Ricardo Manapat
Jose Ricardo Manapat | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jose Ricardo de Leon Manapat 24 May 1953 Manila, Philippines |
| Died | 24 December 2008 (aged 55) Antipolo, Philippines |
| Occupation(s) | Activist, academic, author, researcher, educator |
| Years active | 1977–2008 |
| Known for | Director of the Records Management and Archives Office of the Philippines; author of Some Are Smarter Than Others: The History of Marcos' Crony Capitalism |
Jose Ricardo de Leon Manapat (May 24, 1953 – December 24, 2008) was a distinguished activist, academic, author, researcher, and educator who held the position of Director at the Records Management and Archives Office of the Philippines (commonly known as The National Archives) during two periods: from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2008. He gained prominence through his influential book, Some Are Smarter Than Others: The History of Marcos' Crony Capitalism, which revealed the extensive wealth accumulated by the Marcos family. Additionally, he served as Editor-in-Chief for the Smart File magazine's Animal Farm Series.
Early life and education
Born on May 24, 1953, in Manila, Philippines, Ricardo Manapat was the eldest among five siblings. His father, Apolinario B. Manapat (1925–2006), was a mechanical engineer, while his mother, Angelita de Leon (born 1923), worked as a pharmacist and formerly taught Chemistry at the University of Santo Tomas.
Manapat pursued all levels of education—from elementary to postgraduate—at Ateneo de Manila University, where he studied diverse subjects including mathematics, physics, linguistics, history, economics, and philosophy. He was proficient in English, Spanish, and Filipino and acquired conversational abilities in German, French, and Italian. Later in life, he further expanded his linguistic repertoire by studying Latin, Portuguese, Arabic, Catalan, and Sanskrit.
During his high school years, he became involved with Kasapi (Kapulungan ng mga Sandigan ng Pilipinas), an organization opposing the Marcos regime. This activism led him to interrupt his studies for one year before eventually graduating with Departmental Honors in Philosophy in 1976.
He embarked on doctoral studies in Economics at the New School for Social Research in New York but returned to the Philippines following the People Power Revolution in 1986. Subsequently, he completed a master's degree in Spanish at the University of the Philippines and undertook additional master’s degrees in Mathematics and History at Ateneo. In 2005, supported by a Commonwealth International Student Scholarship, he began doctoral research in Historical Sociology at La Trobe University in Australia and earned the DM Myer Medal as the faculty’s most outstanding undergraduate student in 2006.
Career
Upon graduating with honors, Manapat taught philosophy at Ateneo de Manila University between 1977 and 1979. In December 1979, he encountered Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. ("Ninoy") in Quezon City. Aquino praised Manapat’s 48-page pamphlet titled Some are Smarter than Others, describing it as “the most explosive document to have rocked the city of Manila.” This meeting forged a lasting friendship. In 1980, Aquino commissioned Manapat to develop the pamphlet into a full-length book—a project Manapat began while residing in the United States.
In 1988, Manapat was employed by Bear Stearns, an international investment bank based in New York City. During this period, he also enrolled in computer programming courses at New York University and briefly held a teaching position at St. Peter's College in New Jersey.
Manapat finalized his book Some are Smarter than Others: The History of Marcos’ Crony Capitalism in 1991. The title alludes to Imelda Marcos' statement regarding her relatives' rapid accumulation of wealth under her husband's administration. This publication became the best-selling contemporary history book about the Philippines during that era.
He was appointed Director of the Records Management and Archives Office (The National Archives) twice—first from 1996 to 1998 under President Fidel V. Ramos and later from 2002 to 2008 under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. During his tenure, Manapat spearheaded restoration efforts for the historic Aduana Building located in Intramuros to serve as the future headquarters of the National Archives. He championed digitization projects aimed at preserving critical historical documents and enhancing public accessibility; by 1998 approximately one-third of an estimated twelve million records had been digitized. Additionally, he advanced cataloging initiatives that led to the discovery of rare Rizaliana artifacts.
In 1998, Manapat achieved a top score of 92.7% on the Civil Service Career Executive Service examinations.
In January 2004, allegations emerged from three National Archives employees accusing Manapat of fabricating documents related to presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr. The Sandiganbayan, a specialized Philippine court handling such cases, ultimately exonerated him. Following this episode, Manapat took leave to pursue doctoral studies in Historical Sociology at La Trobe University in Australia. Upon returning in 2008, he resumed his research activities while completing a Master’s degree in Spanish focused on Rizal Studies at the University of the Philippines and working concurrently on Master’s theses in History and Mathematics at Ateneo de Manila University.
Death
Manapat passed away suddenly at his residence in Antipolo, Philippines, on December 24, 2008, at the age of 55. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a myocardial infarction.
Notes
- Curriculum Vitae of Jose Ricardo L. Manapat
- Jose Ricardo Manapat. Some are Smarter Than Others: A History of Marcos' Crony Capitalism. Aletheia Publications, New York. 1991. .
- ABS-CBNNews.com. Ricardo Manapat, former National Archives chief, dies. ABS-CBNNews, December 25, 2008.
- Sun Star Manila. Uncover the Truth. Sun Star, January 23, 2004.
- Philippine Daily Inquirer. "Manapat, Ex-Archive Chief, Dies". Inquirer.net, December 26, 2008.
- Maglalang, Ferdie. GMA Names New Archives Chief. Manila Bulletin, January 23, 2004.