A collective wound needs a collective action

With nine people dead and more than a hundred injured, we have another dark day in our history. We can always speculate on who the perpetrators are but our speculation may most likely be tainted by our personal biases. And as we speculate, the more we magnify the rift that prevails in our land.

Just this time, can we leave our personal and political biases aside and come together and mourn for our dead innocent countrymen. Are we not capable of doing something together at this time of tragedy.

With the Makati bombing, the cyberspace is very much abuzz with all reactions, speculations and personal experiences about the incident. We as a nation have experience a colletive wound, the bombing. And yet, we are not capable of making a united collective action. Instead, we keep on rattling on who did it, what did it, who gained from it, etc. Comments from Manolo's and Ellen Tordesillas'blogs are excellent examples. The Inquirer has reported blogger covering the Makati blast. All blogs, I believe, will say something in reaction to the incident. The blast is also the center of discussion internet forums and groups. That is very understable. As I said, what we experience was a collective wound and it is but normal for us to make a reaction.

But let us also view this incident as an opportunity. An opportunity to come together by mourning for the casualties and expresing our disgust over the dastardly act. Let us take and make a collective action. For once, let us show to ourselves that we are capable of doing something together collectively as a people, as a nation We can use the internet to spread the word. Let it not be an initiative of any group or political party but an initiatve coming from us, netizens. Then we make ourselves useful, instead of bickering all of the time just like politicians.

There are many ways where we can take a collective action to show our unity in expressing our disgust over the bombing. We can make a call on every Filipino homes to display a Philippine flag. Or we can all wear a black shirt on a particular day. Or we can ask the church to toll the bells, honk our cars, hit the pan, make a noise on a particular time. Or we can all just go to Glorietta, no speaches, no banners, no placards, just a show of numbers. Or we can spread the slogan, Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas (too self serving), to express our sentiment on our love for our country. The point is, we have experienced a collective wound. To bring about a positive outcome from this incident, we, the citizens minus the politicians, have to make a collective action.

Bloggers brought Malu Fernandez down on her knees. Let us raise the level of our significance. There is an opportunity to bring our country come together. Are we netizens up to the challenge?

Lumuha ka, aking bayan

Sa araw ng pagsabog sa Makati, sa walang katapusang iskandalo, sa garapalang suhulan, lumuha ka, aking bayan.



Kung Tuyo Na Ang Luha Mo, Aking Bayan
ni Amado V. Hernadez

Lumuha ka, aking Bayan; buong lungkot mong iluha
Ang kawawang kapalaran ng lupain mong kawawa:
Ang bandilang sagisag mo’y lukob ng dayong bandila,
Pati wikang minana mo’y busabos ng ibang wika,
Ganito ring araw nang agawan ka ng laya,
Labintatlo ng Agosto nang saklutin ang Maynila,

Lumuha ka, habang sila ay palalong nagdiriwang,
Sa libingan ng maliit, ang malaki’y may libangan;
Katulad mo ay si Huli, naaliping bayad-utang,
Katulad mo ay si Sisa, binaliw ng kahirapan;
Walang lakas na magtanggol, walang tapang na lumaban,
Tumataghoy, kung paslangin; tumatangis, kung nakawan!

Iluha mo ang sambuntong kasawiang nagtalakop
Na sa iyo’y pampahirap, sa banyaga’y pampalusog:
Ang lahat mong kayamana’y kamal-kamal na naubos,
Ang lahat mong kalayaa’y sabay-sabay na natapos;
Masdan mo ang iyong lupa, dayong hukbo’y nakatanod,
Masdan mo ang iyong dagat, dayong bapor, nasa laot!


Lumuha ka kung sa puso ay nagmaliw na ang layon,
Kung ang araw sa langit mo ay lagi nang dapithapon,
Kung ang alon sa dagat mo ay ayaw nang magdaluyong,
Kung ang bulkan sa dibdib mo ay hindi man umuungol,
Kung wala nang maglalamay sa gabi ng pagbabangon,
Lumuha ka nang lumuha’t ang laya mo’y nakaburol.

May araw ding ang luha mo’y masasaid, matutuyo,
May araw ding di na luha sa mata mong namumugto
Ang dadaloy, kundi apoy, at apoy na kulay dugo,
Samantalang ang dugo mo ay aserong kumukulo;
Sisigaw kang buong giting sa liyab ng libong sulo
At ang lumang tanikala’y lalagutin mo ng punglo!

Where is the outrage?

There was a collective outrage among bloggers with the Malu Fernandez controversy. There was a colletive outrage among Fil-Ams with the racist statement from Desperate Housewives. Today, we are confronted by a much, much more despicable incident but where is the outrage?

The opposition is and will bleed the issue for their selfish motives. The commentators and opinion writers are having a heyday making various spins and interpretations with Fr. Panlilio's expose. But where is the outrage?

Definitely, it is not only the few who have spoken that received a paper bag with bundles of money. An ABS CBN video footage showed other politicians carrying similar bags. The rest may deny getting any money but it won't change the fact that public perception is that they indeed got money. Delicadeza is alien to them. Garapalan is the name of the game. But still, where is the outrage.

Why are we not out in the streets demanding for explanations and even making calls for resignation? Why do we go on with are lives as if this suhulan is just a normal incident? Why is there no collective outrage? NO, I am not calling for people power. I am merely asking why have we become so meek and numb as a people in spite of the endless political scandals that confront us everyday.

The suhulan did not really come as a surprise. The suprise is when somebody, thanks to Fr. Panlilio, finally came out to expose the incident. (I am quite disappointed with Gov. Grace Padaca when she claimed on the news that she got a Christmas card from the GMA with P50,000 but never came out to expose this gift giving incident at that time.) Corruption has become a way of life in our country. We know it happens. It is the P500,000 that Fr. Panlilio showed to media that gave corruption a "face".

In his column today, Jose Ma. Montelibano said, "Nation building is character building". Precisely. And that is my personal advocacy. Call it character building, value formation, good citizenship. If there is no collective change in our attitude and ways as a people, we will remain unaffected by the corrupt practices we see and hear everywhere. It is not really surprising why there is no collective outrage with regards to this blatant suhulan in Malacanang.

Garapalan

Last April 28, 2007, I wrote an entry on this blog entitled Be Brave. The post is about the speech of UP graduate Mikaela Irene Fudolig and my support on the candidacy of Fr. Ed Panlilio for governor in the province of Pampanga. We all know that Fr. Panlilio defeated his two trapo rivals. Now Fr. Panlilio again is the news with the P500,000 he received when he went to Malacanang.

Syempre tod deny ang Malacanang. Walang magnanakaw na umaming magnanakaw sya. Walang manunuhol sa aaming nanuhol sya. Between Father Panlilio's word at ng mga nasa palasyo, napaka obvious naman kung sino ang paniniwalaan natin. Nakasusuka talaga ang sistema ng mga pulitiko. Ginagawa talagang pera pera lang ang labanan. Mabuti na lang at may nahalal na isang Fr. Panlilio. Kahit todo deny ang malakanyang, marami na ang mga nagsalita na sadyang nagkaroon ng bigayan ng pera. Talamak na talaga at sadyang mga garapal. Huwag nila ipangalandakan na bumubuti and ekonomiya dahil kung tutuusin, sila sila lang naman ang mga nakikinabang.

Manny Pacquiao

As I write this blog, I am awaiting for the Pacquiao-Barrera fight in the internet. This is where I try to get my regular updates.

Of course I am rooting for Pacquiao just like all Filipinos everywhere. Sana walang aberya. I hope Pacman continues with his winning steak.

While reading news on this fight, there are insinuations that Pacquiao continues to harbor political plans. He is cooking up something for 2010. Sayang. Pacquiao can do more for our country outside the political ring. He should have learned his lesson in the last election. His camp claims they were cheated in the last election.

Politics in this country stinks. Barangay election pa lang trapong trapo na ang mga kandidato. Instead of breeding good leaders, our politics only breeds trapos. May mga matitino din naman but they very, very few. Ang mga high profile na "santong" politiko, para sa akin, ay sina Grace Padaca, Jesse Robredo at Fr. Ed Panlilio. I'm sure may mga matitino din dyan kaya lang hindi nabibigyan ng media exposure. But the rule of the thumb is, once you enter Philippine politics, kakainin ka ng karumihan nito. Kahit si Pacman, kakainin ng sistmemang ito. Sana hwag nya na lang pasukin ang mundo ng pulitika.

Manny Pacquiao is one of the very few individuals who has truly captured our imagination as a people. Medyo nagka setback yon nung kumandidato sya sa nakaraan halalan. But with this fight with Barrera, everyone is again focused on him. The others who have captured our imagination are Cory and Erap. Pacquaio is in that league or even more. Pacquaio cuts across all socio-economic-political-religious divide unlike Cory and Erap. Si Cory pang middle class while Erap is pang masa.

To have credibility, Pacquaio must stay out of politics. Pacquaio has the capacity to inspire. But to lead, I doubt it. He is in the league of the two Revillas, the two Lapids. It is really their advisers who think for them. I may trust Pacquiao with regards to his sincere desire to help. But I just can't trust the people behind him whoever they are.

Pacquiao is an excellent endorser. Businesses have recognized this considering the long line of products he is promoting. I just hope one day he can become an endorser of the good citizenship campaign. He is the ideal endorser for this campaign.

Good luck Pacman. I hope you again win this one.

Desperate Housewives

Marami na ang nasabi tungkol sa isyung ito. Normal lang na mag react tayo violently, ika nga. Karapatan natin yon. Kum baga, natapakan tayo bilang mga Pilipino, normal lang na aaray tayo.

Ang problema, hindi na natin hinahanap ang dahilan ng prolema. Nainsulto tayo at yun na yon. Bakit di natin matanong sa mga sarili natin, bakit "some med schools in the Philippines" ang nabanggit at hindi "some med schools in India" o "Pakistan" o "Thailand"?

Yes, racist yung statement. Kung ibang bansa ba ang nabanggit, mag re react ba tayo na racist yung programa. Siempre hindi. Hahayaan na lang natin yung citizens ng sino mang bansa ang nabanggit ang mag react. Malas natin tayo ang nabanggit. Pero bakit tayo pa?

Hindi kaya dahil sa may "image" problem tayo as a people? I would rather look at this issue from this perspective. May problema tayo as a people pero ayaw nating tanggapin o harapin. Ngayon kapag naiinsulto tayo because of this image problem, nanggagalaiti tayo. Sana makita natin ang isyung ito from that perspective.

Mabilis tayong mag react kung may mga negative statements towards Filipinos. Instead na maging wake up call ang issue to recognize our faults, the issue became a unifying incident for an ego that was collectively hurt.

Still, Desparate Housewives has no right to those lines. My ego was also hurt.