Writing About PH National Hero Jose Rizal But Not About National Heroism – Barbara Tweetums Gonzalez’s Intuition And My Vision

Much-loved Barbara “Tweetums” Gonzalez was, among other things, a columnist of Philippine Star and is now missed as she died Wednesday, 29 May 2024, at 79 years of age, of complications of breast cancer. To me, that’s 2 things: (1) Tweetums’ case shows that modern medicine has not conquered cancer; (2) Her passionate writings did not pursue what her relative, our National Hero Jose Rizal pursued: “Independence of Mind Pursuing the Good of the Country” (my coinage).

Filipino broadcast journalist Howie Severino interviewed her decades ago; he reports (03 June 2024, “Tweetums Gonzalez Wrote Honestly Until The Very End” (GMA Integrated News (gmanetwork.com):

Towards the end of our conversation, I asked “Tweetums, why reveal these truths now, what good would (these) do?”

Flashing her dimpled smile, she replied, “What’s wrong? Just tell the truth. The truth is always best. It will show Filipinos that anybody can be a hero. It doesn’t have to be somebody with a beautiful family where everything works so well, where everybody gets married and stays happily married. No. Anybody can be a hero; you don’t have to come from a perfect family.”

I agree with Tweetums; anybody can be a hero – I note that she practiced what she preached.

But: What we need today is Social Truth, Ms Tweetums, not Private Truth.

And the biggest social truth today is? “Climate Change.”

I have been writing about Climate Change since at least 17 years ago! (See my “Primate Change? Or Climate Change?” 2007, The American Frank, wordpress.com).

Mr Severino says, “Tweetums Gonzalez Wrote Honestly Until The Very End.” Ah, but this time, honesty is not the best policy!

Why not, I say, “Understanding science is the best policy.” Here, anybody can be a hero.

I quote again Mr Severino:

(Tweetums) died (Wednesday), 29 May 2024, at the age of 79. She was writing honestly until the very end, not sugarcoating what she was feeling. Despite her life’s debilitating tragedies, and her sense that the end was near, she found the will to continue writing, an inspiring show of strength to her readers.

My blogging has not made me rich or economically independent, but I have always found the will to continue writing – for the sake of the public.

“Independence of Mind Pursuing the Good of the Country” – As an agriculturist pursuing non-chemical agriculture, I seek the overall health of the public and the environment. My vision includes these:

Healthy fields
Healthy crops
Healthy harvests
Healthy foods
Healthy consumers
Healthy & wealthy farmers.

“Just tell the truth. The truth is always best. It will show Filipinos that anybody can be a hero.”

Just tell the truth – But first you have to find out the truth, especially the social truth!

“Anybody can be a hero.” “The truth is always best.” I will continue to be a hero and write about social truths until the very end. Thank you, Tweetums – and God Almighty!@517