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19May/108

Sa Kambas ng Lipunan

I attended a values-formation seminar by a government office. You know, my mom keeps telling me that i "don't have values." Well, mom, that's impossible. We just don't have the same "values." But, anyways, let's proceed to the seminar.

The facilitator (Sorry, I can't disclose names) who happens to be a head of a particular bureau in this government office gave a presentation on values-formation specifically targeted to the youth. That's cool, right? Kidding. I just want to share my insights and probably criticize how the "facilitator" tried to develop our values as a youth.

He asked us to watch a clip. Panoorin mo na rin:

Sa Kambas ng Lipunan

And then what? He asked the participants their reactions slash their realizations after watching the clip. Right after the clip. Emphasis please. Right after the clip. After which, he summarized the realizations of the participants and addressed this to the whole group.

"Hapag ng Pag-asa"

Facilitator:

"What's the cause of poverty? The I. He attributes poverty as a result of combined individual selfish actions. He blames the I. No one should be blamed here except for the I."

"He is conditioning the participants to be apathetic. How? He's imposing on the participants the "we're-fortunate-pa-nga-that-we-eat-three-times-a-day-attitude" and let others care for themselves. Okay na nga tayo dito. Dapat hindi na tayo magreklamo. We don't have the right to complain. We're living a better life than theirs."

"There's no call to action but rather a call to be complacent. Appreciate what you have. That's already good. Kung sila nga ay hindi kumakain at ikaw ay tuyo lang ang kinakain, dapat matuwa ka na. At least, you have something to eat. Kahit tuyo pa yan, at least, you're living a better life. "

"Kapag may nakasalubong kang may car, what do you feel? Inggit? You shouldn't be. You should think of others. Bakit ako maiingit sa kanila? Marami nga na hindi kumakain. Why would I want to have a car?"

"With all of that, we need a leader that will do something. We need a leader. A leader with heart. Not just a good leader but a leader with a good heart."

With all those points, I was like, what the hell is this? Is this really a values-formations seminar or just some political propaganda slash conditioning of the status quo? The said facilitator is known to be a supporter of President-elect Aquino. Kaya nung sinabi niya yung last point, Oh My God! That can't be! You're all conditioning our minds! And everyone is agreeing! OH MY!

My points:

You just can't attribute poverty as the sum of all selfish individual actions. Why don't you show and tell us the real cause of poverty? It's easy, very easy. Why can't you tell these participants that poverty is a result of a systematic oppression of a ruling status quo. Why can't you? Ang daming resources ng Pilipinas but we're still poor. Nasaan ang resources? Please tell me. Why can't you tell the participants that Imperialism should be blame? That capitalism is a systemic form of keeping all in poverty poor and making the rich richer. You can't tell me you don't know. Bakit may nagugutom? We are in the Pacific Ocean (where are the fishes), we have forests (where are the animals, the fruits and the vegetables), we have arable lands and we own a vast reserve of natural minerals. Ano? INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS PA RIN BA? OR SYSTEMIC SIYA?

Why would you condition the participants to just be "okay" and leave things the way they are? After watching this clip, what we need is a call to action! ACTION! You'll tell these people to do their job and look for solutions. You'll not tell them to just appreciate what they have and don't complain. Remember, inaction results to the strengthening of the present system slash condition. Or yun naman talaga ang gusto mo? Do you really want people to stay poor? Eating "tuyo" is not my definition of being fortunate specially when you try to contextualize it. Why can other people afford expensive foods? Why can't I? Sa dami ng available na resources, bakit may gutom? Don't tell me they're just too lazy. They're not. There's something wrong. And we should address that. What we have to do is to find alternative solutions. Let's try to change the present system and let these people eat. Let's try to pressure the government and let them address this. There's so much to do than to say "Hey, I'm okay here." INEQUALITY MUST BE ADDRESSED.

And the clip is trying to insert some religious agenda in it. It's fine. It's good. Ang tanong nga lang e. If people are really believing in Jesus Christ, why is there inequality? In a supposedly Christian country, bakit may kahirapan? Bakit may nagugutom? It's weird, right? CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION OF EQUALITY. WELL, SUPPOSEDLY.

And with all those points, leadership must be contextualized. With the present problems, you need to contextualize what kind of leader we need. Ano nga ba? Siguro, those who want poverty to be eradicated, those who want to solve these things and those who recognize the "real problems" and willing to change the present system of oppression. Yung kakalaban sa status quo. Yung kakalaban sa Imperyalismo. Yung kakalaban sa Kapitalismo. Those are the qualities na kailangan ay meron ang leader. Inequality must be addressed by this leader. At kilala niyo naman sila, for sure. Hello, Satur. Hello, Liza. Hello, KABATAAN. Hello, National Democrats.

Figure it out, people. I know you're not that stupid. Lalo na yung kasama ko ng values-formation seminar.

The Late Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran

P.S. It's Crispin Beltran's Day Today! Kilala niyo siya? He is a genuine, militant, and anti-Imperialist labor leader. See? That's what I'm talking about.

P.S. I will receive a compensation just for attending this particular seminar. Woah! Time for some good pasta!

P.S. Wala na akong proofreader and grammar checker. Poor me.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Tagged as: anakpawis, beltran, canvas, crispin, day, democrats, formation, hapag, inequality, kambas, Leadership, lipunan, National, ng, of, on, pagasa, poverty, sa, seminar, Society, the, values 8 Comments

1Feb/1013

Walden Bello, AKBAYAN and Noynoy Aquino

Happy DSS Week!

As part of the celebration of the UP Manila's Department of Social Sciences (DSS) week, the department invited AKBAYAN Partylist Representative and UP Professor Walden Bello. He delivered a lecture in behalf of the parylist and the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC). His lecture was about food sovereignty or how can a nation prevent food crisis. He cited several causes of a food crisis. These includes land conversion for commercial or industrial use (IT Parks, Subdivisions, Malls and many others), land conversion for export mono-cropping and the exploitation of transnational and multi-national companies of our agricultural resources. And being a country that is capitalist agriculture, we plant crops and other things based on the demand of the global elite market (export demand) and not based on our domestic needs. This means that the landlords only allow farmers to plant crops based on what is more profitable in the global elite market than what is needed here. Many of our lands are converted to unsustainable mono-cropping. There is no consideration of what we need domestically thus, the food crisis and the import of crops and other agricultural products.

UP Professor and AKBAYAN Representative Walden Bello

I agree with Prof. Bello in this part. I share the same findings. The problem of the food crisis lies within the framework of our government and society. We based all our policies for foreign benefits. Our government officials allows these kind of policies that benefits the imperialist countries and the local elites (them and landlords and big companies). National policies does not include the needs and the demands of the poor, the basic mass, the peasants, the fishermen and other marginalized sector of the society. The supposed to be democratic society becomes a society for the elites and the domination of the elites. A capitalist society to be specific.

But Prof. Bello and AKBAYAN is contradicting itself when it comes to the policies they support in the Congress and this society's problems that they've identified. They supported and even lobbied for the immediate passage of the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP or CARPER). This program exempts farm lands that will be converted to commercial complex (what happened in Hacienda Luisita), to poultry and livestock industry and many other things. This allows landowners to not redistribute their lands to the peasants.. It's a loophole intentionally designed by the people in the Congress. To make it short, landowners will convert their farmlands to be able to maintain its ownership. In this situation, agricultural yields decreases. There's a policy indirectly encouraging landlords to abandon farming and instead use their lands for other purposes. This decrease in agricultural yields will result into a food shortage that can lead into a food crisis. This food crisis will make us dependent on the importing of agricultural products. Thus, losing our food sovereignty.

When?

Lands must be redistributed. We should go back to community-based farming where farmers consider the immediate needs of the community. This answers the problem of food crisis because domestic needs are being prioritized rather than the demands of the elite market. And only the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) allows genuine redistribution of land. This GARB answers the problem of the fake agrarian reform bill CARP or CARPER. AKBAYAN and Prof. Bello failed to recognize that it is the and the only key. But they continue to blind people that CARP or CARPER will actually answer our problems in land distribution and food security. It actually worsens the situation.

During the lecture, i asked him if there are any presidentiables that is prioritizing food security and sovereignty. If there can be one of these people running for presidency that includes a national policy that will prevent a food crisis and dependence on imports. He answered on the negative and recommended that we should bring this issue as a central problem of the Philippines in presidential debates and other key fora.

But AKBAYAN is supporting the candidacy of Noynoy Aquino, right?

AKBAYAN Representative Risa Hontiveros with Liberal Party's Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas

Noynoy Aquino is planning for a more open and more neo-liberalize economy. This means more foreign exploitation and domination of our resources. Once this happens, the agricultural market will disregard the domestic needs or demand. The country will be again producing for the market of the global elites. When this happens, food crisis is likely to happen. Prof. Bello and AKBAYAN again missed the point. Why would they support a Noynoy government if they don't want food crises to happen? Contradicting.

Even though Prof. Bello and AKBAYAN recognizes the problems of this country, they failed to give the right solutions. Is this the change that their party list and their president is talking about? If it is, I don't want any part of it.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Tagged as: agrarian, AKBAYAN, aquino, Bello, Bill, carp, carper, coalition, comprehensive, crisis, debt, DSS, Food, freedom, from, garb, genuine, import, no, noynoy, of, partylist, program, reform, sovereignty, to, Walden, week 13 Comments

3Jan/1016

Project 365: A Year in A Life

Rent on Carlos Romulo Auditorium this February

525, 600 minutes,

525, 000 moments so dear.

525, 600 minutes, how do you measure - measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In number- how do you measure a year in the life?

-Seasons of Love, from Rent

I have a serious Rent hangover since the day I've seen it. I love the song Seasons of Love because of its lyrics. It's dramatic but at the same time rejoicing. Right? I'm mentioning the song because of Project 365. Yes, I'm on Project 365. I've figured that this is a good way to measure a year in the life. Corny? I actually got the idea from Bryan ( Kuya Bryan, LOL ). But I know that Project 365 was not his idea, i think the project has been going around for already six or seven years.

Project 365, FTW!

It actually made me excited because I will be doing a dare-yourself-for-the-whole-year thing. It is a test of commitment and constancy. Sort of. I initially thought that it will be about taking pictures of yourself everyday for a year. But it was kinda off because, i think, no one is that interested and that weird to actually like to see your face for everyday for a year. Right? So instead of that, I will be taking one picture a day of things (can be people) that made my day interesting or memorable for a year. Sounds cool, right? I will post it here in my blog ( weekly or daily or randomly) and will try to put some meaningful captions to make it more interesting.

A Year of Pictures

This will be fun. I'd love to see the pictures after a year. It's like an album of what happened the whole year. It's a scrapbook. A journal. A diary. I hope it will really be able to measure my year. I'd love to see how my look changes and how things/people around me changes too. Cool, right?

I will be providing links of some of the helpful tips I've found on the internet on how to this project. Here they are:

> Project 365: How to Take a Photo a Day and See Your Life in a Whole New Way

> Tips for Shooting One Photo a Day for 365 Days

> Project 365: Take a photo a day for a year

> Project 365

> Project 365 Ideas

I'm not a photographer or anything that has something to do with pictures. I don't have an awesome slash expensive digital camera. I just want to try this because I want to see how things change. I really think that this will be fun.I now have four pictures in my camera. I will post it soon. You can try it too next year! 2010 is the year of my P-365!

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Anyone interested in watching an on-stage Filipino rendition of Rent this February? Please? Please?

Popularity: 17% [?]

Tagged as: 365, 9theatricalworks, a day, auditorium, carlos, FAQ, february, history, how, ideas, kit, life, links, love, lyrics, manila, musical, of, Philippines, photo, project, Rent, romulo, seasons, Ticket, tips, to, Year 16 Comments

27Nov/092

Statement of the UP Manila Political Science Committee on the massacre in Maguindanao

26 November 2009

The UP Manila Political Science Committee condemns in the strongest possible terms the latest case of election violence in Maguindanao.

November 23 will go down in history as a day of unparalleled evil and barbarity. More than 50 unarmed individuals, mostly women, media workers, lawyers and members of the Mangudadatu clan, were butchered in an attempt to preserve what appears to be a monolithic kingdom ruled by the Ampatuans in Maguindanao.

The massacre in Maguindanao comes as a shock to Filipinos and the rest of the world and happened in a time that has long forgone Stone Age barbarism and arbitrariness for rule of law and due process.

The brutal killings did not only reveal the extent of lawless violence in several areas in the country but bare the bigger tragedy in Philippine politics – the continuing supremacy of established political clans who act as impervious and invincible gods. It’s further proof that nothing has essentially changed and that the country remains a confederacy of fiefs ‘owned’ by a few affluent families.

The overconcentration of power in the hands of political dynasties has been sustained and reinforced by brokerage-style politics that has come to characterize the current regime.

Political patronage allowed warlordism and a culture of impunity to thrive in Maguindanao and other parts of the country in exchange for political support from the Ampatuans and other influential political clans for the vulnerable Arroyo presidency. Since 2001, the Ampatuans intermittently ruled the province and were largely credited for delivering the votes for Mrs. Arroyo in the 2004 presidential elections and giving the administration ticket a 12-0 win in the 2007 senatorial race.

As we grieve with the victims’ families and call for immediate justice, we also denounce the evident attempts of Malacanang to shield the Ampatuans from accountability. The failure of the Arroyo administration to act swiftly displays the government’s duplicity in bringing the perpetrators to justice. The mere fact that the government chose to send emissaries to the Ampatuans and not arresting officers despite clear evidence that indicate the involvement of specific persons shows its double standard and preferential treatment for its political ally.

We call on all Filipinos to remain vigilant. The gruesome massacre presages the possible escalation of cases of election violence and echoes circumstances that led to the fraudulent elections in 2004 and 2007. It poses a huge threat on the conduct and credibility of the upcoming automated elections and opens an opportunity for individuals and groups who want and stand to benefit in a no-election scenario.

We also call on Congress to pass pending measures prohibiting all forms of political dynasties and laying the foundations for genuine participatory democracy that provides equal opportunity for public service. ###

Popularity: 3% [?]

Tagged as: ampatuans, and, Arts, CAS, college, deparment, DSS, maguindanao, massacre, of, political, polsci, PS, science, social, statement, up, UP Manila, upm 2 Comments

20Sep/098

random thoughts

I still don't know who should be voted as the next President in the coming election. As if. As if I can vote in 2010. Haha. Yeah, I still can't get over it. The fact that all my friends will be able to vote in 2010 makes it so hard for me to accept it. I was born January 1993. And that means, that I will not be 18 years old in 2010. Wala lang. Naalala ko lang. I'm politically aware naman COMELEC, can you please make me an exception? Haha.

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I was not able to attend the UP Manila Student Summit. That's sad. Something happened with my mom. Aww. It was organized by the Office of Student Regent and REV-UP MANILA which is an alliance of different sectors in UP Manila. It was held at the 8th Floor of Philippine General Hospital Social Hall with its theme as, "Consolidate our Ranks, Intensify our Fight for our Democratic Rights." It served as the Student Regent's way to consult us students of UPM with our grievances. It was also there where they made a draft of the UP MANILA DEMANDS which will be passed to the highest policy-making body of the UP system, the Board of Regents. Sana nandun ako di'ba? I'd like to say sorry to Ate Ces, Ate Kamz and Ate Mia.

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I'm now using Plurk, Tumblr, Twitter and Y! Meme for micro-blogging needs. Which will I choose to maintain kaya? Haha. In the coming weeks, I'll choose one. Kasi parang i'm just posting mirror blogs to different sites eh. And that's not good, I think. Parang you're just blogging in that site for the sake of it! Eek.

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And oh, my mom has four free tickets for a trip to Corregidor. And you know what? It was given to her by Avelino Razon, the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process. So, WTH? Right? Rumors said that he's planning to run for the coming election as the mayor of the city of Manila. Gah. Premature campaigning much. My mother is a PTCA Federation President. It's not my mom's first time for these kind of things. She was invited too by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, Manila Councilor Numero Lim, Manila Vice Mayor Francisco Domagaso, and Manila Representative Jaime Lopez. Spell patronage politics.

The Ilustrado

Popularity: 2% [?]

Tagged as: 2010, Avelino, Bayani, COMELEC, Elections, Fernando, Isko, Jim, Lim, Lopez, manila, Meme, Micro-bloggig, Moreno, Numero, of, Office, OSR, Plurk, president, Razon, Regent, Student, Summit, Tumblr, Twitter, up 8 Comments

28Jul/091

PGMA’s Last SONA

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Before I begin my report to the nation, please join me first in a moment of prayer for President Aquino.

Senate President Enrile, Speaker Nograles, Senators, Representatives, Vice President de Castro, former President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, Ambassadors, friends:

The past twelve months have been a year for the history books. Financial meltdown in the West spread throughout the world.

Tens of millions lost their jobs; billions across the globe have been hurt—the poor always harder than the rich. No one was spared.

It has affected us already. But the story of the Philippines in 2008 is that the country weathered a succession of global crises in fuel, in food, then in finance and finally, economy in a global recession, never losing focus and with economic fundamentals intact.

A few days ago, Moody’s upgraded our credit rating, citing the resilience of our economy. The state of our nation is a strong economy. Good news for our people, bad news for our critics.

I did not become President to be popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I became President.

When my father left the Presidency, we were second to Japan. I want our Republic to be ready for the first world in 20 years.

Towards that vision, we made key reforms. Our economic plan centers on putting people first. Higit sa lahat, ang layunin ng ating patakaran ay tulungan ang masisipag na karaniwang Pilipino. New tax revenues were put in place to help pay for better healthcare, more roads, and a strong education system. Housing policies were designed to lift up our poorer citizens so they can live and raise a family with dignity. Ang ating mga puhunan sa agrikultura ay naglalayong kilalanin ang ating mga magsasaka bilang backbone ng ating bansa, at bigyan sila ng mga modernong kagamitan to feed our nation and feed their own family.

Popularity: 3% [?]