‘Keep doing my best, let God do the rest’

Christmas and the New Year are grand occasions for family bonding and rejoicing. Last Sunday, instead of my usual commentary on national issues, I featured a sharing of our grandson Miguel P. Sandejas. Today, let me present an essay of another grandson, Rafa P. Yaptangco, a fourth year student at Southridge School in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. He submitted this composition to secure college admission at Ateneo de Manila University:

“Ageless passion is what propelled my grandfather, retired Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, in his rise from rags to riches, not in worldly wealth but in his multi-career fulfillment. His life story is so compelling and so moving that it, deservedly so, was brought to glory in a musicale for his 75th birthday celebration.

“The opening message of the musicale comes from one of my Lolo’s favorite stories about a farmer and his 20-year-old son experiencing good fortune, then bad fortune, then good fortune again, and back and forth. The whole village would go to the farmer and marvel at his good fortune or show empathy at his bad fortune; and to everything, the farmer simply answered, ‘Good news, bad news, who knows? I will just keep on doing my best and let God do the rest.’ This has now become my mantra in life.

“Thinking back, I never really appreciated who my Lolo was until I was asked to represent the younger version of him in that musicale, titled ‘Ageless Passion.’ Cringing at the fear of singing to a large audience, I politely turned down that opportunity and settled for a minor role in the play. In hindsight, I should have taken the challenge, despite my lack of experience in front of a large audience.

“During this experience, I got to see a different perspective I never would have been able to experience in my immediate society: poverty, both in the storyline of the musicale and amongst the performers, most notably the choir, composed of 20 or so boys who were performing to raise funds for their school.

“This musicale tells about a poor newsboy’s (my Lolo’s) rise from the backstreets of Sampaloc, Manila, to the presidency of the Philippine Daily Inquirer; from an ignorant Catholic to an advisor to the Holy Father in the Vatican; from a frustrated applicant for graduate studies to father of five wonderful children who each achieved his impossible dream of graduating from a pedigreed US university; from a shoeshine boy to the boardrooms of the largest blue chips in our part of Planet Earth; and from a frustrated chemical engineer to a reluctant lawyer to the highest magistrate of the land.

“I was taken aback at the story of my Lolo’s life. Back then, all I really thought of him was a caring father to my Mom who loved (and still does) to take the family out to Sunday dinners. Upon really understanding what he has gone through in his life, it absolutely amazed me.

“It’s incredibly hard to believe that all this was achieved by a single person. And it was done by my Lolo. It was then I realized what character he had and the ageless passion he has radiated. It was then when my Lolo became my idol, the person I hope to eventually be like, the person whom I have infinite respect for. He shows that anyone willing to contribute a great deal of hard work for a better future can, indeed, have a better future.

“I am extremely lucky to have been born into circumstances where finance is not a problem and infinitely grateful to be the grandson of a man so industrious.

“Following his life story, I’ve set out with this general goal in mind: to make my Lolo proud. This threw my life around, as I did not really have a life goal in mind at that time. To just be successful is not enough, apparently. I now saw a light at the end of the tunnel, a goal I can work toward: to employ the ageless passion that my Lolo has taught me through his life story.

“Even now, my Lolo continues to work hard as he is in the board of numerous big-name companies. Most of the things he talks about at the

dinner table are about law and business, and this just goes to show how dedicated to his work he is, and I strive to someday achieve that.

“I have gone on to cofound the Admirals Business Club of Southridge, managing numerous concerts, one to raise awareness for cancer patients in partnership with Moving as One (MAO). The money earned was given to charity.

“I have also cofounded Léger de Main, a cardistry, illusions and deceptions club, in Southridge, teaching people card tricks and other forms of magic. We hope to teach them values of being confident and composed in public performances, which can later help them in life while involving fun aspects of magic and amazement.

“As a leader, I have driven these two groups to be the more unique organizations in Southridge. We have set up a system that will pass down leadership to the younger batches so that the organizations will continue to exist when I graduate from high school.

“In all this, I am thankful for Southridge’s philosophy of forming men of integrity. They have taught me well. I am also grateful for the support of my parents, older brother, relatives and good friends. But most of all, I know that I must not stray from the valuable lesson I have learned from the farmer in my Lolo’s story.

“Already, I can see myself on the right track to making my Lolo proud. Obviously, it will not be a straight path to my goal; there will be highs and lows. Good news, bad news, who knows? I will just keep doing my best and let God do the rest.”

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