share this dream with him today as I continue to collaborate in laying the ground work for a better Philippines …. a groundwork that is truly embedded in education.

For all you have done dear SEJA, we salute you. Mabuhay.