Many years ago, I stumbled upon a case that would change my life forever. At that time, I was a journalist. After years of being an activist, I shed my revolutionary robe and donned on a new one. Despite the protestations of my deceased dad (who wanted me to become a lawyer), I chose coverage over law books; convinced that pursuing my passion for writing is the way to go. Being a journalist though, I needed to shed every ism within my soul, hoping that I’ll look at every scene, every spectacle and every presscon without my red-colored lenses.
Yet, the more I look at reality, the more I realized that those years I spent pouring over books written by economists, historiographers, sociologists and philosophers were spent wisely. I came face-to-face with the miseries of the people. Those who were victimized by crime. Those who were held hostage by a patronage-laden system. And those who were rendered orphan by the daily struggles against poverty–all of them–became my bedfellows.
The centuries-old struggle of our heroes came flashing back, as if we did not really progress as what government wanted us to believe. That the very same problems which confronted our forefathers remain deeply rooted in Filipino society.
The more I observe, the more I became convinced that change should happen. Not for me. I’m a damned soul already. I need to act for the benefit of future generations.
Against the will of my family, I decided to help. And help I did. I gave my precious time, helping a woman who saw how brutal and corrupt the cops were. She went into high gear and became a prominent national figure while I stood behind the shadows, content that I accomplished what’s supposed to be done.
Eight years past, and all those sacrifices which nearly cost me my life and the future of my family, all went to naught. We managed to install a more corrupt government. No one thought that this would happen although I remember my former desk editor cautioning me about this woman. She said that this woman would bring chaos back into our lives. Well, she said it right. But, she left out one important thing–it’s not just chaos–its monumental which has caused thousands of lives and more than 4 million families hungry.
What is to be done?
I’m 37 years old right now, with a 6 month old baby. I also have two kindergarten kids with me and a lovely wife. I have bills to pay, including a car amortization. I have credit card bills piling up. I just have a few thousands in my bank account and I fear that I’ll lose them altogether within a month.
I need to weigh my options, and I have a very limited one. Will I respond to the challenge put forth by those junior officers yesterday, calling for a general uprising against this evil, corrupt and decrepit administration?
Is their method the surest way for me to secure the future of my baby, my kids and my wife? A chap like me just needs a more equal, more stable and more graft-less government. Will their call benefit me and my family? Is a revolution the solution for those who have less to have at least a fair chance for a better life? Or will it further worsen the already bad situation me and my family are in?
For some, revolution is just a fancy concept invented by those men who struggled against tyrants and oppressors many centuries back. It’s good to write. It’s easy to pronounce. It’s even fancy to wear.
Yet, in this very moment, revolution is not just an armchair revolutionary’s idea. No. It is as real and as needed by us, especially.
We need a revolution. We need something to pull us out of this rut. We need an event that would re-install our “hiya”. We need a life-altering change that would rouse us from apathy, disillusionment and hopelessness so that we unite for the advancement of our nation.
We had that before. EDSA Uno was one event that made us smile and made us proud. We can still do the same in our generation now. We can make Filipinos smile again. We can make them proud again, but on a different level.
Weighing between personal and the nation’s, I chose the nation’s. I was born in this country. The very soil that I stand on needs me. I owe the Motherland whatever I possess now. And the Motherland is grieving because she sees her sons and daughters scrapping the very bottom of the barrel all because of the ineptitude of the usurper in power.
For those Patriots of the New Generation, the Filipino People need you to restore order and make all those who robbed us, stole our monies and corrupted us pay for their sins. We are accepting your challenge. It is time for us to stand against immorality, graft, corruption and utter mismanagement.
Now, our generation needs to shine once more in its duty for the Motherland. Let those who want a cleaner and more effective government rise from their seats and unite behind those who struggle for freedom.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Pat,
this country needs a revolution but it comes from having better laws and better people to enforce it.
the only way to right this ship of state is through elections, within the system. so i urge you. you seem to have the passion for it and the stomach for it: run for public office. no matter what position. even if it is for barangay captain. This country needs good people willing to fight the good fight.
a network of good people is also out there, in the metropolitan, at the countrysides, and even at those peripheral slums. what has happened very recently in America gives a hopeful impression that a change for good, no matter how costly, is possible. just believe and do…
Just curious, Patricio. What is the basis of this notion that we “owe” something to the “Motherland”?
What exactly is the origin of this “debt”?
Coz it seems you are a law abiding citizen who pays his taxes.
Kung baga, you’ve given to Caesar what is due Caesar. What other “debt” do you have (you know of course I am not talking about your credit cards) on top of that?
You too I have to shed all “isms” except Darwinism which I told DJB and Dodong Nemenzo (and emailed Joma Sison) is the highest form of thought! :-)
You get to see things differently when you are a father. BTW it is from reading Sionil-Jose that I was challenged to work for a better social order. But like Sioni-Jose, I believe that we can do this as Rizal believed, via education. Whether you want to go the by arms route or via the system, you still have to educate and be educated. I would opt to work within the constitutional system since despite its shortcomings, the Constitution is what is between us and the Devil herself. To put it in Church allegorical terms, the Gates of Her Hell won’t prevail over it!
You can be a teacher and be the ultimate subversive, revolutionary and liberate one mind at a time. In doing so I have pissed off the born agains,CCCs, Opus Dei, Ateneans, La Sallians, Thomasians, straightjacketed academics, my mother, my ex GFs, the LFS, commies, Marcos loyalists, die hard Coryists, Gloria apologists, the UP Diliman chancellor, an ex UP prez,my dean and of course my department chair. Come to think of it when I was starting out, only my own father believed what I was doing was the right!
I remember this leftist nun who conducted our seniors retreat many many years ago. She recast the St Francis prayer as
Lord make me an instrument of your turbulence!
Disturb us, O Lord
when we are too well-pleased with ourselves
when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, O Lord
when with the abundance of things we possess,
we have lost our thirst for the water of life
when, having fallen in love with time,
we have ceased to dream of eternity
and in our efforts to build a new earth,
we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim.
Stir us, O Lord
to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas
where storms show Thy mastery,
where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes
and invited the brave to follow.
Amen.
Ewan, siguro beinte-tres lang ako; walang asawa, walang anak. Pero itong bansang ito ang pamana sa akin ng mga namatay para dito.
Pagtatanaw ng utang na loob sa kasaysayan, sa mga bayani, kahit minsan tinatanong ko sa sarili ko kung tama nga ba ang dahilan ng pagkamatay nila, kung nasa tama ba sila.
Dahil kailanman, di ako magiging bayani. Namatay ang mga bayani, at nagsasakripisyo ang maraming Pilipino, para sa isang bagay na mas malaki sa kanila.
Di ko pwedeng bastusin ang alaala ng bawat taong namatay sa ngalan ng bansang Pilipinas dahil wala akong ginawa.
was it Che or someone else who said that “today’s revolutionaries are tomorrow’s reactionaries?
are we prepared for the bloodbath that will follow?
here is Encarta’s food for thought:
“Modern societies owe much to past uprisings against repressive governments, stagnant or restrictive economic conditions, and rigid class divisions. On the other hand, revolutions have often replaced one evil with another, as through harsh recriminations, self-serving leadership”.
will the adventure lead to a “military coup?”.
blackshama is correct to say that only education will guide us through this hardship and despite the shortcomings of our constitutional system, this could only be our best option.
i shudder at the idea of bloodletting that will only further enslaves our people.
“a network of good people is also out there, in the metropolitan, at the countrysides, and even at those peripheral slums”
I agree!! Much of the the talk on EDSA, on change, on revolution and what-have-you are centered here in Manila. The true work in rebuilding this nation is in involving people who already have knowledge such as people from FV, from civic orgs and other kinds of orgs and individuals who are willing to work for slow and painstaking change and getting them excited in working for change.
It’s a matter of shedding elitism in social standing, intellectualism and whatever isms that we could think of; and going out there–schools, communities, churches, wherever, armed with a framework/mindset/belief/faith that change can only come if we start doing something somewhere.
It’s easier to tear down and “ibagsak.” Infinitely harder to rebuild something that’s already broken.
Yes Education is the only way. Growth comes from Activity not from intellectual understanding.
If we are going to wait for the next generation, we as the people in this generation are useless for growth :)
We have to understand that Education do not just start from the Youth alone or else we are all wasting time blogging at mid and later life.
There’s a need to form an organized blogging system and article writings that will influence the whole – the current generation. This is about teamwork.
I agree with Penstalker, he clearly point out the target market: schools, communities, churches.
I also agree with manolo that education should be focus on making people understand how our Constitution works, how Congress works, which branch of our government are the implementators , who is doing the ” check and balance” so that people will know what and who to demand. The majority barely understand how our system works. The majority are the poor. I am sure that my neighbors in the provinces do not understand fully the true job description of a barangay capitan. Human rights Violation can be solved at this level.
We need an awareness program not Revolution.
What do you mean with “the soil that you very stand need me”?
Shine once more? When did we shine once? And who and what is a Motherland?
Dont you think your are being emotional?
the defenders, the direct beneficiary of this rotten status quo makes bloody revolution inevitable, even necessary.
the ruling class have all the opportunity to reform peacefully within – and operating on – the parameters of the system.
but no, they not only failed to reform it, they deform and corrupt it some more, became even more greedy, to the extent that now it has become next to impossible to reform it “within the parameters of the system”.
so yes, to revolution!
and fuck you who are too cowardly – and too out of touch with the suffering – to be part of it!
Puso mo, Bestre. Easy lang at sabihin mo kung papaano ang Rebolasyon (sabi ng lola ko) na nasa isip mo.
How will it come? Who will lead? What are the logistic?
Ngapala, baka nasa isip mo ang CPP/NPA; well, they have their chances. Some of my better friends died with them – pero kung wala sila sa isip mo, back tayo sa orig na tanong ko.
Joma,
The entry was meant to be emotional. It was for those who are thinking what to do next–abandon personal affairs and go to the field of battle. Or, continue living in a society which I consider a lie.
Revolution for me is not just armed struggle. More than that is what I called the intellectual entrepreneur’s revolution. We kill old ideas, not people. That is the revolution I want.
On the challenge that why not run for public office–this is already a cliche which government and the State always say to repudiate revolutionary thought. I served once–as boy councilor of Marikina, way before BF got elected as mayor there. And you know what? Government officials tried to corrupt boy councilors like me. The system is totally corrupt and this system cannot be undone by one. This system deserves to fall because it always fail the very people who are supposed to benefit from it.
We need a new one and I hope that many are still out there who share the same hope that with the fall of Gloria comes real Glorya for the people.
If I were more clearheaded I’d tell you to leave it to men like me, but…
PM, just to reinforce benig0′s point. It’s not indebtedness you fell but ownership. You don’t owe this country anything though I’m sure a lot of very prominent shit heads owe their lives to Pinas.
This is our land. Our soul resides here and nothing will give me more satisfaction than freedom for all. We should be free where our soul belongs.
Patricio did your desk editor explain why GMA will bring chaos?
hi brianb,
that’s right. about my desk editor? well, she just blurted it out. you know women. they know what’s the real score with other women of their age. and I admire and respect that woman desk editor of mine. she’s good. really good. she met arroyo and the meeting was not very pleasant.
Hi PM,
I symphatise with you, but disagree with the notion that changing GMA will bring true glory to our society.
Our problem run deeper than that, I believe, but I cannot discuss further.
Leyte asserted that education is the only way – as if the people running this country has no or lacking in education. No, that is misguided as well as evidences is counter to that claim.
But if you ask me “what can be done?”, my answer is *I scratch my head*.
“Leyte asserted that education is the only way – as if the people running this country has no or lacking in education. No, that is misguided as well as evidences is counter to that claim”. Joma.
Where are you from Joma? People in power think that the Pinoys are bunch of stupid monkeys that they can continue robbing them, killing them, subject them to ignominy but comes election, we will elect them back to office.
If we are educated we would not have elected a movie star to the Office of the President and when convicted for plunder would wish to run again because the people behind him were so uneducated that they keep telling him that he is the best President we could have. We would have not elected another movie star, (only this time he was cheated), because this movie star was a classic cinema hero, then he could be a hero too in real life.
If we are educated we would not bring back the Marcoses to power, the beneficiaries of martial law, (JDV, Lucio Tan, Zamora, Estilito Mendoza, etc) to power.
If we were educated, we would not be electing those clowns into office.
If we were educated the mainstream print and broadcast media would not have been peddling lies and could have closed down long time ago if we have not patronized them.
If we were educated we will not accept bribe from “politicos” in order to vote them to office.
If we were educated we will turn off our TV whenever Justice so and so explains to the people how much the country has progressed in terms of addressing the “desaparecidos” and salvaging. Turn off our TV when your police officer said they were still looking for the suspect in the UP Diliman Bank Robbery because chances are, these are their own people. Turn off your TV if your DTI Secretary explains why the prices of commodities are skyrocketing and the government is helpless about it.
If we were educated, we can call a judge a jackall if you were wrongfully charged. (Just like I did.) Call a judge an asshole if he asks money from you so you can win your case. :)
by the way, joma, I call them “Termites” not jackall. :)
sorry, jackal has only one l.
Awareness can also be our Peaceful Revolution.
Yes, Leytenian, a virtual intellectual revolution is what we need. Why kill when you can just change the mindset of those in power and make them do what is truly right and beneficial to each and every Filipino!
Joma, yes, our problems run deeper than what I wrote. For lack of space, I cannot deprive other FV members the chance to express themselves. We are a collective and we respect the rights of others in this space.
If all those problems are really deep, then, let’s dug them all up and obliterate them through a changed mindset.
That is what we really need–a transformational change of philosophical world view. We need one philosophical world view that is truly Filipino!
We can’t achieve that through the use of force. No. We achieve our revolution through the use of our intellect!
Armed struggle will only be relevant to us at the onset of the revolution. For to make a monumental, society-altering revolution, we need to use all resources of the state. You need to be in power. And be in power, means, not just running a barangay like what an FV member suggested here.
We need a government that shall spearhead this intellectual revolution to the very end! That is the legacy that we must do and impart for future generations to chew on.
This network of good people hardly hits the internet to savor revolutionary/reform ideas. It’s required to jump overboard and go on the ground like Paolo Freire’s popular education-its the people who talk of their “narratives” and let those men in power hear them.
Yes, a revolutionary education coupled with firm resolve not to hear the call of one’s stomach in exchange of such noble principle for socio-politico renewal when the battle gets worst.
But beware, for men in power usually appeal to the ordinary people’s stomach to buy them off employing resources they have stolen to cajole or make them cower. I Remember a particular script of Alexander in the movie Meggido.
Hi jcc,
My first reaction to “where Im from” question is a fighting stance (ala Manny) but I realise how desperate and indignant you are. There is nothing that I disagree with you. Perhaps, it’s the way we look at things. I would say; as a nation, we are educated, and have hunger for education. I would not bring in statistic but will just base this claim in my personal observation.
First, Erap.
You remember Erap as Asiong Salonga, but you have forgotten that he was once a long time Mayor, a Senator, a VP. Along with him he carried a personal charisma that he learned from making movies. His approach to presidential campaign was classic – I am the man of the poor. On top of that, he was pitted against a clown-looking JDV. Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t judge people by their look. We know it now; a demolition. The people has spoken that they are against institution represented by a clown JDV and wish changes by electing a superhero Erap.
You see, you even recognised that the most of the same people still tried to elect FPJ on the same hope and intension – Ayaw na naming ang mga piting inang garapal na pulitiko. And why will the people vote for FPJ? Because they have seen the Impeachment , how the Other camp has grab the power on the promise of true changes, only to find out that they have put back the loser JDV-GMA team to a winner GMA-JDV tandem. Poetic, because on top of that they vanquish the folk hero by presenting him as a plunderer and a true villain! Which he is, sure.
Jcc, looking back at that time, who would be your best bet against Erap?
Marcos and the beneficiaries of Martial Law
You pointed that we brought Marcos et al back to power. I agree that we should not, but you have the impression that this people are so helpless that it needs us for them to be in power. You are wrong. These people hold the wallet of our economy. They have the money; they have the connections, the knowledge and the genes. They would not be defeated sitting down as they have resources to strike back or enter from another door. You may defeat them now, but they will come back – they have the resiliency- and perhaps that is where their secrets lies.
On Media
Jcc, the print and broadcast media is there to earn profit on the appearance of disseminating information. If you live in the jukebox era, they play the music for as long as you drop the coin. But they are owned by the same people who has the stake in our political and economic set-up, therefore do not expect them to shoot their own foot.
In the end, I say that we are educated – well, most of us, but it is not the ONLY way. Education is not a foolproof tool. At the extreme, it can be used to fool or become fool.
Have a great day.