GROWING old is a wonderful time for recollection. I remember, so long ago I cannot accurately recall, we were debating at the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) auditorium and the topic was: “Should American bases be removed from the Philippines or not?”
The late Atty. Raymundo Magat and I took the side that American bases remain in our country.
The negative side raised the flag of nationalism and patriotism citing President Manuel L. Quezon’s immortal…“I would rather have a Philippines ran like hell by Filipinos than ran like heaven by the Americans.”
And riding on this nationalistic bent, Joseph Estrada was invited as Commencement Speaker of the high school class graduation. He was drunk like you, mumbling then as he is now. Understandably, nobody understood him. But then he was elected President of the Republic of the Philippines and out went the American bases. But that’s going ahead of the debate.
Atty. Magat and I were dressed in coat and tie because we were on the positive stay-put side, the American side; whereas, the negative out-side Stateside were dressed in Barong Tagalog.
We did not mind the contra because we knew that whoever debates against a lawyer is making a mistake. However, for protocol, it was decided that Atty. Magat will expound on the formal telling points of the debate like American bases contribute to the economy and defends the Philippine coastline from foreign intrusions.
As befits my nature, I argued on the informal ridiculous and nonsense which I usually do anyway. That is why the debate which started about 3 p.m. was extended to 7 p.m., because by popular insistence, the students wanted to hear more about ridiculous nonsense than patriotism.
For instance, I recited reliable statistics that Filipinos born within a radius of 500 miles around US bases are handsome and beautiful. Why? Because US service men “kupa” the Filipino natives, so the children are born with blue or green eyes; with blond hair; six-footers in height; high upturned noses. This is an undeniable improvement of the Filipino race which we should thank the Americans, or for that matter, any Caucasian except the Aetas. I remember so many ugly faces in the audience clapping their hands evidencing agreement that they want to improve their facial expression.
And if you kick out the Americans from Clark airbase, who will feed the “pampams” there? You see? These arguments should have won the day. It was fun because an open forum ensued and everyone had their sullen and silly say on the debate.
But as everyone well knows, the Americans were ejected from their bases in the Philippines. And I can say they have truly gone because their beautiful staff houses and buildings were mercilessly looted, not even a Gillette blade was left behind.
Though the Americans have gone, their culture and way of life and the English language stayed with us; reflected in everything we do and has kept us in good stead. In all of Asia, Filipinos are more American than the Americans.
Which leads us to where we are now. Without the Americans, who will protect our shorelines? We are not in the position to defend any country, much less, ours.
But we gave them the boot. It is difficult to contemplate that America will ever open its bases in the Philippines after what was done. On wishful thinking, kicking them out was not a good idea. Or Atty. Magat and I should have won the positive stay-put side of the debate. (muzones_law_office@yahoo.com/PN)
