Filipino-Chinese in this country usually send tikoy and hopia to friends and relatives during Chinese New Year. My favorite hopia (“good pastry” in Chinese) comes from one deli chain in Binondo, Manila founded way back in 1912. This company struggled amid the competition in the 1970s but made a comeback, living up to its name. While the words Eng Bee Tin are associated with this successful pastry company, they actually mean “forever, excellent, treasure” in the Fukien dialect.
I am not an endorser of Eng Bee Tin although I confess that I always bring their products to the US as pasalubong. But I decided to write about Eng Bee Tin as I ponder what can be “forever, excellent, treasure” in our lives as we welcome 2021—the Year of the Ox in the Chinese calendar. Note that like most of the Filipino Chinese in the Philippines, I am 12.5 percent Chinese, having a paternal grandparent who was 100 percent Chinese, from Fujian province.
“Forever” denotes a state or condition that will outlast the present times. What can endure forever and be perpetually remembered can be memorialized in a monument, a street name, or even the name itself. For instance, the name of the first President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines is immortalized in Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon Avenue, and Quezon Province. “Excellent” connotes superiority or perfection as compared to a universal standard. On the other hand, “treasure” stands for something of great value, which can be subjective as what is precious to one may not be as precious to others.
Taken together, “forever, excellent, treasure” can be akin to the legacy we will leave behind—what we want our children and the next generation to remember us for. In the United States, after a mob stormed the US Capitol to disrupt a ministerial Congressional process of certifying Biden’s Electoral College victory over Trump, several key officials resigned from their posts as their way of protesting against the act or omission of erstwhile President Donald Trump during the siege. Similarly in the Philippine setting, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia resigned from his influential post in Neda “due partly to personal reasons and partly to differences in development philosophy” as regards the government response to the crisis brought by the coronavirus. Early last year, Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. also resigned out of frustration and supposed differences in the handling of confidential funds in the DICT.
Resignation is one of the most difficult things to do in one’s career. While resigning sounds far better than being fired in your résumé, there are important steps to take if one is to resign with class or honor. After all, the world is small enough that paths can cross again in the future. Once you firm up your resolve and decide to leave your job, effective communication is crucial. Best not to announce your resignation when you are filled with emotion. At the same time, best to be truthful yet be upbeat knowing that the team left behind will feel the impact of your absence. I am not fully aware of the circumstances behind the resignation of Pernia and Rio. What I can say, though, is that both were public servants considered excellent in their respective fields and opted to leave their offices despite the tempting appeal to stay in powerful government positions.
I can say the same thing with Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who, after admitting some lapses in following quarantine restrictions, voluntarily resigned from his contract tracing czar post in the Inter Agency Task Force. During the Aquino administration, Magalong was widely believed to be tapped to be the next Chief of the organization he served for many years—a dream that most Academy graduates can only dream of. However, Magalong was not reportedly selected as he stood against political pressures and came up with a transparent and truthful investigation of the Mamasapano massacre, which inevitably implicated some powerful people in government. Someone else ended up being the Chief of the PNP as Magalong opted to stay true and remain honorable to his oath as public servant.
For those who knew or have heard of these few good men—Pernia, Rio, and Magalong—they will certainly associate these names with honor or delicadeza, at least. In the process, these men exemplified what the Bible tells us in Romans 2:7, which says, “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” With patient continuance, public servants like Magalong who persevere in doing good works seem to be disposed to obey the Law of God. They seek glory not for themselves but for the faith they represent. They understand the temporal nature of power and influence as they have willingly given up their government positions.
Glory and honor and immortality are three words that denote happiness in Heaven—expressions that describe of a state of things beyond the grave. These are the standards we aspire for to be considered excellent in what we do on Earth and be remembered for them—“forever, excellent, treasure.”
In greeting my fellow Filipino-Chinese “Kung Hei Fat Choi,” may I ask—what is your Eng Bee Tin?
A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.