SOUNDS, VISUALS, AND MANY MORE

My radio is always turned on when I enter my room. It is my company which I can switch from one program or station to another. In the daytime, I can listen to discussions; but after two or three hours, I have to switch to classical music with spiritual messages to give my ears respite, and my mind rest from the piles of issues that clog the airwaves. 

I also have my crafts which keep my company while listening. So I am able to do two things at the same time: finish a ball of beads and listen with intent to the political, economic and cultural issues of the day. Crafting makes listening not a chore. You see Folks, the heaviness, the gravity of the issues could wear me down as I get involved easily. Then when I really feel that the sounds are becoming really torturous, then I switch to tones, rhythms, melodies from the classical composers. Ahhh, Nirvana. I forget the issues of the day. No not forget, I just lay them aside till I switch to the station again. 

Here are some observations of mine about certain media and theatre:

1. RADIO: When a reporter commits errors in pronunciation several times in one minute, I start counting how many more will be committed. This is the problem: i cannot forget being a communications teacher;

2. TV: I saw a laundrywoman sitting on a short stool with her basin of clothes and the broadcast reporter interviewing her about the rise in water rates. You know how the guy sat? Higher  than the woman, with his legs spread apart by 3/4 yard, and slouched on the chair. Was that being respectful of the woman? And then the microphone was between his legs-- Good God, what was that? If my TV were in black and white, the microphone would appear as his thingamajig. 

3.  RADIO: Voices I would expect to be well-modulated. You see Folks, radio is an intimate medium and for one to speak on a high pitch would really cause earaches. Now I have the tendency to lower the volume when that happens. Unfortunately, I have to keep it high again in order to catch the other speakers. And so I hope that sound engineers would be alert when they have a host who gets high-strung about discussing issues and so is no longer aware that the voice is becoming intolerably loud;

4.   RADIO: Since radio is an intimate medium, ergo, breathing can be heard all the time if the announcers are not aware. Some I found out have the tendency to inhale and exhale so that they seem to be having a hard time taking in oxygen. But if you listen to BBC or VOA, Folks you would not hear the breaths at all. I think that should be cultivated here. We have to listen to the words being spoken, not the air at all. 

5.  RADIO: Finally, when closing a radio program, I hope that the sound engineers would not just clip the hosts' voice abruptly without their being able to say goodbye at all to the listeners. First, the hosts are young people who could really be tyros in that professions. Secondly, it is rather jarring to the listeners to find them gone right away. So sound engineers please take note. 

6. RADIO: Advising heart problems must be guarded. Conflicts between lovers should be resolved by looking at the side of the woman too. One woman letter-writer is said to be too jealous of her new boyfriend who courted her for two years. Her "true" colors showed, daw. And so she appeared as the contrabida. But what happened if she slept with that guy and he was the one who broke her virginity, wouldn't she get jittery that he might fly away, especially if she is a provincial girl? To the guy, maybe kissing, petting and having a day in bed is just all right and so the girl must not get jealous if he still entertains texting female mates. No my dear, before going to bed, you must have a contract how far that would go -- will it go on and on as we are, as steadies, or do we end up in church? Clarity of intentions has to be made. 

I think advising problems of the heart must be done with the gender issues being a Bible of the adviser, so that he or she could also redirect the opinions of the listeners who would phone in. Those listeners would be spreading conservative views to the others if they would start attacking the woman victim and just praise the manhood of the boyfriend. 

6. THEATRE: When an actor's saliva splashes against his or her co-actor, that does looks like a breach of etiquette doesn't it? I would suggest that the director teach the actor to swallow the saliva before speaking. Anyway, silence is also part of acting. 

7. THEATRE: Cultural norms in the Philippines prohibit a woman from showing her breasts in public. And so even onstage, I think we should observe that, unless, the theatre has become a cabaret, a club bar for prostitution masquerading as theatre. One way of giving a hint of the woman baring is for her to wear flesh coloured tights. 

8. THEATRE: Another cultural norm is kissing onstage. Behn Cervantes taught us in our theatre course how to cheat -- appearing to kiss but not kissing. The man kisses the left cheek of the woman near the lips. This will not make the audience uneasy nor the actress forced to accept an act that she does not really relish going through with a man that is not his spouse or boyfriend. Let us observe our customs and traditions on this matter, please. 

So, Folks let us jot down our observations to make our cultural artists in media and theatre aware that we are sensitive, keeping tab of what we think and feel are right to be presented. In this way, we will be raising the standards for being a media and theatre artists in our country. Let us leave the sexual permissiveness to other countries and concentrate on making our own culturally-sensitive and appropriate to our race. 

BLOGGING AND FALSE DATA

Since 2008, I have been filling up the pages of my blogwith analyses, critiques, and simply impressions of what are going on in our society and sometimes in my personal life. 

I didn't know that it would become a national issue at all until this time, when a government official had made mistakes in data and posted them in her blog. 

The blog is a writing space and anyone can use it supposed to be. And anyone can even hack it -- right now my screen is being censored. Someone just erased what I have written a while ago, and I am now rewriting, trying to recall the lines before.

But allow me to say that when civilians use the blog, the contents there are their own look out. They must be responsible for whatever they would write there-- negative or positive and must be ready to receive criticisms, or the brickbats shall we say. 

I was a victim once of an irresponsible email writer but because of her age, I passed it off as a menopausal caused act. 

But in my blogs, I am sure some people could have felt alluded to by my criticisms and must have tried getting back at me. Well, the only ones I know who have been successful in CENSORING me and in getting back are the intel batches of General Bato de la Rosa. They do that all the time. 

Let me just say something about blogging:the government officials who misuse the blog to advance their personal interests or commit factual mistakes deserve to be penalized -- their salaries delayed or suspended. They should not use their blogs to hit at critics of the government using false data. Otherwise, they are no different from the Hitlerite propaganda machineries during WWII and the Marcos regime in the Philippines. 

Crumpled Paper Paintings by Vesna Bursich

GOD DOES NOT EXIST IN VIOLENT PLACES

Violent tendencies in people are not normal. They depict a personality who is aggressive, desensitized to life and is domineering. Clearly, people with violent tendencies are not the type who would listen to reason. They are more apt to defend their stand, no matter how corrupt, all the time. 

The series of violence that seem to be a staple fare already all over the globe manifests the defeat of all moral philosophies, of theorizing on psychology. Thus, I think that it is time to call on all the academicians and professionals, especially in the medical and healing professions to come together and understand why such levels of violence are occurring and come up with concrete solutions. 

Brain surgeons, psychologists, psychiatrists, guidance counsellors, -- all must discover why schools and communities are bringing about the rise of people with violent tendencies. They must be activated towards the universal problem besetting us now so that we can stop all forms of violence. 

Killing, mass murdering are signs of the demented. They must be healed of their violent tendencies and brought in to the community healed of their malady. 

We can have as many laws as possible,; surely gun control could be one big solution. But there are other problems that cause violence which need more rigorous analysis. 

Why does the human brain come up with violent solutions to problems? Even hazing is a big problem that needs to be addressed, not just the violence in the streets or the massacres at entertainment venues. 

God does not exist in those places of violence. Now why should we allow them to continue?

If they do not believe that God exists, why give them space to do their acts? That sounds masochistic, doesn't it? It is time for us to face the problem of bearing, rearing humans, created in the image of God. 

UNHOLY HOURS

I have a classmate who works in a call center. She is always coughing and is often late for our class which starts at 2:30 p.m. She says her work skeds are erratic -- sometimes in the daytime, other times at night time. Nothing fixed. 

Call centers are now the number one employer for the Filipino people. These are foreign-owned as the companies have left their western countries due to the high cost of salaries there. So the Filipino workers here can be cheaply-hired and then thrown from one work sked to another? Here is a write-up about the effects of shifts in working hours: (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288310.php)

Medical News Today have reported on various studies associating shift work with an increased risk of certain health problems. These associations have ranged from the somewhat predictable to the surprising.

In July 2014, a meta-analysis published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggested that shift workers face an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In particular, people working rotating shifts face an increased risk of 42%.

A 2014 study suggested shift work may raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The authors theorized that rotating shifts made it more difficult for workers to maintain a regular sleep-wake cycle, negatively affecting sleep quality and potentially weakening insulin resistance.

Then, in November 2014, another study published in the same journal suggested that shift work could impair the functioning of the brain.

Study participants who were currently working or had previously worked shifts scored lower in tests assessing memory, processing speed and overall brain power than participants working traditional daytime hours.

"The cognitive impairment observed in the present study may have important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society as a whole," wrote the study authors, "given the increasing number of jobs in high hazard situations that are performed at night."

More recently, a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reported that female nurses working rotating night shifts for 5 or more years could be at an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.

In addition, working rotating night shifts for 15 years or more was found to potentially raise the risk of lung cancer mortality.

A quick perusal of these studies indicates another factor that shift workers are likely to have in common - disruptions to the sleep-wake cycle. Shift work can lead to workers sleeping at strange or varying times of day, potentially resulting in reduced amounts of sleep.

But how much of an impact can sleep disruption have on an individual's health?

SKYROCKETING PRICES

One day I had two hundred pesos (which occurs most often as sometimes I would spend for arts and crafts without thinking how much I had left for tomorrow.)

From the house, I spent for my fare, 27 pesos, 20 to go to the corner of Aurora where I could get a ride to, and 7 up to the mall itself. Lunchtime, I bought a pizza pie worth 79 pesos (with 20% senior citizen deductions already). I had already spent P106 so I could not afford to spend more for food. I went there to buy coffee for the week. It turned out it costs P57, so +106, that is equal to P163. I had to go home right away, and spent another 27 again; so +163, that is equal to 190.00. I only have ten pesos left. That is only for a ride to a nearby place and I would not be able to come back anymore.

Do you see, Folks, how expensive it is to live in MetroManila? Whereas look at the signs inside establishments: permits and licenses with the pictures of local officials, healthy, but mostly fat, obese, and looking so contented with their lot.

This problem of skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, goods and services has been going on for years and still no abatement.

Prayers, prayers, prayers. God, please give us sensitive officials.

DEFINITION OF MANHOOD: GOOD OR EVIL?

Our week was shattered by the news about a 22-year old first year Law Student who was hazed to death by his "comrades."

I don't know why law students are always the targets of fraternities. Law means justice. Is there justice in using hazing for initiating the entry of members?

What is just about paddling a neophyte, slapping his or her face, boxing their bodies, burning their legs with cigarette butts, and all kinds of horrific violent acts that are not at all just, and makes the perpetrators just plain outlaws. 

Beyond the violent scenes lies a definition that the perpetrators adhere to: to be a man is to be able to face pain without squirming, to withstand aches and sores without complaining, to not give way to soft feelings of vulnerabilities. 

The macho in other words. 

Alas, after our having catapulted a woman president to power, and another one, illegally, we are still beset by backward definitions of manhood. Why so?

Actually, the family could define first of all what a man is. If the mother is always a yes woman to the father, you can be sure that the children will have a truncated definition of manhood and ladyhood. If there is equality in the home, or if the woman resists domination by the man, then you can be sure to raise male and female daughters who know the value of democratic practices at home. 

In the larger Philippines society, not much talk or discussion is done about equality. You can glean this from the billboards that proliferate in the streets. At the Welcome, you always see this woman in bathing suit, her legs spread out and sunbathing. Is that a welcome picture of a woman? It is an invitation to relax and have sex afterwards. 

Then along Edsa, see how the women are dressed scantily, or have that look of inviting you to be alone with her. It is rather sickening riding the MRT because these billboards are so huge you cannot simply close your eyes to them. 

At UP school, women's studies has been bracketed under the College of Social Work and Community Development,  as if only the students there need a hammering of equality subjects. Instead of making gender studies as a universal general education subject, the university has bracketed it to be the purview of the College alone. How much more is this case happening in other schools? Is there a talk at all of gender in other schools? 

Hence that hazing victim is a product of an environment that blurred his vision of what it means to be a lawyer -- to belong to an organization, no matter how rotten the procedures are in becoming its member. But why connote college work to being involved in such organizations?

I think there is a mesmerizing effect of belonging to that organization. Such organizations as in all other schools emphasize that the members' clout in society is so strong that one has to have a need to belong to them, in order to exercise power in society. 

That is the problem. Our society does not build up people who will believe in their capacities to effect change in life, except if one belongs to an organization. Not many mavericks are bred in our society. (an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party)

That is very sad because  mavericks could be so independent that they could initiate changes in society that no organization could even think about. 

Instead of encouraging exclusive boys or girls organizations, schools should provide for opportunities for the students to go to laboratories and make discoveries that no other has done. It should provide for an environment that allows the students to go to visit Mother Nature, commune with her and write about new ideas or creative stories and poems that could enhance humanity and spiritual life. It should encourage writing, music, art organizations and other cultural groups, allowing girls and boys to direct their own cultural shows. 

Fraternities with violent tendencies would wither away once the students realize that developing themselves as individuals while in school is the best option instead of joining them. 

Besides, the harm on the mind and body due to initiation could take a long time to heal and so could make the individuals live with that blot in their memories. 

The fact that the initiation is done in secluded areas means that something is awry, not just in the way it will be done. Frats and sororities do that -- keep their "welcoming rites" under lock and key. 

I remember one initiation that happened in a house one time. I could not understand it yet at that time what it was but I heard the girls crying in one room. Then after it was over, I saw a big paddle emerge being held by a master. I was not shocked then. I did not feel anything. I thought there was a rehearsal or something. 

I think such kinds of initiation should really be blotted out of our societies. it is a type of human activity that makes the perpetrators look sinister, evil. And what will it do to hurt, to main an applicant in that manner?

The irony of it all is that after the initiation, the perpetrators would embrace the victim of sadism, as if nothing had happened. Is that possible? I think that is the height of hypocrisy and no academe should ever accept that to exist in any form in the school or university nor even outside. The submissive character of the students who undergo initiation with violence is not in keeping with what the educational institution is supposed to teach the students. 

Hence, I suggest that fraternities and sororities should be banned outright. Only cultural and political organizations that orient the students to the finer things in life, and that initiate them to be responsible members of our society should exist. 

Also, schools must have a program on "after school, what?" This should teach the students that outside of the academe, whether they finish or not, they could exist. And so, the subjects under this should make them feel whole beings, not crying for help. It should teach them to navigate life, whether as professionals, as entrepreneurs, as political advocates, etcetera. By being equipped with that knowledge, then they would not easily fall prey to the false sense of belonging that those organizations use. 

I may be stepping on the toes of some people I know who are members of such organizations but I hope they would understand that there has to be a humane way to lead our lives, one that would enhance our being, and not be trapped in artificial relationships, and which has resulted in death in the above case. 


May the soul of Horacio Castillo, victim of hazing, find eternal peace and love in the arms of the Almighty 

ON CONFRONTING HISTORY Part III

2. Maraming kakampi nina Marcos ay hindi nagbago ng pananaw tungkol sa ginawang pagkitil ng kalayaan ng ating mamamayan. Higit na pinapahalagahan nila ang mga edifisyong itinayo ni Marcos, at hindi ang epekto ng kanyang mapaniil na pamumuno sa mga pag-iisip at pagkilos ng taumbayan.
3. Nagkaroon ng paghahati-hati, “A yan ay dilawan,”  o kaya “A yan ay loyalista,” kung kaya't walang nagkakaisang pagtanaw sa People Power Movement.
4. Ang mga nagpapanalo ng People Power ay kumita sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Cory, at ng mga sumunod na rehimen. Ito ay isang pagpapabalewala ng tinatawag na pagkakaroon ng tunay at makabagong kapangyarihan ng sambayanan o People Power.

Bagong Dispensasyon

Ang pagkakapanalo ni Pangulong Duterte sa eleksyon, bagaman malapit siya sa pamilyang Marcos ay isang nakakagulat na tunay na kahulugan ng People Power. Ang taumbayan, 16 milyones ay pinili siya, bagama't ang kanyang mga pronouncements, mga pagpapahayag ay nagpapakita noong kampanya ng kanyang pagkiling sa mala-diktaduryang pamamahala.

Ang pagpayag niya na mailibing si Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani ay isang malaking pagbabago sa ating kasaysayan sa kung ano ang ating depinisyon ng isang bayani.

Ang pagdeklara din niya ng special holiday sa Ilocos para sa ika 100 taon na idad ni Marcos, ay tuwirang pagkiling niya sa pamilya, at pagkalusaw ng ating ideya kung ano ang People Power. Hinati niya ang ibig sabihin nito: na ang mga tao sa Ilocos ay maaaring magkaroon ng sarili nila ng People Power at ideklara ang isang diktador na bayani at dapat bigyan ng pagpupugay. Samakatuwid walang pakikiisa ang mga taga Ilocos sa mga nangyari sa ating buong Sambayanan na iba't iba na karamihan ay nagkaroon ng masamang karanasan noong panahon ng martial law.

Anong uri ng kasaysayan ng Sambayanan ang maaari nating maisulat ngayon?

MAKAHULUGANG PEOPLE POWER

Hindi tayo dapat mawalan ng pag-asa na mabibigyan nating ng genuine meaning ang People Power.

Unang-una na, ang ating edukasyon, ang mga aklat para sa kabataan, ang mga guro ay dapat matimo sa kanilang isipan na ang pagsaklaw ng mga kalayaan natin, ay hindi dapat mabago. Kailangang idikta natin na ituro ang Universal Declaration of Human Rights mula kinder hanggang Kolehiyo.

Pangalawa.  magkaroon tayo ng pagsusulat ng mga karanasan ng taumbayan sa bawat probinsiya, bawat barangay sa kung ano ang tunay na nagyari sa kanila noong panahon ng martial law.

Sa aming barangay, ang mga nagtatanim ng kangkong sa mga sapa ay nabigyan ng pabahay na libre ni Marcos sa Tatalon. Kayan diyan ay malalaman ninyong may mga nakatira duon na pag-aari nila ang mga lupang kinatitirikan ng kanilang mga bahay may titulo silang maipapakita.

Pati ang pananaw ng mga loyalista ay dapat na mailista upang maipakita nila ang pamumuno ni Marcos.

Kapag naihinga nila ang kanilang mga karanasan kailangang sundan natin yun ng pagpapaliwanag na ang bawa't tao ay may karapatang mabuhay na maalwan, at hindi lamang isa o isang pamilya ang dapat na biniyayaan ni Marcos. Ipaliwanang ang UN Declaration of Human Rights sa kanila.

Pangatlo, ang mga NGOs ay dapat na maglabas ng mga pamantayan sa kung ano ang tunay na demokratikong pamumuno, ano ang epekto nito sa indibidwal at sa mga komunidad, sa mas malaking lipunan.

Ang mga pribadong NGOs tulad ng Rotary Clubs, Lions International, YMCA at YWCA na halaw sa mga organisasyong Amerikano ay hindi dapat mangiming ituro ang kahulugan ng People Power, at magkaroon sila ng patakaran na magpapaangat nito sa isipan ng bawat kasapi.

 

Ang mga NGOs na nabuhay pagkatapos ng 1986 ay puno ng pag-asa subali't dapat ituon nila ang pananaw sa pagpapaigi ng pangkabuhayan ng Sambayanan lalo na sa paglansag ng mga batas na nagpapahirap tulad ng EPIRA law.

Pang-apat, magkaroon tayo ng pag-aaral at pagpapakalat ng mga karanasan ng mga matagumpay na demokratikong bansa.

Panlima, ang pagkakapanalo ni Cory sa eleksyon noong 1986 at pagbuhos ng suporta para siya ang maluklok ay hindi mangyayari kung walang partisipasyon ang mga feminista o mga babaeng naniniwala sa kilusang mapagpalaya para sa kababaihan. Marami ang nagmamaliit dito subali't sila ay nagkakamali. Si Cory ay hindi tatakbo kung walang suporta ng kababaihan lalo na't balo na siya. Kailangan niya ng mas malakas na sandalan para pangunahan ang kampanya. Sinu-sino ang mga pumaligid sa kanya? Unang una na diyan si Justice Cecilia Munoz-Palma at ang iba't ibang asosasyon ng mga kababaihan.

Mahalagang makilala ang naging tinig ng kababaihan ng mga panahon noon at hanggang sa pangkasalukuyan, sa katunayan.

Panganim, magkaroon tayo ng pag-aaral ng kasaysayan ng ibang bansa, at ituon natin ang mga leksyon sa kung paano nilang napapanalo ang demokrasya at kung an-ano ang mga tinatamasang karapatan para matawag na malaya ang mga bansa.

Pampito, igiit natin na sa lahat ng antas ng Edukasyon ituro ang pangatlong wika, hindi lamang Ingles at Pilipino ang dapat natututunan. Ang pagkakaroon ng pangatlong wika ay isang pagbubukas ng isipan ng kabataan sa buhay sa ibang bansa, hindi para magtrabaho duon kung di para mapuri natin ang mga pagkakataong naibibigay sa mga mamamayan nila.

Pangwalo, bigyan ng mataas ng budget ang National Historical Commission upang mapanatili  at mapangalagaan ang mga gusali na magpapakitang siyang mga mata ng mga kasaysayang nangyari sa ating bansa. Pati mga puno na sandaan na ang taon ay dapat na inaalagaan pa rin.

Pangsiyam, bigyan natin ng espesyal na budget ang Departamento ng Edukasyon para isulat ang kasaysayan, at bigyan ng emfasis ang hindi matuwid na pamumuno, lalo na ang pagkitil sa mga karapatang pantao.

Pangsampu, magkaroon ng mga signboards na maglalaman ng idad sa pagtatayo ng bawat gusali katabi ng kanilang pangalan upang mabasa ng mga nagdaraan. Ang pagbasa ng taon ay isang b­atayang kaalaman sa kasaysayan.

Panglabing-isa, Maganda ang ginagawang pamamahagi ng pera para sa mga taong umabot na sa sandaang taon. Ang kanilang pananaw tungkol sa kasaysayan ay dapat isusulat din ng barangay, ibigay sa bawa't ka-barangay, at ikalat sa media.

Panlabindalawa, Magkaroon tayo ng plakard sa tabi ng matatandang puno para maging mapagkalinga ng katandaan ang kabataan.

Panlabintatlo, magkaroon tayo ng mga signboards sa kalye kung saan makatatawid ang mga nakatatanda at kung saan sila makakasakay kaagad. Patawan ng parusa ang mga drayber na hindi magsasakay sa kanila. Ang mga nakatatanda ang tahimik o hindi tahimik na susi sa paglalarawan ng nakaraan. 

Panlabing-apat. Bawa't tisis o disertasyon ay dapat may historical reference. Hindi puwedeng survey, o testing kaagad. Kailangan ipakita ang kahalagahan nito sa kasaysayan para magkaroon ng aktitud at perspektibang historical ang kabataan. 

Panlabinlima, magkaroon ng nakatuong paglalansag ng labor migration. Ito ang nagiging dahilan ng pagkakawatak-watak ng pamilya, pagkasira ng kasal, at pagsasama ng mga tao. Mayaman ang ating bansa at maaari tayong kumuha ng tulong sa ibang mga bansa upang mapagyaman ang ating mga likas na yaman sa ilalim g “soft loans.”

Dapat ay nagamit ni Cory ang mga benepisyo ng pagpapausbong natin ng People Power upang makakuha ng mga loans. Subali't sa halip ay pinagpatuloy pa niya ang pagbabayad sa mga panlabas na utang na hindi naman nakinabang ang taumbayan.

Ngayon, mahihingi na natin ang tunay na pangungutang, para sa taumbayan, mga dapat makinabang sa ating pinaglabang People Power, sa ilalim ng taos-pusong pakikiusap.

WE are Historical Beings. Hindi tayo nabubuhay sa nakaraan lamang, hindi rin sa pangkasalukuyan lamang, kundi para sa nakaraan, pangkasalukuyan at panghinaharap. Kailangang maitimo natin sa ating kabataan na mahalaga ang isang malawak ng pananaw sa panahon upang maging buo ang ating katauhan.

Ang mga durugista ay nabubuhay lamang sa pangkasalukuyan kung ano ang magbibigay sa kanila ng kasiyahan. Hindi nila alintana ang hinaharap.

Malulutas lamang ang problema sa droga kung ititigil na ang labor migration na nagpapahina ng damdamin ng mga batang nalululong sa droga. Lumalakas sila kung nagtutulak subali't hindi na nila mapatid ito. Kaya't ang magpapalakas lamang sa kanila ay suporta ng isang matatag na pamilya. 

Ang pag-aaral ng kasaysayan ay isang panghabambuhay na gawain, hindi lamang sa loob kundi kahit na sa labas ng tahanan. Nasa pag-aaral na ito lilitaw ang iba't ibang uri ng pagkilos ng isang tao, ng mga tao, ng mga komunidad, ng mga bansa. Makikita natin dito ang kahalagahan ng buhay. 

Ang taong buhay ay parating naghuhubog ng kasaysayan. At bawa't tao ay makarapatan dito. Ang patay ay wala ng kasaysayang mahuhubog o maisusulat pa. 

Mahalaga ang kasaysayan sa ating buhay. Pinalalakas nito ang ating paggagap ng buhay. Hindi tayo alipin ng materyalistikong mga bagay kapag ganito. Hindi tayo magiging mahiligin sa mga panandaliang paggamit ng mga gadgets na walang dinadala kundi sakit ng mga mata at ulo sa sobrang gamit. Hindi rin mapapabarkada agad-agad ang kabataan kapag alam nila ang kahihinatnan ng gagawin nila sa kinabukasan.

Ang buhay ng bawa't tao ay isang kasaysayan. Kapag patay na, tapos na ang kasaysayang maaari niyang hubugin. Kung kaya't habang buhay pa, pasulatin natin ang kabataan ng talambuhay na siyang magiging dokumento naman ng mga susunod na henerasyon kung paano tayong nabuhay sa panahong ito.

Kailan pa dapat turuan ang kabataan ng kasaysayan kundi ngayon na.

Ang pagharap sa kasaysayan ay isang pagkilala na ang buhay ay kumikilos, hindi static, hindi baog, kundi mayabong. Pagkilala rin ito na ang sangkatauhan ay mapanlikha at hindi robot, may isip, damdamin, at kalayaang kumilos.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/576320083536386033/

ON CONFRONTING HISTORY Part II

ON CONFRONTING HISTORY Part II

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

History is made by individuals and human collectives.

It is impossible to think of history being dominated by non-entities except Mother Nature who always makes history when she sends her wrath by raising the levels of rivers to cause flood, increases the number of days that the rains fall, or even causes the tectonic plates to move that cause earthquakes. The consequences of her moves could result in evacuation. injury, and other disasters. Including deaths of human beings.

Hence, our concern is not how Mother Nature causes or writes history. We have no control over that unless scientists put their hands into making human beings have a safe environment. So, let us see History as written by human beings.

Transfer of colonial powers

In our country, the individuals who wrote history include Rizal of course and the group of Katipuneros who rose against the Spanish colonization in order for our country to be ruled by the Filipino people. The Katipuneros were women and men who worked together clandestinely in order to topple foreign domination.

However, greed is something that afflicts many rulers and so, our independence was grabbed by the Americans, after they bought us from the Spanish rulers in the amount of $200 Million dollars in 1898. To create a semblance of being heroes, the Americans had a mock battle with the Spanish conquistadoeres to show that they won genuinely over the latter, at Manila Bay. The Spaniards had known that the Katipuneros were already winning and so not wanting to leave without a squawk, they agreed on the mock battle  even if the result was surely one that would result in defeat. After all they were going to be paid or had been paid the fee already.

Historical writings could show the triumph or the victory of a people, triumph in terms of earning for the country freedom or wealth or even increase of national boundaries that is when a group launches a campaign to conquer new or old lands.

But our history does not seem to be replete with victories save that of People Power. It had been difficult for our heroic individuals and collectives to win any historical grand result after the Spanish rule since the latter sold us to the Americans. Then during the American period the colonial ruler had more superior arms, and a lot of our kababayan sold out their freedoms becoming accomplices to the “pacification campaigns” in our country.

Education: greatest attraction

What was the come-on of the new colonizers but Education which they dangled to the people, learning the English language and requiring everyone even the young people, (who were products of Spanish catechism instead of the knowledge necessary to have a career or run a country), to learn. Research shows that some American soldiers even went out of their way to capture children and bring them to school upon the orders of the colonial government.

Hence, during the American period, the concept of national freedom became blurred as the Americans emphasized that we are ignorant and need education to govern ourselves. They sought to erase the revolutionary knowledge handed down to us by Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini and Andres Bonifacio, such ideas being viable enough for us to be able to stand on our own.

Under American rule, freedom was mental, not actual – not in reality. That was the message.

Meanwhile, underneath all that bruhaha about preparing us  for self-determination, the colonial government sent groups to go around the country to check what natural resources especially mines, were available for exploitation and export to the United States, the statistics for which later on became a deal for them to grant us independence.

The entry of the Japanese Imperial Forces who preached Asia for Asians awoke us to the reality of our country being a part of the continent; it made us realize that we must love our language, our own products, ourselves and not those of the Americans. They preached to us that we should rise up and become Asians.

However, the Japanese use of extreme force in order to impose their rule in our country, became a grave mistake as the Filipino people fought hard against them hoping that the Americans would eventually return. A local military group arose, the  Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan or Hukbalahap.

The Hukbalahap took over the vacuum created by the abandonment of the American forces to fight in Europe, and save that continent from fascism.

However, despite the nationalistic flavor of Japanese rule,  the Filipino people, after more than 40 years of American rule were not that ready to embrace the new colonizers as rulers. In fact, the Hukbalahap was greatly supported by the Filipino people and were already in a winning streak as the people had turned to them in their desire to get rid of Japanese imperial soldiers whose atrocities were abominable. In fact, recent research had revealed that they even kept “comfort women” to service them regularly.  

Unfortunately that aspect of the Hukbalahap being historically victorious over the Japanese is not much written about because of their links with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

As fascism was losing ground in Europe, General MacArthur led a contingent to claim victory over the Asian colonizers in the Philippines. They even bombed Manila to make it difficult for us to stand on our own after the war. The rest of the story showed the general appearing to be the savior of the Philippines from Japanese domination.

Historically, we are shown as just pawns in the international politics that was occurring: the Americans came and conquered us but left for Europe. We were not important enough in the eyes of the American rulers at that time. However, their absence did not make us strong enough militarily to be able to resist the new colonizers.

Instead, upon the return of the Americans, our country leaders were sent to work within the political framework of the colonizers, and said that parliamentary peaceful approach is necessary for us to take over and rule our government. Again it became the ball game of the Americans. They had a simple requirement for our independence: parity or equal rights to explore our natural resources.

Let me jump to the martial law era. Marcos sought to rewrite our own history according to his thoughts and those of his advisers, both military intelligence groups and intellectuals who were plucked from the State academes. Some were really sincere in serving, but had to kowtow to the dictates of Marcos.

Marcos moves had been to dictate how the people must think, move and act in the face of one-man rule. History was going to be written and rewritten by Marcos and Marcos alone.

What kind of history was written by Marcos – something that glorified his rule, of course as any dictator is wont to do. No matter how much suppression he ordered and military violence he tolerated in order to maintain his rule were not written about during his time. In fact, he even dictated to the press and media how he and his family should look in the pictures, and how his day-to-day activities of in Malacanang and elsewhere were to be written about. Media were suppressed, some TV stations expropriated, and newspapers had to submit their stories before being printed.

All the lessons that the Americans had taught about self-governance, all the moral virtues of being a civic citizen, all the democratic principles of freedoms of the press, of speech, of assembly were thrown out in favor of Marcos campaigns for “peace under one-man rule.” 

So this is the period of fascist history in our country.

WHAT IS FASCISM? a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

Marcos acted in a fascist manner in order to stop all kinds of opposition to his rule from 1872 to 1986. The media were the hardest hit by his rule so much so that when his imminent days were being numbered, only a handful were existing to say hosanna to his administration.

People Power: Filipino Self-Created Movement

The year 1986 showed that the Filipino people could create a movement, could write history. The whole world saw that we were ready to have a democratic rule and that fascism, the dictatorial rule could not be a way of life for all of us.

Because of the peaceful manner of removing Marcos from office, the People Power as a concept of overturning dictatorships has been imitated in many parts of the world: in Germany the  West and East were united; many Eastern European countries sought freedom from USSR rule and even Latin America, some countries also were able to boot out the dictators with the masses behind them all. Not all had been successful as the Chinese in the Tian An Men Square in PRC.

But that quest for democratic rule, for the people to write their own history has shaken the peoples of the world and has become a solid principle why mass movements should flourish.

Question: why is there a resurgence of deodorizing Marcos rule in our country?

1.    Our educational system, the books, the curricula were not clear and explicit that one-man rule nor a dictatorial rule by any group should not be a dictum in running a country.

2.    Cory who was put up to lead the People  Power Movement was too malleable to the former Marcos people; too lenient to the Marcoses to the point of allowing the corpse of the dictator to be brought back to the country. She did not even order him to be buried right away. Not one of the succeeding presidents, not even his son, was able to move history, to put emphasis on the historical act of the people to boot out the dictatorship totally and to respect their decision by putting a closure to the dictatorship. Somewhere in the northern hinterlands, the Marcos family was allowed to exist and to refurbish their image so that now, three of them are in government, one having graduated as senator.

Napakalambot ng trato, walang matibay at permanenteng pagpuri at pagkampanya sa pagsasakripisyong partisipasyon ng taumbayan sa pagpapatalsik ng diktadurya.

3.    Ano ang ginagawa sa paggunita ng kasaysayang yumanig sa buong mundo? Ano ang naging mga gawain tuwing February 25, na Araw ng Kalayaan laban sa diktadurya? Sayaw at kantahan. Ang mga kasaysayang sinusulat tungkol sa ating kasaysayan karamihan ay sa Ingles, bagama't may ilan-ilang naisulat subali't ang mga ito ay pang-intelektuwal at mahirap magagap kaagad ng mga galing sa mararalitang tagalungsod at taga-lalawigan.

Liban sa maimpluwensiya, matibay at permanenteng pagsusulat ng kasaysayan ng pagpapatalsik kay Marcos, ang mga sumusunod na mga pangyayari ay nagpapatunay ng malabnaw na pagtanaw sa bagong kalayaan nating natamo noon 1986:

1. Patuloy na pagpapalabas ng taumbayan para maghanap ng trabaho sa labas ng bansa. Bakit masama ito? Kasi ang mga unyon, ang kilusang manggagawa at iba't ibang grupo na nagsusulong ng mapagpalaya at maprinsipyong paggamit ng kayamanan ng bayan para mapaunlad ang taumbayan ay nawawalan ng matatalino at maprinsipyong Indibidwal na maaaring mamuno at maging mabuting kasapi. Samakatuwid, ang kasaysayan ay mahirap maisulat kung mawawala ang presencia ng mga taong ito sa lipunan at magiging mapanuring mata ng taumbayan.

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ON CONFRONTING HISTORY

Moves are rife to make the people forget history. These are in forms of raising the spectres of martial law rulers, projecting past family of the dictator as politically clean and still worthy of being re-installed to power, and dangling millions of pesos that we could have should we decide to just forget the past and move on 

Actually, Folks, one way to forget history totally is to migrate to other countries which is what two thousand Filipino people per day do, according to statistics. They try to immerse themselves in work, earn as much as possible, yet when they return for a vacation, the same sad feelings, anxieties, or maybe even problems persist. 

Another way is to choose a career or another that would not remind us of the past. Others choose a new partner, Hahaha! 

Let us go beyond the personal. As a people we should overcome our vulnerabiities and confront the past so we can shape the present and the future to our liking. (to be continued)

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POLITICS IS NOT FOR THE SOFT-HEARTED FOR SCALAWAGS, ETC.

I am bothered by what is happening to Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar. She is being accused of being indifferent to the plight of Rohingya, a minority group in her country, and siding with the military in its persecution. Someone is asking for her Nobel Peace Prize to be withdrawn. 

This is the height of political developments when we assert that democratic practices should prevail, the destruction of a reputation, the obliteration of one's political history, and the fall of a possible world leader. I hope that she recovers and makes the necessary amends. 

I think that Aung San Suu Kyi never explicitly verbalised her embrace of feminism, which should prod her to have sisterhood with the women of the minority group at least. Let us see how this scenario develops. 

*****

General Ronald de la Rosa is too soft for the rotten apples in his organization, the Philippine National Police. This organization needs a leader who knows when to be tough and when to be soft, tough to scalawags and soft to the victims of violations of rules of engagement. I would suggest that he take a vacation and return when he knows whose side he should be on. 


*****

Two weeks ago, I ate balut at Bagtikan where I take meditation classes. A day after I felt slightly feverish. But then nothing bad really happened. Today, I am eating bits of chicken, not the fried ones, just chicken sandwich. I am also afraid of flying feverish. 


*****
Why did Kita Kita amass a good sum at the tills? I think that  the guy's character named Tonyo was partly feminine, partly masculine. You did not feel the difference between him and Lea, the blind girl. There was no harsh debates between them as is wont to many a love story. It was a smooth relationship all throughout, no competition between the sexes. In fact, Tonyo appeared so eager to please Lea, to the point of forgetting his own welfare, and so he died accidentally while crossing the street to give her the teddy bear. 

I think the Philippine movies sector should get the message from the audience, that we don't want macho-acting and macho-looking "bidas" anymore. Very tiring. 


*****

I must say that the American people are a patient lot. Imagine seeing this fake president day in and day out on tv, and in the papers? When we had our own, I really felt my stomach churning everyday, and I hope it never happens to us again. 

Once the final judgment is made, I think that Russia should be made to pay all the peoples of the world for messing up our democratic processes all in the name of political domination. We cannot afford to have Putin and his likes appear in our midst at all. He brings up nightmares of Nazi-like politics, this time, KGB-style. By now, the Russian women should have risen in defense of the right of women to live in a world that is manipulation-free, politically, especially during elections. By the way, is there a women's movement there at all?