First Part: Functional Literacy, "A Camilo Osias Story"
Dr Abe V Rotor
One day Pedro approached his boss and complained why his partner Jose is receiving a higher pay when both of them have the same nature of work.
RARE 1924 CAMILO OSIAS THE PHILIPPINE READERS
“Ah, Pedro,” sighed the boss with a sheepish smile. “You will come to know the reason.”
Just then the doorbell rang. “Pedro, please find out who is at the gate.”
After some time, Pedro returned, “Someone is looking for you, sir.”
“Ask who he is.” Pedro went to the gate again, and reported back.
“He is a certain Mr. Carlos, sir.”
“Ask him what he wants.” Pedro went to the gate for the third again, and then returned.
“I did not get it well, sir. But he said he sells home appliances…promotion, something like that. He would like to meet the manager.”
“Tell him we do not need appliances.”
The next day the doorbell rang again. This time, both Pedro and Jose were in the office of their boss. Jose promptly rose from his seat to attend to the visitor at the gate. After a while he returned and reported back.
“Our visitor is an insurance agent, sir. He was offering insurance for our building, and knowing that it is already covered, I told him we do need his offer for the moment. He gave me his business card.” Jose handed the card and excused himself for another call.
“Now you understand,” said the boss to Pedro with a sheepish smile.
_______
About Camilo Osias Camilo Osias (March 23, 1889 – May 20, 1976) was born in Balaoan, La Union. He was noted as one of the senate presidents of the Philippines, a nationalist leader who worked for Philippine independence and sovereignty, and is remembered as an educator, politician and writer who produced works such as The Filipino Way of Life, the Philippine Readers, and Jose Rizal, His Life and Times – a biographical work on Rizal. He also wrote a wide variety of articles with themes ranging from the nation to personal life and day to day living in the Philippines.
He edited the series Philippine Readers (known as Osias Readers) for primary intermediate schools. He translated in English Rizal’s famous novels Noli Me Tangere (1956) and El Filibusterismo (1957). He also wrote numerous books and essays on Rizal, education, religion, and the Filipino Way of Life.
Dr. Osias believed that education should secure for every person the fullest measure of freedom, efficiency, and happiness. Efficiency, he demands that one must be able to cooperate with the other members of the society to promote common good.
He also advocated that the educational system must contribute towards the achievement of the goals of education by inculcating their minds and hearts of the youth the value of preserving the patrimony of the country promoting the general welfare of he people.
Dr. Osias’ suggestions to Philippine schools:
- Preserve the solidarity of Filipino;
- Maintain the unity of the Philippines;
- Work out a proper equilibrium in economic order;
- Develop social justice;
- Observe the merit system in government service;
- Promote peace and national defense;
- Uphold the inalienable rights of life, property, liberty, and happiness;
- Keep in their prestige majesty the fundamental freedom, especially freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of peace and assembly, and freedom of worship;
- Conserve the principle of equality;
- Hold high the ideals of religion;
- Keep over aloft the torch of education, and
- Make democracy a living and functional reality.
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