Asiaweek.com

Great Asians, Cont.  (August  4, 1995)

http://robots.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/95/0804/letters.html

YOUR EXCELLENT WRITE-UP ON IRRI RICE BREEDER RUDOLFO AQUINO [COVER STORY, June 2] is a fitting tribute to the man who through patience and hard work achieved the historic feat of pollinating IR8, the 1966 rice strain that became the first of several miracle rice varieties that helped save the world's rice-eating populations from hunger and famine.

Such a colossal feat, I earnestly believe, deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Rodolfo Aquino's accomplishment goes beyond national boundaries, touching the lives, health, mouths and stomachs of approximately half the world population.

Interestingly, the Chinese write the word "peace" with three characters: Even, Rice and Mouth. The meaning: "There is peace if rice is shared equally by people." The fruit of Aquino's work - rice - is at the center of the word peace, and at the same time constitutes its very core. Hence rice is the closest thing to the Nobel Prize.

Raymond T. Sabio
Catholic Chaplain
Inchon, Korea

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Asiaweek.com   March 14, 1997

http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/97/0314/letters.html

LOOKING BACK ON YOUR year-end issue, it was a good headline on the interview with the Philippine president: "Ramos wants his agenda to outlast his term" [THE NATIONS, Dec. 27-Jan. 3]. There are two striking statements in the interview. The first: "I am firm in the belief that if I can perform my mission as president in a six-year term and turn over the responsibility and the position to the next person, whoever he or she may be, then I'll be happy. I would have fulfilled my mission." The second: "Well, there are many who can make a good president."

If President Ramos could live by these words and hand over the presidency on June 30, 1998, then history will remember him as a great leader. When the Philippines makes a Mount Rushmore counterpart, he will be assured of a spot next to President Ramon Magsaysay and Jose Rizal and Ninoy Aquino -- an honor he could easily lose if he gives in to those who want to amend the Constitution in order to implement a term extension or a re-election.

Raymond T. Sabio
Inchon City, South Korea

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Showing the Way     (Asiaweek.com)

http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0818/letters.html 

AUGUST 18, 2000 VOL. 26 NO. 32
"Making Good in Silicon Valley" [BUSINESS, July 21, 2002] is an inspiring story for the Philippines. Credit goes to Diosdado Banatao, who in spite of his high standing in information technology, is willing to invest his time, energy and resources at home. I pray that more Philippine experts abroad will follow his example. Credit also to Ayala Corp. chief Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala for realizing Banatao's expertise in developing his cyberpark. I hope that more capitalists will invest in IT, moving beyond shopping malls, fastfood and movie houses, which do not advance the economy. IT is the last hope of the Philippines to rise above dehumanizing poverty. The government can help in making the price of computers affordable to the majority.
Raymond T. Sabio
Inchon City, South Korea

 

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