“I will continue to reach the impossible dream even against unbeatable foes” –Evelio Javier
In today’s world, is there anything a lowly student can do to contribute to the building of our nation?
I believe that there is.
Come to think of it, do you even know who Evelio Javier is? Do you even care about who he is? Often overshadowed by the prominent political figures of the 1980s, Evelio Javier was simply a man with a dream. After graduating from the Ateneo with a degree in history and law, he became the country’s youngest governor at the age of 28. He led the sleepy province of Antique with a passion and fervor
previously unheard of in the bloody battlefield of Philippine politics. Here was a man with no political background, leading his constituents not because of the money or glory involved, but simply because he felt that he could make a difference in other people’s lives. Evelio Javier was able to achieve his goals because of his sheer passion, sincerity, and love for his country. He became so popular with the people of Antique that when he died on that fateful day of February 11, 1986, the citizens never looked back, and they vowed to upturn the dictator that had caused the death of their beloved leader.
previously unheard of in the bloody battlefield of Philippine politics. Here was a man with no political background, leading his constituents not because of the money or glory involved, but simply because he felt that he could make a difference in other people’s lives. Evelio Javier was able to achieve his goals because of his sheer passion, sincerity, and love for his country. He became so popular with the people of Antique that when he died on that fateful day of February 11, 1986, the citizens never looked back, and they vowed to upturn the dictator that had caused the death of their beloved leader.
Looking back at Evelio Javier’s life, can we honestly say that his short spur of influence affected us as a nation? In the past 23 years since his death, have we done anything to honor his ideals?
I don’t think so.
We as students must now rise up to the challenge and take a stand against the bouts of corruption that are slowly infecting our nation. Day after day, we are exposed to the mistakes of our predecessors. Deteriorating roads, corrupt policemen, and overcrowded schools- these are just some of the niggling problems that we as the new generation of leaders must work to address. If we as upright Filipinos really want to make a change, then we must act now. An ounce of prevention never hurt anyone. As Ateneans, our minds are developed to be analytical at a very early age. What better way to use our innate abilities than by serving our country?
Granted, it is virtually impossible for us to change millions of Filipinos’ perceptions about who the most qualified candidate really is, but we must remember that even one vote can make a huge impact. We can start out small, by volunteering in COMELEC registration centers, assisting election officers in our own community, and encouraging our peers who are of voting age not to waste the opportunity to choose the people who will hopefully lead our country to a better tomorrow. Start with your family. Talk with your parents about upcoming elections, and use your influence to help them make the right choice. Talk to your neighbors and inform them about the campaigns and goals of popular candidates in the upcoming elections, so that they may not be blinded by the glamour of the commercials that eat up our time whenever we turn on the television.
There are so many things that we could do to honor Evelio Javier’s exploits. All we have to do is to believe in ourselves. Every successful man on the face of this planet must start out somewhere. Michael Jordan, for example, wasn’t even accepted into his high school’s basketball team. Michael Schumacher, 7-time Formula One world champion, started out in an old pedal kart with a motorcycle engine. So you see; anything is possible if you just believe in yourself. Like Evelio Javier, who was gunned to death in broad daylight simply because he was a strong adversary of the Marcos administration, we must not give up on what we believe in. We must not give in to the temptation to be indifferent to all the things that are happening around us. Our voices must be heard. Our ideas must be expressed. There are many students right here in the High School who are way more intelligent and sociable than the dimwits sitting in Congress nowadays. These students are the hope of our country’s future. We are the hope of our country’s future. Even through the inconsequential actions that we perform everyday, we may be able to impact the lives of hundreds of others.
Like Evelio Javier, we must learn how to take risks. BIG risks. We must have the alacrity to uphold what is right even if we may look like idiots in the process. On the day he died, Evelio Javier ran away from the town plaza where he was standing not because he was running away from his assassins, but because he wanted to save the lives of his friends standing next to him. Once he spotted the gunmen, he immediately told his friends to duck and run for cover while he diverted the attention of the gunmen. He knew that he was their main target, so he did his best to distract them while his friends found refuge. In the end, Evelio Javier died not because of his ignorance, but because he wanted to save the lives of others. If only we could stop thinking about ourselves and instead think about the effects our actions make on the lives of others, then the world would be a much better place.
Even though his name may be unfamiliar to the general public nowadays, Evelio Javier’s beliefs and ideals must never be put to rest. All throughout his life, he fought for justice and equality for his fellow countrymen. He believed that there was a way to combat the political turmoil that had been riddling the country during the reign of Ferdinand Marcos. 23 years later, we must realize that his beliefs still apply to our modern context. We must not give up hope that change is eventually going to come. Every cloud, no matter how dark, has a silver lining. We just have to exert effort to find it.
