Juan Tamad is the iconic character representing the apathy and indifference of many of our countrymen. We have allowed this story too long in the consciousness of our people. Its high time the patriots and literary nationalist of our country have found the intellectual and political strength to call upon Juan Galing, representing the 21st century pinoy who is ready to embrace change and have the necessary competence to wrestle with global giants and promote the interest of the country. Juan Galing represents the nationalistic and patriotic genius and talents of the Filipino people extending 100 years ago to a young man called Pepe, a sobrasaliente in the Ateneo, a school run by Jesuits. Pepe was not only a literary genius, he was an entrepreneur and a scientist. His works at Dapitan is a showcase of the Filipino capability. He saw opportunities in problems and he acted with haste as he facilitated simple water works and medical cures in Dapitan.
Gone are the days that Juan Tamad waits for the mango to drop, Juan Galing cares for his mango vineyard and increases his produce with right agricultural practices. He hires people to multiply income by creating various product lines with better yields for the community as mango nectar and dried mango candy.
Gone are the days Juan Tamad waits for mango products to drop from foreign companies, Juan Galing has multiplied his production by multiples that foreigners are waiting for its quality and tasty delicacies in their grocery stores. Juan Galing made use of Marketing Management in finding new niches and markets; developed new product formats, and distribution to sustain its lead in the markletplace.
Juan Tamad was an idiot who waited for fate to act on his dreams while Juan Galing is bold and have taken every step to ensure the realization of his dreams for his family and community. With passion and sense of mission, Juan Tamad persevered in learning Marketing Management thru diligence and hard work. He took initiative to learn how to sell by starting a small buy and sell business during his collegiate years. On the summer, he took initiative to work for a highly successful fastfood chain gaining insights on Best Management Practices and Business Models. Preparing himself for a career after college, he took time to master the classics and read on the lives and biographies of Business Taipans and their conglomerates.
Juan Tamad starved his family while innocently waiting for the mango to drop. Juan Galing will never allow shame and hunger to his family. He is committed to his vision. He leads the ready and the willing. He will never tolerate a Juan Tamad in his organization. He is too wise to allow a spoiled apple to ruin his basket of good harvest. Juan Tamad will never be allowed to work for his organization unless he unlearns his unproductive habits and take off the shameful “Tamad” name.
The Galing organization has a corporate pride it promotes. It is this culture of pride manifested for their ownership of quality the first time and all the time that separates them from the rest. To compromise these standards will mean ruin to their livelihood.
In the same way, Pepe never faltered while his Spanish detractors persecuted him. Pepe was a renaissance man. His genius will never find a place in colonial Philippines. In a time, where witches were burned in the Americas and Religious zealots were guillotined in Europe, Rizal’s pursuit of truth was way, way beyond his time.Perhaps, in then absence of guillotines and colonial masters, the generation of our time will have the wisdom to discern the right virtues and have the courage to act with decisiveness on the challenges posed by 21st century Pilipinas. There is a call for the vocation of kabayanihan, patriotism and nationalism, in our time; in our country. Who will heed this call? It will not take a genius to discern what is good or bad for our country. simply, having the commitment everyday to aspire for more in our professions can be a manifestation of this calling. To simply, change our attitude today and become doers instead of helpless victims of circumstance is one step forward - a student's commitment to his FS, an employee learning to save for a side line business, a teacher who takes initiative to read a book to expand his horizon, a mother who teaches her son to be self reliant, an athlete who works out his sport on his own by formulating a regiment every weekend, a poor young man who perseveres as a working student to finish school, a marketing graduate from the barrios who takes courage to develop the community's local abaca products thru a small business, a PTA who will take developmental initiatives towards a schools educational program, a mother of four who takes initiative to sell in the market to help her husband find means, a couple who takes discipline in raising a family responsibly, a child who takes time to read and study during weekends in recognition of his father's labors to finance his high tuition fees, a boy who helps in the house chores - if we will start the emancipation of our country, it will have to be in our backyard. We must recognize the flaws of our characters and be able to grow and make solutions. We must empower our people. They cannot remain helpless and fatalistic. Que Sera Sera is a spanish inheritance our poor and depressed squatter areas cannot lean on. We might be blessed with a tropical climate where sloth is not deadly unlike hostile climates where sloth will mean death - millions have already died in the cold freezing snows of Europe since ancient times. If Europeans are regimented in discipline, prudence and foresight, it might be that winter was a gift to their culture. The freezing deadly cold of winter instructed their people in discipline and foresight.
Then tropical climate might have afforded Juan Tamad the luxury of time; a luxury we can no longer afford in the 21st century. Winter is in our doorstep. Graft, Corruption, 70% below poverty line, globalization, high cost of living, smuggling hurting our local economy, entry of foreign products killing our very own local products, high unemployment rate, high cost of education, population growth, the IT challenge, Asian countries thriving on modern agricultural technology threatening our local agricultural products . If Juan Galing cannot save us now, who will?
Rene Bitara, Prometheus Consultants
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