AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

Thanks for the Help and the Inspiration!

THE OPEN letter was written towards the end of 1989, and presented in that year's Rizal Day gathering at Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila. But the first edition of this book was completed for launching at the National Press Club on February 1, 1990, exactly one hundred years to the day after the publication in La Solidaridad of the last part of Jose Rizal’s “Filipinas, Dentro de Cien Años” (The Philippines, Within a Century, more widely known as "The Philippines, A Century Hence”). A similar launching is planned for  2007 for its 2nd Edition.

This Second Edition adds end notes to the 1989 piece and brings in  three pertinent items from the author’s earlier syndicated column, “Sense of History,” which was carried nationwide and overseas by the Philippine News Agency, Sun*Star News Service and Mabuhay News Service. It also includes interesting details of the University of the Philippines System's commemoration of the martyrdom centennial of Rizal.  Finally, it also carries a poem inspired by Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios. 

The author seeks to thank Dr. Rodolfo Gonzalez, M.D., for his help; his wife Maria Salome B. Boncan-Gonzalez, whose narrations form part of this book; Teresita Pagulayan, curator of the Rizal Shrine at Fort Santiago; Regino Paular of the National Historical Institute; Rogelio Quiambao, Antonio Mendoza, Jr., and Rizalista couple June and Victoria Mawanay for keeping the spirit alive in many hearts.

Much inspiration also came from my friends Joydee Robledo-Elizondo, Tricia U. Santiago, Sylvia O. de Guzman, Trixie Concepcion, Chin-Chin A. Gutierrez, Faustino G. Mendoza Jr., Bernard LM. Karganilla, Jose Eduardo D. Velasquez, Ernesto R. Gonzales, Alexander L. Lacson, Antonio Meloto, Erly de Guzman and Ernesto Boydon; my sons Plebeian and Pilipino Amado; my siblings here and in California; and my fellow-leaders and colleagues in SanibLakas, Katipunang DakiLahi and Kamalaysayan.  

I could not even have started work on this edition without the volunteered encoding done by my former student and permanent friend Mise Stephanie Lee, who now heads the Junior Marketing Association of the International Academy of Management and Economics (IAME), where I have been a learning facilitator on Rizal Life, Philippine History, English Literature,  etc.  Both Dr. Emmanuel Tiu Santos, IAME chairman, and my long-time friend Romy Lee B. Ancheta also boosted my energies by promising to help me get this and my other books published and widely marketed.

And, of course, I seek to convey my gratitude and homage paid to Dr. Jose Rizal, himself, for standing where he does in the glorious and heroic  history of our beloved Inang Bayan.

-- Prof. Ed Aurelio C. Reyes

Instructor, International Academy of Management and Economics (IAME)-Makati

Lead Founder and National Spokesperson, Kaisahan sa Kamalayan sa Kasaysayan (Kamalaysayan)

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