Conglomerate pushes ‘pagmamano’ revival
ALC Group chairman D. Edgard Cabangon stands next to the bust of his father and company founder, the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon. PHOTO FROM ALC GROUP OF COMPANIES WEBSITE
The ALC Group is campaigning for the revival of a unique Filipino tradition, pagmamano or showing respect to elders by taking their hand and placing it on the forehead.
Edgard Cabangon, chairman of ALC Group, made the call for the restart of a pagmamano campaign which is a sign of love and respect for elders.
ALC Group is in various businesses that range from hotels to banks and media.
By reviving among the young this long-held tradition in their homes, Cabangon said ,” a culture of peace within the homes will evolve and from there possibly transform weapons of war into implements for peace.”
Cabangon made the pitch during a plenary session at the Global Peace Foundation last week .
He said this unique Filipino tradition had been ingrained in the past but is now unfortunately barely practiced anymore.
The advocacy is seen to resonate with other business groups.
“When peace is no longer equated with the absence of war but with the love for harmony, all nations will have the so-called peace dividends where war materiel becomes agriculture implements, tanks become pipes for irrigation, and nuclear armaments are converted into energy plants,” said Cabangon.
The revival of this very Filipino tradition could lead to soul-searching on why there are now road rages and why there is now a culture of impunity, according to Cabangon.
“This tradition is being uprooted from our culture, a sad reality together with the preoccupation with gadgets that lead to family members hunched over their gadgets instead of conversing and connecting during dinner time,” he said.
“Each nation has a different way of greeting “ Cabangon said.
“There is the Eskimo nose rub, the head bow, the palms together, the handshake.,” he said.
“We Filipinos have a better way of greeting and it conveys love and respect: We take the hand of our elder, place it on our forehead and that’s it,” Cabangon said.
“This Filipino tradition is more than a greeting. It speaks of honor. It conveys love. It transmits hope. It echoes respect. With all these ingrained in that singular act, peace will be in our hearts, “ he added.
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