The Filipino who gave the gift of dreams

A tribute to the life of Mr. Jose S. Concepcion, Jr., Founder of TOSP

In a country where over 25 million people live below the poverty line, dreams are not really free. To dream, in fact, is a luxury that millions cannot afford to do in the midst of struggling to survive until their next meal.

This is not a rags to riches story

This is a story of a man named Jose S. Concepcion, Jr., an industrialist, a political activist, and a public servant. He championed democracy and co-founded the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections or NAMFREL, the Philippines’ own election watchdog. He served the nation with an untarnished record as a trade secretary from 1986 to 1991 after the People Power Revolution that ended the Marcos dictatorship.

Image from Carousell.ph

Mr. Concepcion or “Joecon” to many was not part of the poverty statistics. He came from the extreme opposite of the spectrum. Yet, he lived his life knowing that he had an important role to play to make a difference in the lives of his fellow citizens. He was a Filipino who believed in his country even when it was difficult to do so. He believed that “Yes, the Filipino can”.

He had a dream and I was a part of it

62 years ago, Mr. Concepcion founded the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP). TOSP honors the outstanding students of the nation who have personified academic excellence, exemplary leadership, and deep sense of social responsibility, anchored on good moral values. He believed that the youth is the nation’s hope. He embodied social responsibility by sharing his resources to empower and nurture the youth.

I was one of them. I was one of the recognized ten during my time and now a part of the thousands empowered members of the TOSP family across the world.

Image from TOSP Community Social Media Page

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash

Those who were able to interact with him in person or listened to his speeches would have heard him utter the words, “light a candle instead of cursing the darkness”. Whenever I find myself complaining about my life, any situation, and especially the fate of my nation, I remember him saying that and I reframe my thoughts as: “How might I light a candle amidst this darkness?”

He was a very smart dreamer. He inspired many more to dream the impossible for our country. For me and the TOSP family, he was a father, a role model, an inspiration to never compromise our ethics, to live with integrity, to do good, to make a difference in this world… and, to help build our nation even when it feels like we take more steps back than forward.

The lone candle that he held for all of us have now multiplied a thousand times and then some.

Photo by Faith Crabtree on Unsplash

This is not a rags to riches story. This is a story of a man who was born, raised, and lived a life of privilege and yet, he did not make that as the only thing that people would remember him by. He lived a life worth living. His is a legacy of a Filipino that makes me proud of claiming my heritage wherever I am in the world.

The Philippines lost one of her most devoted sons. I am mourning but I am also honoring Mr. Concepcion’s memories with great fondness and nostalgia.

Rest in power, Sir Joecon. I am joining the rest of your TOSP family in sending you to the heavens with your favorite song, “The Impossible Dream”. Thank you for sharing us your dreams and empowering us to dream so we can also enable others to achieve their dreams. I am lighting a candle in your honor and I will always remember to light my candle instead of cursing the darkness. We will take it from here. Maraming, maraming, maraming salamat po.

My TOSP cohort from many moons ago.

I write about my Philippine heritage under the Filipiniana Series

Read More about this topic:

• Philippine poverty rate drops to 22.4%, still far from Marcos' target. Retrieved on 20 March 2024 from https://asia.nikkei.com/.

• National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections or NAMFREL

• The Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP)

• A legacy of industry and vigilance: Jose Concepcion Jr., 92
  Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1915235/a-legacy-of-industry-and-vigilance-jose-concepcion-jr-92#ixzz8V4lDTFNm