A few years back (when I was a new returnee from overseas “exile”), not a few grad students doing their theses on Pinoy identity and the internet interviewed me. One of the students got a best thesis award from her college for her work. At that time the internet for a majority of Pinoys was being used more as a means of communication (via chat etc) rather than a venue to create virtual communities. I may be wrong though but I know that these social networking venues and egroups were in their infancy then and the word “Blog” hadn’t been invented.

There has been a deluge of academic studies on the subject and recently I met one of the grad students who interviewed me. I was pleased to learn  that she is working on her doctorate and is revisiting the subject. While she looked at identity then now she is looking at empowerment and power. She has the usual subjects for study, FilAms (who make a huge part of the diaspora), OF (Overseas Filipinos in other places) and Pinoys at home, which I suggested she call FilPil (Filipinos sa Pilipinas).

In previous studies, Filipino identity is strongly maintained in cyberspace even though as a result of discrimination, many Pinoys have to downplay this in order to make it in “mainstream America” (read as White America) . I recall attending a lecture on this at Southern University (a mainly black campus, LSU is predominantly white). The question that now is being asked is with the changes facing global society and especially Filipino presence in the Internet, what happens to the power relations between cyberusers and with the Establishment at home?

One of the results of previous studies is with regards to Filipino identity within the cybercommunity is the telling observation among FilPils, that FilAms don’t really get the reality sa Pilipinas since they get their constructs from that of the Inquirer and ANC! In contrast FilPils get a better idea of what is it to be in the USA from a wider variety of sources. I am a bit sure of the FilAm via the Inquirer lens since when I was in the US and that kindergarteners on a bus hostage situation hit the news, I couldn’t get what FilPils sent me on the email. I found it strange that there was little outrage. I couldn’t get a grip.

So I suggested she looks more into this.

Now it seems the situation is reversed. My US based friends and relatives inform us FilPils the bad news on the ground about the 1) economy, 2) unemployment 3) some Americans brought down to third world status. We can’t get a grip. The American based news sources don’t tell us the story that well.

So I suggested she looks more into this!

Our conversation eventually headed into the topic of “Problema sa ‘Pinas” naturlich! Nontheless there seems to be a growing sense of powerlessness on both sides on how to deal with the situation. Whereas before, the FilAms and OFs were able to suggest some alternatives even if some FilPils may resent it, now the discussion seems to be headed nowhere. But I also told her that with the Reproductive Health Bill debate, the discussion headed towards polarization. And that could be good in a sense that the positions are made clear and choices stark. 

Bloggers like Manolo Quezon have done something historic in the Arroyo impeachment efforts that cannot be construed as powerlessness. It could be considered Quixotic but the ever gallant MLQ3 doesn’t strike me as Cervantes’ beloved literary creation. It could be that Manolo’s intervention is a bit before its time at least sa Pilipinas.

Your thoughts please

 

 

 

 

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