Poet, Leader, Patriot: Rado Gatchalian
By Lailah Cheng
(Continued from Page 4)
Eventually, because his wife was from San Manuel, Pangasinan, they decided to move to Urdaneta City also in the same province close to San Manuel. He worked as a guidance counselor and professor there.
Poetry, Passion, Patriotism
In Sydney, Australia, Rado continues to contribute to the arts and Filipino nationalism. He writes nationalistic poems and is also a commentator on Radio Tagumpay,
He is a scholar on the life and works of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero who lived in Circa 1900 and was martyred by the Spaniards who ruled the Philippines for 400 grueling years. He is a poet and a political activist in a constructive way. He is a very active member of the Order of the Knights of Rizal, Northern Sydney Chapter. All out for the Order’s purpose to honor and uphold the ideals of the national hero. “The purposes of the Knights of Rizal are to study the teachings of Dr. Jose Rizal and to inculcate and propagate them in and among all classes of people, and by words and deeds, to emulate and practice the example and teaching of Rizal (knightsofrizal.com.br).
It goes without saying that Rado’s patriotism is beyond measure, unraveling and declaring the best virtues of Filipinos overseas, has been consistent with his life’s purpose. His energy never wanes. He is a natural explorer, enthusiastic, and among many other traits, curious about how to be of good use to other people while quenching his thirst for life’s questions.
One of my favorite articles by Rado Gatchalian was about modern heroism inspired by the works of Dr. Jose Rizal. It was featured in the Inquirer.Net, one of the Philippines' major online newspapers. Go and read at https://opinion.inquirer.net/159849/modern-heroism-inspired-by-rizal#ixzz7ojP6rZmx. It talks about the brief but admirable life of the hero, proof that anyone could be great if he or she aims for it, not to pursue greatness per se but to be useful to humanity. One need not be a martyr to reach self-realization. He should however “invest in nurturing our minds”, according to Rado. And I love this line: “We need to read…. But the greatest investment is the investment in self-improvement.” In so doing, Rado said that one can also be wealthy in terms of having a knowledgeable mind, a caring heart, and a fit body, not just financially (Inquirer.Net, March 25, 2023).
This feature in Dahilsayo is but an introductory effort to look into the life and activities of Rado Gatchalian. If you wish to get in touch with him and follow his work, here below are his contact details:
Mr. Rado Gatchalian
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rado.gatchalian/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poetographer18/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/inkourage?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radogatchalian/?originalSubdomain=au
