Wishing for a just peace and justice this Christmas:
Or "all after Duterte's message
while seeing its obvious contrary in the season"
Or "all after Duterte's message
while seeing its obvious contrary in the season"
Yesterday, people from all walks of life heard about the yuletide message issued by the president. And unlike his usual speeches, the president spoke in a calm and steady tone as he greeted Filipinos here and abroad in his Christmas message.
"Let the ideas of compassion, kindness, and reconciliation guide as we embrace our countrymen in the spirit of shared humanity," these are the words the president expressed as any other Christmas message coming from a head of state.
Quite promising at first, for knowing that in a regime that promises giving its constituent an ideal good life, it urges the people to cling to the government's promise of ensuring them development, security, and realisation of hopes through its yearly programs commonly featured in its state-owned media and its paid/unpaid apologists.
However, behind all these not all would believe in person whose primary promise is to defend the order: for contrary to the message given, people sought a bluntiest truth. That instead of seeing peace people hear about tragedies, that instead of hope people sought threats been spoken, and that instead of faith one would hear about someone describing god as a stupid being; all these and more falls to a regime whose indifference towards an actually-existing bloodshed been justified by their attacks towards the concerned and this time talks about the spirit of Christmas like any other leader speaking. After all, Duterte is the same man who calls bishops useless and orders their massacre, while his men threatens churchpeople such as what happened few days ago in Redemptorist church in Baclaran, Pasay.
And like few years ago, who he once promised as president that he will bring food on the table; create more job opportunities; and make people feel safer and more comfortable, this didn't translate into immediate action if not being treated those matters as mere politicking- for the fact that unemployment rose, that prices of goods inctease, that people feel unsafe like what said earlier, will people ever truly believe in him? Perhaps a fantic will accept it as gospel truth, thanks to the proliferation of false reports and distorted messages desperately rallying to a soiled standard.
Anyway, people should remember that this season is not all about gifts nor feasting, but rather commemorating a man whose message continues to be relevant: that aside from clinging to faith, hope, and love, also urges the faithful to join in a quest for liberation. After all, he is the man who also didn't bring peace, but a sword.
And to think that this person would say that despite the president's message of reconciliation and unity, this actually-existing fact doesn't happen during this regime- unless that listener happens to be a fanatic and therefore accepting it as gospel truth. But instead of just affirming, the message gives a concerned the best context to fight for one's rights, welfare, and of course, lives this yuletide season and the coming year.
For now, here's a music from Celeste Legazpi. Made by the songwriter Renato 'Tato' Malay, this song speaks for itself, that a country needs someone to help in this tumultous times. Again, have a blessed and safe yuletide.