Investiture at OMSC

I traveled back to memory lane while inside the Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC) campus attending the Student Teachers’ Investiture and Pinning Ceremony last Friday, October 25, 2013. My eldest daughter belongs to Section A of the college’s Teacher Education Batch 2014. Dr. Arnold N. Venturina, the SCC President II together with the TED faculty are all there to grace the occasion, so supportive of their students. Getting a cue from the inspirational message rendered by Dr. Rosalinda C. Gomez, the soon-to-retire Vice President for academic affairs, I am into thinking that the symbolic event is the donning of the mantle of responsibility with a pledge coming from the student teachers to dispense their duties to the best of their abilities. Ma’am Gomez compared them to sprinters who are already on the last lap of their scholastic race.

During the invocation, I said a little prayer for the student teachers that may they truly find an ever cooperative cooperating teacher that would thoroughly orient them to the new environment, plan with them for the teaching experience, review and provide feedback, evaluate their performance, among others.

While watching the whole ceremony unfolds before my very eyes noticing how misty were the eyes of many of the parents, during the candle lighting ceremony and the reciting of the pledge of commitment and the rest of the program, I came to know that it is indeed the most significant phase of life of a college student. It represents the bridge between professional preparation and professional practice. Student teaching is a period of guided teaching when the teacher candidate takes increasing responsibility for leading the school experiences of a group of learners over a period of consecutive weeks. 

The major goal of student teaching, I just realized, is to provide an opportunity for the student teacher to make practical applications of knowledge, learning principles, and techniques of teaching. They need the opportunity to experience the pressures of full-time teaching and the corresponding rewards (or even punishment) resulting from it. And in the end, the community will judge them. 

Yes, I took the same route way back in the late 80s but I nearly failed due to my involvement in student activism coupled with gallivanting. Without the intervention of my former English mentor, Ma'am Vicky G. Madayag, my adviser in our school paper, and my former girlfriend (also nicknamed Vicky) asking my instructor in Practice Teaching or Education 10 to give me a chance and rectify my errors (?), I could not gotten my diploma and was not able to get my licensure exam!

I got the biggest surprise of the night when Dr. Venturina before his speech mentioned my name, asked me to stand up along with a couple of alumni sitting behind our children. He referred to me as a “prolific writer”. By the way, Dr. Venturina, is my junior way back in high school, circa late 70s. People around us gave us a round of applause to which I feel a certain awkwardness. But it warmed my heart, nevertheless. The good President reminded the students of his 6Rs: Read, Recite, Recall, Rewind, Re-envigorate and and Renew. For him, the sum total of all these is renewal. He said, “When we renew ourselves, God gives us authority to share.”

But all her through her college life, I have only imparted a single “R” to my daughter, Rashida Anawim, pertaining to her studies. Read. Read up on teaching. While your training may introduce you to many good things, there is always more to learn. Since your father is always away, do not rely much on me with your lessons and assignments. That’s why whenever I travel to Manila, I always buy books and other reading materials for my children.

Saint Catherine, Patron Saint of Teachers, please do not bring their cooperating teacher into temptation of just treating these future teachers as errand boys and girls.….

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(Photo by: Yobhel Novio)

Little Things

The race is on for Barangay Elections on Monday and the candidates are all campaigning, doing little offenses that are against the rule and the Commission on Elections or COMELEC can do nothing much about it except giving stern warnings. Generally, people do not see it harmful or they simply do not pay attention to small things, come election or not. Giving liquors with election paraphernalia stuck on its bottle is an election offense but the people in general, especially those who love to wine and sing, see nothing wrong about it. They let it pass. Anyway, it is just a small thing, they say.

When I was a teenager, I was caught by my classmate peeing under a mango tree inside the campus and being the OD (Officer of the Day) she reprimanded me right after I am done. She rushed to another lady officer nearby and said, “Nahuli ko Ma’am, umiihi sa pader.” The latter just ignored her gesturing her to join her platoon and said, “Wala ‘yan. Maliit na bagay lang ‘yan.” Then I left the scene fuming mad and whispered to myself, “Yan and akala ninyo!” 

Those were the days when I still do not know who Benjamin Franklin was. He who said, “A small leak can sink a great ship.” (All pun intended!) But seriously, what we call small or little things are merely the causes of great things. When we accept or not that bottle of brandy from a politician bearing his or her sticker, is the point of departure which, in general, decides the future of our electoral culture and mindsets.

This reminds me of a story written by Vincent Barry which appeared in page 7 of the June 1999 issue of Readers Digest which I read while resting on a hammock tied under the mango tree (again?) in my mother’s backyard in Bubog one lazy Saturday morning.

According to the article “No Harm, No Foul?”, the author witnessed an argument between a shopper and a produce manager. While the shopper (a mother) was carefully selecting grapes, her son was also eating some of the fruits.  The manager gently informed the child that the grapes were for sale, not sampling.  The mother sprang to her child’s defense.  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she said indignantly.  “It’s such a small thing.”

Barry wrote his observation: “I wondered where she’d draw the line between ‘small’ and ‘big.’ The only distinction the child made was between what he wanted and what he didn’t.  And he wanted those grapes.”

Whether the mother corrected her son in private, no one knew.  “But her public message was clear and direct: stealing ‘small stuff’ is OK; indeed, it’s not really stealing at all,” Barry concluded.

In the context of elections this Monday, if we allow such “little” infraction with the law, we are sending the same message to our children: such election offenses are not offenses at all. The drunkards only wanted wine but do not want electoral reform.

Re-reading that issue of Readers Digest made understand another quote from Benjamin Franklin, “A little neglect may breed a great mischief.” Now I only pee outside of the toilet during unavoidable circumstances or force majuere situations. Like while riding on a bus and my urinary bladder is about to burst, full with Red Horse. There are small things indeed that breeds great, big, gigantic things.

But on the reverse, there are truly little things coming out of big things. Both literally and figuratively. 

Remember the two lady cadets?...

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(Photo : Wikipedia)

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I, Caveman

Two of the most prominent, exotic and majestic caves in the province are Cansubong Cave in Iling Island, San Jose and Purnaga Cave in Magsaysay. The latter’s interior portion, according to a certain story I stumbled upon, contains several compartments of stalactites and stalagmites with the size of a small cargo container or as big as cathedral. It is also found to have guano deposits and water pools and believed to be extended adjacent to Oriental Mindoro. Iling Island is so rich with underwater caves they say and those caves became burial place of ancient Chinese traders centuries ago. To tell you frankly, I haven’t been to any of those two wonderful creations of nature. Even in Sablayan’s prominent Matingkay, Carungcaban and Agsuli caves, I haven’t been to. Not that I am a claustrophobic but I do not have a chance and that’s all.

I was wondering, during pre-historic times, the walls of cave were the modern day “blog sites”. Stone Age “bloggers” “post” their entries through its walls (Now I know the origin of the word “wall” in Facebook!). Our caves must be protected and conserved no doubt, more than our cyber sites. Caves indeed are considered natural and non-renewable resources with important scientific, economic, educational, cultural, historical, and aesthetic values.  They are also home to specialized mineral formations with unique and diverse flora and fauna.

The protection and conservation of caves is mandated under Republic Act 9072 passed on April 08, 2001 otherwise known as the “National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act”.  Under this Act, the DENR is tasked to formulate, develop and implement a national program for the management, protection and conservation of caves and cave resources. As of today, over 1,500 caves have been recorded since the start of the implementation of the Caves Management and Conservation Program in 1994, with still a significant number of caves yet to be discovered and mapped, even here in our province.

On June 13-17, 2012 there was an orientation-workshop on caves and cave resources conservation and management and that training resulted to the commitment of forming the Provincial Cave Committee (PCC) who will act as a legislative body and the Provincial Cave Assessment Team (PCAT) who will conduct the actual assessment of caves in the entire province of Occidental Mindoro. In his letter to the 11 LCEs of the province, Conrado A. Espejo, Jr., our Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer or PENRO, said that the PCC is chaired by the PENR Officer, vice chaired by the mayors where the caves are located and members are consist of the towns MENRO, Municipal Tourism Officers, including security personnel and school administrators. Here in Sablayan, I was nominated by our LCE to be part of the PCAT. It's not yet final, mind you.

Whew!

Well, the following are threatening our caves and making them in great danger: increased demand for recreational sites, vandalism, treasure hunting, mining, pollution, illegal collection of cave resources and rapid urbanization. In social networking sites, on the other hand, dangers are posed by senseless posts, cyber bullying, shameless spamming coming from what other netizens are referring to as megalomaniacs and sociopaths.

Well, if experts believe that the cave paintings sent messages, like my blog site, to other people passing through or living in them in the future, and in that case, I am a caveman…

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(Photo: TMCNET.Com)

  

100 Days

It is expected that in the following weeks, many of our newly-elected local chief executives, mayors and governors from all over the land, would go public and report their accomplishments on first 100 days of office. Though not mandated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government or DILG, mayors and governors are not precluded to do their own version of the State of the Nation Address or SONA. The Local Government Code of 1991 is silent on the matter but some people from DILG are encouraging them to have their own state of the province, city or municipal address. This way, their respective constituents will know what their leaders are doing.

If ever, with great enthusiasm, I am wondering what would be the salient points and gist of our new provincial governor’s State of the Province Address (SOPA). What were his major achievements in the past four months? When and where it will be held? Aside from his achievements or accomplishments as the new governor, presumably the people are eager to know what are his administration’s plans and what we would expect for the next 3 years, until the end of his term come 2016. That’s what we want to hear so we pray he will render his widely covered SOPA before us.

Our governor, though he have been into politics and public service for quite a long time, has to prove his critics wrong that he is just living in the shadow of his predecessor. There are people, in their wildest and malicious imagination, who consider him as a mere follower, if not only a loyal double of the province’s current representative to Congress, his political patroness. For his critics, without her, he’s nothing. So, now is the best time for him to independently deliver using his own decisions, prerogative and choices, including his very elusive smile especially during photo-ops.  

Now as a governor, I am looking forward to see more from the man. We, people of Occidental Mindoro deserve more. We deserve not only information but bright future too. He deserves not only to prove his worth but cooperation as well from the people, friend or foe, political affiliation-wise.

But being an experienced local chief executive, our governor would not have a hard time doing his responsibility for the general supervision and control over all program, project, services and activities for the province. Our governor hopefully would bring about, effectively and efficiently, concrete and lasting changes to Occidental Mindoro, our beautiful province with its equally beautiful citizens.

As a resident and a taxpayer, I want to be enlightened on what are the important and essential legislative measures he initiated or about to initiate, proposed or about to propose to the Provincial Board, among others.

During the first 100 days, every local chief executive like a governor, especially those who are new to their current position, has to do some staffing changes based on her/his initial analysis of the LGUs staffing pattern. Determine, too, its fiscal status and the Budget Call. Source of support and resistance must be identified and ultimately call for cooperation with the local bureaucracy. Start to interface with the local legislative board, strengthen the linkages with every municipality and if possible, every barangay, be it his political turf or not. It is also essential at this early phase of leadership to re-organize the local special bodies along with the review of the progress of the year’s Annual Investment Program or AIP and finalize the preparation of the following year’s Executive Budget.

Our governor is aware of all of these and he’s open for suggestions coming from opinion shapers like this lowly blogger. I am 100% sure of this.

And in case you do not know, we are now celebrating the 22nd Anniversary of the Local Government Code of the Philippines. Through Presidential Proclamation No. 63, October was declared as the Local Government Month, with the second week of October as the Local Government Week and the 10th day of October as Local Government Day in the country, in line with the signing of the Local Government Code of 1991, the bible of local governance, with the theme, “Kilos Progreso, Makilahok sa Pag-asenso” that embodies a call for united and concerted action for national progress.

Going back to our topic, the first 100 days is a period when one LCE implement doable commitments to the people, especially during the campaigns and those things that are found in their Social Contract with the people. The LCE and the people under each department should and must document, disseminate and celebrate small wins.

The first 100 days mark is the end of the beginning. Let us see if he fell from this early stage (no pun intended!). Knowing the early goings of all the LGUs present administration is important and the transition period matters so much.

By the way, in the absence of the state of the province, city or municipal address, local leaders can report their accomplishments to their constituents by submitting their local governance report to the DILG or by posting it at the bulletin board of the provincial, city or municipal buildings or at their respective websites. That is acceptable already, says DILG.

Posting them on Facebook, too, would be cool...

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(Photo grabbed without permission from Gov. Mario Gene J. Mendiola's Facebook account)

Reading Hobsbawm

The name Eric Hobsbawm caught me while I am reading a column about bandits and outlaws. My further readings suggest that the grand old man was a brilliant historian whose legacy includes a book published in 1969 called “Bandits”. Hobsbawm, an avid Marxist, explored how certain bandits remained criminals while others became revolutionaries. Hobsbawm died on 1 October last year and this coming Tuesday would be his first death anniversary. The foremost historian of the 20th century died at the age of 93.

It all started in 1959 when he wrote the book “Primitive Rebels” which is a study of popular forms of resistance where he coined the term “social bandits”. Social banditry is a widespread phenomenon that has occurred in many societies throughout recorded history. Many forms of social banditry once existed in our province. Reading Hobsbawm and social banditry helped me remember the most prominent “bandit” of Mindoro named Valeriano Gasic of Naujan.

Of course the Philippines have Macario Sakay who revolted against the Americans in 1904 in the province of Rizal and was hanged to death in September 1907. Sakay was loved by the people especially the residents of the Island of Talim in Laguna de Bay where he considered as his fortress.

Aside from Gasic, Reynante Andal of Pinamalayan and later, Dodo Robles have organized bands of armed men and initiated an armed struggle against the government from 1972 to 1973 as Communist fighters belonging to the New People's Army or NPA. The two groups of revolutionaries, tagged as outlaws by the police and the military, did not last long and easily crushed by the government forces that time. 

I dream that one day, I could write something about Noel “Rex” Verdadero of Magsaysay, former leader of an anti-Communist vigilante group turned bandit and was killed in a gun battle with Philippine Constabulary in June 1987; John Rey “Meno” Andres of Rizal town, together with his heavily armed group who began to sow terror in the Rizal villages of Aguas and Pitogo in 2006 and was killed also in a gun battle with the police in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. Yes, to write ala-Hobsbawm! 

Hobsbawm's key thesis was that outlaws were individuals living on the edges of rural societies by robbing and plundering, who are often seen by ordinary folks, as heroes or beacons of popular resistance. The point about social bandits is that they are regarded by the state as criminals but considered by their people, the poor masses in the countryside, as heroes and champions, perhaps even leaders of liberation, and in any case as men to be admired, helped and supported.

Social banditry of this kind is one of the most universal social phenomena known to history. Philippine cinema likewise had a bunch of films narrating stories of real "hero-bandit" like Teodoro Asedillo of Laguna (Fernando Poe, Jr.), Nardong Putik of Cavite (Ramon Revilla, Sr.) and Kumander Alibasbas of Pampanga (Joseph Estrada), to name just three.

Valeriano Gasic is considered today as a true blooded local hero from Oriental Mindoro. But in the 1900s, he and his gang of 35 men, all armed, reportedly killed around 70 suspected American collaborators. In an En Banc Decision of the Supreme Court (G.R. No. 1548) issued February 11, 1904, Gasic was sentenced to life imprisonment after his capture. Captain Gasic was then the Presidente del Municipal of Naujan. He went underground and lived in the mountains when the Americans started to rule Mindoro and declared him a “tulisan” (bandit) according to this site . The sentence was later commuted to five years in exile in the island of Culion, Palawan where he died due to tuberculosis.

“The stronghold of the “tulisanes” around Lake Naujan also became the main area of resistance during the war against the Americans in Mindoro from 1901-1903. Gasic, as regional commander, was adored by his troops and by many civilians as "commander in chief, army of liberation of the military district of Mindoro", wrote Volker Schult, author of the book “Mindoro, A Social History of a Philippine Island in the 20th Century: A Case Study of a Delayed Developmental Process.”

Until today, government officials in other countries around the world have routinely labeled political rebels as bandits. Such labeling seeks to attach negative connotations to the rebels, strip them of political legitimacy, and reduce their popular support. Not unlike how Gasic was discredited by many American leaders of Mindoro, then.

But this is what I have re-learned from Hobsbawm: Like history books, heroism and banditry, are all ideological constructs…

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(Photo: Chipsofbrookefield files)

Arnis

Bata pa ako ay adik na ako sa mga martial arts movie kagaya nang kuwento ko sa inyo noon. Ang martial art nga ang isa sa pinakamalaking ambag ng mga Asyano sa Hollywood at marami ring mga Pinoy na apisyunado at eksperto dito ay nagkaroon ng pangalan sa Amerika kagaya nina Trovador Ramos, Edgar Sulite at Dan Inosanto. Si Inosanto ay gumanap din sa ilang minor roles kabilang na ang hindi natapos at pinakahuling pelikula ng kanyang kumpareng si Bruce Lee noong taong 1972 na may pamagat na “Game of Death” na nagtampok din sa kali o arnis.  Naging kilala siya sa promosyon ng Filipino martial art, lalo na ang arnis, sa buong mundo. Tumuon tayo kay Inosanto dahil sa isang pelikula na ipapalabas sa Enero 2014 na “I, Frankenstein” na inaasahang tatabo sa takilya. Bagama’t ito ay hindi maituturing na isang sagarang martial art movie, may konek si Inosanto sa nasabing pelikula. Ikukuwento ko sa inyo mamaya pati na ang isang pelikula na idinirehe ni Luis Nepomuceno na nilabasan ng mga international stars na napanood ko noon sa Levi Rama Theater.

Sa “I, Frankenstein” daw, kung saan bida sina Aaron Eckhart at Miranda Otto at sa direksyon ni Stuart Beattie ay itatampok ang arnis. Sa isang panayam, sinabi ni Ekchart, “We've created a different world for Frankenstein to live in. It's a modern world. He's a kali stick fighter and he's fighting for survival, love… all these different great things". Ang kali at arnis o eskrima ay pareho lang. Sina Eckhart at Otto ay sinanay ng mga martial arts expert na Ron Balicki at ang asawa niyang si Diana Lee Inosanto, anak ng maalamat na si Dan at inaaanak ni Bruce Lee. Si Dan Inosanto nga pala ay itinanghal ng Black Belt Magazine, ang bibliya ng martial art, bilang “Man of the Year”  noong  taong 1996.

Ang usaping ito ng arnis at pelikula ay nagbabalik gunita sa ilang bahagi ng ating kabataan, lalo na yaong mga tinaguriang Martial Law baby at mahilig sa  sineng katulad ko, ang pelikulang “The Pacific Connection” na na-international release sa titulong “Stick Fighter” sa direksyon ni Luis Nepomuceno na ipinalabas noong 1974. Bida dito si RolandDantes at kasama ang mga international actors na sina Nancy Kwan, Guy Madison, Alejandro Rey, Hiroshi Tanaka, Dean Stockwell at Cole Wallard, gayundin ang mga lokal na talento na sina Fred Galang, Gloria Sevilla, Elizabeth Oropesa at iba pa.

Isa ito sa mga ang  pelikulang Pinoy na may pinakamalaking badyet noong kapanahunan namin dahil ang setting nito ay noong ika 19 na siglo. Kahapon ay muli kong pinanood ang pelikulang dose anyos pa lang ako nang aking napanood. Buti na lang at may internet na ngayon. Hindi maganda ang pelikula sa maraming aspeto. Karaniwan ang istorya at may maraming sabit na diyalogo na wala sa akin noong bata pa ako. Iba nga pala ang ating apresasyon sa mga bagay-bagay noong tayo ay bata pa kaysa sa ngayong tayo ay may edad na. Sa kabuuan, ang pelikulang ito ay unang nagtampok ng pelikulang arnis sa daigdig na sinundan lang ng mga pelikulang kagaya ng “I, Frankenstein”. Aktwali, ‘sanlaksan na ang mga pelikulang banyaga na nagtampok sa arnis. Isama na natin ang mga tumabo sa takilyang “Bourne Identity”, “Ong Bak”, “Empire Strikes Back” at iba pa.

Ang arnis ngayon ay legal na na isang pambansang simbolo simula ng nilagdaan dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang Republic Act 9850 noong Disyembre 11, 2009. Dahil sa Batas na ito, ang arnis ay kasama na sa kurikulum ng mga paaralan sa physical education. Hanggang isama na ito sa Palarong Pambansa noong 2010.

Ngayong kilalala na ang kali o arnis sa buong daigdig ay may puwang na rin ito dito mismo sa Pilipinas, hindi nasayang ang mga mithiin ng mga Arnis Grand Masters na sina Remy A. Presas, Federico T. Lazo at iba pa na itampok ang kulturang ito ng mga Pinoy.

Kabilang na ang mga eskrimador sa puting tabing na sina Dan Inosanto at Roland Dantes…

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(Photo: ma mags.com)

Ngopoles

Kasalukuyan pa ring kumukulo ang dugo ng karamihan sa atin dahil Pork Barrel at kay Janet Lim Napoles. Kung nakamamatay at nakapapalis lang ang mga negatibong komento, sa media at kung saan-saan pa, matagal na sanang tigok si Napoles kasama si Seksi, si Tanda at si Pogi at bula ng hindi makita ngayon ang PDAF. Lahat na halos ng Pinoy ay isinawsaw ang kanyang daliri sa key board  ng opinyong bayan at pinatilamsik ang kanyang laway sa panlalait at pang-aalipusta, kasama ang paghugos ng mga tao sa Luneta at iba pang pook, sa tunay na nakababaliw (na hindi mapasisinungalingang nakaaaliw din) na sitwasyong ito sa kasalukuyang kaso ng nuno ng korupsiyon.

Ngunit habang malakas ang ating emosyon, sigaw at panawagan na isakdal, ipiit at parusahan si Napoles at kanyang mga kasabwat, kaagad na ibasura ang Pork Barrel at sugsugin pa kung sinu-sinong mga opisyales ng pamahalaan ang nakinabang sa anomalya, kaladkarin ang mga karibal nila sa pulitika sa isyung tila karnabal kung piyesta kung pag-usapan, may isang mahalagang bagay tayong nakakaligtaan. Ito ay ang pag-aanalisa sa mga Non-Governmental Organizations o NGO sa bansa. Papaanong ang tunay na diwa at layon ng mga tunay na Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) o NGO ay mapanatili at maiiwas sa pagpasok sa katiwalian.

Hindi maipagkakaila na simula nang umusbong ang mga NGO sa bansa na bunga ng reaksyon ng sambayanan sa mapanupil na Batas Militar at pagpapalawak ng demokratikong espasyo na haplos ng Pangyayari sa EDSA noong 1986, pinalakas nito ang mga adbokasiya ng pulitikal na pakikilahok ng masa, ng mga mamamayan sa usapin ng paggu-gobyerno at pagpapaunlad. Sa tulak ng pangmadlang interes, nagsagawa ang mga lehitimong NGO ng mga panlipunang serbisyo, adbokasiya at makataong gawain sa iba’t-ibang larangan katulad ng karapatang pantao, likas-kayang pag-unlad, mabuting pamamahala at iba pa. Nanguna rin ang mga ito sa pagpapalaganap ng mga impormasyon, mga pag-aanalisa, naging mga mekanismo ng pagbibigay-babala at tumutulong sa pagmu-monitor at implementasyon ng mg programa’t proyekto ng pam-pamahalaan man o pang-pribado.

Maliban sana sa ating pagbubuhos ng galit kay Napoles at sa mga kasabwat nito sa Kongreso at Senado, maganda rin na pagtuunan natin ng pansin ang pagbibigay ng mga mungkahi upang ang mga NGO o CSO sa Pilipinas ay magpatuloy na maging tapat sa kanilang mga layunin, prinsipyong tinutuntungan at mga adhikaing panlipunan, pang-ekonomiya at pampulitika.

Dapat na magpatuloy ang mga talakayan at dayalogo sa usaping ito ng pagkikinis ng mga NGO sa bansa. Kung sakali mang ang usaping ito ay seryosohin sa imbestigasyon ng Kongreso in aid of legislation, dapat na matukoy kung sapat na ba ang kasalukuyang sistema ng regulasyon dito o dapat pa ba itong pag-ibayuhin ng pamahalaan?  Anu-anong mga pamamaraan upang maging obhetibo nating “burahin” ang mga bogus lang. Ang pagtitiyak na ang mga pekeng NGO ay hindi makapasok sa mga proyekto ng gobyerno. Dapat kagyat na ma-resolba kung ang pagreregularisa ay gawain nga ba ng pamahalaan, o dapat mamayani ang “self regulation policy” na siyang tinutuntungan ngayon ng Securities and Exchange Commission o SEC. Ang pagkakaroon ng mga malilinaw at napatutupad na mga batas hinggil dito ay kasing halaga ng paglusaw sa Pork Barrel sa ating mga pampulitikang kusina o pagpapanibago sa resipe nito at pagpapakulong kay Napoles at kanyang mga kasabwat, kasapakat at kabalat. Si Napoles na tuwid nga kung magsalita ngunit kaduda-duda naman ang mensahe.

Anu’t-anuman, higit na mahalaga ngayon ang mahigpit na panawagan para sa pampublikong paggigiit para sa accountability, sa pamamagitan ng pampublikong paghahayag o transparensi. Ang bawat NGO ay dapat na maatasan na regular na mag-uulat ng kanilang mga pamamalakad, operasyon o pamamahala at mga accomplishments sa mga tao at grupo na dapat sana ay kanilang pinaglilingkuran. Kung papaano ito gagawin ay dapat siya ring pag-ukulan ng pansin.

Ang mga tunay na taong NGO ay tuwid kung mangusap at magpaliwanag. Determinado at may pagtatalaga ng sarili. Hindi ngongo ang mensahe...

(Photo: GMA Network)

Peace-sible

This month of September, the country is set to celebrate the 10th National Peace Consciousness Month, which aims to promote a culture of peace, and raise public awareness and understanding of the comprehensive peace process. This year’s theme is, “Lahat ay peace-sible!” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita “Ging” Quintos Deles said this time of the year is “another great opportunity for the public to engage in empowering venues that encourage positive action and dialogue for peace.” She stressed further that, “the theme is a hopeful reminder that lasting peace is possible, especially if we all contribute towards it.” The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process or OPAPP has been leading the annual celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 675, s. 2004.

The 76^th Infantry (Victrix) Batallion, 2ID of the Philippine Army (PA) stationed at Brgy. Sto. Nino, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, through the leadership of LTC Mario C. Africa GSC (INF) PA initiated a Tribal Leaders’ Dialogue last August 30, 2013 and that was Friday. Ms. Eden M. Cenon, Community Affairs Officer of the National Commission on the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); Nestor Liboro, Chairman of Pantribong Samahan sa Kanlurang Mindoro (PASAKAMI); Hon. Ruben P. Dangupon, IP/ICC Representative to the Sangguniang Bayan of Sablayan; SP04 Ricardo L. Gonzales, Municipal Executive Senior Police Officer (MESPO) and yours truly as the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Office-designate of LGU-Sablayan. Ms. Joie S. Angway and Armi Villaroza from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) also came to facilitate the distribution of goods for more or less 60 IP participants. 1Lt. Larry L. Mayao acted as moderator to the event.

Actually this was the third time the 76^th IB extended and reached out to the Alangan and Taobuid Mangyans of our municipality. Its objective is to review the 10-year old agreement between the Mangyans and the Military.

Allow me to backtrack a little about the Agreement. No doubt that a certain incident happened in Sitio Talayob in Magsaysay town in July 21, 2003 where a whole family of Mangyans was killed during what was claimed by the military to be an 'encounter ' between the 16th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army (PA) Army and the New People's Army, is the root of all of these. During the alleged encounter, soldiers fired indiscriminately at the Blanco's house, and Roger and Olivia Blanco, and their three children, were killed. That was long ago. Everything has been different now and peaceful now. But the fact remains that the Mangyans lives and property are in danger whenever there are armed operation initiated both by the military and the rebels in their communities.

From that horrible incident raised a new beginning. After that killings in Talayob, Rev. Fr. Rodrigo F. Salazar, then coordinator of the Mangyan Mission of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose and Rev. Fr. Mario R. Ronquillo, Chancellor, wrote a letter to then Secretary Eduardo Ermita who was then the Chief Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. People from the OPAPP facilitated the first ever dialogue between the Mangyans and the military and on September 6, 2003, through the leadership of Col. Fernando L. Mesa, Commanding Officer of the 204^th Brigade an Agreement was signed. As a result, both the Mangyan and military leaders agreed to undergo series of cultural awareness program on Mangyan culture given to foot soldiers including officers. The activity continued during the time of Lt. Col. Elmer L. Quiros, former Batallion Commander of the 80^th IB. During the of Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos of the said infantry division, the same Agreement was reviewed and finally signed on September 17, 2008 in San Jose. The previous Agreement was again signed and made into flesh. But this time, there were two provisions being added: the protection of women, children and elderly.

In SEC. 22 of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) or RA 8371 states that during armed conflict, “ICCs/IPs have the right to special protection and security in periods of armed conflict. The State shall observe international standards, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, for the protection of civilian populations in circumstances of emergency and armed conflict, and shall not recruit members of the ICCs/IPs against their will into the armed forces, and in particular, for use against other ICCs/IPs; nor recruit children of ICCs/ IPs into the armed forces under any circumstance; nor force indigenous individuals to abandon their lands, territories and means of subsistence, or relocate them in special centers for military purposes under any discriminatory condition.” True enough, there are limits to war and civilians must be protected. 

In his speech, Maj. Mario Lito R. Retirva (INF) PA assured the Mangyans of the soldiers’ adherence to human rights tenets. On my part, I firmly believe that the present Agreement between the Mangyans and the military, which is to be implemented in each municipality and formally be signed in the next few weeks, provides protection to individuals and communities. Also, the accountability of both parties for their action is established. It is in a way a form of concrete measure to promote human rights and the International Humanitarian Law.

Peace indeed is feasible…

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(Photo: LGU File)

Heroism*

Martha, her twin sister, is a student activist and she knows that in many aspects, she is superior than she is. Martha is very intelligent young woman and oozing with strength and dynamism. While she, a polio victim, cannot walk straight and her muscles are tight and weak. She often experience joint weakness and pain, general fatigue and exhaustion after minimal activity including muscle atrophy and decreased tolerance of cold temperatures. They are both 20 years old and living with their mother who is selling dried fish in the market. But Maria silently admired Martha not only because of her intelligence but her courage as well. She really wished to be in one of the rallies and mass actions her sister is frequently participating. She is so proud of her but does not have an opportunity to say or to prove it.  All she could do for now is to pray for their safety and the realization of their goals. Maria is a prayerful woman.

One thing she hated so much about Martha is that she is so involved in serving other people especially those who are deprived of justice but he cannot even find time to earn money for their needs. Why not help her during days without classes by selling bread to fishermen every morning at the fish port like what she’s doing? That way, they could help their aging mother, a widow at that, in their financial needs. Martha’s deep involvement in activism even kept him away from praying and going to church. But that does not bother Maria that much. What bother her most is how to show her oneness with her sister in her struggle and her noble cause in a very special way she can despite of her limited capacity and her disability.

Martha is presently involved in a struggle against the intrusion of a multinational mining firm. Martha serves best for the sake of the people and the Mother Earth. Ninoy Aquino was assassinated just a year ago and militarization in their province been so intense. Farmer leaders opposing the project are kidnapped, tortured and detained without due process by the police and the military. Militarization and abuses are the rule of the day especially to those who oppose development projects which are aggressively pushed by the government. Martial Law indeed is a law thus a legal instrument being the Presidential Proclamation 1081. Maria even in her crooked posture can straightly declare that Martial Law is the greatest proof that not everything that is legal is moral and permissible. Maria wished that she could join Martha someday. But the question is how?

Martha at present, together with around 30 protesters are having a barricade and trying to block the coming of heavy equipment to start a mining operation in their area. They have been there for almost a week. From a distance is a mobile van from a local radio station. The security guards from the firm previously deployed by the company, along with some policemen, set a checkpoint and blocked the road from both ends not to allow food being delivered to the demonstrators from the town proper. The proposed mining site where Martha and her companions were situated more than 20 kilometers of muddy and rough road from their house.

The rain fall incessantly coupled with cool wind. Huddled under a tent, the protesters haven’t taken any food for two days now. They are chilling and being starved to death. Maria knew about their pain and hunger. Those who tried to deliver food yesterday for the group was caught and severely beaten by the security men. “The time has come”, she told herself.

Back at the barricade site, Martha felt so helpless. She knew that they are all about to die if they will not be given food tonight. Their lawyer contacts from Manila will be coming the day after tomorrow. There will be an initial talk and the food blockade will finally and surely be over. Then it is the first time in years that she prayed and she sing a song of praise and suddenly all of the protesters found themselves singing the song in chorus.  All of them who are too absorbed in political discussions and serving the masses that they have no time to sit with Jesus and learn His lessons!

Maria prepared a large amount of fish and bread, put them in a big and empty can of lard and tied it at the back of her late father’s bicycle and then rode the almost 20 kilometer muddy and dangerous road to the proposed mining site. She crawled in the wilderness to pass the checkpoint along the road. And when Maria finally managed to reach the protesters and deliver them loaves of bread and fishes, she timidly apologized to Martha for not doing any worthwhile thing for the cause of the people and the preservation of their natural resources. Martha said nothing. She’s so voiceless and so quiet. She just embraced and kissed her twin sister with tears of gratitude running down her cheeks thinking of hardships and sacrifices Maria had overcome that night. Her prayerful sister who just found out that cold and rainy night that activism is also a concrete expression of loving our neighbor and the environment, thus loving God.

In the next morning, radio newscasts as usual aired different stories. Ferdinand Marcos’ heroic deeds last World War II is being featured in the state-owned station. He is portrayed as a true hero along with some decorated Filipino war veterans, the celebrated former priest who joined the New People’s Army just been killed in a gun battle with the military and proclaimed martyr and hero by his comrades. They are all considered heroes that deserve to be remembered and their heroic deeds to be commemorated one day. They are men and women in Philippine history whose acts of courage enabled the Philippines to grow as a nation.

However, not a word about the story of Martha and Maria was heard. It had no news value in the eyes of the media. It is not heroism...

(*An adaptation of Nil Guillmette’s “Two Copper Coins”, part of his book “Wipe Every Tear”)

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(Photo : Sysiphus-Angrynewsfromaroundtheworld.)

Si Chito, Si Neri at Tayo

Pinag-piyestahan ng maraming Pinoy ang kamakailan lang ay sumabog na sex video ng lead vocalist ng Parokya ni Edgar na si Chito Miranda at ang syota niyang may mala-anghel na mukha at dating finalist ng “Star Circle Quest” na si Neri Naig. Sa mga social networking site, sabi ng ilang tagahanga ng banda na sa dami ng isyu na dapat ukil-kilin ng media kagaya ng pork barrel ng mga kongresista, ang mga pagsabog sa Mindanao at ibang pang usapin, ay ang pinaka-intimate at pribadong sandali pa nina Chito at Neri ang gustong sawsawan.

May mga nagsabi pa na walang masama sa ginawa nina Chito at Neri, ang pagbi-bidyo at pag-dyudyug-dyugan kahit hindi pa sila kasal. Tanggap na naman daw ng lipunang Pilipino ang pre-marital sex ngayon. Ang sabi nila, biktima lamang sina Chito at Neri at ang dapat na sisihin ay hindi ang mag-dyowa kundi ang ‘tangnang akyat-bahay na umano’y dumekwat ng hard drive ng kompyuter ni Chito at ang putsang (mga) taong nag-post nito sa Facebook.

Hindi ako tagahanga ni Chito Miranda o ng Parokya, at lalo namang hindi ko kilala si Neri Naig (sa totoo lang nakilala ko lang siya dahil sa balitang ito!) wala naman talaga akong pakialam sa kanilang dalawa. Hindi ko naman sila kamag-anak. Matatanda na sila at marahil ay inaasahan naman ng kani-kanilang mga magulang na aabot sila sa ganitong kalalim na relasyon dahil sa hindi na nga sila bata. Ang hindi nila inaasahan ay dahil sa pag-rekord at pagkalat ng nasabing bidyo ay magkaka-lamat ang dalisay na pagmamahalan ng dalawang celebrity. Ayaw kong kuwestiyunin kung ano ang dakilang halimbawa na kanilang maituturo sa mga kabataang kanilang tagahanga sa kanilang ginawa. Wala ako sa posisyon na gawin ito. Inamin na naman ni Chito na siya nga ito at hindi niya ito itinanggi o itinatwa.

Ang pag-amin ay isang kahanga-hangang bagay. Makakaahon naman diyan sina Chito at Neri, magkasama man o magkahiwalay tulad nina Hayden Kho at Katrina Halili noon. Tiyak yun. Ang mga karanasang hindi maganda tulad nito ay hindi lamang “nakukuha sa paligo” kundi dapat na nagtuturo rin sa atin.  

Bakit nga ba may mga taong gustong i-bidyo ang kanilang dyug-dyugan? Misteryoso talaga ang kagawiang ito at ilabas na natin dito sina Chito at Neri. Huwag tayong maging specific sa kaso. I-generalize na natin ang usapin. Ano raw ang masama dito samantalang ginagawa naman ito ng maraming artista sa Hollywood ngayon at ilang artista sa Pilipinas? May mutual consent man o wala. Kapag ginagawa ng marami, sa palagay ng kalakhan sa atin, ito ay tama at nagiging katanggap-tanggap lalo na kapag mga sikat na tao, lalung-lalo na ang mga artista, ang gumagawa nito. Maganda nga naman na ang pinaka-mahalagang panahon na pinagsasaluhan ninyo ng pinaka-mahalagang tao sa iyong buhay ay dapat lamang i-capture. 

Katwiran din marahil ng iba kaya sila nagbi-bidyo ng dyugdyugan ng kanilang loved ones ay para nga naman magkaroon kung saka-sakali ng handy evidence just in case na itatwa ng isa sa kanila ang kanilang relasyon o ang nangyari sa kanila. At maaari rin na ang materyal ay gawing instrumento ng paghihiganti sakaling isa sa kanila ang magtaksil o maging daan upang matakot nilang pagtaksilan ang isa’t-isa. O siguro, ang pakikipag-talik o seks, para sa marami sa atin ay wala nang malalim na moral at etikal na kahulugan. Ang iyong kakayahang sekswal nga naman, kung lalake ka, ay pwede mong ipagmayabang sa iyong tropa (syempre kailangan mo ang ebidensya!) upang kanilang mapagtibay ang iyong pagiging “tunay na lalake” at marahil ito ay  makakapag-pahaba ng hair ng mga babaeng naka-bingwit ng isang sikat at bigating lalake na hinahabul-habol ng mga kolehiyala!

Ang seks ay ang pinaka-intimate  sa lahat ng human acts.  Ito ay ekspresyon ng dalawang umiibig sa (hangga’t kakayanin ay) pinaka-tahimik na paraan. Ang pagtatalik ng dalawang nagmamahalan ay hindi dapat ihiwalay sa konteksto ng una, pag-ibig at ikalawa, tunay na buhay. Kung ito ay maisasa-publiko, ito ay malaking banta kundi man insulto, sa human decency, wika nga. Lahat ay maaaring buntunan ng sisi. Ang gumawa, ang nagpalaganap at nagpiyesta sa panunood nito, ang mga nainggit at na-inis, mga nagpantasya, pati na ang mga katulad kong pilit na binubuhay ang usaping dapat na kinalilimutan na!

Pero ito ang aral na ayaw kong kalimutan : Bilang mas matanda, kaalinsabay ng paghahabilin na ang seks ay banal at mabuti, mabibigyang babala ko ang lahat ng kabataang aking makakasalubong sa aking paglalakbay sa buhay na ang seks ay maaring magamit ng hindi tama. Sisikapin ko ring ilayo ang mga aking mga anak sa mga licentious habit na namamayani sa kontemporaryong kultura.  

At ipapaalala ko rin ang teknikal na paraan upang maiwasan ito sa panahong sila ay may asawa na: Huwag itong i-store sa kompyuter. Gumamit ng USB flash drive na may integrated program para mai-lock ito na may password.

At ingatan ito kagaya ng pag-iingat sa mga mumunting bagay na nagpapatibay at nagpapagunita ng inyong dakilang pag-iibigan…

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Photo: Letsplay2ne1.wordpress

Big "S"

Upon advice of his friends from the religious sector, Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano have decided to add letter “S” to his Social Contract called the HEART-PO which stands Health and Housing, Education, Environment, Employment, Economic Development, Agriculture and Fishery Development, Reforms and Reduction of Poverty, Tourism and Peace and Order. So, starting today, it will be called HEARTS-PO. This is his second term in office but nowhere in his social contract or program of government concretely deals with Spirituality, Culture and Morality. And that’s why this Big “S” came into the picture. The Municipality’s Vision states, ”Sulong Sablayeño, maunlad at payapang bayan, may saganang likas na yaman at nagkakaisang mamamayang nananalig sa Dakilang Lumikha”.  The two concluding words of course refers to a belief in transcendence force that is present within, a truth that guides in our struggle with life as a community where people’s diverse culture are unified and dwindling moral values recovered.

Is “Spirituality” exclusively for religious and church entities and matters not in governance or public service? The answer is a big “No” according to experts and theologians. For instance in his book “Vital Spiritualities’, Gerald Broccolo wrote, “Spirituality involves a way of viewing and experiencing God, self, others and the world.”  It goes without saying that spirituality includes every dimension of human life. True enough, our spirituality, as expressed by the good mayor’s spiritual confidantes, colors the way we look at everything – from ourselves to others, specially the needy,- from God to governance. It must be expressed in the decisions we make as a people and public servants, whether in the executive or legislative branch. Indeed, spirituality plays a very important role in the dimensions of the municipality’s social contract and banner programs.

Though distinct theoretically, moral recovery can be attached at this moment with spirituality. During the term of President Fidel V. Ramos in 1996, he signed the Executive Order No. 319 calling for the institutionalization of the Moral Recovery Program in all government agencies, departments and all government-owned and controlled corporations through the establishment of MRP Officers and Integrity Circles. Mayor Ed is rooting for a stable and morally-upright citizenry that serves as a pillar of a strong and progressive society and this would make the program an indispensable component in attaining social development.

I believe that pursuing and achieving such objective is certainly delightful to God. Without His most needed protection and aid, we cannot survive in this sinful world. Little by little, this often neglected dimension in government service, the Big “S”, is taken into great account in local governance in this part of Occidental Mindoro.

And sometimes, we also go for other spirits. Those kept inside a bottle and poured into our ice-laced glasses…

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(Photo: LGU-Sablayan File. Taken at the CAPDEV-ELA Formulation; July 21-27, 2013 in Batangas)

       

Yes Virginia

All my life I haven't encountered an 80-year old woman throwing, to say the least, bedroom jokes as straightforward and as exciting as she does. All of us visitors burst into laughter when she narrated anecdotes on her private moments with her late husband. She talks like a magpie. So candid and unstoppable. I am certain she loves to talk and share so-called green jokes. Mind you, my subject is Mrs. Virginia Malolos, owner of La Virginia Leisure Park and Amusement Resort located in Mataas na Kahoy, a municipality comprising Batangas province, is a millionaire. We, employees along with appointed and elected officials of LGU-Sablayan had a training on Capability Building and Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) formulation facilitated by people from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) headed by Juanito Olave, Jr., Cluster Director for Occidental Mindoro.

On the second day of our training, Lola Virginia suddenly barged in into the group and started her "mara-talk". The jolly old woman was being assisted by two caregivers and she’s just wearing a simple floral designed duster. We can see that her muscles and flesh is slowly disappearing due to her age. She told her guests about her being swindled by some trusted people for more than 10 million pesos. She narrated how he met an accident just few days before we came that’s why she always carry a wooden cane. The old but business minded granny slipped on a slippery stairs inside a Mc. Donald branch in Manila where she’s a franchise holder and broke her pelvic bone. She was married to a retired soldier and they lived in the US for more than 40 years and then came back to the Philippines when he died. They have four children who are all grown-ups now. Lola Virginia, as I see it, cannot hide that she enjoyed their marriage figuratively, up to the last drop! She even told us that when she was a young wife, together with her soldier boy often watch, during their early marriage life, adult movies. Actually, she mentioned about the movie called "Fighting Fish" which I am not familiar of. But beyond her nasty jokes she’s a very religious woman. She further told us that during the most turbulent moment of her life, she just clung to the Almighty. “There is God. Just find the Lord or let the Lord find you,” she reminded us as if she was our mother.

She's also into palm reading according to her so two of the most prominent participants volunteered and allowed the old woman to individually read their palms. Her "findings" downed us all into laughter. But I won't give details here. What she said are too nasty to publish and I, too, would not name the two gentlemen who volunteered before her. Naming them and telling you what she told about them would be scandalous. But certainly, with a host like her, life becomes lighter. She provided a temporary relief to our brain-twisting activities that day including our hurdles with highly technical words such as “Level of Urgency”, “Risk Register”, and so forth and so on. Words that we used until we, headed by Mayor Ed Gadiano and Vice Mayor Andy Dangeros, finalized our Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) for 2014-2016.

The Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) was conceived to serve as a “powerful vehicle for effective local governance”. It may be defined as a planning document, covering a 3-year period corresponding to the term of local elective officials that is mutually developed and agreed upon by both the executive and legislative departments of an LGU. It is an integrated plan that contains the major development thrusts and priorities of both the executive and legislative branches towards a common vision for the locality. ELA is an instrument that will prioritize responses to multi-stakeholder needs, e.g., programs,

projects, activities, legislation and capacity development programs, and put into action local development plan.

"Life is short so make it sweet," Lola Virginia told us and I believe her. I don't know what I would gain from mentioning this but the place is really refreshing and recharging. It is located in the Batangas side ridge around the Taal Lake. It offers breath-taking view, too, of Taal Volcano Islands. You can peep into the place through this link. For sure, I will be going back to this place and enjoy private moments with my only "sweet" on our next wedding anniversary if our pockets allow it. The bottom line of Mrs. Malolos’ jokes is this: Active sexual life is one of the major ingredients of lasting, fruitful, happy and yes, even sanctifying relationship and union between two married individuals.

Yes Virginia, even telling adult stories using the most vulgar words brings re-learning...

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(Photo: Grabbed without permission from Ma'am Fe Santos' Facebook account)

Quit Quoting Quezon’s Quote

The avid supporters and propagandists of two mayoralty candidates in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro last May still couldn’t find time to move on even over a week have passed when Mayor Romulo “Muloy” Festin and Vice Mayor Rey Ladaga, including other elected and re-elected officials of said municipality have sworn in into office, although held in two separate ceremonies. Festin and Ladaga came from two opposing political yards. Mayor Muloy’s oath was administered by Judge Cornelio Sy of the Municipal Trial Court (MTC) last June 26. On the other hand, I’m not privy to Ladaga’s oath taking. But it did happen I am sure as prescribed by law.

In the past few days, the most used and abused quotation, which is actually the title of President Manuel L. Quezon’s speech delivered for the Collectivists Party Convention at Manila Grand Opera House on February 17, 1922, was this: “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.” But to some quarters, the message is never a two-way street. 

A book titled “20 Speeches That Moved a Nation” edited by Manuel “Manolo” L. Quezon III and published by Anvil Publication last 2002 was “turned over” to me for free by a bosom buddy by the name of Jose A. Norella, Jr. who ran but lost for mayoralty race in Magsaysay town but that’s another story. In the introductory part of the book, journalist Manolo Quezon wrote, “Read. Learn. Journey to the past, so that you may be better armed to play a constructive role in the present and our future.” But it was only after May 13 that I was able to find time to read that gem of a book.

Unknown perhaps to the people who uttered these words in caucuses and radio broadcasts recently, the speech analyzed directly how power may be gained and how far it may be wielded or utilized. This is what Manolo Quezon told his readers on his grandfather’s oratorical opus. Not only that, the grand old man Quezon, the controversial former provincial fiscal of Mindoro in the 1900s and later became the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, had exposed the use of manipulative public opinion by some political quarters. This reminds me of the two warring media groups and personalities in this part of Tamarawlandia. Only few of them have realized that their personal opinion and the things or hearsays only relayed to them through text or private messages are not undisputed facts. I have written a voluminous entry about this concern since I started this blog but to no avail. I am so frustrated.

Another speech, actually a prayer, quoted in the book I think relevant in the context of the political situation of San Jose today was rendered by a priest. A clergy named Fr. Pacifico Ortiz, SJ who happened to be the personal chaplain of President Quezon during World War II was later became delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention. Ortiz’ prayer for the nation was delivered in the form of an invocation at the opening of the Philippine Congress in 1971. Not unlike those times, we too today are at the point of no return, to quote Ortiz, “[It] is a point of no return: it is a moment of truth that can either remake us as a people or unmake us into mob.” Ortiz concluded by reciting, “Grant us, O God, that we may have the courage of wisdom to forget the past with all its partisan bickering and recriminations – knowing as we do that each of us, if not by design or malice, certainly by apathy, cowardice or gain, has been responsible for the ugly things of the past.” We are all responsible why these things are happening around us either by adding insults to injured egos of our sisters and brothers or by adding logs to the fire inside each one of us, both citizens and netizens.

In that same speech Quezon vigorously declared something similar to our aspiration as people of Pandurucan, referring to both his political rivals and party mates he said, “There is no reason in the world why we cannot consider ourselves as brothers.” This grain of truth given 72 years ago must remind our present politicians and their supporters, government employees and members of the media, political personalities, those posting and commenting in social networking sites, how should we understand and look into political parties or groups the moment election is over: “It is not the unity of the party that should be sought. It should rather be the unity of the people. Partisan struggles should never be involve bad feelings and personal hatred. We can and we should remain as we have been, brothers that we are.”  Owning deaf ears to such call after elections or beyond is a dishonor to the heroism, memory and political philosophy of Manuel L. Quezon!  

Mature people do not ever toy with the idea that unity or cooperation is to succumb to other group’s opinion and principle. That’s not a call for unity neither cooperation. That’s an assertion for surrender!

If we are to convey partisan political opinions without being open to friendship and solidarity as citizens and netizens even among those we consider as political antagonists, we are just giving lip service to Manuel L. Quezon’s legacy and ideals. He who was one of the pioneers in statesmanship long ago emphasized with full hope in his famous speech this unfamiliar but detailed nugget: “What a beautiful spectacle for the country to behold political fights limited to discussion of principles and eliminating personalities! What a magnificent spectacle for the people to see political opponents eating on the same banquet tables, united by the same links of affection and friendship!”  You people must make this elusive unity and cooperation happen if not today maybe the day after tomorrow.

Being both legitimate sons of San Jose, Festin and Ladaga, two men that I both respect, could initiate further development and momentarily forget their political affiliations and let their loyalty to the people begin. Judging them both at this early stage is unhealthy. Let us allow them to lead us to progress and not to put a wall made up of senseless intrigues between them, at least until the next election. Or until if the protests of the “un-proclaimed” candidates from the municipal level are legally settled before 2016 and if ever the verdict would swing to their favor. If Festin and Ladaga including their colleagues just fight objectively in a friendly manner in the spirit of the principles of check-and-balance and participatory governance, we will be able to move even farther. That’s how the non-aligned silent majority perceive all of these.

If that brand of unity and cooperation is not part of your honest agenda and aspiration for San Jose, for God’s sake, quit quoting that quote of Quezon, ever…

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(Photo: Flickr.com)