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Date Posted: 12:26:46 11/03/04 Wed
Author: By Domini M. Torrevillas
Subject: Character-building may save this nation

Character-building may save this nation
FROM THE STANDS By Domini M. Torrevillas
The Philippine Star 11/04/2004

( Music Inside Buzz: Where "character" is as important
as an artist's talents. -mmJun :-}


Had Heidi O. Sison founded Character Building Foundation Inc. (CBFI) two decades ago, perhaps we would not be feeling the pain of seeing military generals being accused of amassing wealth absolutely beyond their means and experiencing the taunting wrath of public opinion. Perhaps we would have very little of the graft and corruption being committed by government officials without compunction.

For CBFI, a non-stock, non-profit organization, is advocating strong positive Filipino character as the foundation of a progressive nation. This means inculcating in Filipinos the virtues of honesty, love, hard work and trust – and a commitment to transform themselves, and in effect, transforming society.

But it is not too late to have the kind of nation we want, says, Heidi. "You want a strong nation? Let’s make sure the people have a strong moral fiber. A tall building will crash if its foundation is weak. The same is true with a nation. You and I are the foundation of this nation. Let’s strengthen our character in order to strengthen the nation, now standing in a quicksand."

"If we’re honest with ourselves, we know that the ultimate solution to the ills of the world, not just the Philippines, is going back to the basics of good manners and right conduct," says Heidi. "This has been so through time. What was considered wrong is now right just because everyone does it. What was right is now a sign of stupidity and mahinang klase. Thus, the thinking nasa gobierna ka na hindi ka pa nakapagnakaw, is common. If you are in government you are expected to steal. With this prevailing thought we are perpetuating power and not perpetuating reforms."

To help build character, CBFI has been holding one-day workshops, roundtable discussions and seminars on the right values among government officials and military officers and "ordinary" citizens in barangays. Believing that value-formation should be taught at a young age, it has used story-telling and street theater, painting contests, watching teledramas and other modes of communication among children. A children’s competitive activity, "Paint the Future," reveals what kind of world the young painters want to have – and it is a world that is free, honest, and good. Indeed, one can learn a lot from babes.

Heidi formed CBFI with professionals of the same mind and spirit. Two are doctors – Dr. Tranquilino Elicaño and Dr. Ronaldo Asuncion. One is a well-known musician – Jose Mari Chan. Three are retirees from the military – Gen. Rodolfo Canieso, Gen. Guillermo Ruiz and Gen. Regino Lacson. One is a lawyer – Atty. Leonard de Vera. One is from the academe – Dr. Zenon Udani. Three are social workers – Luz de Guzman, Carmelita Vizmanos and Doris San Luis. The educator is Orlando Oxales. And the one coming from media is Heidi.

If CBFI – Heidi’s baby – was born only two years ago, it’s because she spent 37 years of her professional life in broadcast media. She is one of the most competent, highly educated directors in local television. In fact, she is considered a legend in the world of entertainment.

Her TV career began after she got her master’s in radio, TV and film (with distinction) from the prestigious School of Speech of Northwestern University in the USA. Back at home, she was an administrative manager for Channel 11, and in 1971, she went into fulltime TV directing. For Channel 11, she produced and directed the daily show, Tayo’y Mag-Happy-Happy, Play for Pay, Carina, Nelda at the Hilton, Backstage Buhay, and a documentary on the life and death of John F. Kennedy.

On other channels, she was behind such shows as 12 O’clock High, Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino (the show ran for 17 years), Tic-Tac-Toe, Paligsahan sa Dos, and Stop, Look & Listen. She directed "Student Canteen," which, along with other projects, made her "the queen of noontime shows."

She directed movies for television like Lihim, Isang Landas, Isang Bansa; special events such as First International Film Festival, Manglapus, the Artist, and Alay sa Pangulo, and beauty pageants such as Mutya ng Pilipinas ’81, Miss Asia Quest ‘81, and documentaries including The Life and Death of John F. Kennedy.

And then Heidi, a.k.a. Direk Heidi, took a leave from TV, busying herself with documentaries for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Some of them were Flying Forever, Philippine Army – The Year 2000, Soldier, Soldier (on the Special Forces Regiment, Airborne), CAFGU, MTV for Unity, Values Education of the AFP, and social consciousness video capsules for the Armed Forces.

When she returned to TV, she hosted Eye Witness, a talk show on IBC-13 that made, according to critic Nestor U. Torre "for greater depth and substance than what’s found on some other talk shows on the tube."

Now, Direk Heidi, who has made many stars out of fresh talents that she came to direct, is now directing real-life drama – through the Character Building Foundation, Inc.

A warm, but strict when necessary, professional, she knows that the job of character-building in people will be an uphill journey. But she is not going to give up – never, I think, will she. For years, she said, she though whether solutions to the country’s problems could be found. "After some reflection, I thought someone must concentrate on solutions." That’s when she founded CBFI. "The accusing finger must point towards ourselves. That’s where the positive change begins and you’re responsible for only one person – yourself. With 85 million Filipinos doing the same thing, can you imagine the force moving towards solution? It’s awesome!"

* * *

http://insidebuzz.tripod.com/

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