DISTILLING THE TRUE ESSENCE OF EDUCATION[1]

Atty. Berni M. Luceres If you have been watching the Korean telenovela, Jewel in the Palace, it is the best exposition that knowledge is power. With education, Jang Jeung, who played the lead role in the said telenovela, achieved the power that she had longed for since childhood. Although she became an orphan in her tender years, she endeavored to study and master complicated aspects in human life. She developed good values and traits such as respect for elders and authority, and to her fellowmen. She was honest, dedicated to her work, humble and patriotic. Jang Jeung can be called the true essence of what education can do to a person. Education is not a mere tool to have a diploma, job, and money. It is a gateway for enlightenment into Gods Kingdom. A person could get several diplomas, a better job, and more money, but these are just material ornaments that have no real significance to human existence. Education is nothing if a person is deliberately and continuously doing bad deeds. Even worse is when one tolerates or is apathetic to these evil deeds. The violation of human rights is illegal and immoral, and yet an educated person who willfully ignores this is much worse. He should go back to grade one, in elementary school, to study GMRC (good manners and right conduct). Cheating and lying are basically immoral, and yet one who continues to resort to cheating and lying to get some personal satisfaction has no place in heaven. An immoral act not repented for and continuously committed is a mortal sin. In the legal field, the framers of the 1986 Constitution happily included the provisions of the love for humanity, respect for human rights, spiritual values, development of moral character, and personal discipline as among the principles enshrined in the Constitution and committed to by the Filipinos. The framers were not satisfied with just providing free education and uplifting the academic quality of education per se. Jang Jeung has love for humanity, good moral character and personal discipline, and she did not leave her countrymen who were inflicted with an unknown communicable disease. While with the sick people, she diligently studied the epidemic to save her suffering people. She did not mind her own safety and

health because she cared so much for the lives of her fellow human beings. Since she saved the lives of many people, the king promoted her to the position of Lofty Madam, her childhood ambition. After reaching this position as Lofty Madam in the Palace, she resigned her honorable position to give way to other palace girls who dreamed of it like she did. Outside the safe confines of the palace, the lady doctor painstakingly continued attending to the health of her neighbors and other people. She became not just the first woman physician, but the first public health practitioner in Korea. Cheaters and liars should watch this Korean telenovela help them meditate to change for good, and aspire to live with dignity and integrity as a human being. This is a plea for God to bless to bless students whose primary aim is to help mankind, and give proper lessons to graduates who did not learn primordial good traits and basic good values in their schooldays. God must be the only and ultimate teacher left for graduates who think only of their own benefit. A person must strive to be excellent in values, traits and character, like Jang Jeung, who mirrored the best product of education in her heyday.

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Points of Law Atty. Bernardo M. Luceres The Manila Times, Barangay News Date:___________