A Deep Reflection on Fr. Bert Alejo’s SJ, ”Tao Po! Tuloy!

Halina sa Loob ng Tao”

Written by: Brent Isaac Geronimo

Just as Fr. Alejo’s feeling towards the word “loob” felt—describing it as “Hindi ito basta
hindi labas, kundi isang uri ng pagpapakatao ayon sa karanasang Pilipino na buong-buo
ka”—meditating and reflecting on one’s “loob” or one’s self closely originates from experiences
of interacting with various people and cultures, as well as from personal introspection and
contemplation. Recalling his lecture, reflecting on oneself first comes with “pagtataka”, wherein
your surroundings, contemporary issues, and experiences affect your “loob”. Moreover, one
might gain insight into how their inner self functions by concentrating on the sources of their
decisions and behaviors. In our personal lives, we can see and feel this with our conscience—for
instance, we feel the pain of those who struggle in society even though we are not actually at the
crossroads of the issue. Furthermore, aside from personal experiences, the existence of an inner
language, represented by the word "loob," suggests a path toward understanding the inner self,
enriched by engaging with it.

In the same context, the inner self is defined as a world of meaningful connections or
“isang daigdig ng makahulugang ugnayan”, where individuals are linked to others, nature, and
the foundations of their culture and faith. Thinking about the idea of the inner self in one's own
life may involve realizing the relationships and interconnectedness of oneself with various
aspects of life: personal, social, spiritual, and economic. Given this, I can relate the concept to
my daily life, more specifically, juxtaposing it with the close and loving relationships I have.
Whenever someone I care about—in this instance, my best friend—gets hurt, I, myself, will also
get hurt, not in a physical way but within my “loob.”

Moving forward, voluntary service or “kusang loob na paglilingkod” stems from the
complex relationship that exists between the inner self and different facets of life. The
“pagmamalasakit” or devoted care that a person has for the community can be demonstrated by
giving one's time, abilities, and affection to others without thinking about one's interests. Also,
promoting humanity, spirituality, and empathy for others are ways to demonstrate volunteer
service in one's own life. Volunteerism and caring for others are the gateway to seeing
somebody’s “loob” or “kalooban”.

Based on Fr. Alejo’s lecture, the two types of “dahas” or rough force in action are
namely, “panghihimasok” and “pananakop.” Panghihimasok becomes dahas when you invade
someone's life against that person's will or without their consent—intruding or intrusion. On the
other hand, pananakop becomes dahas when you try to take over someone's life without their
permission—occupying their space. When one uses words or deeds to harm, infringe upon, or
have unfavorable effects on another, they can turn violent. Every speech and action has the
potential to turn violent, for instance, when they are said cruelly or when they act against the will
of others.

By enlarging its definition, the concept of "abot" is correlated to counseling—it goes

beyond simply outlining what is to be done next. Creating a new world where life acquires new
meanings is the goal of helping and counseling where we should perhaps live it out: Increasing
our awareness of the things that are happening till they become visible, expanding our capacity
to sympathize with others' experiences, and fortifying our ability to act as a manifestation of our
duty and hope. However, there are limitations to this. A person cannot know everything that is
happening, feel every cry in the world, and do every responsibility of society. Possibly that is
why "abot" is realistic in the sense that I cannot speak for the global community because I am not
the Messiah or the Savior.

Moreover, Jesus' noble personality is presented as an illustration of a compassionate

"loob" through His kindness, selflessness, and relationships. In the lecture, we are reminded that
Jesus demonstrates through His deeds and teachings the value of forgiveness, humility, and
compassion in carrying out His mission. Given this, learning from the admirable qualities of
Jesus makes it easier to comprehend and apply moral and spiritual values to one's own life. As
Fr. Alejo depicted, in His crucifixion, He reached out with his sight to the happenings of the
world, empathy to what people were going through, and capability to save humanity.
 All in all, as pointed out by Fr. Alejo, to comprehend the meaning of "loob," an
individual must carefully consider and examine their own experiences and culture.
Understanding and embracing the viewpoints and experiences of many social groups can help
clarify the relevance and meaning of "loob" in a variety of settings. Just like the Bahay Kubo
song presented in his lecture, Fr. Allejo illustrates that the true understanding of "loob" requires
immersion and empathy, transcending surface appearances—calling us to do this in everyday
life.