A post enough to earn ire (and assessment)

A post enough to earn ire (and assesment)

It's been a day ago when this person read about a post enough to earn an ire from those who work in those establishments.

That according to the post of Erickson Ignacio Marcos, he recieved a text from a call centre company and offered him a job as a data analyst, that somehow according to him is a mock to his face especially after knowing that his contact details had been acquired from the school where he finished. 

To Marcos, he felt so disappointed that as an alumnus, his school is pimping (sorry for the incorrectness), or rather say refering students to work in companies different from their finished courses, or as what he said "a dream being offered to them". 

Quite "idealistic" though on his behalf, that he criticised his alma mater for offering jobs different drom their respective courses being finished, what more of passing personal information without any permission; but given the choice of words may deem it offensive, especially to those who had worked, earned, and gain some good living standards in the sector for years, hence, earning a series of heckles in social media sites.

Perhaps in this person's view, mr. Marcos has some point that education should be not for sale, that graduates should have a real decent job besides those from the BPO. Forget the grammar or any technicalities as what most commentators see and think after reading that post, but instead, try to read between the lines enough to understand his "irritating" rant.

But on the side of workers in the Call Centre sector, they have no choice but to work given the situation, for there are no truly sound decent jobs to see nowadays besides Call Centre if not becoming a Migrant. Some of them had to stop schooling or desperate to have work after earning their diplomas just to save money all for paying tuition, for their families, or even for chrissakes such as those who enjoy excessive drinking at Tomas Morato. 

True that it is indeed tempting to work in a different sector given the situation, but did the system provide really sound jobs according to what they finish? Remember, some of those who worked earned licenses be it Law, Nursing, or Engineering, but the clear and present situation compelled these supposed Lawyers, Nurses, or Engineers to work as agents instead, given the practicality of what the system offered to them. Therefore, will the system really provide jobs according to their professions?With sound benefits and decent wages? 

Perhaps this person would say that there are certain policies or agreements that should be criticised and not the profession itself taken as their choice. Quite inconvenient though to some, but for these workers coming from various well known mames and situated at various sites especially in Metropolitan Manila, they have no choice but to work for long hours enduring someone else's complain for some troubleshooting, unless one of these workers thinks that it is a temporary solution prior to practising their craft with sound money or even leaving country for abroad in pursuit of greener pastures and forgetting pasts. 

In fact, this person has friends from that sector, and some knew that in reading between those lines lies understanding the the reality that behind good pay and somewhat good living standards is conditions enough to describe as exploitative especially when it comes to issues involving health and security, of respecting laws especially the right to gain benefits. One example comes from Reynaldo Refran, who, also coming from the Call Centre sector, expressed reality of underemployment and those benefited from their hardships:

"Reading between the lines, what Erickson Marcos has been ranting about is the fact that his school has been peddling information to the big capitalists. Nowhere in his rants did he diss the BPO peeps... he should've also attacked the fact that many graduated end up being underemployed because they couldn't even get kobs that suit their educational attainment (unless they end up as OFWs).

I don't see anything misguided at all in this rant, as some quarters would claim. If only we read between the lines, he hit the nail right in its head."

But anyways, it's up to the reader to provide opinions or appraisal about his rant. And knowing that this person knows that most people, particularly those who work at as agents, may blame him for his statement or even his grammar, blame also the system that failed to provide sound jobs besides those of the BPO if not a guest worker outside the country. Blame also the institutions that despite providing help for graduates, including those of tying up with other companies or institutions alike, yet far from what they are supposed to work according to what they finish. And criticise institutions for failing to heed the needs of the employees as perscribed by the state, especially those of benefits, good living wage, and assistances a well earned company has to provide to its workers. 

But again, back from the statement of his, come to think of this, on the first place, why passing some information to another without any permission from the person itself? Nothing is wrong about having a job, but privacy would be enough factor for a criticism. 

"Of Revisiting works and making Considerations"

"Of Revisiting works and making Considerations"

Critical remarks om the subject of contemporary culture exploited 

by the current dilapidated order

It's been years passed since this writer has made writeups criticising contemporary culture and how the system exploited in it.

Ranging from fashion, music, dance, anything the system afforded to observe and exploit in the guise of creativity, at first, it is worth criticizable yet there are some that are worth considerable to thrive as it deviates from the "flow" created by "merchants" and "harlots" in the culto-entertainment sector, that somehow made it worth criticisable to some, if not most of the concerned all after seeing people under current. 

At first, why it is worth criticisable? Is it because of a choice in appearance, sound, movement, attitude emanating from a person? Or a fad in which a person compels to emulate and oftentimes putting some "colour" or "flavour" enough to create "uniqueness"? The massive influx of foreign goods plus the "creativity" of most consumers, created something "unique" enough to entice people more to buy, use, and even engage as if there's a "choice" or "identity" involved. 

That obviously behind it is exploitation both in mind and in the pocket of the people. In a writeup made few years past, this person sees that behind making "twists" in any part of culture (music, art, fashion, etc.) to accomodate lies both popular acceptance and exploitation by the system, in which the latter profits much from packaging, selling, and enticing people to buy and engage. True that in creativity  uses existing ideas and tools to create a semblance of uniqueness, although it's also true that the system whom afforded to import and repackage, take advantage of that "creativity" to distort, dilute, exaggerate, or negate, enough to entice people more as it deviates from reality in favour of fantasy:

"That, basing much on our surroundings, and on what mass media propagates, the culture prevailing nowadays is a culture of the west and east simply being adored by many to the extent of putting some "Filipino" twist to accommodate more and perhaps in pursuit of making it "Filipino" the way an Italian Spaghetti should be sweet and sour to accommodate the Filipino taste. 

However, due to the overtly influx of foreign goods, including TV programs and movies, people became totally dependent from it; and as from the earlier statement, putting some "Filipino" twist to accommodate more, thus generating profits to those who tried to insist through; no matter what response from the people would say so about it."

But come to think of this, as the system treats music, sport, art, or any other part of culture as anæsthesia, it is also but a source of corruption, immorality, profit. And for this reason, just like yesterday's religion and its distorted use of faith by these same people on high peddled to many, it has been an opium for the masses and fully contributes to a social lobotomisation.

Such distortions, exaggerations, dilutions, negations, all made by the system infantilises problems, conceals socio-political awareness, even reduces culture into just profiteering ventures in a way mainstream artists being depended on the whims of their managers when it comes to their survival (including those of packaging themselves and their craft). These distortions, in this person's point of view, makes culture very poor if not almost worthless despite popularity after regularly being shown, imitated (or rather say aped) by most people, and be profited from it by today's well-known producers.

On the other hand, there are those whom had been enjoyed in their respective genres, such as singers, that some did outgrew imitating existing ones in the music scene in favour of cultuvating own talent, power, and sincerity, particularly in their words and music being used and enjoyed by many, truly trying to be creative that somehow least giving a renewed phase thst is different from what the system trying to "create" such as what this person stated. How come there are rappers, rockers, or musicmakers of any other genre suddenly express social awareness, of "breaking away from the flow" and be replaced by a true, profound expression despite the prevailing norm of false pride, self-centredness, and a hodgepodge of bullshit mainstream media has popularised, mass-produced and distributed? Well, popular music tries to be really popular than just mainstream and has trying to overturn the latter! 

So is in fashion, or even dance with all the shows that commonly featured "talents" made to impress for chrissakes, true that today's fashion and dance may have been less creative and more canned with the system trying to package as "in accordance to everyone's interest": be it those of the snapback caps, shorts, jogger pants, or any other apparel regularly being shown in tarpaulins under various names be it original or fake, as well as featured in shows that are commonly branded as "bread and ciricuses" the system profited. 

But to call it as choice and interest of an individual? Nope! Everyone is just simply compelled by the flow, rather than personal choice so as to get "in" as if that is making one handsome or pretty in the eyes of others no matter it contradicts its persona as an individual or not really quite fitting despite trying to impress all for chrissakes. Where is that choice if sameness prevailed despite alleged "uniqueness" coming from various names? Perhaps it depends upon to the wearer though to appear unique than the others, but most of these people compelled to get in rather ape as if a panacea to appear part of the scene through its mediums, with its featured talents being shown. After all, today's turn of events actually created a consumption generation where everything is "come and go in an instant" no matter how shitty created it is. Worse, it has little or no choice at all. 

Same as in nudity. Like fashion and music cultivated much by the system, this person's earlier post once thinking that what were they invoking as they show some of their skin besides those of being "yummy"? Perhaps harlots has almost replaced artists when it comes to artistry as they replace "beauty", "youth", "virility", "strength", "nature" with just "seduction", "vanity" and nothing else besides the two to temper the former; and indirectly encouraged by the system in a way the work of the late great Fernando Amorsolo has been replaced by a frustrated Venus, complete with hair colour and awkward posse of covering breasts and genitals, taking picture in front of the camera lens all for the sake of a thousand, if not a million likes in a social media site after being posted. Quite strange, while on the other hand, an artist was criticised for his pantings, whose appearance were described "provocative" or "pornographic" regardless of being based from artworks made centuries ago. Imagine making an almost accurate detail of an Apsara or any other mythological being be criticised for being bare breasted and seducious in its appearance while tolerating a frustrated Venus or Rusalka posted in a social media site? 

by Orlando Castillo

Strange indeed but inconveniently true to see good talents becoming "grace for the slaves" paid on behalf by the system. Sorry for criticising it though all after seeing inconveniences behind the so-called "beauty" and "talent" of today's culture, but to think that the system distorts, exaggerates, dilutes culture in the name of interest, then why not? Fashion, music, art, dance, anything that has created by the people has been used by the system via its own outlets controlled. That artistry is almost disregarded, that with television and billboards regularly shown sameness with different names, choice has been almost replaced by compulsions (direct or indirect) enough to entice people to join into the current as if it can benefit themselves as persons. 

And as for its refuse? Or those who are tired from being used? Maybe they are trying to break away by cultivate more out of their observation and expression, to the extent of going beyond the conventional the way they took years of cultivating their talent to gain followers as part of the trend,  therefore it may also take years to cultivate their talent enough to break away from the conventions using the same genre of their interest. Be it fashion, music, art, or anything that has been exploited by the system and now trying to be retrieved from those whom had took the craft seriously for years. They somehow knew that the system, controlling anything in the society, has carefully crafted it using all the talents they afforded to show, with appropriate style, movement, sentence, shape, colour, texture, even taste; and knowing that from these newcomers wanted their dreams to realise "their full potential", not knowing for the latter that they are being unnoticingly exploited, minds gone distorted, well-beings bled dry with gusto.

These same few may have really noticed the truth hidden behind, and even endure the pain both from being exploited with the sedative being given to, thus, they continue moving, but the more they simply "move on" and endure being exploited by their surroundings comes a willingness to break down the cycle the system has made to its subjects. Or maybe these people sought the truth how through their talent people became unaware, of having their minds lobotomised by the system.

For sure they are tired of having a culture consists of graces for the slaves, they wanted a culture that demands more expression than impression, and that may includes going beyond the establishment's pseudo-liberality.

No wonder why Fuck the System and Yes Death has been one of today's calls.

A set of poems made for the month of August

A set of poems made for the month of August

It's been a long time to make poetry. Influenced by what this person sees and hears, of industrial music and social realities, these are quite compelling enough to write poems besides making writeups of the same idea. 

However, it should be noted that in making poetry or any other writeups should not be for the sake of creativity alone, as artistic expressions should be against subordination, particularly of what the system has trying to insist. Most of the featured poems are in an expression of revenge, recreation, love, remolding, or even revolution. 

The latter may likely to be emphasised though, especially after what this person sees and feels the tremours, of seeing old edifices and burning effigies, of a rotten order trying to gain its strength yet failing to overcome the hatred of many.

But anyways, it's up to the reader to read and understand these few set of poems. 

"A promise from the avenging weak"

The steel church bells are constantly pealing

Storm and distress as it tells

The sound of revenge is completely resounding

Trying to conclude the unbroken spell

The sea of blood its tides now rising

Clarions of war ends uneasy peace

The raising of standards brings hope unbecoming

Curse to the foes as chains rusting

The dove so white now becoming ravens

Dark as the night as if in a spell

Twilight has called into the heavens

Whose souls supposed to be in hell

The clarions resound as the sea rises

Storms aloud against the cursed high

With the poor raising scythes from the mansions burning

Curse to the foes as chains rusting

The gardens full of roses becoming death fields

Thorns dominating over the blossoms

Mansions and cities now felt the terrors

As the cursed people on high now feels its fall

The so-called strong weakened with errors

While the weak gone strong with their calls

With all the weapons pointing the system's fall is approaching

Curse to the foes as chains rusting

The steel church bells are constantly pealing

So are the chimneys the machines are running

The forge whose hammers brings hot steel blazing

And the looms the cloth seaming

The storm and distress lies hope astounding

Favours the once damned now avenging

The system, the order, destined to fall

To hell as their path "righteous" not as it calls.

"Blessed is the fire, till heaven realise"

Blessed is the fire,

Blessed is the light

Blessed is desire

Fulfilled for the right

Through flames comes the reason

Truth is where it lies

In it comes the passion

To be realise

Heaven is the vision

From a sinful plight

True it is delusion

For hell where it lies

Yet through the reforging

Of the heart and mind

True that heaven's seeking

Trying to enlight

Forging by repenting

Molding as mortifies

Heart felt the uprising

Ecstasy arise

Passing through the fires

Seeking unseen light

Blessed is desire

Fulfilled for the right

My mind bid thee asking

Why the test in place

Despite the prayer saying

Deliver from that emplace

Why leave me in pyre

For you created I

Be swallowed by fires

Desires made ask why?

Is the world the pyre

Fate destined to set

By the raging fire

Man someday be me't

Are those tremours cleansing

So to give rebirth

The way I gone reforging

Feeling first the hurt

Hope true is Elysium

As the elders says

Despite called delusion

For the fact hell stays

The world indeed sinful

Despite beauty lies

Soon the fires come awful

Till heaven realise

"Megali Görüş"

True that the world undergoes chaos in order to bring change

And those who are obsessed in order trying to negate the idea

In favour of their own interest yet they mismanage

The society that made people suffering for diarrhea

The people demand for a Megali Idea, a Millî Görüş

As they raise their pen, their syche, their gun

With the sounds of struggle being played over sorrows

Calling for revenge after the order killed its sons

Shantytowns in fire, bloodied mud and grass in countryside

Trying to cover by edifices of glass and steel

And the order has trying to set it aside

From the minds of the people while at the same time trying to steal

After seeing their places, with all their sorrow and hate

The idea for revenge and change resounds no matter death await

From attack dogs and monsters often appearing late

Yet trying to stop those who go beyond as they assert with all the haste

Hearts all filled with fire treats the battle like a play

Made by bards such as I who foresees the coming day

The flames of anger against the system feels its fray

From small fights lies a war the oppressed pray

Fire and brimsone would be the extreme response

Shaking their heavens till hell's pits open

The hatred brought from pain that had done not once

Strike forth the demons all but sudden

Yes, with the factories taken over pointing to the owners

Like the rifles and cannons from their arrogant masters

Churning, hammering, forging the tools both yearning change and venting anger

Whose blood from friend and foe will fertilise the wild flowers

The factories be the barracks, the chimneys are the rifles

The avengers its soldiers, and the faithful its reservers

The city be its fortress the countryside soon lies its battles

With the soil enemies trampled be its graveyards, bodies trampled by horses with saddles

Imbued with the vision fueled by a desire

Others be called compulsion by the reality worth called pyre

The system be end punished by change the once beaten aspire

As the flames of revolution sets the whole rotting world on fire

"BARRIO OBRERO": The ruined, fogotten Valhalla

"BARRIO OBRERO":

The ruined, forgotten Valhalla

It has long been felt that the centre for the activities of the National Government has to be outside Manila if not giving the existing area a total makeover. Having a growing population that lies growing demands, officials during those times have to expand, develop, renew in pursuit of tuning their colony with the times driven by knowledge and dignified labour in a way its past colonisers were driven by faith to save damned souls.

That as early as the American period, Daniel Burnham, an American landscape architect, drew a plan for a new government centre replacing those during the Spanish era. His first choice for an ideal site was the heights of BalicBalic, in Sta. Mesa Manila. However, according to sources, the scenic sunsets of Manila Bay lured Burnham back to Manila, specifically Bagumbayan and its neighbouring districts, for a bayside capital.

However, Manila grew rapidly into a hub of international trade and commerce. Sea was the prevailing mode of international transport during the period with air transport at its experimental stages, that somehow in the late 1920s many forward-looking individuals began seriously advocating for a new administrative centre.

Then comes Manuel Quezon. Being the President of the Commonwealth, the "Malayan Ataturk" made the first concrete move to build the capital outside Manila. The move may be both strategic and idealistic such as having a capital far from naval gun's reach and to expand urbanity in the still-barren suburbs outside Manila. At first, he ordered the acquisition of the Diliman Estate, with an area of 1,572 hectares, a rolling country northeast of the capital. His main aim was to take Social Justice into practise, providing inexpensive lots for the landless of Manila and to carry out low-cost housing, besides those of building a government centre, a one stop shop where government departments, including the congress, supreme court, and the presidency in one place. Manila was quite overcrowded that somehow enough to compel for a head of state. 

The National Assembly, then the legislature during the period, passed Commonwealth Act 457 in June 8, 1939, "Authorising the construction of National Government and other public buildings on a site to be selected by the President of the Philippines within a radius of 30 kilometres from the Rizal Monument of Manila, including the acquisition of privately owned lands and buildings", followed by a charter on October 12, 1939, under the Commonwealth Act 502. Plans for the new city were drawn up by A.D Williams and Harry T. Frost, planning advisers to President Quezon, and earlier communities, buildings, establishments had been set up in that once wooden, grassy countryside. 

However, those series of hard work and planning are being disrupted by the war and enemy occupation. The City has been dissolved, and replaced by a district that incudes Manila and few municipalities from Rizal Province: Greater Manila. The Japanese occupation even separated the city into two districts, that consists of Diliman and San Francisco del Monte. But despite the occupation, blueprints remained "at safe hands" that somehow used as reference several years later. 

After the war, nothing much has left of Manila, especially south of the Pasig. Heaviest hit was the government centres situated near Luneta, as well as Intramuros whose centuries-old houses being perished by the flames of battle. Virtually all the principal government centres were in ruins and thus, in dire need of reconstruction, requiring funds from the victors as immediately needed. The idea for a new capital, however, remined still, as then-President Roxas, in his Administrative Order No.5 which was made July 23, 1946, created a Capital Site Committee, charged with the duty of selecting the most suitable site for a capital. 

That committee, led by Senator Melencio Arranz, put in a whole year's work of investigations, hearings, inspection, amd research. In it, sixteen sites were considered for a new capital city, namely:

1.) Bataan

2.) Quezon City

3.) North Novaliches

4.) North Montalban

5.) San Mateo

6.) Antipolo

7.) Nagcarlan-Lilio

8.) Sto.Tomas-Tanauan

9.) Canlubang

10.) Tagaytay

11.) Baguio

12.) Iloilo

13.) San Pablo

14.) Los Baños

15.) Sibul

16.) Fort Bonifacio (then McKinley)

In the end, the final choice was the proposal Quezon had set its cornerstones, both in paper and in structure. Plus the underdeveloped hill and plateau country up to Novaliches watershed. Post-war developments would be at first trying to be faithful with the original plan, but certain modifications had to be proceed with the same goal as the original: of meeting the demands of the people. Few years later, it became the Capital of the new republic although most of the government structures were still in Manila especially those of the Congress and and the presidential palace situated at Malacañang. Government departments would soon move though, including the legislature that was during the Martial Law period at Batasang Pambansa.

"National Capitol" that was supposed to be at the Quezon Memorial Circle

However, those same few years after the war, that proposal undergoes alot of both major and minor changes, that somehow almost diminished the vision of the former President's dream of a happy "Barrio Obrero", a working class village in accordance to social justice. Martial Law had even moved the national capital back to Manila, yet made that post-war capital be considered as Metro Manila's administrative centre.  

But since its supposed goal has been dimished by outside factors leading to a city different from its beauteous ideals, lies its effects. Up till now, most once-strategic areas are taken over by private interest, most of which is mainly for commercial purposes; the growing shantytowns has also been a problem, yet ironically most of the residents "squatting" in some districts are those of working class backgrounds living as laborers if not engaging in livelihood. Development may have been promising to these people as the late Quezon idealised in the past, however, with private interest taking over with commercialisation as its purpose, it diminishes the objective for the less fortunate such as the need for affordable housing and livelihood, that oftentimes leading to scuffle with the authorities supposed to uplift the people in that once "Barrio Obrero" Quezon had envisioned.

That somehow made this person thinks that city has become a ruin and its intentions almost, if not truly forgotten. Not in its technical term such as full of rubbles, but having a populace, a generation ruined by system's self-interest as it dilutes, exaggerates, diminishes the utopic goals of the people behind the city, and somehow likely to be forgotten as it deemphasises through time. 

Ironically, one of the districts featured by the Roxas proposal has been developed and became Bonifacio Global City. Strange that the once Military reservation, grassy and mostly consists of stockades, was also part of the plan to become the national capital. However, it took generations to be developed- by private capital. Before that, Makati was developed under the Ayalas rather than the government; what a dismay though on the side of the latter!

People may oppose this as they both live and love the city regardless of the issues being tackled and people to be scrutinised; but personally, this writeup, based from pre-and post-war photocopies of books related to the city's earlier foundations, of its master plan and its intentions to create, would say that despite developments enough to brag, its original intention was really promising, such as a planned community where man enjoys life to the fullest.

If private realty companies afforded to advertise their subdivisions and condominiums, the city's original goal was almost the same yet it emphasisies social justice than private interests. With houses, well paved roads, communities trying to harness nature's wonder in accordance to its plan. Yet with war, ruins, reconstruction, and subsequent developments through the years, that plan and vision has been negated, if not reduced into a rhetoric tempered with infrastructures enough to brag with and be called as political gimmick by others, while seriously letting big interests take over as it scrawled over the maps and change its intentions beneath the word "development."

And the result? Sorry to say this, it is a mess compared to the well planned cities of the west and even the east, of Washington D.C. and Pyongyang with its well-paved roads, communities, and edifices of historical significance; while the Philippines's own is more of commercial nature thanks to those whose driving factor is unbridled interests. True that with all the taxes being collected from rich and poor alike the city became rich enough to bring services to everyone and be packaged whether it is a purely political gimmick or a state social policy. True that with famous personalities from the political arena to the silver screen, the city has been made an abode of stars and notorious assholes; 

but again, the result is a mess, Behind its well known structures lies a ruin with a forgotten purpose, and behind those who trying to brag about development really negate its vision and mission, in which its creators and its idealistic contributors was trying to put in the map. 

Source: Quezon City Community Library

On those who afforded to whine after seeing people sleeping in Kalai's steps and complaining

On those who afforded to whine

after seeing people sleeping in Kalai's steps and complaining

Source: Philippine Collegian

Seems that there are those from the University of the Philippines are acting not really from their alma mater. 

All after years of studying and be given social awareness, seems that there are still those whom are less likely to aware besides those of just studying for chrissakes, just to gain employment and nothing else as if through these makes them succeed and be an example for others. Quite good though, yet, with their words justifying "socialised tuition" to babbling raped terms such as "hard work", "perseverance", "self-initiative", and other series of blah-blahs especially after seeing people complaining about unjust costs, it seems that they forgot that they are once studying in a National, not just a State University (and it is a national duty to insist the state to rechannel funds to education, including the maintainance of that institution this person featured!)

And after reading their whinings in social media somehow made this person think that are they really scholars of the people? Whether they are alumni or not, they are supposed to be aware of the problem and not to shrug it off altogether as if it is the protester's problem and not the university's; and also to think that with these once-'Iskos' and 'Iskas' are acting far from what they study (for sure they even at least afforded to hear "serve the people" during those times), as well as afforded to whine in social media, especially on the current issue about those who slept in the steps of Kalayaan Residence Hall, the office of the All-UP Workers Union, or even napping at the branch of McDonalds in Philcoa, alongside protests against yearly tuition fees and involvement in socioeconomic issues, then what the fuck is the University doing nowadays? Have they forgot that they are "growing"? Perhaps they almost forgot that they have dormitories, or residence halls in their lot!

Anyways, those people who are really whining about issues after seeing protests in national television and mainstream papers are likely those who can afford to pay if not assuming to be "concerned" from other colleges and universities yet obviously not. This person, like others concerned, may not been a student in that institution featured in this writeup, but he will seriously oppose that "Socialised Tuition Fee Assistance Program" (or its shorterned term "Socialised Tuition System") knowing that socialised tuition schemes doesn't guarantee your education in UP same as yearly tuition increases in other schools, so are the issue regarding student lodgings, commercialisation of state-owned assets, as well as campus repression with its 'Iskos' and 'Iskas' being harassed, imprisoned, killed or spirited away because of their beliefs? Remember, UP is also a microcosm of Philippine society, with one of its alumnus allegedly afforded to say "there should be a cemetery to complete the scene!" but if conditions worsen, no wonder that cemetery will soon rise in the institution supposed to be a bastion of honour, excellence, and service to the people, particularly to the masses yearning for enlightenment and redemption.

And as for the one telling about people concerned to "Get real"? Yes, get real, but not what those babbling crackpots said to those who are really concerned being students of the university. Although there are some points to consider, or even amused at its incorrectness, it is still like telling the poor but deserving students "not to study" but be destined to the salt mines instead, if not telling them to be contented least they are from UP or any other well known institution. To get real about the issue is to address the concerns of student housing, campus rights and welfare, and the need to forge well rounded individuals dutifully respond to the call of times. True that students need self initiatives, of dutifully working hard and smart, but the system should really address the issue, knowing that in a "National University" like UP there's a subsidy really allocated to these matters of importance from housing to the salaries of professors, personnel, and even stipends for the varsity players.
Why justify tuition increases and expensive lodging? Because nothing is free or cheap? Then ask the Germans and the Finnish why they have free education in their colleges and universities, with most of it are globally known such as Freies Universität Berlin, Helsingfors Universitet, Universität Humboldt, Åbo Akademi, or even Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main. Those universities this person featured may have free tuition if not cheap, and perhaps housing is no problem!

Or even simply because everyone who is really concerned about the issue pays taxes, both direct and indirect, and seeing this kind of issue sickens their hearts and ask where were their taxes go? Is it in the improvements of the university? Or to the pockets of the few assuming to be concerning?

Worse, is the new generation of "intellectuals" whining about really intellectuals imbued with character and class? Or lumpens in bourgeois clothing and babbling the language of the "learned"?

Trash for Food, Agony for Justice

Trash for Food, Agony for Justice

(A post-SoNA rambling partially inspired 

by the homily of Fr. Benjamin Alforque MSC)

"Wow Lovers! Looking for food sa Trash!" 

These are the words Fr. Benjamin Alforque said in his Sunday Sermon several sundays ago. 

Based from his observation outside his Sta. Mesa residence, he sought destitute people scavenging in a garbage bin for food. 

Quite usual to see in the streets especially in Metro Manila, but pitiful to see them, especially to see a couple scavenging restaurant and household remains for their children. Worse, these leftovers are also scavenged by dogs, cats, rats, nonewithstanding the consequences their bodies would have if eaten. In every morsel they ate coming from that garbage, exposed for hours, would meant an illness awaiting their fragile bodies. 

But the sermon of Fr. Ben is more than just pity, for these poor people are in need of help besides from themselves. Such observations unveil a face of realities the system has trying to hid for years, of trying to create walls to hid the shantytowns, if not forcing the poor to "enjoy" in a resort all for the sake of making an impression. Regardless of what the system tries to create, the gap remains widened thanks to poverty, unemployment, maldevelopment, illiteracy. Its rates continues to increase same as those of increasing Gross National and Domestic Products, improved credit ratings, and even imports that also crippled those who desire to prosper communities and their well-being. 

The system may continue to promise anything just to impres people that the fruits of national developement are reaching those who yearn if not to their dinner tables; yet these are half-baked, wholly rhetorical, or even tainted by intrigue. And if it's true that there's development and a semblance of progress, then how come there are still people scavenging garbage for food?

Pardon this person for making this writeup as the priest's sermon are wholly based from his observations. Quite socio-political than religious in nature with poverty and injustice as examples why people need faith and be complimented by works; but remember, san Martin de Porres was born slave, became priest, yet he helped the poor and the needy; mother Theresa of Kolkata had afforded to help the sick and the destitute. There are other saints that became saints not because of faith alone but by practising faith through putting justice and solidarity for hope and charity.

And these are more than religious in nature, for actually, these figures also yearn not just spiritual rebirth but also social change to improve themselves, uplift their dignity, so is the community. Peeople know that the system fails to uplift them, and the church, despite having enough funds to provide charity, urges the government to take serious in the task of bridging the gaps and to end injustices knowing that these administrators are perhaps Christians or any other religion, and be obliged by faith with God everyone knows as just; but no! They can't take actions in the name of maintaining interest, if not be treated seriously like those who scavenge garbage for food! Where were the taxes collected from womb to tomb anyway? Are most of it already in the pockets of the few if not carelessly and unconsiderably spent? 

Sorry for those words, but the needy, the yearning, the struggling, are calling for real change the system fails to take it beyond the parameters. If Marcos was right about the revolt of the poor, then yes, whether from the shantytown or from the underdeveloped countryside, the affected is demanding a serious clamour that requires unity amongst themselves and struggle against those who made them disenfranchised.

Imagine, 80,000 infants died annually from preventable diseases, 6 out of 10 Filipinos without seeing doctors, and 221 deaths from 1000 live births; 11.1 million are unemployed if not underemployed, 44 out of 100 are having non-regular jobs not enough for survival, and wages remained low (2-5%) regardless of rising productivity rates (26%) with 66 million relied on 125 pesos per day. Those who scavenge trash for food would be one example of a nation experiencing a worst phase involving hunger, poverty, and maldevelopment. There are more figures to justify yearning for change and calling for God's help as they roll their sleeves and assert something more than what a system forced everyone to content with. 

On the first place, why to content in an unjust living standard if the system afforded to say words of hope including those of change? True that people worked hard and smart in order to uplift and bring changes for themselves, but if this person may ask, what kind of change within the self is talking about by many? Is it like harnessing one's skill for the betterment of all such as learning while serving the people trying to free from injustice? Or a typical cycle of life trying to idealise by many like finishing school, get a job, and an endless cycle of earn more, buy and consume for chrissakes? Perhaps they didn't notice that social change, of reordering the social order, of dismantling the dilapidated system in favour of a youthful new, affects the individual being a steward for one's self and others, especially in a country whose inclination is communitarian; but if the ones on high insist an individualist answer to a communitarian question all for the sake of "keeping the peace" seems that they forgot that those who really assert for social change are the ones who have the initiative yet underestimated by an order whose intention is to befell than to succeed. Of what is change if it is not for all, particularly those who really desired for it? Of those who content in their poverty despite toiling hard to the extent of scavenging trash for food in order to survive? 

It's up to the ones on high, particularly those who have sanities and "idealism" to brag, if they really take the situation seriously as a challenge; but to those who forge, plough, build, remold for one's self and others, God, being the dispenser of justice, has dispensed to those who had really clamour for it- especially in this era of storm and distress.

"Culturally Political"

"Culturally Political"

It's been long time when yours truly has involve in politics.

Making topics ranging from old buildings, paintings, to a series of socio-economic bullshit that has been both debated and denied from days and months, this person thinks that whatever people tries to escape from it, everything undergoes political arguments, if not settlements, and absolutely affects one's interests no matter one or another tries to deny and escape from it. From the sermon at the pulpit to the latest vitamin shit, politics will always drive people to create, influence, urge people whether to get contented or to resist the current.

However, there are people whom likely to disregard politics knowing that politics are soiled and bloodied. True indeed, but Politics, in its very term, is a practise of influencing people. That from statecraft to religious and cultural affairs, "πολιτικός" tends to relate to every citizen whatever the latter, again tries to escape with the idea that Politics is dirty. 

Well, whatever people say, politics, like culture, is part of this person's life. If people dare to separate their loves from the polis, then sorry to say that politics is fast becoming personal as everyone seems willing to engage in statecraft. Yes, protesters want to fight as they confront the police just to go beyond parameters. It may sound strange but, to think that in a country whose mindset emphasises the family, the clan, the village, the community, then why to deny themselves to have awareness? To have consciousness in favour of interests?

It is obvious that to deny, if not to reduce man's clamor for change is to replace the agora with the market, to replace social awareness with consumerism, to replace the people with the individual as the driving force of history. To think that most people are preoccupied with soap operas and showbiz would say that they have any awareness on what goes on in the society, particularly information that can counter an established view? Behind the edifices of glass and steel is the shantytowns and backward yet arable estates in need of sustainable development and dignified way of life. The system can't provide as such beyond those of Potemkin programs and villages, of anything all for the sake of shutting people up and be contented in a staus quo of semifeudal-semicolonial variety. 

That somehow made some, if not most artists, writers be inspired and compelled to create so as to aware and stand up for themselves and for their communities. Folkish indeed, with all the appearances, realism, anything that tries to capture the imagination of a looker or a reader; but behind those works are politically-laced realities whose bottomline is to call for change. The system, again, denied the will to aware despite seeing it as beautiful such as those of Spoliarium and the Fall of Governor Bustamante. 

For sure in today's setting then maybe Luna and Hidalgo would be making protest art in a way today's painters featuring those via their artworks featured in rallies. Ironically, these two are engaged in politics via the Propaganda movement, and different from today's movements focused merely on "self-help for chrissakes" and posted via social media, they argued (both print and in actual debate) with the staus quo, particularly the friars and the reaction for keeping a "proud jewel" of the Christianised Indies backward and bereft of hope. 

So was Rizal, whom the contemporary youth thinks he is a blogger calling for self-help than social change, not knowing that is he high or not on Absinthe like Hemingway, Weed like Marley, or acid like Morrison given the words he's making in his works. True that he called for change with people idealising Crisostomo Ibarra, yet he failed to go beyond and instead leaving the story open ended for another chapters as if he himself admitted his mistake driving people to revolt. Yet still, he influened those who really yearned for revolt against the system the way those who idealise Ibarra yet in actual as acting like Isagani or Señor Pasta. The masses, driven by realities, has been politicised and hence yearning for a Simoun, Tano, or Elias to lead in a revolt those on high feared about.

Thus, the latter is trying to condition minds using the terms, colours, tastes, preferences of the young if not of the poor just to dissuade them from seeing the truth that is political. True that this writeup, or this page, although cultural, smacks of politics given that the realities made everybody politicised after every observation, both in actual and in visual, with the system trying to replace it with showbiz, markets, shit, anything just to replace awareness with illusions such as what is regularly shown on TV. Even family affairs are also affected by illusions, particularly those of preferences that sometimes becoming object of debates like choosing a degree, a career after college, or even music and TV shows with one insisting soap operas and the other favouring action or thriller. That sometimes undergo arguments to reminisce with.
Ironically, the system's action of depoliticising people is also political!

Anyways, as the system insist to keep firm as it continues in conditioning people, there will be those who able to dismantle knowing that theirs is unjust by spreading awareness. If people afford to say Gandhi's "be the change", hope that change encompasses everything than to limit in its own self, for if the latter prevails (as if trying to be like those of the elites), to is the stunting of an aspiration ought to realise as it requires awareness, enlightenement, enough to organise and mobilise against the storm of situation and time. 

Thank you. And by the way, seems that Brew Kettle drives this person to write this.