Ricardo Manapat: The Courageous Against the Tyranny

    Jose Ricardo De Leon Manapat, known as "Ric", was born on May 24, 1954, in Manila, Philippines. He was a multi-faceted figure who wore many hats as an activist, scholar, writer, researcher, and educator. He served as Director of the Records Management and Archives Office of the Philippines for two terms, from 1996 to 1998 and in 2002 to 2008.

    In his elementary, high school, and college years, he was educated at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila. From there, he earned his degree in Philosophy with departmental honors in 1976.

Early Life and Interests

    Manapat was not an ordinary student. He is a total brainiac who had a passion for a broad range of subjects, beyond the norm. He simultaneously pursued a master’s degree in history, Spanish, and mathematics, which already says a lot about him being extraordinary. There are also other fields that he pursued, such as physics, economics, linguistics, and philosophy.

    Musical instruments are also part of Manapat’s life. He was proficient in playing violin, piano, clarinet, and trumpet. Apart from music, he was fluent in over 10 languages including German, Spanish, Sanskrit, and Latin.

    Despite his various talents and pursuits, Manapat's primary passion was to serve his country. The declaration of martial law in 1971 by Ferdinand Marcos sparked Manapat's activism. He recognized the dire consequences of the regime, seeing how civil rights were disregarded and anyone who voiced opposition was subjected to imprisonment or worse. This motivated him to actively fight for the rights and freedoms of the Filipino people, becoming an advocate for change.

  

Some Are Smarter Than Others: His Literary Work

    Greed, oppression, and tyranny. It was all the reasons why Manapat created his book “Some Are Smarter Than Others”. The book exposed the massive corruption and theft that occurred during Ferdinand Marcos’ time and showed how the Marcos family profited at the expense of the Filipino people.

    Initially, Manapat's work existed only as a 48-page pamphlet and had not yet been transformed into a full-length book. However, in December 1979, Manapat had the opportunity to meet Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. Aquino praised Manapat's 48-page pamphlet "Some are Smarter than Others," describing it as "the most explosive document to have rocked the city of Manila." Impressed by the pamphlet, Aquino asked Manapat to turn it into a book. Working on it in 1980, Manapat eventually finished and published the book in 1991.

    The title of Manapat's book comes from a statement made by Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines, in response to criticism about her relatives who became rich quickly during her husband Ferdinand Marcos's rule. She claimed that "some are smarter than others," implying that her relatives were just more skilled in business and better at making money. This claim became the inspiration for Manapat's book, which aimed to uncover the secrets behind the Marcoses' lavish lifestyle and the wealth they gained during the dictatorship.

Conclusion and Thoughts

    The authoritarianism that the Marcoses possessed during the martial law was both repressive and rigged. Journalists and activists who spoke for the truth disappeared and got killed unethically. Thousands were tortured and arrested, but Ricardo Manapat's unwavering passion to expose the sinister nature of the Marcoses is truly heroic and courageous.

     “Written 40 years ago in 1979, “Some Are Smarter Than Others” began its life as a 40-page pamphlet that slowly grew, and spread, by photocopy and by hand, during the Martial Law years. Today. It remains a living, burning example of how the plain and simple truth can and must become the most potent, persistent, and amplifiable tool against the powerful structures of oppression.” —Lacuesta Angelo.

References:

https://doi.org/10.1177/0725513609345379

https://frankfurtrights.com/Books/Details/some-are-smarter-than-others-18964350

Manapat, Ricardo (1991). Some are Smarter than Others: The History of Marcos' Crony Capitalism. New York: Aletheia Publ.

Enrico Lazaro Jr.

Author