BELATED

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRACY!



La chica de azul painting by Cleofas Orozco Blancartre

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The difference between the activists of the 60's and the new millenium is that the former were focused on who their clients are: the farmers, the workers, the urban poor, the marginalized sectors of our society, in other words, the activists were following the dictum of Mao Ze Dong to "serve the masses."

The sixties was a time of our exploration of the countrysides. Students, graduates and undergrads wanted to go to the mountains, the farms and be with the masses. Sad to say, many were so bourgeois that they turned out to be unwanted by some of our kababayan for being high falluting, too intellectual, and senorita y senorito in their ways. But others persisted and even joined the so-called armed struggle in order to prove that they are willing to risk their lives for the masses. 

Did they win? Well the war is still going on- the government versus the New People's Army. Have they gained any from the government? This government tried employing some of the leftist intellectuals and put them in highly sensitive positions that could have made them fathom that there they would have big budgets, an organization that could make them realize the idea to uplift the problems of the masses, albeit bureaucratically. 

Unfortunately, they had to be replaced so early in their term in order to place less radical individuals. Why? They turned out to be very partial to their background, instead of acting as leaders for the nation and not for the party. That is really a difficult balancing act if someone has lived so long falling under a party organization that exacts discipline and obedience even if he/she has already left the organization to a more powerful post, even if they would have new people on top of them. 

Today, where are we? We are nowhere broadening our middle class. Under the pandemic situation, things have gotten worse. I cannot fathom how the jeepney drivers who used to be very active in campaigning in the streets at every rally against the establishment are now panhandling for food. Some poor women were reported to have had to sell their bodies in order to get a quarantine pass to be able to be in the streets. And students in the far-flung areas are not sure if they can cope with the new teaching methods that will be instituted as face-to-face encounters will be banned in schooling. 

Maybe we ought to ask, what have we, activists, members of the non-government organizations, forgotten? What is missing in our methods? Our aims are intact: to uplift the masses from degradation, from marginalization, from poverty and so-called underdevelopment. We ought to raise the flags for women to be liberated economically, politically, socially. But where are we now? Where do we go from here? 

GOOD VERSUS EVIL

We are a Christian nation and yet evil lurks everywhere. After the People Power Movement that we had in 1986, removing a dictator who had ruled for 14 years, we ought already to be climbing to pristine tops of the most nurturing country in the world. Yet  many people turn to do evil. I lost my songs in Spotify: deleted by someone who intruded into my residence. 

Evil people are not nurturing at all. They seek to isolate, abolish or destroy properties, names and  accomplishments of people whom they dislike. To them, to be on top, to come out the winner is what matters. They seek applause, and all kinds of admiration whether meritorious or not. They seek affirmation from their bosses no matter how questionable the credentials are. 

DepEd role
I think the Department of Education has a lot to overhaul in terms of curriculum. Many people in our midst get their identities from the gadgets they hold, instead of accomplishing something that uses their minds and/or skills. Education will cure these people who do evil and instead make them do something positive and good. 

Many low people also attach themselves to powerful people who may not have the best interests of the people all the time, in order to share the limelight. 

When media is attacked, when writings, artistic products are destroyed, that means a country has a very low sense of culture. The government does not put much interest in culture which should shape the morals of the people, their sense of freedom, their sense of humanity.

Culture is all that. It enhances the capacity of others to use their talents, their skills in order to show to the world what they can accomplish. 

Why do many cultural artists go abroad? Because there they gain recognition. 

I joined an environmental song contest and submitted TanimPuno. It did not garner any prize while other songs that gave motherhood statements about the environment monopolized most of the prizes. Why did it not win? "Kulang daw sa haba," sabi ng chair-judge of the contest. That is not true. It is 4 minutes long. The true reason is that I am being discriminated by DENR as a woman composer. How many women contestants were there? 

Also the song lyrics talk of many many trees:Come to think of it, now that my song has been deleted from Spotify, were those who did not like my implicit potshot at the lack of trees in our country responsible for it? 

TANIM PUNO

(16)

Gusto kong matanaw ang mga puno 2

Matangkad, pandak man, payat o mataba

Mga dahong luntian, dilaw o pulahan 2

Gusto kong matanaw sa araw-araw OOOO

Tanim puno (Tanim puno) kaibigan natin

Nililinis ang hangin natin (Nililinis ang hangin natin) Wo ooo

Tanim puno (Tanim puno) kaibigan natin

Nililinis ang hangin natin (Nililinis ang hangin natin) Wo ooo

3

Gusto kong mahawakan ang mga ugat nila 4

Sinisipsip ang tubig sagka sa baha

Oo Piping saksi sila sa nagdaraang panahon

Masigla, malungkot, kahindikhindik o nagbubunyi

Nais kong masalo ang mga dahong lagas 4

Nadudurog sila sa pagyapak ko

Pinayayaman ang lupang tigang

Gusto kong matanaw ang mga puno bawa’t araw

Tanim puno (tanim puno Wooo) kaibigang tapat

Nililinis ang hangin natin (nililinis ang hangin natin) Wo ooo

Tanim puno (tanim puno Wooo) kaibigan dapat

Nililinis ang hangin natin (nililinis ang hangin natin) Wo ooo    

INSTRUMENTAL

4 beats/drums/8 beats

Mga puno natin hinubog ng Poon

Nais kong dumami sa kapaligiran

Tagalilim sila ng mga naiinitan

Tagakalinga ng bawa’t nilalang sa mundo

1.Tanim puno, (Tanim puno) Kaibigan natin

Nililinis ang hangin natin (Nililinis ang hangin natin) Wo  Ooo

2. Tanim puno Kaibigang tapat  Tagakalinga ng bawat nilalang

3. Wo  Ooo Tanim puno, (Tanim puno) Nililinis ang hangin natin

3. Tanim puno, (Tanim puno) 1. Kaibigan natin

Nililinis ang hangin natin (Nililinis ang hangin natin) Wo  Ooo 

If my Spotify was not hacked you could listen to it all the time. 

Yes, evil is connected to a low cultural sense. Many cultured people think they are cultured but actually they are only intellectually cultured. 

Sense of History
How do we counter that? I think that a deep knowledge of history will make us appreciate being good, being creative, being kind to other people, being a good citizen, a good member of society, having a sense of peace, and socio-political-economic understanding. 

Hence, the DepEd must insure that all enrolled students, undergo a good curricular understanding of culture emphasizing a strong sense of history, knowledge of fine arts and why we must protect them. 

Christian role
Also all Christian groups should raise their sense of culture and not rely on repetitive lines on the Bible that only speak of facts instead of morals. What morals in the Bible are related to culture? Let us remove fatalism, a tendency to view life as determined that we should hope to end beside Jesus. In this Covid 19 times, I think fatalism will only drive people to depression and defeatism. 

When the Bible says, "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you," it means that we must be sensitive and look at humanity as an integrated family that cares among, by and for  each other. 

Christian broadcasting stations must emphasize helping others, being kind, being generous, being humane. I listened to a sermon over the radio - full of allusions to the self-  and after that, immediately an advert about a capsule emerged. From a very moral speech, everything became a case of "buy this and buy that," connoting the capsule as an extension of being a holy product.?Is that not diverting the minds of the listeners from the real intents of the Biblical teachings?  Instead of making the heard Biblical teachings linger some more in the minds of the listeners, right away they are rerouted to thinking of the capsule; from a highly moral idea to a physical product. 

Government Entrances
In the government service, we must have a tickler that should be found at the entrance: how many, who, what, when and why have been served by the department.  In this way, we can  see if that agency is moving towards its goals. 

For example, the DENR -- at its entrance, we must see how many farmers have been encouraged to plant trees around and by province. Or how many rivers and seas have been cleaned up.. These are signs of being sensitive to our land and how it affects our people.  Once, I was at the entrance to the DENR in Visayas Avenue,  I read a magazine, beautifully researched, written and printed, but it was all in English. Ordinary folks who would visit the department will not be able to appreciate the information no matter how glossy the magazines are.   

The intelligence community: I expect that their entrances would have information about how they are dealing with forces that render our society insecure; if crimes have gone down; if the security forces are equipped to handle security problems; how mahy women have been defended or made secure in their homes and in the streets; how protective have they been of the security of the people; and how many of their erring co-uniformed personnel have been captured and brought to face the law. And of course, they could circulate a treatise on how equipped the country is to face new crises, both natural, physical and social and how each one can have a strong sense of securing our country. 

Many OFWs have returned and many more are returning. Lack of jobs and a low quality of life could shape them into radical thinking that can destroy the moral fiber of our society. Double attention should be made to insure that every OFW who arrives has a job waiting for them. 

Women's Issues

The Philippine Commission on Women is so humble; it does not publicize what it is doing. Only if your are tech-savvy will you be able to know what they are doing. Edel Garcellano has a term for women who are intellectually philosophizing about feminism: "Femocrats.."  feminists na bureaucrats. But here is my sole suggestion: please correct the sexist language that abounds in the airwaves. Stop stations that call women "Radyoman." It is so eeky. Parang nagka-p- - - -kaagad ang mga babae. 

People's needs 
In other words, to do good to society is to be attuned to the needs of the people and not to power alone - the need to live; to be financially independent (not enslaved by atrociously high electricity and water rates), to feel part of the whole. 

Lastly, to be powerful is also to empower the people, not just oneself. 

EVIL DELETES MY SONGS

My songs are missing under Spotify. Someone came and deleted them from my laptop. Help!

GENDER DIFFERENTIATION IN COVID 19 STATS?

HE/SHE AND THIRD SEX IN COVID 19 STATS

I would like to see the gender differentiation in the stats on Covid 19 cases. This would speak a lot as to how families are affected, how children's situation is affected, how male partners are responding to the situation and what measures or help we can expect from the Department of Social Welfare and Development with regard to these developments. 

LET THE WORLD RECOVER QUICKLY: ZERO FATALITIES UNDER COVID 19

After a few days, I finally am able to write on my blog. Thank God, I am blessed with a Sensitive, Caring God. Thank you to all who have helped me recover it. 

My message: LET US HAVE ZERO CASUALTIES UNDER COVID 19. WE CAN DO IT!

WHY? 3

Folks, apart from street protests and demonstrations, the response to the death of UNARMED George Floyd, a man who was pinned down on his neck by a Minneapolis white police officer, Derek Chauvin WHILE SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS were around, one result has been a change in procedures: 

"In the most recent video showing Floyd's final moments, Officer J. Alexander Kueng is seen struggling with someone in the back seat of a police SUV. What happened isn't entirely clear from the video, but a police report says Floyd refused to get into a squad car during the May 25 encounter.

Kueng and Officers Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and Derek Chauvin have been fired. Chauvin -- who knelt on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, according to a prosecutor's statement of probable cause -- faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. CNN has reached out to Chauvin's attorney and the Minneapolis police union for comment." (https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/george-floyd-three-videos-minneapolis/index.html)

“There will be an immediate moratorium on the use of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD),  carotid restraint in all situations which do not rise to the level of deadly force,” the department said in a statement. 

According to the statement, which lists eight use of force policies the department currently uses, “all LASD personnel are prohibited from using chokeholds, strangleholds, and carotid restraints performed with legs, knees, or feet.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday directed police departments in California to stop training officers to use carotid holds, calling the technique “a strangle hold that puts people’s lives at risk.”

The San Diego Police Department and the Sacramento Police Department announced last week they will stop using the restraint effective immediately." (https://www.google.com/search?q=moratorium)

WANTED IN THE PHILIPPINES: CONCRETE STEPS DONE BY PNP TO ADDRESS CITIZEN COMPLAINTS. 

WHY? 2

In recent months, the response from the intel group is to distort my statements or to destroy  my grammar. Like in my article on education, they changed  "when education is postponed" to "when education is postpones."

Another way is to cut my internet now and then. 

Still another way is to not allow me to get into the internet at all. 

And worst of all, although my residence is peppered with hidden CCTVS which I find difficult to locate, thieves who enter are freely loosed instead of arrested. 

I envy those who have highly protected internet services and who can afford guards to protect their residences

WHY? 1

Folks, we are in a very critical situation now in the world. Things happening in the Philippines are minuscule compared to those in other countries. But big steps are now being made to address the situation. World leaders are sensitive to the protests of their constituents and media are more penetrating of events and issues. 

In our country, we are still being very wary of textually critiquing simply because the backlash from the government authorities  is harsh. I speak from experience as I have been writing since 1982 during martial law in the country. 

I lost my son in 2014 three months after I complained about harassment at Napolcom against Alan Purisima and the PNP in general. Maybe they had thought that I would be weakened by his loss. On the contrary I felt more invigorated. 

But one thing I noticed, the PNP intel group responds to textual criticisms more harshly than when we present issues graphically. 

CALLING: Vicente "Tito" Castelo Sotto III

CALLING: Vicente "Tito" Castelo Sotto III

Please visit the problems of senior citizens regarding the SAP subsidy. Until now, we have not received our share here at Barangay Donya Imelda. A barangay officer said that City Hall gives priority to strong adults, and younger than seniors.

There is discrimination against ageing people -- as if they are hinting that "You will die soon; why bother about you?"

This is the height of hypocrisy to being true and sincere public servants. 

Kindly help us secure what is due us under the Bayanihan Act. 

May you keep strong and healthy still. 

CALLING SENATOR BINAY

CALLING Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy Sombillo Binay

Please visit the problems of senior citizens regarding the SAP subsidy. Until now, we have not received our share here at Barangay Donya Imelda. A barangay officer said that City Hall gives priority to strong adults, and younger than seniors.

There is discrimination against ageing people -- as if they are hinting that "You will die soon; why bother about you?"

This is the height of hypocrisy to being true and sincere public servants. 

Kindly help us secure what is due us under the Bayanihan Act. 

May you keep strong and healthy still. 

SENIORS' WOES

CALLING Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Manalang Angara:
  
Please visit the problems of senior citizens regarding the SAP subsidy. Until now, we have not received our share here at Barangay Donya Imelda. A barangay officer said that City Hall gives priority to strong adults, and younger than seniors.

There is discrimination against ageing people -- as if they are hinting that "You will die soon; why bother about you?"

This is the height of hypocrisy to being true and sincere public servants. 

Kindly help us secure what is due us under the Bayanihan Act. 

May you keep strong and healthy still. 

FROM VEHICLE OF DEATH TO VEHICLE FOR LIFE

Dreamstime.com

WANTED: CHEAP MASS TRANSPORT

I used to be able to move about in MetroManila very fast. I could finish three tasks in a day, going to Kamias to my printer riding the jeep from Araneta Avenue and taking Proj 2-3. Sometimes I even lift my fingers -- two and then three to make the drivers understand that I am eager to get the ride; and then to UP to get to the internet color printing. I take Lagro from  Kamias and then get off at City Hall to ride the UP jeep, and then from UP to EDSA to buy my naturopathic medicines at Healing Galing by Dr. E. 

I could also go towards Divisoria to visit Dr. Hao my dentist, and then to National Bookstore at Robinsons Magnolia since it takes only one ride from Recto to Aurora Boulevard. From  there, I would take the Divisoria jeep and get off at Araneta Ave to ride a tricycle to reach my home.

So you see, Folks how important it is for me to see the return of our beautiful historical jeepneys restored from being a vehicle of death to a vehicle for life (thanks, Kidlat Tahimik) on the roads of MetroManila?

Last week, I had to take a taxi to go to a bank to find out my balance as I have been expecting help from some musical quarters, only to be disappointed as the bank had closed. And so I returned to my home spending P180.00. Now, how much taxi fares shall I have to spend to go around? No, Folks, I am not that rich to be spending for cab fares. 

I wait and wait endlessly for a more benevolent treatment of the masses who cannot afford taxis. IATF please release the permit. Uphold the right to mass transport, please. 

THINKING AND ACTING INTERNATIONALLY

The Filipino race is already known all over the world. Our workers are world-class. Our singers are appreciated internationally. Our actors have conquered the West End in London. Our nurses are very much in demand abroad, especially in the Middle East. But how come our over-all appreciation is not complete?

Our image appreciated greatly after we had conducted the People Power peacefully to oust a dictator of 14 years in 1986. He ruled mercilessly only to benefit himself, his family and his cohorts. Our (flower) mass movement was imitated by the Germans who united their country, East and West Germany, divided by the Russians, the fall of the USSR and the rise of new UN-recognized countries like Ukraine, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina's, among others. 

When we are world-class, we must already act accordingly, not like panhandlers or those with crab mentality who would put down our kababayan… in envy?

Ergo, nationally and locally, we must act with dignity and pride over being members of the Philippine race. 

God gave us this country, rich in natural resources that nurture specially our people. Let us be thankful for that and try to encourage everyone to be of the highest credentials as human beings, democratic, respectful of the rights of others and assertive of our own, nurturing, and peaceful.

JUSTICE IS FOR EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE

JUSTICE AND REEDUCATION

The death of George Floyd shows the fragility of democracy in the United States. It also shows that the weakest link to having a strong democracy is in the police ranks. It is high time that a concerted reeducation of the police force all over the world is done to give justice to one and all.