THE MANGLAPUS I KNEW

Little Notes – Alfredo G. Rosario

The Philippine Post – July 30, 1999



I came to know Raul Manglapus when he was running the Magsaysay for President Movement sometime in 1953. I was co-editing a fledgling magazine and I went to see him for an ad. He was warm and accommodating enough to oblige me with a whole page.

I never had a close encounter with him again, except when I had to attend the election rallies at Plaza Miranda where he was one of the outstanding speakers. He was running then for the Senate.

Manglapus’ reputation as a brilliant orator had preceded him and I took delight listening to him. He was a raconteur par excellence as well.

In one of his campaign speeches, he related an anecdote about himself being led on a tour of Britain’s Hall of Fame in England by his host, an important government functionary.

Before every marble statue of Britain’s famous heroes, they stopped and his host would point to each as the country’s best writer, best athlete, best physician, best painter, best hero, and so on and so forth.

At the end of the brief tour, Manglapus said he told his guide: "We have all of them in the Philippines – your best writer, best athlete, best physician, best painter, and best hero. But he was only a one man – Dr. Jose Rizal."

It was a touching story that inspired national pride. And Manglapus said it with surging pride in his soul.