Dr. Zeus Salazar and Pantayong Pananaw

Dr. Zeus Salazar, the ideological giant in the University of the Philippines academic community is one of my History professors. I met him yesterday. He was eating with his relatives at Cravings. And he loved C2 or Classic Cuisine, which is a fusion of Filipino food with other flavors. Kudos to Chef Menoy for such a very creative menu.


Anyway, Salazar is the one who wrote numerous tracts on Pantayong Pananaw, a theoretical construct which, essentially, calls for Filipinos to re-examine Philippine History on the point of view of the Filipino. It is time, says Salazar, for Filipinos to speak amongst themselves. It is also time for Filipinos to look for answers to certain questions by deeply analyzing their History.


History, says Salazar, is a narrative. By a narrative, it means that it depends on the memory of People on certain substantial events in their History. History is something which we use to point the direction where we should go.


For example, when I wrote my book " Bagong Istorya: The Rise of the Filipino and other Great Stories in Philippine History", I am speaking with my fellow Filipinos. I am telling them what happened to us in the past. I am explaining things with my fellow Filipinos, so that, jointly we will be able to identify the core problems in our society, and thereafter, find solutions.


The book has a 12 point agenda which recommends solutions to the structural problems which we face. My book starts with situating the present condition to the past, and looking into the past to explain why the present looks this way.


What Salazar does not know is he provided the correct theoretical construct for our country's salvation. 


He provided the answers that we need to solve our country's problems. He is, I regard, the ideological giant who already gave us the way or the path towards our people's salvation.


BY the way, my book is still under the printing stage. If you want an electronic copy of the book, you may purchase it for US$ 9.95. I already have the electronic or e-book edition of the book. Just email me at mangubat.patricio@gmail.com.


Thanks to Kay Abella for helping me in this book. We are ever so indebted to her for giving her precious professional time reading and editing this book.


Now, one of my friends, Susan Ople, wants me to submit the book for Anvil. If there are Anvil people around, I am ready to listen. Just email me at mangubat.patricio@gmail.com