A Filipino Role Model Overseas

11/1/5/2006

Migration seems to be the trend nowadays. Licensed professionals, as well as blue-collar workers, are leaving, in search of greener pastures.  Some probably hike off due to growing dissatisfaction with our current social and political system. Some make the painful decision to desert hearth and home in order to carve a brighter future for their children. As I see it, the exodus of these talented, hard-working folk is a clear manifestation God's bigger plan.  After half a century of corruption eroding our values, the economy suffered, living conditions got worse. This was followed by natural catastrophes:  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, el niño, la niña, you name it. And to add insult to injury, we have a surfeit of politicians who are more concerned with their own interests, if not mud-slinging, thereby not only not contributing anything good to the community but also preventing those who actually want to do their jobs from doing so.

However, believe it or not, there's a good side to all this.  We, as a people, had to turn to prayer for survival, and that strengthened our Faith. The challenges have not stopped. A lot of our kababayans continue to leave the country armed only with God given talents and a religious faith that shines like a beacon, probably evangelizing the rest of the world.

From company executives leading prayer groups to domestic helpers teaching their "alagas" to pray, we are certainly helping spread the Good News. We are also exposing our talents and showing just what Filipinos are made of.

So this time, I would like to feature another modern Filipino hero who will make our countrymen proud.

This is the second in a series of features on Filipino architectural role models. His name is Emmanuel de Guzman, a graduate of UP Architecture '86, and also my dear youngest brother. Now based in Florida USA, he was voted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as "Architectural Delineator of the Year" for two consecutive years!

He has had his works published in several rendering books. He is also the artist who painted the murals in the main lobby and guest rooms of the beautiful Balinese-inspired Universal Studio's Royal Pacific Resorts in Orlando, Florida.  Truly another example of world-class Filipino talent.

In addition, he is a loving husband to Geraldine and father to my youngest nephew, EJ.  Noni, as we fondly call him, is the youngest son

of Archt. Marcos C. de Guzman and Gloria R. de Guzman. Armed with the genius of an artist and the degree of architect from a prestigious university, he focused on the job he loved most, which is creating presentation drawings.  You can view more of his works on his website, www.Noniperspective.Com.