MANUEL RODRIGUEZ

Photo taken 2011

Manuel Abuyo Rodriguez II (b. 13 July 1988) [nicknamed Mannyboy or Yboy] is an advocate of liberalism, democracy, and good governance. He is

currently a law student at the Far Eastern University, Manila and works as a Legal Researcher at Renta Pe Causing and Sabarre Law Firm.

EARLY LIFE

Born in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. His father is the late Manuel P. Rodriguez, a movie writer, actor and director and was part of the electoral college of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) now known as the Luna Awards. His mother is Helionida Abuyo- Rodriguez a former accountant and currently working fulltime in Christian ministry as a Bible Teacher and Church Elder at the Cosmopolitan Church, Manila.

He was raised in Pandacan, Manila in a Christian Protestant background.

EDUCATION

Cadet 2nd Lt. Rodriguez (2005)

Rodriguez earned pre-elementary education at the Philippine Christian University (PCU), Manila and had elementary education in two institutions namely the Miracle Life Christian Academy in Quezon City and Jesus Reigns Christian Academy in Manila where he had his elementary diploma. He spent his high school years at the Christian Academy of Manila where he was officer of the Mathematics Club and held the rank of Cadet 2^nd Lieutenant of the Citizen Advancement Training. During his senior year in High School, he was part of the roster of the school's Basketball team; however he never played a single game due to the school’s pull out of the tournament. 

Rodriguez as a pre-school graduate of PCU
 (Photo taken 1993)

He graduated college in 2009 at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila where he was a student athlete with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Legal Management. Upon graduation he immediately entered the pursuit of legal education with the same University. In 2010 he transferred at the Institute of Law of the Far Eastern University also in Manila.

Rodriguez also studied theology and has Certificates of Biblical Studies from the Bible University, Canada (BU) and at Ames International School of Ministry, Fort Myers Florida (AISOM). He is yet to finish his Certificate in Ministry course at the Birmingham Theological Seminiary, Florida.

EDUCATOR

At age 21, Rodriguez became a Professor of the Humanities at the Lyceum of the Philippines University in Manila.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

During his college years, he held several positions in different organizations in the University. He was Vice President Internal of the Community Achievers’ Association, Vice President Internal of the local UNESCO chapter, Student Council Officer, and a political party Chairperson.

Rodriguez as a political candidate of SDP (2007)

It was in 2007 that the student body elected Rodriguez for a one year term as Public Relations Officer of the Student Council. During his term, he was an advocate of students’ rights and welfare. After his stint in the Student Council, he was elected by his peers to be the Chairperson of their political party, the Students’ Democratic Party (SDP), the oldest “student” political party in the Philippines.

During his term as the Chairperson, SDP was a staunch critic of the unpopular administration of former Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.  He served the term until his graduation in March 2009.

Upon entering the UST Law, he was appointed as Vice President Internal of Batas Tomasino, the official law society of the University of Santo Tomas and Auditor of the UST Chapter of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections, Inc. (LENTE), a non-partisan election watchdog accredited by the Commission on Elections. He later on became President of LENTE but served the term for only a semester due to his transfer to the Institute of Law of the Far Eastern University (FEU).

In FEU, he still excelled on his leadership. He was student volunteer, turned litigation chairperson, turned Secretary General of the Legal Aid Bureau and a Staff Writer turned Articles Editor of the editorial board of the school’s law journal, the Far Eastern Law Review.

In 2011, he helped found a political party based in FEU Law, the Sulong Party. He was also the team captain of the law school’s football team.    

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Rodriguez is a member of the Cosmopolitan Church in Manila, one of the oldest protestant churches in the Philippines. He served as Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice President of the Christian Youth Fellowship and as Treasurer of the Christian Young Adult Fellowship. He was also a member of the choir of the said church.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Rodriguez was born and raised in a Protestant Christian family. He used to profess the doctrine of the denomination United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP).

Currently, he refuses to be associated with any Christian denomination. He claims himself to be a non-denominational Christian. 

Rodriguez as a paralegal volunteer for LENTE
(Photo taken 2010)

SOCIO-CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Rodriguez was a teacher volunteer in outreach programs of his Church and the Community Achievers’ Association. He had experience teaching both urban street kids and indigenous children in the mountains. As the Litigation Chairperson of the Legal Aid Bureau, he assisted indigent litigants with their cases and was resource speaker in some paralegal seminars.

Prior to the national 2010 elections, he served as a part of the voter’s education campaign of LENTE wherein he was tasked to be a resource speaker in different election forums.

On Election Day of 2010, he worked with election watchdog LENTE by being the coordinator for the elections in the 6^th District of the City of Manila.

Rodriguez with Chief Justice Renato Corona (2012)

He was also a paralegal volunteer for the Legal Department of the Government Panel’s Monitoring Committee in the peace process with leftist rebels.  During the impeachment trial of the former Chief Justice, Renato C. Corona, he served as a paralegal volunteer for the defense team.

On 2013 National Midterm elections, he worked as a paralegal on the campaign of re-electionist Mayor Noel Abella Nacar of the Municipality of Dasol, Pangasinan, Philippines.

SPORTS ACTIVITIES

Rodriguez was a practitioner of the martial art Arnis. In 2005, he became Champion of the Unang Pambansang Digmaan Junior Division. An Arnis tournament held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila and hosted by the Arnis Association International, Inc. (AAII). During his senior high school, he was part of the Basketball Varsity, however he never played a single game due to his school's pull out to the tournament that year.

Rodriguez as captain of
FEU Law Football Team
(2013)

Rodriguez played as striker in all his years as student athlete with the Football Team of UST Faculty of Arts and Letters. Aside from the annual Unity Games, he also represented his school in outside tournaments some of which were the Ang Liga National League and the Beach Football Association of the Philippines annual tournament. He is currently a part of the roster of the alumni team.

In FEU, he served as the team captain of the law school’s football team. He was part of the 2010 2^nd runner up team of the annual inter-law school football tournament. On 2011, as captain, he led the team on a first runner up finish of the same tournament.

In 2010, he co-founded the Football Club Manila South.

PUBLISHED WORKS
In the Volume XLIII of the Far Eastern Law Review he contributed "A Nation's Journey to the Long and Winding Road to Peace: Revisiting the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law." Published in 2012 by the Far Eastern University.

Hope That Does Not Disappoint

By Manuel Rodriguez II

God’s hope does not disappoint.

When we hear the word “hope,” it stresses two things. First, it stresses futurity, event or events that which is about to happen. The second one, it stresses about the invisible things, or the things that are not present yet, things we want to come on our lives.

Biblically speaking, the word hope means strong and confident expectation. It is never static or passive, in fact it is dynamic, and it is active, directive and life-sustaining.

The question now is how can we be sure in the midst of suffering to take hold of this (biblical) hope?

In the midst of pain and suffering Jesus Christ tells us to be uncompromising, unwavering and unshakable.

UNCOMPROMISING

Be determined to have that hope.

Romans 5:1-2 says: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into his grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The point on the verse is God’s grace will grant you peace. A parallel verse made the message clearer, Hebrews 4:15 - 16 states: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities…Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

If we are determined, the mercy and grace of God will come to us. Then we can hope.

The story of the apostle Thomas in the Bible will teach us this kind of determination. Whether we see Thomas as the doubter or the believer, in any case we will see the grace of God in his story.

The account says that Thomas doubted, but we can be sure that he was determined to see the piercing on the hands of Jesus. Jesus could have ascended to Heaven right away without proving himself to Thomas, but he came to his disciple to satisfy the doubt. He came back for Thomas, the doubting disciple.

God will show up and will prove his grace to you.

Like Thomas, we also have doubts and questions. And the faithfulness of God tells us He has answers. Just like what Jesus did to Thomas, he too will come back to us just to satisfy our doubt even to the point of showing up again. So that you will be continued to be strengthen on your faith. Like Thomas, we too should be determined.


UNWAVERING

Be focused to have that hope.

God’s grace will allow you to possess the future.

Romans 5 tells us how the “hope” were talking about is produced. To summarize the entire chapter it points out that we should rejoice in tribulations for it produces patience, and patience produces experience, and experience produces “hope.”

The Bible tells us that we should be focused despite pain and sufferings because it leads to hope. If we remain focused, hope will be secured in our lives.

In the resurrection account in John 20, we’ll see the story of Mary Magdalene. There she was very sorrowful facing the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.

We know the story; she stayed at the empty tomb, meaning she persevered despite her sorrow. She could have left the tomb, but she remained.

If Mary left, she will not see the risen Jesus. The lesson for us here is to persevere even on the moments of facing our empty tombs. We should remain and trust that Jesus will reveal himself.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God is always in control. It says: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It is okay if we are struggling with reality, but we should hold on to Christ. If we do not turn our backs even in the midst of sufferings…we will see the glory of God. So we welcome pain with rejoicing, for we know that our God will deliver us victorious.

Suffering may be a word about today, but hope is a word about tomorrow.


UNSHAKABLE

Be in love with God.

Probably, out of the three this is the most difficult thing to do.

Despite the hardships and trials, he is asking us to love Him still. Why? Because the grace and love of God is more powerful than all our sufferings combined. So be in love with God even in suffering.

In this life, it is easier to lift the name of Jesus if things are going on our way, but it is harder if things are falling on places we do not expect.

The biblical account in John 21 is very popular. It is the story of the conversation of Jesus and Peter. In the said account Jesus asked Peter “do you love me?” thrice. The third time Jesus asked, Peter became a bit mad to Jesus for asking the same question over and over again. Of course we know what happened to Peter on the latter part of the story, he denied the Son of Man thrice. But let us not dwell on the story of Peter’s denial; instead we focus on the conversation between Peter and the Son of Man whom he called the Christ.

In our Bible translations probably we failed to see a message on the word “love” Jesus mentioned on his question “do you love me?” to Peter due to the rich grammar of its original Greek scriptures counterpart.

In the Greek Bible, the first and second “do you love me?” question to Peter, Jesus is talking about the unconditional love translated to greek as agape. Peter replied to Jesus, “Yes Lord, I love you.” The “love” Peter mentioned on his answer to the query of his master refers to brotherly love or phileis in Greek.

The third time the Christ asked Peter “Do you love me?” he stoop down to the level of Love Peter can give. There, Jesus was referred to the brotherly kind of love (phileis).

To give a wide-ranging view of the scenario of the account between Jesus and Peter here’s a better translation/version of the conversation:

JESUS: Do you love me unconditionally (agape)?

PETER: Yes Lord, I love you with a brotherly love (phileis).

JESUS: Do you love me unconditionally (agape)?

PETER: Yes Lord, I love you with a brotherly love (phileis).

JESUS: Peter, do you love me with a brotherly kind of love (phileis)?

PETER: Yes Lord, I love you with a brotherly kind of love (phileis), how many times do I need to tell you that Lord?!

The above conversation, tells us what really transpired between Peter and the man he called the Son of the Living God. But what does the story tell us now.

He is willing to step down for us so we could hope simply because he loves us unconditionally (agape). Like what happened to the story of the doubting Thomas, Jesus went back for his disciple because he loves him. God’s love can reach us.

Brothers and sisters do not stop loving our Lord. He is willing to receive your love no matter how small. No love given to Jesus is insignificant.

We can always hope because we know God loves us. He will always step down; he will always go back for the Thomases and the Mary Magdalenes.

That is the kind of hope that we have, a hope that does not disappoint.

Therefore, the things we should remember in despair to gain hope are the following.

Be determined. Be focused. Be in love with God.

There is always a reason to hope.

Having Same Passion with the Christ

by Manuel Rodriguez II

John 21: 15-19

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Jesus asked Peter: “Do you truly love me more than these?” As Jesus asked that question, he went straight to the matter of the heart.

That question put a shame on Peter and unto us as well. The question to Peter is still being asked by the Lord to us now, “Do you truly love me more than these?” To rephrase the question Jesus asked it says: “Am I of second importance to you?”

Who is God to us anyway? In the question to Peter let me emphasize on the adverb truly.
Peter was asked by the Christ three times. Biblical scholars say that if a phrase, word or sentence in the Scriptures is mentioned three times it means that it is emphasizing itself.
In asking that question to Peter (and to us) it should be clear that God wants us to know what’s inside of us. Most of the time people are being blinded, we thought we love someone but the truth is we don’t. We should be honest to ourselves.

God is all knowing, He knows the answer to His question. He is asking the question not for Him to know the answer but for us to know what is inside of our hearts.

As always, His grace allows us to see his presence. But more than His presence, the conversation between Jesus and Peter allowed us to see beyond His presence. It allowed us to see the passion of Jesus.

God want also His heart to be revealed to you. His passions. His ideas.
God is not just concerned whether you love Him. He is also concerned in sharing to you His heart.

What is the passion of Jesus? It’s the people!

The Bible says that the heart of Jesus cries out for the people. Let us remember the lepers, the tax collectors, the prostitute, the poor people and etc. His heart cries out for all.

That passion is what he wants to share with us.
“Feed my lambs.”
“Take care of my sheep.”
“Feed my sheep.”

If we have truly seen the Lord, then we have seen His heart. If we have truly seen the Lord, then we have also his passion.

For Jesus…people matters. Not programs. Not ministries.

Jesus came to this world not to put up a program, not to put up a religion, not to establish an activity and etc. but to show His passion.

Do we care for the things that Jesus is caring about? Are we willing to exchange our personal interest for the One we love?

And if we look at the heart of Jesus, we’ll see ourselves inside because He cares for us. You were once lost but now you’re found. He is passionate about you.

This is the message He wants to share to Peter, and to all of us.

Our love to God is always translated to our love to the ones around us because the passion of Jesus is for the people. That should be the obvious lesson of the passage.

His heart cries out for you and me. He cares for the eternally significant.

My prayer is that we will be passionate to the people around us and care for what Jesus care, the eternally significant things.

Respond to love because that is the passion of the Lord. Is it easy for me to say? Yes I know, but not impossible because of Jesus Christ.

Think about the fishermen, the prostitute, the tax collectors, the unschooled, the criminals and etc. Jesus loved them all. We too should.

May we have the same passion with our Lord.

My Perspective on Liberalism

By Manuel Rodriguez II

The liberal person is stereotype as a militant, not often esteemed and often misunderstood. In the present Filipino culture we have lost track between political liberalism and moral liberalism, to be “liberated” now is to be an immoral person.

As I see it, the term “liberalism” is almost certainly one of the most misapprehended words in the society of Juan dela Cruz.

Perhaps the supreme fallacy of the term is that one cannot be a liberal and a God believing individual at once.

As a Christian-liberal, let me state my political view and assertion on the subject matter. It is a delusion that only politicians should have a political view, every citizen must get involved in the affairs of his State.

My liberal perspective is probably a “hybrid” of my first being a believer and a practitioner of the Christian Faith and second as an advocate of democracy and liberalism as a political system. Back in senior college I was the Chairperson of the Students’ Democratic Party which is the first political party to be organized after the lifting of martial law and a promoter of liberalism and democracy in governance.

I do not expect all fellow liberals to agree on my perspective; many liberally-educated individuals and political scientists (and maybe the religious) may differ or oppose my personal view.

It’s OK, I have learned to accept the fact that it is uncommon to meet two liberals who would agree on a common definition of the term unless in all probability if they are a part of a same political party which has a liberal brand.

It is only normal that the liberals from different walks of life will argue among themselves regarding the definition of the term “liberal” and the principles and ideals that are anchored on it. As liberals tend to price their personal opinions, you should anticipate a flood of ideas, opinions, positions and even formulas in putting up the “ideal society.”

In my opinion, to be liberal does not mean to be a part of a political group. Liberalism is a belief. It is similar to Christianity, Islam, or any other religion however the focus in liberalism is not the belief in a supreme being but in the belief on the attainment of the ideal society.

As a philosophy, the focus of liberalism is on the freedom of the individual. Liberals believe that in order to attain the ideal society, the individuals must be free to do the things that they want as long as it does not affect the rights of other individuals. Liberals give higher importance to the lives of the individuals rather than the life of the State; they believe that the State must be the protector of the people and not its oppressor.

Unlike the traditionalists who stick to lenience and understanding, the liberal always demand change when change is being called for, they are open to new ideas and values. He always calls for genuine reforms, but is not easy to call for arms unlike the radicals and leftists. In fact, he shuns violence as a solution.

The liberal always respect the rule of law and works within the system and not against it. He boldly presents the cancers of the society, asks the hard queries, and offer solutions.

The liberalism political thought asserts that every individual is rational and is responsible and are at the best position to choose his or her interests. Liberals believe that to go after personal interests freely and rationally would lead to the finest of all social systems.

It is in contrast to the view of the fascists and the conservatives that individuals in the social order are linked collectively in an organic whole and affix on social order. Liberals also disagree with the socialist argument that individual interest should bow down to the interest of the society as a whole.

Liberals are firm to their ideal that no principle can ever authorize the restriction of freedom in the political and economic spheres. Liberals give emphasis to equal opportunities to all, they dream of a society where the hard-working and the talented are rewarded the amount of their work. They shun the idea of equality of ends wherein people will simply receive equal shares of the economic benefits.

In my opinion, it is not wrong for liberals to profess a faith and advocate to Christian values of humility, honesty, justice, love and prayerfulness. Religious freedom is one fruit of many libertarian efforts. Liberals believe that each man must be free on his worship to a supreme being, if he chooses to worship at all.

To end, let me state the six core liberal principles that I have learned being a seeker of political knowledge. These six principles sum up everything about liberalism. First is Individualism, or the belief that the individual is more important than the group or society where he/she belongs. Second is Rationalism or the belief that the world is rational and it can be disclosed in the eyes of the human person through the exercise of critical inquiry. Third is Freedom or the ability to act as one desire in agreement to self-determination. Fourth is Responsibility or being responsible for one’s social and economic circumstance. Fifth is Justice or the giving of every person what is due them. And the sixth is Tolerance or the willingness to accept the views or actions that one disagrees or of which one disapproves.

This is my perspective of the liberalism political credo. As I mentioned earlier I do not expect everyone to agree and that will be fine for I respect the differing views regarding the topic and I uphold the sixth core value abovementioned.

There are many professed supporters of liberalism are at times unconfident as to what precisely their political philosophy is all about. I genuinely hope that my perspective helped those people.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Today is a Perfect Day to Die (my new year message)

Bago ang lahat, ako at ang aking pamilya ay bumabati sa lahat ng Manigong Bagong Taon at isang Masaganang 2011 sa lahat.

The statement “to die oneself” must of course not be taken literally but figuratively.



In the Christian perspective it means to put behind all the sinful things and to start life anew. It means to be dead to sin and be alive in Christ.



As a new century unfolds, let us continue our pursuit in fulfilling our God-given mission, to spread love and be a channel of peace. May our new "New Year's Resolution" is to remain our old selves "dead."



The year 2010 was a year full of storms and tragedies in our lives individually and collectively as a nation. Yet with our fortitude and faith we managed to endure.



And here we are once again, welcoming a new challenge 2011 will dish up on us. May the God that carried us through in 2010 may once again show off his power and prove his might on 2011.



Happy New Year and may all our old selves pass away

5 Ways of Men to know if They Are Really In Love With A Woman

1. When you see in her your dream family. When you can picture what kind of mother she will be like to your kids.

Loving the invisible is probably the best kind of love on the planet. Invisible here is your "future family."

2. When you are willing to let go some of your wants and dreams in exchange of having her for a lifetime.

Think of a precious item in your life right now. It could be your education or your work or it could be your money or your dream car or dream motorbike or a dream life in the future. Now imagine that you are in a situation where you need to choose only one. If you choose her then you may now put a check on this item and proceed to number 3.

3. When you pray that God will grant you to her.

God, being the author of love must always be included because if not...its no love at all but a mere passion of likeness. If the author of love is not included in a relationship...there is no love.

4. When despite knowing the negative attributes youre still willing to spend a lifetime with her.

Acceptance is probably the ultimate indicator of love. When knowing the evils on her, you still long to be with the person and dream to be with her for the rest of your life just as she is.

5. When after knowing her dark past you looked at her just as the same.

Similar to number 5 acceptance also comes into play on this item.

Dark pasts may once in a while haunt an individual (especially women) and may be a hazard to a present relationship. However you must view this not as a mere hazard but also an opportunity to prove if youre really in love with the person.



Loving a person includes loving her entirety. Entirety includes the past, present and the future of the individual.

AKBAY NG KARAMAY

"Akbay ng Karamay"
Paint on canvass, August 20, 2010


Ang mga tauhan sa larawan ay magkaakbay, ito ay nagpapakita ng matibay na samahan sa kabila ng sari-saring pagsubok ng panahon, mundo at ng Maykapal.

Luntian ang piniling kulay ng kapaligiran ng mga tauhan sa larawan, ito ang kulay na sumisimbolo sa temporal na mundo na kapwa nating kinabibilangan. Ang tubig na kulay asul sa ilalim ng mga tauhan ay tanda ng hirap sa bawat paghakbang ng ating bawat paglalakbay sa ibat-ibang kabanata ng buhay ng bawat isa.

Ang araw at mga asul na patak ng ulan ay sumisimbolo sa bawat panahon na susubok sa pagsasama ng dalawang tao, ang mukha ng haring araw ay ginawang may luha tanda ng mga panahon ng poot at kalungkutan.

Ang lumiliyab na puno sa kanang bahagi ay simbolo ng prisensya ng may kapal, ito ay hango sa lumang testamento ng Bibliya kung saan nagpakita ang Panginoon kay Moises sa anyo ng lumiliyab na puno.

Ang kabuuan ng larawan nawa ay maging tanda sa bawat isa na walang tao ang ligtas sa poot, kalungkutan at pagkakadapa. Upang makabangon at makalaban muli, tayo ay magbalikatan upang maitaguyod ang isa at kailangan nating maalala muli ang pag tanglaw sa Diyos at pag tawag sa kanyang pangalan.