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Monday, June 24, 2002
'I feel that it’s really a test for me'
By Januar E. Yap
PLUGGED
IT IS sad that much of what we know about Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. is mixed up with myth, either perpetrated by some members of media or those surrounding him.
In this interview, the man clarified he is just a “leader”, not God. And that although he found himself in circumstances not quite ordinary, he led a pretty normal life with his community in San Jose, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte.
The interview took place on his second day at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC), a Saturday, when visitors are allowed. But the interview was cut off after his daughter arrived.
“Ang anak ko!” he exclaimed, his face glowing at the sight of the child through the iron bars. Once inside, he lifted her up, cuddled and kissed her. “Maka-Daddy ito! My youngest. Her name is Benna, after Ruben and Alona,” he said, and kissed her again. “Pasensya ka na, anak, mainit dito.”
With the way events have unfolded and the man’s image in media, the public might have found it easy to dislike the man. But then again, before anything else, Bong, as he is called by friends, is a real person, apart from the hasty misconceptions the public may have of the PBMA leader who was born on April 17, 1960.
We hear you were a good musician, good with the guitar, in fact. Were you into bands as a teenager?
Hindi pa masyado. My life was spent more on learning the instrument than being exposed to the band at that time. I had yung mga idols noong araw, Pinoy Rock era, like Juan de la Cruz, Maria Capra. At that time I was just learning the guitar. Many taught me how to play it. Wally Gonzales once taught me, Mike Hanopol.
They taught you personally?
No, no, I just bought their records, and I tried picking it up by just listening to them. I tried to play them by myself. I was then 17 or 18. My first guitar was bought by a member of the PBMA, it was a small six-stringed guitar, almost like electric guitar already.
What is your favorite among your collection of guitars?
I collect Yamaha, Fender, but then hindi gaano sa Fender. I have a bias for Yamaha. I don’t know, but it has a certain appeal to me.
You grew up with this highly revered image of your father. As a young boy, did you understand it?
Oh yes, of course, I already had a background. With the association of my dad? Yes, of course. I was actually already being taught by him to go into those chapters to manage some portions for him in his absence. When he went abroad, for instance. Or when he was busy with one chapter, he always asked me to look over the others instead.
Did you see yourself then as different in many ways from your peers?
Hindi naman. It wasn’t really that. Iba naman yung ma-confine ka lang sa isang area. We were not confined by our father. We always went out, we were exposed, we had friends.
The community had this idea of your father. As a child, did you have difficulties understanding that?
It was not really difficult to be a son of a, sabi pa, leader. Only that you feel like one who is a leader also. During my childhood, since most of my exposure was within the community, so bale yung mga anak nga mga miembro ng Daddy, sila din yung kinalalakihan ko. So they also treated me as a leader, parang ganun. Parang respect lang.
Only as a leader? Not as someone else, as God, perhaps?
A, no, no. Leader lang. But maybe, it’s just natural, you’ll be treated like one, but ganun lang, like a VIP. Kasi meron kang sariling community. Of course, with my own liking, talagang mas preferable kung nasa kanila ako.
Did you like the treatment then?
Yeah, of course. How could I not enjoy it? Only foolish people may not come to enjoy a good atmosphere at that time. And during my time as a student, although I’m not a good student, average learner lang ako, I was always teased by my classmates. So ganun lang ang growing up ko bale.
At this point, how do you feel about the circumstances you’re in?
I feel that it’s really a test for me. Kung hanggang kailan talaga yung paniniwala ko sa kanya.
When you say kanya, who are you referring to?
I’m referring to God. Sa ngayon lang, sa totoo lang, nahihirapan talaga ako. I cry a lot when alone.
You cry a lot?
Yes. Yes.
What do you think about in those times?
My children, my people who are left outside na ano. Pero as I was saying also, I was glad that my practice of management sa mga tao ko is delegation. I delegate yung papel nila as leaders, they can also exercise their function as leaders.
When was the last time you talked to your children?
The last time was yung nagputukan sa bahay, sa San Jose.
What exactly did you tell them?
I said, ‘Mga anak, alam nyo naman na pinuntahan tayo dito. Alam nyo naman na ako talaga ang punteria ng mga ‘to. Now, I will surrender tomorrow. At ikaw, Benjie (who is 18 years old), because you’re the eldest, ikaw muna ang mag-take over dito sa bahay, habang wala ako. You take care of your younger brothers and sister, isa lang ang babae kong anak, anim sila. Sabi ko, Benjie, you start managing the association by managing your brothers and sister. ‘Wag mo silang pabayaan. Because once you’re capable of managing your brothers and sisters, ibig sabihin nyan, Benjie, that you will be capable of managing the association also when I’m gone already.’ Yan ang sabi ko sa kanya.
How did he react to what you said?
He was just crying. I mean not really crying, but teary-eyed ba. Pinakinggan niya ako with teary eyes. Ako rin, I was teary-eyed. He said, “Daddy, ‘wag naman ka munang magsalita ng ganyan. Kasi makabalik ka pa naman.” Sabi ko, “Kasi, siyempre, baka matagalan pa kasi. And then when I’m gone I want you to manage our association. So habang nandidito pa ako, you manage our family, habang wala ako dito. Total, kung may awa ang Diyos, anak, ‘ka ko, yung income ko ipapa-turn-over ko sa ‘yo, whatever income we have in our business. Dyan ko muna sa inyo ipapa-account ‘yan so that you can appropriate it with the rest of the children, your brothers and sisters. So sana, you manage them, para ‘wag naman sila magkakaligaw, kawawa naman.
How did the other children react?
Iyak. They really don’t want to give me up. Ayaw kasi nila akong ibigay talaga. Lalo na yung maliit, yong youngest, masyadong maka-Daddy yun eh. Hindi nga nakakatulog yun kung hindi ko siya hinihele.
What do you remember most about your father?
He was most of the time out of our house. He was managing the association personally. Because at that time, he didn’t have enough trustees. Hindi kagaya ko na naka-develop ako ng certain groups of people na pwede kong pagkatiwalaan. So most of the time he was out. We were eight children in the family, apat na lalaki at apat na babae. So everytime he went out, sabi niya, “Bobong (kasi Bobong ang tawag niya sa akin, hindi Jun), sumandali ka muna.” Bakit po, Daddy. “Ngayon,” sabi niya, “Yung pito mong magkakapatid, you gather them every six o’clock ha. Kailangan walang kapatid mo na nasa labas after six o’clock.” That was really his order, na talagang strictly kong i-follow yan.
How did you meet Alona?
Sometime 1989. We were celebrating at that time the birthday of my Daddy, because even long after he was gone, we were still celebrating his birthday. Doon kami nagkita, majorette siya. She was the most attractive lady in the crowd. So siyempre, makaka-catch ng attention. So I wooed her.
How did you woo her?
Lumapit ako sa kanya, then I introduced myself. Most of them naman nakakakilala sa akin. By name, hindi ko sila kilala, pero by appearance, kilala ko sila.
How did she receive you then?
Like any other person.
The courtship didn’t take long?
It didn’t take long. Kasi madali lang naman magkaintindihan. Pero at that time, meron siyang boyfriend. So I didn’t expect her to actually accept me as her boyfriend. Hindi ko rin siya pinilit, pero in the long run, she accepted me.
(At this point, Ruben Ecleo’s brother Ben-ben arrived with Benna, and the interview was cut short.) |
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