Fidel A. Reyes was appointed assistant director of the Director of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry when it was first established in 1918. Soon after, he succeeded Director James J. Rafferty and became the first Filipino director of the Bureau. As Director, he was commissioned to go on official visits to the US and Europe from 1920-1921 to study and report on commercial and industrial advancements in the West and to promote Philippine foreign trade.
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| Officials of the American colonial government, 1918. Assistant Director Fidel A. Reyes of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry (standing first from left) |
Under his helm, the country was well represented in an expansive world fair in London, the 5th International Exposition of Rubber, Other Tropical Products and Allied Industries in June 1921. A Philippine exhibit impressed participants and audiences from all over the world, including English nobility and aristocracy. Newspapers in the United States reported that the Philippine display attracted great attention in London and inquiries on their products were overwhelmingly. Among the export goods on display were sugar, coconut, tobacco as well as a variety of furniture and handicrafts. Upon his return, his efforts were applauded by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and the press.
For him personally, the trip to London was a truly memorable one that began his appreciation for the educating and broadening influence of travel in one’s life. He became very passionate about the importance of travel and made sure to advise others to do so. According to his nephew Porfirio Latorre, his Tio Fidel went as far as saying:
“Even if one has to borrow money to travel abroad, one has to do it."
“Even if one has to borrow money to travel abroad, one has to do it."
This to me is the best advice my great grandfather ever gave. Well, at least it is my favorite. Travel can be the most enjoyable of tasks but can be even more beneficial when it is used as a way to open our minds to new ideas and greater perspectives. There is a bit of irony in the suggestion of a nationalist like Fidel that we should make visits to other countries a priority in our lives, but I believe this is one of the reasons why he was such a visionary. He saw the great potential of learning from our experiences from all over the world and how these can enrich our understanding of our own country and allow us to improve on ourselves, as a nation and as a people. He inspired many people to travel, reminding them never to lose their nationalistic pride and identity.
It was Fidel A. Reyes, as director of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry, who appointed Carlos P. Romulo as assistant chief of the Commercial Intelligence Division, and sent him on his first trip to the United States as a government scholar. Carlos P. Romulo was at the beginning of his career in public service when he was commissioned by the bureau to pursue foreign trade studies in Columbia University, New York. In a written message for the unveiling of the Fidel A. Reyes historical marker, Carlos P. Romulo recalls the very memorable advice given to him by his former Director Reyes:
"Never forget that you are a Filipino and you must learn all that is best in America, rejecting what is unbecoming, and return to our country a better Filipino for having absorbed the best in the United States."
It was Fidel A. Reyes, as director of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry, who appointed Carlos P. Romulo as assistant chief of the Commercial Intelligence Division, and sent him on his first trip to the United States as a government scholar. Carlos P. Romulo was at the beginning of his career in public service when he was commissioned by the bureau to pursue foreign trade studies in Columbia University, New York. In a written message for the unveiling of the Fidel A. Reyes historical marker, Carlos P. Romulo recalls the very memorable advice given to him by his former Director Reyes:
"Never forget that you are a Filipino and you must learn all that is best in America, rejecting what is unbecoming, and return to our country a better Filipino for having absorbed the best in the United States."
In later years, Carlos P. Romulo, would become the most highly regarded Filipino diplomat in history. Among his many accomplishments would include being the first Asian president of the United Nations General Assembly and the first non-American to win a Pulitzer Prize for international journalism. In Carlos P. Romulo’s autobiography, I Walked with Heroes, he shares how he had first known Director Reyes as a national figure revered by the Filipino people because of the famous editorial, “Aves de Rapiña”. He was able to get to know his director more personally when Fidel A. Reyes followed him to New York on official business and boarded in the same house. Romulo expresses his deep appreciation for his late great Director in his message:
“I came to know him closely and to admire his patriotism and his behaviour as a Filipino, always remembering that he was loyal to our people and to our country. I regret that he is gone. During these critical days of our national life we need men of his stature, his courage, and his unalloyed nationalism. I learned so much from being close to him and I will always remember him as one who loved his country and his people whose welfare was always uppermost in his mind."
“I came to know him closely and to admire his patriotism and his behaviour as a Filipino, always remembering that he was loyal to our people and to our country. I regret that he is gone. During these critical days of our national life we need men of his stature, his courage, and his unalloyed nationalism. I learned so much from being close to him and I will always remember him as one who loved his country and his people whose welfare was always uppermost in his mind."
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| Carlos P. Romulo's message for the unveiling of the Fidel A. Reyes historical marker, 1984 |
Carlos P. Romulo lived a life of dedicated service to the Philippines, working for the government in various capacities including Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Philippine Ambassador to the United States. He is remembered most for his valuable contributions in the United Nations, where he represented his country with great nationalistic pride. A famous story that illustrates his pride as a Filipino took place during the drafting of the official seal of the UN. Romulo looked at the world globe on the proposed seal and asked, “Where is the Philippines?”. The head of the committee explained, “It’s too small to include. If we put the Philippines, it would be no more than a dot.” Romulo insisted, “I want that dot!”. Soon after, a tiny dot representing the Philippines was found between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea on the UN seal.
True to the advice of his Director Reyes, Romulo remained proud to be a Filipino wherever he was. The same powerful words given to him years back has gained more relevance and an even greater audience in the millions of Filipinos living and working abroad today. It had resonated with me personally when I was given the opportunity to study and work in Canada after graduation. In moments of struggle and doubt, during the first few years I had uprooted myself from the country I love, the advice of my great grandfather served as a helpful reminder to me.
I pursued my international development studies in Canada and was determined to find ways to help the Philippines no matter the distance. I volunteered for international non-profit organizations that supported programs for children in the Philippines and other developing countries. Through these experiences, I learned about the many ways to make a positive difference in the lives of people all over the world and that giving back to my own country wherever I was had never been easier. It was possible to continue to stay involved and help through various means even if I was living abroad. My promise of moving back to the Philippines encouraged me to better myself in preparation for my return.
I pursued my international development studies in Canada and was determined to find ways to help the Philippines no matter the distance. I volunteered for international non-profit organizations that supported programs for children in the Philippines and other developing countries. Through these experiences, I learned about the many ways to make a positive difference in the lives of people all over the world and that giving back to my own country wherever I was had never been easier. It was possible to continue to stay involved and help through various means even if I was living abroad. My promise of moving back to the Philippines encouraged me to better myself in preparation for my return.
