Robert's Love and Magic
By Data Tolentino Canlas, President, Board of Trustees, Probe Media Foundation, Inc.
We at the Probe Media Foundation Inc. have been working on a book on Communication for Positive Social Change, and we interviewed our board member and friend, Robert Alejandro, for a chapter about visual storytelling. In that interview, he reflected on his time at Probe: “I met Probe when 5&Up did a story on me, and I remember how they were so professional. I remember telling myself, if I were younger, I would love to work with Probe…Until this very day, I am honored and bewildered about why Probe got me. It’s one of the very best things that has ever happened to me, and I am really, really grateful.”
After his time at Probe, Robert became an active and enthusiastic member of the PMFI beginning in 2014. He then became a member of the board of trustees, and served as vice president in 2019. Actually, Robert designed the PMFI’s first logo more than 20 years ago, when PMFI began in 2001, so technically, he was part of the foundation from the beginning. When we invited him to be part of the board, we got to witness his creative genius, his strong advocacy for ethical storytelling, and his passion for working with young people. Most of all, we were all so very privileged to be enveloped in his warm and sincere friendship.
As a group, we enjoyed gathering for meetings (imagine that?!) especially when we got to talk to each other in person. I will always remember Robert being excited about the ideas that would emerge from our conversations. He was always about finding ways to make storytelling meaningful. I only ever heard admiration in his voice when he would interject our reports and discussions with phrases like, “Ang galing galing ng mga ideas na ito!” or, “you guys are so amazing!” or, “these projects are so impressive. Can we do some more?” He was always excited about growth and innovation. A few years ago, according to Executive Director Yas Mapua-Tang, he told her and Associate Director, Nancy Dano Pizarro, that he wanted to change the logo of PMFI because it was ugly. Yas and Nancy reminded him, “but you made that logo!” He replied, “I know!” Robert, ever the humble, hardworking artist, helped us redesign our brand, in the middle of the pandemic, and helped give us an identity that exudes dynamism and fun.
Like I said, we had fun when the members and the board of trustees hung out during meetings. It was especially enjoyable when we would meet at Cheche Lazaro’s house (PMFI chair emeritus) and she would prepare an “arroz caldo bar” for merienda. Robert would always be excited about this and become restless because he just wanted to eat right away. Sa totoo lang, masarap talaga, and he and Pauline Saltarin would squirm and joke with each other in an attempt to redirect their attention from the arroz caldo. This was the only time I would witness him so distracted. And when we would finally break for merienda, he would be singing praises in between mouthfuls of the hot treat.
Robert loved expressing his appreciation for all the little things about people: the thoughtful way Cheche would decorate her home, the jacket you were wearing that day; he would comment on how your energy would hit him that day, laugh at corny jokes during meetings, lean in to listen to anecdotes about our personal lives shared with him, and smile at little stories about how his work and art were meaningful. But we, too, were always in awe of Robert’s kind and gentle spirit, despite all that he was going through. We will never forget his hearty laugh, his excited voice in greeting when any of us entered the room. The sensitive way he would listen to your stories like there was nothing else that mattered in that moment. The big love that emanated from an even bigger heart, and how much he wanted to share that with everyone in each and every moment, made manifest in his art and in the work he would do for the foundation. He made us all feel we mattered, even in the little things — and especially in the little things.
And that was his magic, wasn’t it?
In the same interview for the book, Robert shared his philosophy about how he finds meaning in what we as storytellers and truthtellers do. These are magical words, his own words: a precious reminder that our million little stories in the million little moments we decide to do good have a place in the universes of our biggest dreams.
“We talk about creating change in the world. It’s really important, and so the challenges become miniscule compared to the job that needs to be done. Often, it’s not money that motivates. A lot of it is love. Love for the country. It’s corny, but when I think about it, that’s the truth… Let your heart lead you to the stories you want to share with the world.”
We at PMFI consider ourselves unfathomably blessed to be embraced by the love of one Robert Alejandro. He will always be remembered as one of our heroes, and most cherished friend.
