In support of strengthening the Philippine basic education’s efforts to nurture higher-order thinking toward social transformation and UNESCO’s Strategy on Philosophy, the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, through its Social and Human Sciences (SHS) Committee will hold a conference on “Philippine Wisdom Stories for Sustainable Development” on 26 October 2010, Tuesday, from 9:00AM to 5:00PM at the Social Development Complex Conference Hall, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City.

The conference aims to articulate a Philippine Philosophy for Sustainable Development, through an anthology of wisdom stories that can be used as teaching materials for basic education and contribute to aligning Philippine Philosophy with the great wisdom traditions of the Asian region. The conference will feature selected “wisdom stories,” which are winning entries from a national contest. Interested parties may download the conference’s pre-registration from this link.

The UNESCO Natcom is pleased to announce the following three winning entries:

1st Prize

Ade aran se ito agama

Sa isang pausbong na bayan, tatlong binata ang masugid na nanliligaw kay Clara.  Sa kabila ng mahaba-haba na ring panahong panunuyo ng tatlong binata sa dalaga, wala pa rin siyang itulak o kabigin sa alin man sa kanila.  Silang tatlo ay pawang may mga katangiang maaaring ibigin ng isang dalaga na nagmimithi ng panghabambuhay na pagsasama.
 
Upang maging batayan kung sino ang pipiliin sa kanila, nagpasya si Clara na mas kilalanin ang bawa’t isa sa mga binata.  Iniisip niya ang paulit-ulit na paalala ng kanyang mga magulang na kung siya ay mag-aasawa ay pipiliin niya ang mula sa isang pamilyang kaya siyang bigyan ng maginhawang pamumuhay.  Naaayon sa paalalang ito,  nagpasya siyang palihim na isa-isang puntahan ang bahay ng mga manliligaw.  Isinagawa niya ito sa tulong ng isang tiyuhing may de-padyak na traysikel.

Una niyang pinuntahan ang bahay nina Pedro “Haciendero.”  Ang bahay nila ay mala-kamalig sa laki at dami ng laman nitong mga produktong sinakop na ang halos buong kabahayan.  Umaapaw ang mga inaning gulay, prutas, itlog, at maging mga hayop na bagong katay.  Sa isang banda ang ilang kasambahay ay naghihiwa at naggigiling pa ng mga karne.   Ang sari-saring ani ay buhalhal sa pagkakatambak, ang amoy ay naghalu-halong kalboro at manibalang, hinog, at pa-bulok nang sari-saring prutas at gulay na sinamahan ng  laman at dugo ng karne.

Sumunod niyang pinuntahan ang bahay nina Eddie “Boy Saudi.”  Dahil ang kanyang ama ay may mataas na katungkulan sa Gitnang Silangan, punung-puno ang kanilang bahay ng mga moderno at ma-teknolohiyang kagamitan.  Kabilang dito ang malapad na telebisyon na kumpleto sa mga speaker, DVD player, play station, at kung anu-ano pang mga makabagong gadyet na hindi niya alam kung para saan at kung ano’ng mga pangalan.   Sa sala naman ay maringal ang mga muwebles na yari sa balat; sa di kalayuan ay ang magarang hapag kainan na yari sa salamin at ang mala-aparador na refrigerator.  Sa isa namang banda ay may dalawang computer  na nakapatong sa mesa.  Makikita sa loob ng bahay ang mga taong kanya-kanyang kalikot sa iba-ibang kagamitan.  Sa isa pang sulok ay ang nakababatang kapatid ni Eddie na nagpapraktis ng drums. 

Panghuli niyang pinuntahan ang bahay nina Eman “Katamtaman.”  Simple lang  ang kanilang pamamahay:  Hindi salat, sapagkat makikita rin dito yung mga kadalasang gamit sa mga kasalukuyang  bahay—tulad ng telebisyon, computer, refrigerator, at sala set; ngunit hindi rin kalabisan, sapagkat  kapansin-pansin ang pagkamaayos ng mga kagamitan na sapat lang sa katamtamang laki ng kabahayan.  Nasa hapag kainan ang pamilya nang dumaan si Clara.   Nakasara ang telebisyon na sinimulan ang pagkain sa isang pagdarasal.  Habang kumakain ay mahinahong nag-uusap ang pamilya at paminsan-minsan ay nagtatawanan.  Kung ang isang kapamilya ay may inaabot na pagkain ito ay idinadaan sa maayos na pakiusap.  Makikitang pinagsasaluhan nila ang isda, gulay, at prutas, kasama ng kulay-kayumangging kanin.  

Ilang saglit pa’y tumalima nang pauwi ang dalaga, kasama ang kanyang matiyagang tiyuhin.  Sa daan ay sinasariwa niya ang mga napagmasdan: ang bawa’t bahay at naninirahan dito ay may kanya-kanyang katangian at may iba-ibang uri ng kasaganaan.

Bago umabot si Clara sa kanilang bahay ay malinaw na sa kaibuturan ng kanyang puso at isipan kung kaninong tahanan ang nais niyang makahalintulad kung siya ay bubuo ng sariling pamilya.  Tiyak din niya  na sasang-ayon sa kanyang pasya ang kanyang minamahal at iginagalang na ama’t ina.

Prof. Emmanuel dela Cruz-Salvacion
Professor, Theology and Religious Education Studies
De La Salle University

Once there was a tadpole that used to swim in a swamp. One day it chanced upon a brook and swam along its stream. The stream led the tadpole to a pond where there were many kinds of fish. Several weeks passed and the tadpole grew into a frog, but it would not come out of the water.

As more days passed the frog was starting to feel sad. It seemed that the fish would not like to play with the frog anymore. One time the frog approached the fish and asked, “Why do you not play with me often anymore, have I done you any wrong?” The fish answered, “It is not that we do not want you to stay with us here. But, can’t you see, you are really different from us?” “No,” said the frog, “I am a fish like you are!” Hearing this, the fish swam away sadly.

One morning while the frog was gazing at the green grass near the pond, it saw a rabbit hopping back and forth. The frog enjoyed the show. When the rabbit drew near the pond to drink, the frog approached it and said, “How wonderful, you are doing acts like that. I wish I could do that, too.” Smiling the rabbit replied, “It is the likes of you that I envy because you can stay on land and you can stay in the water.” “No.” said the frog, “You are wrong. I can’t stay on land. Can’t you see, I’m a fish?” Hearing this, the rabbit shrugged its shoulders and went on its way.

One afternoon, after a short nap, the frog saw a small herd of flies over a corner portion of the pond. The frog swam near them. Instantly the flies flew away. The frog’s face was saddened about that. Then a young curious fly drew close to the sad frog. Sobbing the frog asked, “Are you, too, not my friends?” The surprised fly answered. “We go away from the likes of you because you feed on us.” “I do? No,” said the frog, “You are wrong, I can’t feed on you. Can’t you see, I’m a fish?” Hearing this, the fly flew away with a sigh.

For almost a week no one had a talk with the frog.
           
One morning the frog saw figures hopping from afar towards the pond. The frog recognized the familiar figure in the lead – it was the rabbit – but it could not recognize the ones hopping after the rabbit. Soon the rabbit and its companions came near the pond. The rabbit said to the frog, “My friend, I have come back to tell you that you do not belong only to the waters, and I have brought with me friends of your like. Can’t you see, each of them is the same as you are, they are frogs and you are, too.” The frog looked bewildered. Then two frogs from the herd plunged into the pond and said to the frog, “Come to our world and live like we do.” “Never!” said the frog, “You are all wrong. I may look like you, but I can’t live like you do. Can’t you see, I’m a fish?” Hearing this, the rabbit and the frogs went away very sad.