There had been a few points in our history where it might be said that the Philippines couldn’t seem to catch a break. One such event occurred on March 17, 1957, when a plane carrying President Ramon Magsaysay crashed on Mount Manunggal in Cebu, ending a promising term in which Magsaysay became popular because of his accessibility to the common people. Magsaysay, who was known as "My Guy" because he was everyone's buddy, was widely regarded as the best head of state the Philippines had ever seen. However, as luck would have it, he passed away in office and in life far too soon, leaving behind a legacy of greatness we could only hope could be replicated by current and future leaders.
The Ramon Magsaysay Museum & Ancestral House | Zambales
A Reminder of Greatness
What better way to ensure that Ramon Magsaysay's excellence was not forgotten than to have a museum built in his honor? Furthermore, having a central location that housed and highlighted his services to this nation could enable more people to learn about him and his enormous impact other than history books, articles published about him, and documentaries.
Fittingly, the Magsaysay family's ancestral home in Castillejos, Zambales, where the young Ramon spent years that coincided with a period that largely influenced his character, was renovated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and reopened as a museum in December 2016.
The two-storey museum displayed several of Ramon Magsaysay's personal belongings. The galleries on the first floor featured vintage photographs taken with other prominent personalities such as Emilio Aguinaldo, Carlos P. Garcia, and Richard Nixon. A stack of telegram messages between Magsaysay and other well-known people, such as Carlos P. Romulo, were stashed in a folder on another desk.
There was also a glass-encased exhibit of some of his favorite outfits, including his old Air Force uniform and a few barongs he wore as President. The .45 caliber handgun reported to have been used by Magsaysay during an encounter with Japanese soldiers in the Zambales hilltops stood out in the World War II area.
His numerous honors and recognitions received during his stellar career as a soldier and public servant were also displayed near his desk, placed beneath the Presidential Seal, including the Order of the White Elephant from Thailand, the Order of Saint George from Greece's Most Exalted Order of George, and a Guest of Honor Medallion from the Philippine Youth League's Leader of the Year Awards.
All in all, the Magsaysay museum was divided into three main sections: Magsaysay's Life, Magsaysay's Family, and Magsaysay's Death and Legacy. Another feature of the museum was the Ramon Magsaysay 360-degree VR Experience written by Ed Geronia and produced by the NHCP. Using headsets provided by the museum, visitors could view various scenes depicting a number of important moments in Magsaysay's life, including the moment when he uttered his iconic line, "Malacañang is the palace of the people."
I grew up in a house where both my parents were deeply involved in following the state of politics in our country. I used to recall seeing them in frustration while they told me about the Martial Law days, and they would often mention, “If only we can have another Ramon Magsaysay as President.” It dawned on me then how Magsaysay’s brand of public service had since become this barometer of how a great President should be. Sadly, people like him only came around as often as Halley’s Comet nowadays.
We could only hope that this museum would further spread the legacy and example set by Ramon Magsaysay when it came to truly serving the people, so it might inspire legions of leaders cut from the same cloth as Ramon Magsaysay.
