52 minute read
Features
, Halting Pandora s Box:
PH under the Great Divide and Evil Powers
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BY GINO AND MARIANNE
DE JESUS
Held on its throat by the man who spat pipe dreams to those he vowed to serve and protect, the Philippine atmosphere gets bleaker with every passing moment. From enacting anti-poor policies, to the debacle of a pandemic response, the Filipino heart aches fiercely for a luminary of a leader to shed light on our reality. The day of reckoning gets closer by the hour and soon we will cast our choices which will determine the course of our lives in the coming years. Alas, our choices have come forth! The arena is filled with their faces and voices, each clamoring assurance of a better world. Then, an identical to the Pandora’s box appeared at the center, a heavy and ornately carved box begging to be pried open. We are in need of a unified resistance to keep us from setting a brewing catastrophe free. Here, the future of our nation lies.
MAD Alliance and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse In the arena, a banner has risen and drawn on it are the figures of an eagle and a tiger side by side. Coiled on the pole of this banner are the hands of two scions of two corrupt and fascist leaders –– Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and Sara Duterte-Carpio, along with their backer Gloria Macapagal Arroyo –– and altogether they form the Marcos, Arroyo, and Duterte or the ‘MAD’ alliance. Fruits never fall far from their trees. The trees in question are blatantly deceptive, inarguably wicked, machines hungry for power, and most of all bona fide to be corrupt in nature. From the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. who’ve ordered the killings and torture of his critics and ordinary Filipinos while at the same time robbing billions from the coffers of the Filipinos for 20 years then. Now, another tyrant has risen to power, Rodrigo Duterte who greatly resembles the former, who has and is silencing his critics, killing thousands in his bloody drug war, while keeping a blind eye on the stolen billions in the middle of a pandemic. The roots of these seedlings are strengthened by regimes which have made Filipinos suffer, and thus, these two are tyrants and corrupt leaders in the making. And now, they have put an alliance which only has a goal to be self-serving and apathetic of the actual needs of the ordinary Filipinos. Both continue to deny or refuse to acknowledge their father’s atrocities to the Filipinos only makes them complicit in their crimes. This only further reflects the kind of leadership they will emulate. The four political parties –– Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Hugpo ng Pagbabago (HNP), Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) –– have come in support of the MAD alliance, is the cherry on top, and ultimately creating the vilest and most corrupt unification of parties in the course of Philippine history. These parties have produced leaders charged with plunder and are certified corrupt with the likes of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Jinggoy Estrada. Like the four horsemen of the apocalypse holding Pandora’s Box, they have come to ascertain the catastrophe of our country. And when Pandora’s Box was opened, a legion of evil and suffering sprang out into the world.
Unboxing Pandora’s Box Terror and corruption runs in the blood of their roots, so shall they be if they were to be elected. A series of fiasco shall reign on the Philippines as darkness will pervade and no one shall escape but their cronies. The already bleak world the country was put under will likely get worse as the same families who’ve ransacked the country will get into power. Sara Duterte, once in power, will protect her father, literally, from the International Criminal Court once her father’s regime is over. They will write the current regime clean of all the atrocities they have committed. Like giant fingers of a monster lacing at the neck of justice itself, while justice gasps for air and the fingers press hard enough to crack the neck. Ensuring that justice will never be served for those who have been waiting long enough for Rodrigo Duterte to step out of power. While Ferdinand Marcos Jr., once in power, will try to revise history and in a wave of his hand, all their sins will dissipate in an instant. And he’s not even in power yet historical revisionism is already taking place. From his fake degrees, fake diploma, fake wins, and fake achievements. All done just to polish the rotten Marcos name. A jobless man who has only risen when the election campaign has begun. A thick-faced monster who pretends to represent Ilocos Norte only to be discovered he doesn’t even speak Ilocano. He is a walking mass of lies. With disinformation at their disposal, they shall remain ever sugar-coated in beautiful and grand things. But deep inside they are just another monster ready to take as much power as they can while cleaning their fathers’ mess. One thing is for sure, they do not want to serve the people, they have come for power and to pillage what is left.
The difference between Pandora’s Box and the MAD alliance is that this time we know exactly what lies beneath them.
Unboxing Pandora’s Box Albeit their families’ self-interests, it is undoubtedly that the MAD alliance has been constant in building rapport to clinch the highest seat in the following years yet another story unfolds from the other side of the spectrum. The Left has been constantly divided because of conflict in ideological differences. Despite the common goal to eliminate the thick-faced monsters in power, the bred-in-the-bone feud runs until today that hampers them to unite.
It is very much evident in the elitist rhetoric on the digital surface how one ignores the plea of the ordinary people and the non-negotiables of the other. The liberals’ mocking of the ordinary makes them become more out of touch to the most important frontliner in clinching the power. Until today, the alliance of evils still led the polls and this would only continue to soar if there wouldn’t be solid opposition. In addition, its vague stance on the anti-counterinsurgency campaign headed by National
Task Force to End Local Communist
Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) makes the national democrats vulnerable. The implementation of the task force only gave green light to the men in uniform to redtag and kill human rights defenders. In essence, it does not eradicate the Reds since it fails to address the decade-long problems in agrarian reform and inhumane living conditions. Furthermore, the constant vilification and blaming to the national democrats on why Duterte sat in power solely because of trying to have a dialogue to uphold peaceful negotiations only aggravated the current divide. The analysis is not only shallow, but also ignores the role of other parties in the making of the bloody Duterte regime.
Halting the Unboxing The Philippines has had enough for the past five years of pure agony under President Rodrigo Duterte’s term. It is in these darkest moments where the united opposition is needed the most. Both the corrupts and tyrants will remain scott-free for another decade if fate follows their playbook. There’s still a long ride, at least enough time to build rapport, before the country witnesses another unboxing of Pandora’s box. The decades-long conflict is still possible to be set aside for a tactical alliance to prevent a bloodier Duterte-Marcos regime. In fact, this happened during the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, where all people from walks of life united to form a human barricade as a symbol of resistance. In a country plagued with tyranny and corruption, the hopes are getting dimmer to see a better tomorrow, yet if these leaders would prioritize the needs of the people despite the differences, it is still possible to defeat the MAD alliance through constantly organizing and mobilizing. While some remain blind from the black propaganda of the two scions, people should never antagonize since they became the prey of historical distortion and a skewed colonial educational system that favors the evils to remain in power. The future of our nation heavily depends on how the Left and the people can maximize the remaining time. After all, we are all trying to halt the unboxing to prevent the brewing dictatorship
Sugar, spice, and nothing nice
BY PAULINE MAGSINO AND YASHI
Every year, around Christmas time, Filipino families flock to grocery stores and supermarkets to prepare for their much-awaited Noche Buena. Despite prices beginning to surge as days move closer to Christmas eve, they make sure that the Noche Buena staples—lechon, ham, fruit salad—fill the dining table and hearten all those who come to feast. Traditionally, Christmas comes early in the Philippines. By September, the streets are lined up with festive Christmas lights and bright, busy stalls that sell kakanin such as bibingka and puto bumbong. Mall-goers relish in the Christmas rush and stock up on non-perishable ingredients for their Noche Buena recipes. In their own homes hang Christmas decorations that warmly welcome relatives and friends who come to stay for dinner every 24th of December. Noche Buena reunites families at the dining table in celebration: the holiday season is finally here. However, the past two years have been difficult for many Filipinos, especially running up to Christmas. The past events have forced them to serve tears and grief at the dining table, while everyone else continues to anticipate the joyous occasion. As 2021 ushers to an end, the pandemic and the struggle to keep the Christmas spirit alive hit a two-year mark. Everyone hopes for nothing more than next year, perhaps, Noche Buena will be the old Noche Buena again. The first year in the pandemic left a bad taste in the mouth for everyone who had to endure the longest lockdowns in the world. This comes as no surprise to the common Filipino, as they trace the string of failures of the government that led them to celebrate Christmas eve at home, with almost no food on the table and relatives coming from far away. The Philippine government definitely provided a dry-textured service when they refused to close borders despite the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 a global health emergency back in January 2020. The pungent smell was still reminiscent of early reports of pneumonia cases from the province of Wuhan and the first 2019-nCov case that was confirmed in the Philippines. The Duterte administration let the situation simmer for too long that it wasn’t until early February that they decided to impose a travel ban on flights from Macau and Hong Kong and initiate the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) based in Wuhan. By then, all that has been burned cannot be salvaged: the Philippines records its first COVID-19 fatality. In the declaration of a national health emergency, the government placed Luzon under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), which was categorized as the strictest type of lockdown in the country. The different types of quarantine were too lumpy to make any shape out of them—they were utterly confusing to the ordinary person and were based solely on the subjective standards of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). The government did provide support to the poorest families in the form of ayuda, but this only tasted bittersweet relative to the long-term welfare of its recipients. While the momentary relief pleased those with a sweet tooth, the provision of ayuda left a bitter aftertaste to ordinary Filipino workers for its appalling failure to address poverty and unemployment at the roots.
To make the dining experience a hellish nightmare, Filipinos were forced to abide by months-long curfews under the rationale that these would curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Such quarantine policies proved to have a thick puree texture in the face of nationwide protest. Reports of law offenders locked up in dog cages began to surge and cases of red-tagging resulted in the unreasonable arrest of hundreds of students, journalists, and community volunteers. Human rights violations easily became the theme of the grand feast. At the dining table, the government prepared a smorgasbord of dishes that seem to conflict in taste and texture. The enactment of Republic Act No. 11494, otherwise known as Bayanihan 2, extended the executive powers of the President but was not able to afford much transparency to how the budget for the pandemic response was spent. Corruption allegations were made in August 2020 against the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for engaging in schemes that led to P15 billion lost in anomalous transactions, despite the country facing a major public health problem. Local government units (LGUs) were primarily empowered to ensure the efficient delivery of health services to their constituents yet the misuse of public funds subsisted as a dominant issue. The food is as good as spoiled to the common Filipino. The rotten system has manifested in the pandemic response of the Duterte administration and sustained upward trends in hunger, unemployment, and COVID-19 fatalities. When the food has been looking putrid for a whole year, it is not only the food that needs replacing. One ought to consider bringing in a new set of silverware and a competent cook. Without them, the feast will drive away more people, leaving innumerable vacant seats at the dining table until next year’s Christmas eve. Moving forward, sweet and spicy is becoming the definite flavor of 2021’s Noche Buena. Sweet as in the taste of hope behind the continuing yet sluggish vaccination rollout in the Philippines. This taste is slowly being savored not only by adults but also by minors in the widening vaccination plan of the country. Moreover, the taste of promise is sugary sweet behind the very limited but at least returning face-to-face classes not only reserved for college and high school students but also elementary pupils. Saccharine is also the taste of ease behind the staggering yet lifting restrictions of the country; however, the pricking spiciness is juicy and alive, contending with the comforting sweetness of this year’s pandemic response. Spicy as in the taste of defeat in the devastating COVID-19 waves brought about by Delta as it continues to leave thousands of deaths in its wake. Tangy as in the taste of betrayal in the pandemic funds corrupted by Pharmally and its allies within the authorities. And peppery, the taste of rage forming in the mouths of healthcare workers because of their late, incomplete, or missing pays and benefits. Worse, many of them succumbed to the sickness they had been desperately trying to cure, making their long-overdue wage seem like a memorial gift instead. Now, coming to an end, this year’s winner in the race of flavors is becoming more evident. Like chili icing on top, another variant, Omicron, makes people on the lookout. It makes the faux sweetness of the year lag behind like a ghost of a toothache because no matter how sweet, a band-aid solution will stay ineffective as long as it does not truly address the rotting cause inside. Now, the sugar is gone, and it only permits a trail of fiery hot tears as the sole aftertaste. Still, the truth remains: It is better to taste anything than to taste nothing at all. Around this table, in the flavors that come and go, the empty seat on the far side is a gaping reminder that someone will taste neither hope nor failure for this year or the years to come. However, the desolate chair is just not a number or a sob story to be passed around during dinner. The chair once housed someone’s grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother, sister, son, or daughter that will never return home again for Noche Buena. They are a friend and loved one that vanished in a blink of an eye, but they will never be forgotten. They will push the remaining Filipinos to realize the future wherein no one will ever again pay the steepest price—the price of death—in this lengthy comical feast just to put a five-course meal on a crooked politician’s table, the same politician who leaves the grieving families to fend for themselves. The holiday feast will remain fake and fickle as long as the inadequate chefs continue to cook and devour their self-serving narrative while the Filipinos are left behind to consume their scraps. Hot, cold, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or umami, no matter the sensation or taste, the same food will rise again as vomit in the back of Filipinos’ throats unless they channel their Christmas spirit not only to gift-giving but also to giving themselves what they truly deserve—a competent set of government officials. It is not an instant solution, but by then, maybe Filipinos will be closer to regaining back a hearty Noche Buena with a fully occupied table or at least a warm healthy meal without an additional empty seat in the years to come.
NOW SHOWING:
The Legacy of Bonifacio in Today’s Crisis
BY TONYO AGUILAR AND MD
Everyone’s life has instantly become a blockbuster movie over the past year. It feels like the world is going through a lot of surreal events that one would only expect to see on the big screens, accompanied by an epic soundtrack, and filled with Computer Generated Imagery edits, just like a fictional film that makes long lines outside the theatre even if it is on its third week already. Life is getting more challenging each day as we deal with unemployment, poor healthcare and education systems, circus politics, and other societal issues, topped with a global pandemic that has been going on for almost two years now. Luckily, everyone has a chance to be called a hero. All they need to do is follow the script and deliver what it asks. Those who do otherwise are automatically cast as villains.
The ad-lib of Revolution
Andres Bonifacio, a messenger and a housekeeper from a poor family in Manila took arms and fought the Spanish forces in our country over a century ago. Along with the Katipunan, a revolutionary society he led, Bonifacio bravely faced the Spaniards and ignited the fire of revolution, ultimately liberating our country from the colonizers. Attempts for a peaceful societal reform were made during the earlier days of the revolution. Ilustrados initially led a propaganda movement in the hopes of improving the socio-political and economic conditions of the Filipinos’ lives by showing the real situation experienced by the Filipinos. Despite sticking to the script, the movement failed to achieve its goal of better life conditions, replacement of Spanish friars by Filipino priests, and an equal footing for the Spaniards and the Filipinos in the eyes of law. The Spanish friars successfully stopped the Ilustrados’ attempts through their power and influence. From that moment, Bonifacio knew that as long as the Spaniards remained in power over the country, a legal move would never be able to liberate the Filipinos from the colonizers. He decided to take arms and spark the revolution. Bonifacio is our country’s hero — but he did not follow the script.
Today’s Crises
As soon as Duterte rose in power, many have hoped for genuine change since he opened doors in solving the societal ills. Yet it was a failure as time progressed since bloodshed and disorder loomed in impoverished areas that were once promised to be given immediate change by the populist leader. Duterte, who acted as a good samaritan prior to him bagging the position, just showed who he really is serving for and definitely, it was never for the masses. In these times of political and social turmoil, many Filipinos have followed Bonifacio’s impromptu and turned away from the screenplay. Some farmers who lost lands to till, changed their arms from sickle to guns to fight the system that oppresses them. Student leaders and activists take the streets to resist the attacks from state forces, organize the masses and assert Filipinos’ rights as citizens and as beings. Workers have taken the picket lines notwithstanding what future awaits them to demand for humane working conditions. Yet, these people will never be recognized as heroes — not in this movie’s sequel, not in this movie’s script, not in this cinema called Society, and definitely not in the camera lens of this administration. The moment they deviated from the script, they had already named themselves the villains of this film directed by dictators, fascists, and lapdogs of imperial powers.
A Villain Origin Story
For the past years, more and more people have been very vocal about the social and political situations in our country. Several groups and sectors have been asking for accountability from the government because of its failed pandemic response that forced millions of Filipinos to suffer inside their homes. The outcome of their incapacity for the past six years was also put in the spotlight as people became more critical of the news and information they consume on different media platforms. Nothing can cover up the stench of the administration’s incompetence that have put the country in this spiral. But, being the directors that they are, they respond to these criticisms by twisting the narratives in an attempt to save their faces. Instead of actually listening to the people, the government turns their resistance against them, while dismissing the important calls they bring. People who stand up against the anti-poor and anti-people policies and acts performed by the administration are being tagged as rebels who threaten the security of the state. Some are being intimidated by the people of authority, some have become political prisoners, and some have been silenced, literally and figuratively. These people will never have their chance to reappear in this film and will only have their names noticed on the after credits once this movie has ended. Instead of owning up to their shortcomings, actually doing something about the people’s concerns, and trying to be real heroes for the Filipino people for once, they just create their own antagonists in this narrative that they manipulate — a poor attempt at scrapping the villain origin story in this movie.
Only through the Revolution
History is a testament that these people deemed as heroes are truly the villains in Society. For more than centuries of ruling the nation, legitimate calls of civil society and the marginalized were put at the backseat and worse, when the rulers’ narratives are challenged, they don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. The people have always been involved in democratic processes through voting and elections, but throughout the years, the parliamentary remains as the bailiwick of criminals, murderers, and enablers of the suffering of the people. Rulers until the current regime may have participated in peace processes among the so-called villains, yet always ending with unresolved agreement as elites would never give up their wealth for the people. This strongly indicates that societal ills that indefinitely plagues the Filipino people cannot in any way be solved through elections nor dialogues. Reflecting after more than a century, Bonifacio’s decision to choose the path less traveled remains relevant. A lot have risked their lives and bite the bullet as it is the sole choice the society has to offer, yet they are still branded as the antagonist especially today. The state wages terrorist-tagging through the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force To End Local Communist Insurgency) that, throughout its establishment, have only proven to create false narratives of fake surrenderees and redbaits and does trumped-up charges against those fighting even in the legal sphere. This just proves that deviating from the script is justified. While this narrative is continuously being demonized in the mainstream by imperialist and local comprador directors, Bonifacio’s resistance reminds the people that for them to be able to resist the status quo, the legal arena can never be the avenue. It is and will only be through a revolution can we reclaim a narrative where the directors of Society are the masses themselves.
kahel AY DATING /asulpulakahel KUNG PAANONG ANG
NINA GWYNETH CRUZ AT JOANNA HONASAN
Meet Maria Gastadora De Makapili— Shopee Platinum Member, harbinger ng zero balance sa wallet matapos mag-shopping, aka Ms. Bet-Ko-BuyKo-Hindi-Na-Need-Pag-isipan: the representation of all the marupoks sa 12.12 sales at may master eyesight sa rare items. Tambak ang cellphone niya ng sandamakmak na notifications ng Shopee at Lazada, at textmate na rin niya ng mga riders ng J&T, Shopee Express, at Lazada Express!
“Order po for Ma’am Maria…Isa pong 895, isang 2,700, at ‘yung isa po bayad na!” Nagmamadaling lumabas si Maria suot ang pambahay niyang terno na pinatungan ng Winnie the Pooh niyang tuwalya. Kagigising lang kasi niya and in her defense, naghilamos naman na siya, at sapat na yun para maging fresh siya temporarily due to no ligo. Binayaran na niya ang mga order at nagpa-cute pa noong pinicture-an siya for proof of delivery.
“Hoy, María Gastadora De Makapili! Pang-ilang order mo na ‘yan sa linggong ito!?” Dire-diretso lang siyang umakyat sa kwarto niya matapos i-disinfect ‘yung parcels. Kailangan na rin ata niyang i-charge ‘yung cellphone niya dahil umiinit na ito. ‘Yung malaarmalite na sermon ng nanay niya? Immune na siya roon. Araw-arawin ba naman niya pag-order, eh di arawaraw din siyang natatalsikan ng laway ni mudra. Literal na shower of love! Excited niyang in-unbox ang mga parcels. Katatapos lang naman daw kasi niyang mag-exam at gumawa ng requirements kaya deserve na deserve niya ito. Exclusive photocard ni Bang Chan? Album ng Got7? Lightstick ng BlackPink? ALL CHECK! Bawal pabebe kapag mga bias niya ang pinaguusapan, periodt. Kasalanan din talaga ito ng JYP at YG dahil bukod sa sobrang nakaka-engganyo ang mga merch, parati ring may comeback ‘yung mga grupo nila! Pero ayos lang; ang mahalaga, wala siyang inaapakang tao. Peace of mind din ang dulot ng mga ito sa kaniya. Tinitigan niya ang mga ito at dinisplay na sa cabinet niyang puro merch ng kaniyang favorite K-Pop groups. Nakakawala talaga ito ng stress na parang magic. Dolomite beach pero make it a sosyal and Korean-based version, pampa-improve ng mental health! Matapos kumalma (Paano kakalma kung inuwian ka ng isang Bang Chan at Jackson Wang?), napatitig si Maria Gastadora sa kaniyang pader na puno ng posters at napangiti nang makita ang katas ng kaniyang ipon mula sa sidelines. Ngunit habang napapatulala siya, unti-unting nabura ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi. Sa kabila ng napakarami niyang posters ay dama pa rin ni Maria Gastadora ang malalim na puwang sa kaniyang puso. Winaksi na lamang niya ang mga naiisip at kinuha na ang cellphone niya sa istante nang muntik na siyang mapabitaw rito. Hala, halos magliyab na sa init ang phone niya at ayaw nito tumigil mag-vibrate! Ding, ding, ding! Umaapaw ang walang humpay na notifications ng magkumareng Lazada’t Shopee and 99 others. Naku, mag-e-expire na pala ‘yung sitewide free shipping voucher niya; sayang kasi!
Halos atakihin siya sa puso nang binulabog siya ng biglaang pagtugtog ng remix jingle ng Shopee at Lazada, na sinabayan pa ng walang tigil na ding, ding ding! ng kaniyang phone. Enjoy up to 95% off daw, don’t miss out daw—hala! Nagpanting ang tainga ni Maria Gastadora dahil sa halohalong ingay kasabay ng halo-halong emosyon. Pawang kahel at asul na lamang ang tumakbo sa utak niya. Bago tuluyang lumabo ang kaniyang paningin dulot ng kaba’t pagkalito, nahagip ng paningin niya ang larawan nila ng kaniyang tatay noong bata pa siya. Biglang napaisip si Maria. Hindi naman siya ganito dati, inaasar pa nga siya kasi sobrang kuripot niya: nagbabaon sa school at hindi talaga siya gagastos kung hindi naman kailangan. Ano nga bang nagbago? Dati, pula pa ang mundo niya. Kahit gipit, nariyan pa ‘yung nagbibigay sa kaniya ng mga regalo kada ika-25 ng Disyembre, saktong alas-dose. Pula ang kaniyang mga Pasko noon—maligaya’t puno ng pagmamahal at regalo. Lahat ng mahahalagang kaganapan sa kaniyang buhay ay damang-dama niya ang mainit na pagkalinga ng kaniyang ama. Pula pa ang Pasko noong mga panahong kasa-kasama siya ng ama sa mga pagpupulong ng kanilang unyon sa trabaho. Nanariwa sa kaniyang alaala ang nag-aalab na pananaw ng kaniyang ama tungkol sa mundo— kung paanong pumapabor lamang ito sa may kapangyarihan; kung paanong ipinagkakait ng kapitalista ang kita habang ginagatasan nito ang mamimili. Ngayon, napakahirap tanggapin ang malamig na realidad na siya’y binawi na sa kaniya. Sumagi tuloy sa kaniyang isip ang naging aksyon ng gobyerno noong itinala ang unang kaso ng COVID-19. Dahil sa pandemya, kung naging maagap lang sana, kung ipinasara agad mga flights sa bansa… hindi sana…
Hindi sana nawala ang kaniyang tatay. Maraming pagbabago ang kinailangang harapin at gawin ni Maria, dahil kailangan niyang humarap sa sarili niyang new normal dulot ng pandemya at ng pagkawala ng kaniyang tatay. Ang new normal niya ay nababalot ng dilim, kaya’t marahil isang paraan upang ibalik ang kulay sa kaniyang buhay ang online shopping. Hindi man ito pula, ngunit kulay na rin ang kahel at asul. Nag-iba man ang panlabas na kulay ng kinikilala niyang Pasko, unti-unti namang nabubuhay sa loob ni Maria Gastadora ang ipinamanang “pula” ng kaniyang yumaong ama. Bitbit nito ang nag-aalab niyang pagkauhaw sa hustisya’t pagmamahal sa bayan lulan ng pabaong aral ng ama sa kaniya. Isa itong buhay na patunay na hindi pa rito natatapos ang laban sa kabikabilang kawalang-hustisyang patuloy na nararanasan sa pandemya—lalo na kung sinasamantala ito ng iba’t ibang kumpanya. Ang mga naghaharinguri na ito ay walang ginawa kung hindi pakinabangan ang kahinaan ng kanilang nasasakupan. Di nagtagal ay tumigil na rin ang ingay sa paligid ni Maria. Nawala na rin ang mga umaalingawngaw na notifs sa kaniyang kwarto, at nag-restart ang kaniyang cellphone. Mainit-init pa rin ito, ngunit mukhang gumagana na. Binuksan ni Maria ang Gallery at nagscroll siya nang nag-scroll hanggang sa makarating siya sa huling larawan na kasama niya ang ama. Tinitigan niya ito ng matagal bago siya pumikit.
Sa nalalapit na Pasko, gusto ko lang maranasang muli na mabigyan mo ng regalo…Tatay. Makakatulog na sana si Maria pero may narinig siya na nagpagising sa kaniyang diwa.
Tao po! Delivery po para kay Maria…galing kay Tatay!
NINA MICHAELA DELA CRUZ AT GUINEVERE DELA MERCED
Welcome to Panlasang Isko! Choz. Ito na naman tayo muli sa panibagong hanash ng Lola n’yo pero this time, hindi tayo magchichikahan — chef mode tayo today! Wala man akong maisisingit na ampao sa inyong mga bulsa this season, I’ll share some tips kung pa’no n’yo mas mapapasarap ang inyong Media Noche para parepareho tayong lucky this upcoming year. Ready na ba kayo? Alright, let’s begin!
Pancit Bihon: Da Mighty, Da Long, Da Healthy Hindi mawawala ang ating unang handa for New Year, ang ating pambansang pampahaba ng life—”Ang Pancit!” Wala namang strict rules sa paggawa ng perfect pancit, kanya-kanyang estilo ‘yan depende sa pakulo ng angkan n’yo. However, pancit is best appreciated kapag maraming sahog, ‘yung tipong hindi tinipid ang pagkakaluto. Generous, ganern! Syempre, sino ba naman magiging mas G para sa darating na transition sa face-to-face classes kung halos lahat ng bigat ay papasanin ng mga estudyante. Walang siguradong pagtitirhan ang mga estudyante mula sa malalayong provinces. Check. Hindi malinaw na kung free ba ang magiging rapid tests na required sa mga babalik na students. Check. Para kang nagluto ng pancit na kinulang sa sahog, hindi magiging solid ang lasa ng F2F classes na mas kulang-kulang ang suporta at plano para sa mga mag-aaral. At dahil good health and long life ang goal nating lahat, mas magiging magaan siguro ang pagbabalik eskwela ng mga estudyante kung may talagang matutulungan ng admin ang mga estudyante na maabot ito with low cost as much as possible. 12 Bilog na Prutas: Gotta Have ‘Em All! Hindi raw magiging kumpleto ang swerteng papasok sa inyong kabahayan kapag kinulang sa isang dosenang prutas ang ihahanda para sa Bagong Taon. Sabi nila ang good luck na dala ng isang prutas ay katumbas ng isang buwan. Gaya ng ganitong tradisyon, hindi rin magiging kumpleto ang paghahanda ng F2F classes kung ang tanging may malinaw na plano lamang ay ang mga nasa medical courses. Hindi tuluyang papasok ang swerte kung mapag-iiwanan ang mga estudyante mula sa Arts and Sciences sa loob ng kanilang mga tahanan habang ang ibang kolehiyo ay nakakabalik na sa kanilang mga silid-aralan.
Mga Kakanin: Not One, But More Hindi limitado sa iisang kakanin ang dapat sinasama sa hapag-kainan tuwing kinagabihan ng Disyembre 31. Mas mainam kung may present na kalamay, maja blanca, sapin-sapin, o biko. Dapat maraming opsyon. Kagaya ng sa darating na mga semestre. Hindi dapat nakakulong lamang sa iisang setup ang mga estudyante. Kung papayagan man magkaroon ng pagbabalik-eskwela, hindi dapat tuluyang buwagin ang online learning lalo na’t may ilang estudyante ang mahihirapang makabalik agad sa F2F setup (may ilang nagtatrabaho na, may responsibilidad sa bahay na mahirap iwanan). Iba’t Ibang Klase ng Alak: A Battle of Tolerance Hindi maaaring makalimutan ang mga inumin na iba’t iba ang punch, lalo na kung ilang oras na lang ay Bagong Taon na. Magpapalit na naman ng kalendaryo pero mukhang may hangover pa sa mga planong hindi naman naipatupad, at mga drinking habits na hindi pa rin inaayos. Sa darating na semestre, ‘wag sana nilang lasingin ang mga estudyante sa bugsobugsong requirements, assignments, projects, at exams na ang deadline ay mamayang 11:59 na. Lalo na kung itutuloy pa rin ang online setup bilang option sa mga estudyanteng nasa malalayong probinsya’t hindi maaaring isaalang-alang ang kaligtasan ng pamilya. Sa usapang pagbabalik eskwela, sana’y hindi maging padalosdalos ang desisyon ng nakatataas lulan ng espiritu ng alak. Kailangan nilang maging sober sa pagsisiwalat ng mga hakbang kung paano makakamtan ang F2F setup, with the lowest risks possible.
Lechon: Star for diz Seazon Para sa bida ng Media Noche, heto na ang lechon na umuusok sa init at kasing-tingkad ng kumikinang na bituin ang kabuuan. Talaga namang mapaparami ng kain dahil sa juicy nitong laman, crispylicious na balat na isasawsaw pa sa homemade at malinamnam na sarsa. Sino ba naman tayo para tumanggi sa grasya, ‘di ba?
Pero bago ang simpleng baboy to top tier lechon development, sumailalim muna ito sa iba’t ibang proseso. Bawat hakbang ay talaga namang matrabaho at matagal gawin, kasing tagal ng nabigay na panahon sa administrasyon upang paghandaan ang F2F setup, ngunit wala pa rin silang nailalapag na malinaw at kongkretong plano. Nariyan ang paninigurado na generous ang amount ng mga pampalasa, katulad ng pagbibigay impormasyon ng mga posibleng tirhan ng mga estudyante, free rapid tests at other COVID-19 essentials, maging ang mga bakuna na kinakailangan. Kapag natimplahan na ang baboy, dapat pantay ang pagkakalagay ng marinated sauce habang niluluto na ito—hindi dapat nakasentro sa mga white colleges lamang ang application sa F2F kahit pa sabihing walang lab classes ang mga estudyante mula sa College of Arts and Sciences. Mas matututo sila kung makikita nila ang mga teorya na kanilang pinag-aaralan sa totoong buhay. Dahil lechon ang putahe, hindi ibig sabihin na baboy lang ang gagamiting main ingredient lalo na kung may manok naman at iba’t ibang estilo ng pagluluto nito. Maraming option and choices para makahakot ng mga suki. Isa itong paalala na dapat bigyang konsiderasyon ng administrasyon ng UP Manila ang mga sitwasyon ng mga estudyante’t umaksyon base sa mga nakitang factors. Sa pag-iihaw, mas maganda kung i-mo-monitor ang pagkaluto ng lechon upang maiwasan ang pagiging undercooked o overcooked nito. Saktong timpla, saktong init ng apoy, saktong paglalagay ng sauce ang kailangan. Katulad din ng saktong requirements, saktong araw para sa mga deadlines, at saktong pagtimbang ng mga pros and cons ng pinaplanong ligtas na balik-eskwela habang in-aadjust ang online setup. Tamang timpla, tamang desisyon, tamang hakbang para sa award-winning na lechon at equipped na mga Iskolar ng Bayan. At diyan nagtatapos ang aming listahan ng mga magandang ihanda ngayong darating na Bagong Taon sa hapag ng bawat Isko’t Iskang nakaabang para sa mga darating na semestre. To top it all up, para mas bongga ang pagpasok ng swerte, huwag kalimutan na magsuot ng polka dots at ihanda ang mga pampaingay (para gisingin ang nasa itaas). At higit sa lahat, huwag n’yong tulugan ang mga estudyante—este, ANG BAGONG TAON! Happy New Year everyone!
RED
THE MANILA COLLEGIAN’S VERSION
BY GWYNETH CRUZ AND JOANNA HONASAN
“It’s supposed to be fun, turning 21…” Everyone talks about love like it’s glitz and glamour, but no one dares to expose the stinging pain that stubbornly stays after. And don’t get me started when people painted me as the “bad guy”: a “slut” with a long list of ex-lovers, an “artist” who only sings about heartbreaks, an “awardee” who was humiliated by a drunk celebrity, and a “singer-songwriter” who was denied of her masters by the very people she trusted the most. My life’s pretty f*cked up, don’t you think? One exhausted me of everything I can give knowing I love hard, while the other battered me like a doll knowing I will still succumb to his rules. And now they both wanted me back like nothing happened, like they did not fool me, like they did not hurt me.
I Knew You Were Trouble
Once upon a time and a few mistakes ago, sheer desperation brought me into their arms. They were neither warm nor comforting, but they were arms nonetheless. The state I was in made me view them in kaleidoscope lenses, naively trusting the flashing colors despite recognizing a shiny blade underneath.
After all, who could resist the charms of Marco, who was rumored to run various infrastructure projects, brought peace and prosperity to the country, appreciated the arts, and rebuilt the broken? Being with him stirred something awry in my gut, but it didn’t matter when his hands fit around mine. No, not when he said that our years together felt like the “peak” of our lives. Not even when I realized the look in his eyes everytime I’d help him reach his far-fetched dreams.
Despite knowing the reason why we didn’t work out, I still fell into the same spell. Enter Rody, a living wildfire and the talk of the town with his humor and promises. He may not have the looks, but they said that he’s a “man of action”—one who could shed blood in the name of “peace.” His grasp felt just as rough as Marco’s, especially when he taught me how to shoot a gun. He was thrilling, even when I felt shivers down my spine when he talked me down. It didn’t matter.
All Too (H)ell
I remembered it all too well. They manipulated me into thinking that “love” was traumatic, deceitful, and parasitic—a deprivation of myself and my future. Marco was your typical sweet guy with riches. But what made me fall for him was his knack for management, a virtuoso who was a genius in orchestrating people by the flick of his fingers—even me. He gave me a “golden age,” the best years of my life documented in the song I wrote on my bedroom floor at 3 am. He gave me a rose, the brightest of all shades of red with a slender body. And I should have known back then that those missing thorns were mine. That this was his way of ruining me and cutting my dreams while maintaining the facade of a caring lover. I should have known that before those lips rested a venom of all sorts, underneath those promises basked a thousand plans to cripple me, and beneath those I love yous lied a curse that I had to carry for years. I did not notice until I experienced the betrayal first hand and saw the truth I kept on ignoring: Marco was not a hero—he was a robber and I was his unknowing victim. Rody, on the other hand, was religious. I remembered him crying his heart out in front of his mother’s grave, hands tightly clasped over while everyone was watching. At that moment, I really felt his authenticity like the fresh air of summer akin to my life’s winter. He showered me with lovely kisses, until they became hickeys, then purple bruises, shallow scratches, and then monstrous scars all over my body. And when I cried because of the excruciating pain, he would always pull off that guilty look that made me want to forget about what he did. But came June, his true colors emerged. He would bombard me with profanities whenever he was angry or in a bad mood, touch me maliciously and without consent in public, humiliate me with remarks and rape jokes in front of our colleagues, and f*ck me emotionally and mentally—over and over again—until I was nothing but a lifeless frame. Rody was not a savior—he was a murderer and I was almost another cold case.
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
After I managed to get out of my relationships with Marco and Rody, I was never the same. The first few months after each break-up felt like a hellhole, a type of suffocating pain that runs on every fiber of my being, replaying the scenes before the unwilling conclusion. I could not recall how many times my fingers hovered over the names of my ex-lovers, as it took everything in me not to call them. After all, no one ever said that being right would break what was left in me, that knowing the best required sacrificing my happiness, that I needed to relive the edges of my thorns to fully bloom. I was not ready to move on from the “love” that I wanted to cherish, to leave the people I once vowed to have a future with.
I was not ready, but I needed to. And this choice led me to the love I keep giving to everyone but not myself, to the love I owe to the person I was in the past after negating my worth. It took me years of toxic mornings and isolation, of endless crying, of maladaptive mechanisms and burning acceptance. Some days lingered with emptiness, while some overflowed with euphoria. I had to painstakingly unlearn that I needed to suffer in order to be truly free, that I needed to die in order to live. I was broken, but this time, it did not have to hurt anymore.
Begin Again
I took a deep breath in the mirror, clutching my notebook tightly—after all, it holds the wretched truths behind Marco and Rody’s idea of “love.” Their attempt to come back to our lives is nothing but a shameful scheme so that they could win over us lovers, who have been stripped off of everything. It is a desperate venture of both tyrants to denude us of our identity and rights yet again. Once they milk us off, they will leave unscathed like thieves in the night. My lyrics bleed through its pages because they embody my thirst for justice and the resentment that pools in my chest. They burn bright red against the beats, both a warning and a declaration forever etched in my music. It is a warning against those who dare manipulate and toy us like we are mere puppets; it boldly declares to put an end to such treatment.
This album, RED, may be about heartbreaks but it is also a sign of a new beginning. And it will burn for as long as we want to, as long as we live.
LAKBAY ARAL
Pulang damit na may “Serve The People”
NI MALAYA FRANCISCO
Noong katapusan ng Nobyembre, binaybay namin ang daan patungong Rotonda para sa isang protestang komemorasyon sa ika-158 na kaarawan ng rebolusyonaryong bayaning si Andres Bonifacio. Suot ko ang aking pulang t-shirt na may malaking sulat sa harap na “Serve The People.” Gawaing midya ang pinunta ko roon pero syempre, kaakibat ng pagsusulat ang paglilingkod sa masa at pakikiisa sa kanilang laban sa inhustisya. Subalit noong araw na iyon, hindi lang kulay dilaw ang takaw pansin. Sa biyahe pa lamang papunta, pansin ko na ang pagtahimik ng drayber nang makita ang suot-suot kong damit. Nang nakikita na ang bulto ng mga tulad ko’y nakapula ring makikiisa sa protesta, narinig ko ang pagsabi nya ng “Mga NPA talaga.” Kahit sa karaniwang tao ay nakatatanggap ang mga aktibista ng pangre-red-tag. Walang habas ang ginagawang pangre-red-tag ng gobyerno sa mga kritiko nito kaya naman hindi na nakapagtataka na naipapasok ang ganitong ideya sa kanyang nasasakupan. Ang gobyernong dapat na nagpapalaganap ng katotohanan ay puro kabalastugan at kasinungalingan ang ipinapasok sa isip ng mamamayan. Gusto ko sanang sagutin ang pasaring ni kuyang drayber subalit kailangang ipreserba ang enerhiya para sa posibilidad ng mas malaking laban— naduwag na naman kasi ang rehimeng Duterte. Hindi lang mga pulis na may hawak na pamalo ang nakabantay sa lugar, nakahanda na rin ang malalaking trak ng tubig at mga bombero na kahit anong sandali ay maaaring bombahin ang mga tao para paalisin. Bahag ang buntot ng papet na pamahalaan at mga pwersa nito sa nagkakaisang hanay ng masang binubusabos at mga sektor na lumalaban. Nang magkaroon ng pagkakataong pumwesto sa hanay ng kapulisan upang kumuha ng larawan, narinig ko ang pasaring ng isang pulis sa mga tibak na nasa harap niya, “Nakapula kayo. BBM [supporters] pala kayo.” Iba rin talaga ang nagagawa ng eleksyon sa pagbabago ng depinisyon ng isang kulay. Nagkakaroon bigla ng koneksyon ang isang kandidato sa kulay na kanyang suot. Ngunit bago pa man suutin ng anak ng diktador na si Bongbong Marcos ang pula, suot-suot na iyon ng mga manggagawa tuwing Mayo Uno, gamitgamit na iyon ng mga aktibista upang mapatampok ang mga isyung panlipunan at kanilang mga panawagan. Hindi si Bongbong o kahit sinong kandidato ang nirerepresenta ng kulay pula kundi ang nag-aalab na pagibig ng isang Pilipino para sa kaniyang bayan. Ang pag-ibig na ito ang nagtutulak sa kanya upang makibaka para sa isang malaya at makatarungang bansa. Kahit sa pagtatapos ng programa, hindi pa rin humupa ang epekto ng pula. Pagpasok kasi sa isang sikat na fast food, kita ko agad ang pagtitig ng mga service crew at pag-uusap sa naganap na protesta. Grabe raw ang naidulot na traffic at imbis daw na magtrabaho, nanggulo lang. Maliit na sakripisyo lamang ang pagbagal ng trapiko at ang naganap na protesta ay hindi panggulo. Kung sakaling mapakinggan ang panawagang pagtaas ng sahod, sila ay makikinabang din. Mapakikinabangan ng lahat ng pinagsasamantalahang sektor ang mga panawagan sa protesta. Mahirap mang intindihin ang paraan ng paghahayag, ang mas mahalagang dapat tingnan ay ang nilalaman ng walang kapagurang pagsigaw sa kalsada para sa interes ng api. Madaling magbitiw ng mga salita at manghusga ngunit ang maintindihan ang isang adhikain ay isang prosesong nilalaanan ng pakikinig, malalimang pananaliksik, pag-aanalisa, at kagustuhang matuto sa kasaysayan ng pakikibaka. Mabuti na lang, kasama ko sa pagko-cover ang aking jowa at mga kakolektib. Hindi ako nangamba na ako’y mag-iisa. Kaya sa tingin ko ay ganoon na lamang din ang tapang na ipinapakita ng mga tibak tuwing may rally—alam kasi nila na hindi sila kailanman mag-iisa. Hangga’t kakampi nila ang masa, hinding-hindi sila mabibigo sa kahit anong laban. Hangga’t nananaig ang pag-ibig para sa bayan, magpapatuloy ang paglaban ng sambayanang Pilipino, hanggang ang mga salot sa lipunan ay mabigo. Ang pulang damit na may “Serve The People” ay suot ng isang taong lubos ang pag-ibig at paglilingkod sa sambayanan, buhay man ay handang ialay. Mapakikinabangan ng lahat ng pinagsasamantalahang sektor ang mga panawagan sa protesta.
CHRONICALLY ILL
Rethinking Service Agreement
NI LLOYD JETENDER TABUNO MANANGO
The call to “serve the people” carries with it the long history of struggle for a better world—a fight in which UP students have long served in the forefront. Of their own free will, students have left their relative comforts to offer genuine service in the most far-flung communities, providing education, healthcare, and other volunteer work. Although this quintessential UP maxim certainly means different things to different people, only the UP Manila (UPM) administration has bastardized “service” to justify a restrictive, profit-oriented policy. UPM Chancellor Padilla recently renewed their commitment to the Return Service Agreement (RSA) amid student petitions for its suspension. The said policy, which requires students from “white colleges” to work in the Philippines for a minimum of two years after graduation, has come under fire for its exploitative conditions. Breaking the contract entails a hefty fee upwards of a million pesos—higher than the tuition fee for a 4-year course in private schools, and infinitely more expensive than the promised “free education” in public universities. While there are some ways for students to settle their penalty without paying, they are hidden behind bureaucratic processes and still require the full amount as collateral. RSA is a symptom of state neglect in both healthcare and education. Through this coercive measure, UPM seeks to address the lack of healthcare professionals in the country. The irony of surplus in graduates and shortage in professionals—napakaraming nars dito sa amin…nag-a-abroad sila, as the song goes—is the “brain drain” RSA claims to alleviate. It is as if Filipino healthcare professionals are not pushed overseas by dismal working conditions, low pay, and the labor export policy of the government. Mandatory service in the neglected health sector is downright exploitative, if not completely futile. After the two-year return service minimum, if the root causes of brain drain persist, Filipino healthcare workers will continue to migrate in search of greener pastures. Chronically low funding impairs UP’s capability to serve as an educational institution. Exclusivity in UP, marked by its low acceptance rate, is rooted more in resource scarcity than its selection of the “cream of the crop”. Once admitted, students have to compete again for limited subject slots every enrollment season, and have to settle with substandard facilities and equipment. This problem arguably affects UPM the most out of all UP constituent universities. Apart from its responsibilities as a university, it also has to shoulder the cost of the country’s premier public tertiary hospital: the Philippine General Hospital. Budget problems force UPM to adopt money-making schemes such as the RSA. Like a private institution, it bills the cost of renovations, construction of new facilities, and other expenses to students. RSA enthusiasts are too caught up in the “service” aspect to recognize their support of the commercialization of public education. Upholding the RSA shows not only UPM’s willful ignorance of the plague it inflicts on students, but also its betrayal of the supposed nationalist character of UP education. It is evident that UP has no confidence in the capability of its curriculum to inspire community service. Even with opposition from the student body, the RSA is far more appealing for the administration than just opting for more community-oriented subjects in its programs. On the bright side, the lack of pro-people education potentially shields UP from malicious red-tagging attacks. How can UP be a “breeding ground” for NPA fighters when it cannot even ensure that their graduates will serve the country after graduation? UPM should be reminded of the history of unconditional service undertaken by students long before the RSA. It is possible to cultivate community service without a contract, especially in a campus in the middle of poverty-stricken Ermita. The administration should forgo its tokenistic and twisted approach to “serve the people” in favor of a truly nationalist education. In doing so, it can instill values of genuine service to its students while rendering the RSA redundant in the process.
NOW SERVING
Koloseo: Adobado
NI GREGORIO LAKANBAKOD
Many would argue that the Filipino identity tastes bland. By stripping ourselves of our colonial influences, our bare skin underneath was reputedly revealed to be nothing more than rudimentary ingredients that, when combined, are still several items short of the recipe for ‘nationhood’. Indeed, the Western powers who came and went by have written most of this recipe for us. They drew ink from the blood of our ancestors. The flesh and bone of those who fought in Mactan were both the first pages to be filled and the first ingredients to be added. For a long while, such was the condition of the Filipino that it seemingly drowned under the thickening colonial stew. And now, the pot has been stirred for five centuries. What has been prepared out of us? There is perhaps no other Filipino dish that is as quintessential as adobo. For although its name was given by Spain, the rest was undeniably indigenous. Adobo served as a symbol of union of the East and West, a bridge between the native and colonial. It is a circumnavigation of flavors that continued to encircle the world long after Lapu-Lapu last treaded the shores of Mactan. Its shelf life, which is far longer than most dishes, bears witness to the history of the Filipino people. Likewise, it is also a reflection of our identity. Adobo’s usual brown hue mirrors our skin. Kayumanggi cements our race to the world, as well the fertile lands from which we were born, fed, and raised. It is the flesh that comprises the bulk of the meal. We marked tattoos of honor, etched scars of valor, and wore rich garments on the brown skin that gave us a distinct face, one that rivaled the long reign of Western, porcelain-white beauty. And just as soy sauce preserved adobo, so, too, will kayumanggi preserve our humanity for as long as we thrive. Many would try to disrobe us of our color but they always try in vain. For deep within, vinegar runs like blood. But however pure as it seems, it is not a substance to be underestimated. Anyone who was foolish enough to dip themselves in our waters would receive the stinging pain of bravery fermented by the ages. And from bravery, came the laurels. Not only did these leaves diffuse an otherworldly aroma to adobo but it also crowned victory on our ancestors. It was the final touch fitting for any noble endeavor. The past five hundred years was a history of struggle. The Battle of Mactan was not the first and definitely not the last crucible that tested our mettle. As of writing, modern-day Ferdinand Magellan’s continue to hoist their sails in a circumnavigation far more aggressive than those waged in 1521. At the face of such threats, is the Filipino ready to be feasted upon again? Not this time. Colonizers may have simmered us in their fire, but they will never serve us on their tables.
POWER ELITE
The Offense of our Defense
NI BIANCA BALDEMOR
Now that 2021 is nearing its end, a new year looms around the corner – a promise of new beginnings, of safer mobility, of collective healing. However, as early as now, plans for resource management are slowly gaining ground. Early this year, it has been announced that the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) will receive 222 billion pesos in the largest ever proposed national budget for 2022. The defense sector is gaining support, but in the Philippine context, its true essence is debatable. As the budget allocation for the Department of National Defense increases, do the Filipino constituents feel more defended and protected? Let’s look back on the role of our defense department. What lies in its core is the mandate to “guarantee Philippine security” and be a “reliable partner” in national development. In fact, the internalized duty “to serve and protect” furthers the defense department’s reputation as our country’s steward for safeguarding traditional security. In another perspective, however, it cannot be denied that the defense department is also the state’s instrument to repress. As a repressive state apparatus, it operates primarily by means of mental and physical coercion, and (manifest or latent) violence. Comprising that of the army, the police, the judiciary, and the prison system, the defense department has always been endowed with the ‘soft power’ to influence how justice should be served. Their codified mandate looks good on paper, but it can only tell so little about how the institution really fares in reality. In the middle of the pandemic, how does our “defense” department work? Under the Duterte administration, could it be justified that we feed the purse of these repressive state apparatuses, at the expense of tightening the coffers of the more relevant agencies in these trying times? First of all, let’s look at the Police. Behind the calls of #AllCopsAreBad and #PulisAngTerorista are genuine victims of police brutality and the macho-feudal approach that reeks of spite. The year 2021 was marked with the news that a cop who was “apparently drunk” killed a 52-year-old woman. The year 2021 can be remembered as that year which ramped up the number of state-sponsored killings by a whopping 50% during the pandemic. Who do the people call when the police murders? Secondly, let’s look at the Military. The persistent push for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Act which entails “the development and employment of certain capabilities that can address the assessed threats” only jeopardized this government’s priorities, favoring #SolusyongMilitar over #SolusyongMedikal when it’s blatantly obvious that the real threat is the coronavirus contagion. This regard of our military personnel to be “productive forces” serving the people is but an unfair preference that shifts reforms away from the true “productive forces” – the farmers, the workers, the frontliners – that the country needs the most support of. Last but not the least, we have the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), one of the most bustling institutions of defense. In 2022, the government expenditure plan reveals that the budget will be less for COVID, but more for NTF-ELCAC. If anything, what this task force was able to strengthen was the “bounty system”, instead of our “security system.” They are rewarded based on the influx of fake rebel surrenderees, a dangerous targeting initiative that furthers the money-milking nature of NTFELCAC but harms the otherwise innocent Filipinos. The aggravating trend of red-tagging is what they propagate – a deliberate misbranding of the people that they endanger rather than protect. Duterte’s distorted vision to raise our uniformed men at a level “commensurate to the critical role they play in upholding national security and maintaining order” advances his personal cause, but not the calls of his people. He is increasing the budget for a defense department that works for his whims, and not for the ideals of the ailing Filipinos. Almost two years after the pandemic has elapsed, yet the Filipino constituents are faced with the threat of being penalized out of the deprivation and repression that our “defense” department propagates in the first place. We asked for defense, but we received multiple offenses – against our rights, our safety, and our sovereignty. It’s about time for us to stand up and demand the defense that has long been taken away from us. The genuine defense that we Filipinos need, fundamentally, a reinforcement that the fault is not in our rights.
DEFEND UP
NI MARIANNE DE JESUS
Patuloy ang pagyurak sa karapatang pantao sa ilalim ng madugong rehimeng Duterte. Sa kasagsagan ng taong 2021, ang mga galamay ni Duterte’y pilit na ipinagpawalang-bisa ang UP-DND Accord upang bigyang pahintulot ang mga militar na pasukin ang pamantasan. Matatandaan na ilang buwan bago ito nangyari, niratsada naman sa Kongreso ang Anti-Terror Law na ang tanging layunin lamang ay gawing ligal ang mga pag-aresto at paniniktik sa aktibista. Hindi na lingid sa kaalaman ng karamihan na ipinasa ang UP-DND Accord upang protektahan ang pamantasan laban sa mapang-abusong militar at kapulisan dahil sa kasaysayan nito ng pandurukot at pandarahas sa mga iskolar ng bayan. Ang pagdukot ng militar kanila Karen Empeno at Sherlyn Cadapan sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Palparan at ang patuloy na panreredtag sa mga lider-estudyante ng pamantasan ay patunay na walang mabuting maidudulot ang panghihimasok ng militar sa kampus.
Bagama’t nakapasa na sa Kongreso ang HB 10171, na naglalayong mas palakasin pa ang UP-DND Accord sa pamamagitan ng pag-institutionalize nito sa UP Charter, si Cavite 7th District Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla naman ay naghain ng motion for reconsideration kung kaya’t patuloy na nasasadlak sa bingit ang mga komunidad sa UP at ang pangkalahatang akademikong kalayaan ng mga institusyon. Bagong taon, ngunit hindi na bago ang mga taktika ng estado upang supilin ang mga progresibong grupo at patahimikin ang mga kritiko nito. Sa pag-aasam nilang mapuksa ang kalayaan ng mga mag-aaral, mas yayabong lamang ang mga pagkilos at pag-organisa. Hangga’t hindi nabibigyan ng hustisya ang mga biktima ng krimen ng estado, hangga’t walang tunay na pagbabago sa lipunan, hangga’t hindi naipamamahagi ang mga ninakaw na lupain ng mga panginoong maylupa sa kanayunan, at hangga’t hindi nalulutas ang suliranin na dekada nang rason ng kalugmukan ng mamamayang Pilipino, patuloy ang magiging paglaban ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas.
