who watches the watchmen?

I was standing by the roadside when a police car pulled over nearby. What caught my eye was the marking “Donated by: PMSC.” All-new Tamaraw pa ha. I’d always been told that government agencies and officials are discouraged from accepting donations. Out of curiosity, I Googled it.

PMSC turns out to be Philippine Mining Service Corporation, a mining firm that, according to its own website, “pioneered the production of quality dolomite in the Philippines” and became a major supplier to Japan and other parts of Asia.

That carries a lot of weight.

Knowing the country’s long and painful history—where police forces have often been deployed against Indigenous communities defending ancestral lands, and against farmers and residents resisting displacement by mining, logging, agribusiness, and large-scale development—this was unsettling. It blurs lines that should remain clear.

Who watches the watchmen?

roll the credits!

On December 2, found myself in the company of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) - Negros Oriental for their yearend gathering. Was invited as one of three judges for the agency’s Film-Making Competition, “Love and Service: A Story of a True Public Servant.”

It was commendable to witness the works of people who, on top of their responsibilities in the office and in the field, still carved out time and energy to create these films. Entries ranged from the solemn to the comedic. If this activity continues in the coming years, one can hope the same passion and eagerness can flesh out nuances of what a government worker can be and should be, someone who balances self-care with genuine service, someone who works without expectations, and someone whose story also sheds light on what erodes the integrity of public service, especially given what we’ve been seeing in the news lately.

My co-judges were filmmaker and beetzee founder/CEO Chamberlain Gueverra, and Dr. Belen Calingacion, who served as head judge. Dr. Belen is a professor and former multi-term chair of UP Diliman’s Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts.

Even before we spoke, I had the feeling I’d seen her somewhere before. When she mentioned that I should’ve watched the play she appeared in last October, it clicked. She played the grandmother in Ang Sugilanon ng Kabiguan ni Epefania at the Woodward Little Theatre in Silliman! My hunch was right.

Grateful that the cosmos allowed the three of us to meet that night. Stories flowed, ideas aligned. Something cooking up for 2026. Many thanks go to visual artist Kevin Cornelia for the recommendation and to Agrarian Reform Program Technologist Nhelyn Ross Mahinay for the invitation. Maybe next year we should have a play competition?

[ More photos here ]

dumaguete pedicab 0483

Earlier this afternoon, I picked up a box of donated toys from a friend for our museum’s “Give a Toy, Share a Joy” project. Instead of just walking to the museum and lugging the box around, I hopped on pedicab 0483.

As we passed a group of protesters along the boulevard who were calling for justice, denouncing corruption, the wastewater spill in Bais, and other forms of neglect, the driver noticed me taking a video. He turned to me…

Driver: “Bisa’g unsaon nila’g singgit dira, dili gihapon na sila masabtan. [laughs]”

Me: “Sige lang. Naa man silay placards ug streamers. Makabasa ra ang tawo.”

Driver: “Gibayran siguro na sila noh? [laughs]”

Me: “Dili man. Kung mahuman kos akong lakaw ron ug dili ko kapuyon, muapil siguro ko nila.”

Driver: “Wala diay nay bayad?”

Me: “Wala. Pero kung ganahan ka, pwede ka muapil.”

(He fell quiet for a moment.)

Driver: “…So bahin diay na sa kamatuoran ug kaayohan sa katawhan?”

Me: “O. Para asa pa man diay ning gipangbuhat natong tanan?”

He stayed quiet for the rest of the ride.

Sometimes you don’t need to fight fire with fire. But you also shouldn’t shrink and allow yourself to be subjected to ridicule. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is hold your ground—calmly, firmly—and offer a clearer view of what others have long refused, or never had the chance, to see all their lives. 

After my trip to the museum, I walked back home, passed by the protesters again to take more photos and videos. I didn’t get to join them this time, but I am with them. 

just a thought

 The Philippines has endured too much to be told how to protest. You just can’t tell anyone that there is a proper way of rallying after generations of agony and state neglect.

enough is enough

Everyone has the right to protest, especially against the scheming and corrupt, the abuse of power, the thieving of our taxpayer money. The rallies across the country today, including at the boulevard on the corner of Silliman Avenue and Flores Avenue here in Dumaguete, were not meant to divide people, but to unite us in demanding accountability and justice, to put fear back into the hearts of those who still think they can get away with their crimes.

With the Pride Run Club 6200, I joined the anti-corruption rally in Dumaguete City. They had enough members to represent just about every field. Corruption seeps everywhere, may affect politics, education, sports, healthcare, even our culture and the arts. Everything in between. That’s why protest works best when it’s intersectional. And if the mid-2000s taught us anything through Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, it’s this: we’re all in this together.

Always disappointing that a Disney flick still makes more sense than most of the people who run the country.

Often, we feel limited to offering only thoughts and prayers. My friend and I talked about this earlier this morning. But I cannot discount the efforts of those who protest. This, to me, is still real legitimate action. Without them, many laws would never have been created or amended.

If we hope for massive resistance like in Nepal or Thailand, I think it may be harder in our country because we are so fragmented. That is why political awareness is crucial, especially among the young. This is where empathy, maturity, and clarity in choosing leaders take root.

Yes, survival comes first for many. People are hungry, overworked, underpaid. But history shows change is possible. It already happened before, overhauling a system, ending a dictator’s reign. It can happen again.

May this movement not end in the streets. And send all korap to Mars.

[ More photos here ]

new poems published in katitikan

Two of my poems—“Cleaning the Attic” and “Sky Over Cairns”—are in the second issue of Katitikan, the Literary Journal of the Philippine South.

This latest edition, which is now live and can be viewed here, taps on the theme of “Space and Place.” Today’s Leap Day is not that bad after all.

midterm elections 2019 thoughts and tidbits

Election day is perhaps one of the few days to get your hands dirty. Well, just a fingernail actually. 

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You can’t mock and shame people for posting photos of their inked fingernails on social media, regardless of who they voted. They did a mighty job fulfilling their duty as a responsible citizen. Kudos to them, kudos to everyone!

If it’s up to me and it is completely legal to have all of my fingernails doused in COMELEC-issued indelible ink, I’d gladly grab the chance and take hundreds of pictures of my nails for posting on every social media account I have. Kebs ninyo.

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Woke up at 5AM to get to our precinct before 6AM. Arrived at Eastern Cogon Elementary School, double-checked my name in the lists in Cluster 33. Took the queue; I was the third person in line. Early bird, right? At exactly 6:15AM, I accomplished my ballot.

Funny thing was the machine accepted and scanned our ballots (mine and my sister’s), but once the ballot receipts were printed, the screen on the machine showed this “paper jam” error message. Thankfully though, the receipt correctly mirrored our votes. The inspector called a technician for assistance, but all the technician ever did was shake and slap the machine. You know, like what people do with old TV sets back then? All the slapping and shaking curiously worked, and so the machine readily receives another ballot. But then another paper jam message will show up. Another round of shakes and slaps. It was like this for every ballot inserted. The machine is basically faulty or broken. The Philippines is one gigantic comedy show.

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I voted as early as 6AM because I needed to watch Game of Thrones hours later without guilt. After the show, it saddens me when I realize that what just happened on Game of Thrones today is basically like Duterte-era Philippines.

So guys, I pray, please vote wisely and with the future in mind. We can truly change this.

what spirit?

I am sorry but I am tired of seeing posts like this that put a (deceptively) positive spin on the suffering of many Filipinos because of our leaders’ inefficiencies. What Filipino Spirit? What resiliency? This is insulting. Nobody deserves to experience this, in the first place. Situations like this are not to be celebrated—they need to be solved.

If this is what they call “Filipino Spirit,” then I want to see the same thing, the same situation, for our barangay captains, councilors, mayors, governors, congressmen, senators, and even the president himself. These guys are culpable, through and through.

These days, proclamations of “resiliency” and “Filipino Spirit” have just become an excuse to shrug off and/or accept incompetency and the broken promises of our leaders. This only becomes problematic when the same leaders criticize anyone who seeks a better life by demanding more from them. Self-sufficiency should be enough, they would imply, as if we are forever immune to these calamities. Like a toxic lover who consistently takes advantage of you (and yet you keep welcoming that person into your life anyway), these leaders are the posterboys for abusive relationships on a national, political scale. 

An acquaintance argued to me that our leaders have nothing to do with these disasters, even going further by stating that “no country is prepared enough for Mother Nature, no matter how deep their drainage systems are.” 

Oh dear. Does this mean I have to put all the blame on Mother Nature for poor urban planning, undisciplined and ill-educated communities, inconsistent implementation of policies, substandard projects, absence of proper waste management, and government workers who do not do any work at all? Everything connects after all.

What this acquaintance of mine has forgotten or refuses to acknowledge is that the Philippines (and its leaders) is not equipped and just do not have the initiatives to handle situations like this, even if this country has been experiencing these situations regularly for decades now.

So yeah, I am tired of all this. If that guy in the photo is smiling, instead of praising it, I think we should all ask this question instead, louder than ever: “Why is this still happening?”


[ photo borrowed from this site ]

below budget

Remember that secret jail cell in a Manila police station that illegally detained people for ransom last April? CHR discovered that. Remember that motion to bring back death penalty which somehow only favored the punishment of the underprivileged? CHR challenged that. There are several cases more, which should be enough to put into anyone’s minds how the CHR functions in this country.

Now, under the influence of Duterte, our government slashed the CHR’s budget to a puny P1,000 for an entire year not because they are not doing their jobs. They cut it down so abhorrently because they are doing their jobs really, really well. CHR is on the right track to discovering one of the biggest problems that continues making this nation sick. Whether you like it or not, CHR proved to be the light in the Duterte administration’s darkness.

When these congressmen are asked what their reasons are for voting yes to that decision, my world crumbled when I learn these people basically do not know the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). They have no idea how the agency works. We are in the year 2017, and I guess everyone now is adept at stalking and Googling relevant information for fact-checking. A little effort goes a long way.

questions to ask

Last Sunday at church, during the evening worship service, I was a bit disappointed with the pastor’s sermon that I felt my heart drop into the pits of my stomach. The pastor kept referencing to Rodrigo Duterte’s methods, especially his so-called War on Drugs, as a way to achieve peace. There are many brilliant ways and references to discuss peace, and I think he should have thought of a better analogy. As I was listening to him, I wanted to grab him and tell him, “Pastor, that’s why it’s called a war! It has never been peaceful! It always results to unnecessary pain and bloodshed!”

Of course I couldn’t do that. So I remained on my seat and dismissed the thought of not sitting through the entirety of the sermon. But then there was his slight condemnation of celebrity Agot Isidro for her famous remark on the President’s insistence to end foreign aid to the Philippines. Isidro said on her social media account, “Ayaw naming magutom. Mag-isa ka nalang… You are not a bipolar. You are a psychopath.” The pastor went on criticizing her for that because, he said, she doesn’t think carefully about the implications and severity of her words. That Agot Isidro is downright insensitive. Excuse me, pastor, but have you actually heard any of the words that came out of our President’s mouth recently and in the past? Remember that rape remark, pastor? Pu**** i** diba, pastor? Bang diba?

This pastor then added that the Philippines really do not need any help from the U.S. or any foreign nation because we have our own rich resources, and that we should show to the world how we can sustain on our own. That’s another problematic statement for another post. I couldn’t believe I was hearing this inside a church. I wanted to ask him again, “Pastor, have you heard that Duterte is actually rubbing elbows China and Russia, two examples of a foreign nation?”

I thought this was the end of it, but he continued rallying for peace, that it could only be achieved by measures as drastic and sinister as Duterte’s. It was as if he suggested that drugs are indeed the sole root of all evil in this country. But what about mis-education, what about poverty, what about the rising lies, hate, pride, and intolerance advocated by our current president, the very anti-thesis to peace? It all left me thinking: did this pastor just support the idea of extra-judicial killings? Did he just imply that those thousands of deaths are okay and justifiable?

There was a lot of contradiction in his sermon’s message that I was left confused, my head spinning in all directions. It was like witnessing firsthand a brainwashing propaganda. I know each of us in that congregation has a personal political inclination, but I personally believe this pastor should’ve kept this inclination outside the church. Because the church should teach compassion, not confusion. The church should encourage love, not hate. This pastor must have forgotten about the separation between the state and the church.

I shared this sentiment online, and as expected, a Duterte rabid supporter entered the picture to argue with me, and I quote: “Bring out the thought police! Bawal ang personal opinion ng pastors! We should jail this pastor and anyone else for that matter! In fact, I find your speaking out about your intolerance for his intolerance intolerable. You should be jailed. In fact I find my speaking out about my intolerance for your intolerance for his intolerance quite intolerable. I too should be jailed.”

Pretty long, right? I would’ve laughed so hard on this rabid Duterte supporter’s comment if it was funny and witty, but unfortunately, it was not. It was flat and all noise. Just look at those exclamation points. Like many of his kind, this Duterte supporter once again missed the point. So I told him that he missed my point, and that there is no need to bring out the thought police. Why? Because we are already imprisoned by the thought that these rising number of deaths are okay.

This is not the first time I am accused of being intolerable, but for cases and causes such as this, yes, I will gladly remain intolerable. But truly, I am saddened. Because when a religious denomination suddenly sides a political ideal, whether it is Catholic or not, I think that church limits itself to only seeing things in black and white. No grey areas. And when a church somehow implies that killing is necessary to achieve peace, I think this church is not peaceful at its core.

After the service, as I left the church that evening, I felt something heavy inside me that was painful as heartbreak. For the first time in a long while, I felt betrayed by someone, something so important to me.

the kill list chronicles

I’ve always made a point to recount my day’s activities and musings on a journal before I go to sleep. Sometimes I’d skip an evening or two, but I would return to these missed journaling assignments and remember as much as I can how things have gone by, no matter how mundane they are. Lately, though, the blank spaces are creeping up and crowding the pages.

There are several reasons why: laziness, procrastination, too tired to even lift a pen, too many distractions and temptations, there is nothing new to say. Of course, everyone has something new to say. Filipinos are born to always have something to say, even to the point of being pointless. But living in this life right now, in the middle of a political climate that is downright suffocating, any interest to continue pushing through can easily be pronounced dead. Or killed, by default.

To make my point clear, let’s consider the latest man in highest office in our country, a man whose ego is as fragile as Chinaware (no pun intended), who also seems to be an enabler of hate and prejudice, and a champion for lack of empathy and common sense. Because of his irreverent methods on getting things done, there is no hiding the fact that the Philippines has become a bloodied den of vigilantes, injustices, and foul brazen language.

Years ago journal writing has been my refuge, my way of assessing my sanity each day. It’s like an anchor that keeps me put. But today, I do not even know where my sanity begins and where its opposite lies. All the time I track myself if I am functioning properly. Recounting my day that is preoccupied with so much hate and horror again and again can take its toll. That is why for the most part of a week I would try hard as hell to ignore the news like a former paramour who just left you without explanation but returned several years later to get your attention. You know how evil can get under your skin. There is no understating that each week leaves me sore and beat. It doesn’t also help that there is this barrage of noise from social media that could render me—or anyone, rather—emotionally and spiritually mangled.

And there is still six more years to go. I hope I could still muster the energy needed to recount what is needed to be recounted. If only it could bring back the dead.


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My work “Poetry as a Lesson in Dwelling” is featured in The Kill List Chronicles, an online repository of the continuing protest literature in the Philippines. I’ve read to a small audience in a café an early version of this poem during the International Day of Peace last September 21. It was a celebration across the globe to commemorate the peace we have right now and the peace we want to achieve for the next generation. Coincidentally, it was also the very same day that former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared the bloody Martial Law in the Philippines 44 years ago.

The contradictions, at least for me, were just hard to wrap around my head. 44 years have passed and yet here we are still trying to value and teach the meaning of freedom, respect, and decency. When people are supposed to keep in heart to never forget and to never repeat the history that once broke us, many backtrack instead to the primitive desire to kill without the slightest thought of implications.

This piece took me countless shots of struggling hours to get through. The poetry is personal, and the personal apparently is political. And that is hard. I always consider my works as drafts, and it has always been that way even if they are released to the open for any possible reader to stumble upon. But for this particular work I’ve had the feeling I ought to let it go, that it needs to be separated from my being. Thankfully, it found a place. I do hope we’ll find each other’s peace soon. I hope we will all learn how to dwell to get the dwelling we deserve in this country and in this world. I hope.

notes on a cardboard

Each day is a struggle. Which is why it worries me most that some people could say it’s a matter of choice to let things affect you. How selfish, how supremely naïve. We are humans, and we are gifted with empathy and understanding. Not being affected by what is happening to this country is almost like not living at all. This “cardboard justice” spreading like wildfire each day is just the beginning. When an accusation written on cardboards like “Addict at drug pusher ako. Wag tularan” gets stale and runs out of novelty, prepare yourselves for more of its variations… 

“Mayaman ako at magnanakaw. Wag tularan.”
“Babae ako at palaban. Wag tularan.”
“Aktibista ako at maingay. Wag tularan.”
“Bakla ako. Nakakahawa. Wag tularan.”
“Mahirap ako at walang makain. Wag tularan.”

It seems it is so easy to kill and get killed these days. No one is safe now. It is happening. And everyone has allowed this to happen. Blood is on our hands. And only time will tell you and I could be next.

many fears, many priorities

The crisis that is making waves in the European Union (EU) is, and should be, a cautionary tale. The majority of the United Kingdom voted to cut its ties from the EU, thus, Brexit. For anyone still trying to wrap their heads around Brexit, here is something that might help.

The bottomline is this: This is what happens when fear, greed, selfishness, and the stubborn desire for “change” without even thinking of the implications and complications take over a nation and its people. After Duterte and this European rejection, Trump winning the future US elections would probably be the proverbial final nail in the coffin. That link above should be required reading for the young and the old. This must be everyone’s priority. This, again, is a cautionary tale.

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Many are inclined to prefer the unreal because many fear and loathe facts, the searing sting of truth. Which is why, it seems to me, many still shrug off literature in the Philippines. Which is astoundingly ironic, with its national hero being a writer. Many still mistake literature as a lie, a bottle of time-killers one resorts to when nothing tickles his fancy. It’s as if it has never been treated to inform and to heal, to uplift and to unveil. If we go this route, this lie, well then literature does fabricate, but it is a fabrication that tells a greater truth. Far greater and immense than anyone could ever imagine. But, at least, we tried. The fictionists tried. The essayists tried. The poets tried. It is all about the trying.

*

For several years I’ve been searching for the first (or early) edition, short novel version of F.H. Batacan’s “Smaller and Smaller Circles”, a work that is widely regarded as the Philippines’ first crime and detective literature. I have searched for it in Manila, in Dumaguete, in Cebu, in my home province Bohol. None. It is initially printed way, way back in 2002 with limited copies, and learning that it would be translated into a movie soon is making me want it all the more. Its themes, its political miasma, to me are a timely companion to what the Philippines is experiencing right now. In a few days’ time, Digong will officially take charge of this country. So I badly needed this book. And last Thursday, something arrived in the mail. The book! With three other books! What a wonderful surprise. I am really grateful for people who understand the workings of my priorities. Thank you, dear friend.

hate is still here

At two in the morning in Orlando, Florida, a mass shooting took place inside a gay nightclub, leaving 50 dead and 53 wounded. These numbers may continue to rise, and this makes it all the more painful to learn that all of this happened during Pride Month.

This is a reminder for everyone in the LGBTQ community that “Pride” is not just about gym-fit men gyrating almost-naked in a parade or about an Instagram picture flaunting yourself in a floral Perry Ellis shirt. Pride is about solidarity, it is about overcoming the evils of this world, it is about educating people on acceptance, tolerance, and compassion.

The LGBTQ community has faced issues and violence many times through the years, but there’s nothing more sickening and terrifying than this mass shooting in recent memory. For a lone gunman to travel two hours to a very welcoming and accepting community, to murder innocent men and women, only highlights humanity is far from overcoming hatred.

And this hatred comes in many forms. Just last April, a high school classmate of mine mocked me publicly online for my understanding of bigotry, ironically going to the extent of quoting its dictionary definition for me to be truly enlightened. (I didn’t get his point.) And last February, a former classmate in college defended himself when I pointed out his rudeness and insulting attitude towards the gay community, even telling the world and I to “fuck my priorities.” Very classy, right? Whether we admit it or not, homophobia (and xenophobia) still exists in this time and age.

Hate does not only come in the form of bullets.

whistles, bisaya, and debauchery

Just a few days ago, here is what a Gabriela representative said about Duterte’s catcalling, casual derogatory remarks, and overall bombastic behavior: “Ganun talaga mga Bisaya.” (People from the Visayas are just like that).

For the record, friends and loved ones, not all Bisaya people speak and behave the same way as P-Gong. Don’t let this tarnish the rest of the kabisayaan. And shame on you, Gabriela. The hero you should be emulating—Gabriela Silang—must be rolling in her grave right now.

Sexual harassment is no laughing matter. More so something that you should not just shrug off or dismiss to get your next shot of tequila. Such callous response to catcalling, especially for a women’s organization, is disheartening and worthy of a thousand face-palms. I mean, seriously, when will people ever understand that sexual harassment is not only limited to a penis forcefully entering a vagina or a finger ramming into a butt-hole? Kelan pa ba?

As expected, P-Going justified that his whistling was mere appreciation of the GMA-7 reporter’s beauty—which is usually the excuse of people finishing two bottles of Tanduay Rhum in the nearest sari-sari store at two in the afternoon. Note: I am almost close to coming into conclusion that this guy is incapable of owning up to his mistakes.

But here’s the thing that most people fail to understand: if the whistling is uncalled for and the woman (or even man) feels uncomfortable, harassed, embarrassed, or unsafe, then that is sexual harassment. It’s as simple as that. And if one cannot understand or refuse to understand this explanation, then one is a contributor to sexism and a whole host of problems in this country. One legitimizes harassment or pambabastos in the guise of “appreciating beauty.” I find this really quite strange because P-Gong actually has this ordinance in Davao City that mandates catcalling is punishable. Astig, right? Breaking the law that you personally passed? What an irony.

When it also comes to being Bisaya, here’s another concern. I am neither from Manila nor from Davao (I’m a Bol-anon through and through), but I have every right to speak up and challenge such generalizations. That is why I find it really naive and primitive for some people to laugh at those who critique the president-elect and suggest to these critics to “move on” or “just chill.” Move on, you say? Remain silent while the chaos before you is gradually draining the life and future of your country?

Based on personal observation alone, those who usually do not challenge or ask the questions are those who know nothing at all. I love the Philippines. So if your sole recommendation is to simply “chill” and “move on”, then that only shows how comfortable you are living in your luxurious cocoon of indifference and ignorance. Congratulations, mate! Live your life in the next pub crawl or with that slice of cake while your whole nation crumbles!

A few mornings ago, someone on my Facebook account cries out that P-Gong’s manner is just a way of countering the debauchery of the faulty institutions and oligarchs of this country, that his critics should thank him instead because he has brought these problems to public discourse.

Right then and there, I recognize the glaring problem. These institutions may have faults (all institutions have faults, actually), but this is no excuse to have such brazen and thoughtless display of misogyny, bigotry, sexism, and the lack of common sense. Just because he has done something right on one particular matter, it doesn’t mean he has free pass on doing whatever he wants, trampling on someone’s decency and respect. You can never clean up a roomful of junk with just a paper towel in an instant.

I also beg to disagree that we are only having this discourse right now and that people have been unquestioning of these institutions. That is pretty insulting to those who are having this discourse since God knows when. The only difference right now, maybe out of a miracle or blind fanaticism, is that all of a sudden the majority of the people just keep on praising and clamoring for whatever comes out of P-Gong’s mouth.

Time and time again, I’ve always been bringing up this common problem of the Filipino mentality: We only want to see what we wanted to see, hear what we wanted to hear. Nothing short of selective.

Debauchery, you say? How about being a womanizer? A self-identified murderer? A Marcos apologist and sympathizer? An Arroyo-enabler? A historical revisionist? The moral decline and influence? There are worse things, yes, and these are a few of them. If his unrefined manner is a way countering the debauchery of those faulty institutions and faulty oligarchs, then he is just as good as the people he is challenging. Oh, and speaking of oligarchs, having mostly friends and classmates as his cabinet secretaries?

What an irony.

wait and see

“Wait and see...”

I’ve been receiving and reading this statement online and offline whenever President-elect Rodrigo Duterte spits out something from his mouth, something that’s highly questionable and just straight-out silly.

This, perhaps, is the lamest, senseless, and laziest excuse I’ve received in a long, long while. Let me give you something to reflect on: When you see a thug who is about to stab an old lady with a knife, do you “wait and see”? When you find out your boyfriend is cheating on you, do you just “wait and see”? When you encounter a man having seizures on the floor, do you simply “wait and see”? When you chance upon a burning house in the neighborhood, do you just “wait and see”? When you discover your child with an arrow pierced through his chest, can you just “wait and see”?

You see, when problems start springing up right before you in plain sight, you can never ever just “wait and see.” Common sense dictates that you need to do something—quickly. Or else, brace yourselves for the consequences of your own decision-making. Finally, do you know how cancer spreads so fast and easily? It's ignoring the first signs of symptoms.

When being critical calls for it, warts and all, then criticism is highly needed no matter who you are. Just because a particular criticism is not good to hear, it doesn’t mean it is not supposed to be heard. This is the problem with the Filipino mentality: we only see what we only want to see.

But when it comes to the truth, being deaf and blind are the least of things we needed to be. What is worse than “wait and see”? These remarks…

“Andameng sinasabi!” 

“Feeling political analyst!” 

“Eh di ikaw na matalino!” 

“Tumakbo kang pangulo!” 

“So ikaw na magaling!” 

“Andame mong alam” 

“F*ck your priorities!” 

“Shut up!”

Just like a scene out of an abusive relationship, noh? Ironically, in the information age, these are the things people say when they have ultimately nothing else to say. There will never be a time that I would stoop to the level of these people, but honestly, nakakabobo lang talaga. Guys, these do not really contribute to the discourse on hand. It’s what you call smart-shaming. We will never learn from our mistakes if we never even try to learn. Let this positive change that we have all been wanting to truly happen. Let it begin now—especially within ourselves.

along the trail of change (or delusion)

Make sure that change will definitely arrive ha, at hindi lang puro coming? Or else someone's going to Duterte you. Good luck, Philippines!
Link: Change Better Be Coming

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Very fightening, indeed.

“It is frighteningly stark how so many Filipinos misunderstand what the role of the media is. We've been flooded with demands to comment on this, comment on that, what do you think about what so-and-so said, etc., as if the primary role of a newsroom is to judge something. Agencies have editorial pieces, sure. But for readers to outright demand a reaction from us on whatever issue is up their ass at the moment is so indicative of how they see media as simply a tool to justify their own biases. I know this may sound really trite and redundant at this point, but I just had to say it. So many Filipinos have no respect for knowledge. They just want to shout at something, to laugh at something, to set something before them and judge it blamelessly to their heart's content. It is so selfish. It is so, so childish. We lack education, sure. But even before that, what needs to be addressed is the infinite, gaping hole that is our conscience.” – Marguerite Alcazaren De Leon

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Such powerful message for all the people out there, especially for the young ones who believe that Martial Law is the golden age of this country. Do not hold on to that lie. I've met kids and college students who insist that the Marcos years are the best years the Philippines ever had. Do not hold on to that misconception. Instead, those years were filled with torture, rape, murder, all forms of violations. Never forget the horrors of the past. Never bring those horrors to the present. It is never too late to change your mind.
Link: Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang


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“Basta _______ pa rin kami! Solid! All the way!”

Getting a response like that no matter how much facts and figures are presented only confirms my assumption that the majority of this country have a lot of growing up to do. The word "basta" simply negates reason and logic. It is the word that captures the very character of a classic stubborn man who refuses to learn and to be learned. In cases like this, there is no point in having a constructive and healthy discussion. Because when the word “basta” comes into play, you must know that the formulation of ideas has ceased to exist and the obvious is easily ignored. Basta.

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Now let me tell you about Cognitive Dissonance, which is what many Filipinos here and abroad are experiencing. Read this explanation by Frantz Fanon:

“Sometimes people hold a core belief that is very strong. When they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted. It would create a feeling that is extremely uncomfortable called cognitive dissonance. And because it is so important to protect the core belief, they will rationalize, ignore and even deny anything that doesn’t fit in with the core belief.”

In other words, you believe the lies instead of the truth.

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If you are responsible enough as living, breathing human being, know the trail of death Duterte leaves behind. A trail that continues to make a mark in our lives today and in the future. Stop this blindness. I still believe there’s power in knowledge.
Link: Tough Justice: On the Trail of Philippine Death Squads

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Irresponsibility has consequences, has real human costs.

“My girlfriend was on the way to see me. She struck up a conversation with her taxi driver about the coming elections. After expressing an opinion on a certain candidate, she was told ‘Sana marape ka para malaman mo kung gaano ka kailangan si Duterte.’ When we met up, I had to hold her and assure her everything was OK while she cried. To anyone still entertaining voting for him, realize his mouth has real human cost.” – Rami Hourani

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One thing I know for sure, at least I've never used as a source something from a Mocha Girl or Senyora Santibañez. Yuck.

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Plagiarism is a crime diba? If you remember, Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto presented a speech, with most of its parts copied from many speeches from different writers without permission. So will he put himself in this prison island? Abangan.
Link: Sotto wants prison island for drug offenders

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Oh well. Mahirap ng maniwala sa isang taong lantaran at hambog sa kanyang pagkasinungaling. He said he won’t run for president. He ran. He said he doesn’t have those BPI accounts. He did have such accounts. This man’s got no integrity, which is ironic, because he claims to be for the poor. He is actually fooling the poor.
Link: Duterte assures he won’t declare Martial Law

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Be a good sport, not a sore loser.

“The assumption seems to be that Duterte's defeat can only be possible if other candidates cheat. We presume him to be invincible, due to survey results that consistently put him in the lead.

But election surveys--as helpful as they are--never claim to be predictive. They can help us make educated guesses, but no further. Recall that in the 2010 Vice Presidential race, Mar Roxas was long and far ahead of his opponents. In the run-up to the elections (as of 19 April 2010), 39% of SWS respondents were in favor of him. At far second was Jejomar Binay, who lagged by 14 sorry points at 25%. Sure and certain victory was foreseen for Roxas. 

Then Binay stunned us all by winning. In the end, he cornered nearly 42% of the votes, with Roxas second at close to 40%. 

Let's zoom back to the present. In the last few weeks, numerous accounts of electoral fraud--specifically overseas--have surfaced. The story usually goes like this: "I voted for Duterte-Cayetano here in Siberia, but when the receipt came out, it showed that I voted for Mar-Leni. P@#%@ niyo LP, grabe pandaraya niyo!"

Many of these stories have already been discredited, and the COMELEC has vowed to file charges against those who make false claims on polling fraud. Altogether, however, it looks like the electorate--particularly the pro-Duterte bloc--are being conditioned to believe that if Duterte loses, it's because Mar cheated him of the Presidency.

This is of course a preemptive move, but it's also a move that eagerly courts civil unrest. Because while many Duterte supporters are possessed of reason, a vast majority of them have shown extreme savagery towards those who criticize or oppose their beloved candidate. Should Duterte lose, it's not difficult to imagine their displeasure to manifest in discourse--or worse, action--of the same viciousness.

This isn't a doomsday pronouncement. It's only a possibility we must be mindful of. After all, the electoral exercise is, among many things, a frank acknowledgment of the breadth of possibility. This is why we troop to the polling booths in hopes that our candidate will pull through, never mind what the surveys say. In exercising our right to vote, we honor the fact of possibility offered to us by our democracy.

Anything can happen on May 9. Virtually anything can. Duterte might indeed win. Grace Poe might win as earlier surveys indicated and make her family and supporters proud. Roxas might win by the skin of his teeth and bring a sigh of relief to his supporters. Binay might blindside us again, the way he did in 2010. Miriam might redeem herself this time around and pull a surprise win on us. For crying out loud, Seneres might roll back the tombstone and say, Yo, I'm back, and I win.

If you are witness or victim to electoral fraud, by god, please report it. But we must keep in mind too that none of our candidates are owed victory, regardless of our passions, regardless of our faith in their fitness for the Presidency.

Update: A friend alerted me to the results of the SWS survey closest to the May 10 election in 2010. There, Binay and Roxas sat even at 37%. Again, however: anything can happen.” – Peachy Paderna

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So, where's your Bible now?

“Pansin ko lang kapag kabaklaan ang usapan, ambibilis mag-quote ng Bible, pero pag patayan ang usapan, nakalimutan bigla ang 10 Commandments?” – Shakira Sison

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That political video which featured kids was hard to watch. Using children? Seriously? But I think it was harder for the supporters of the candidate who was at the center of the video's attention. Because, whether anyone liked it or not, there was a sharp truth in the video that pierced and struck them hard. It cannot be denied; it hits home. The truth hurts. Reality bites. And this is the painful reality we could possibly be facing in the next six years. So think and think hard. For everyone’s sake.

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The hypocrisy of the Filipino people is becoming sharper and clearer as the Election Day approaches. It’s funny to witness people insanely reacting towards an ad that featured children and saying it’s a dirty move. Talaga lang ha. So what about murder? Bigotry? Rape? Misogyny? The complete lack of respect to due process? Aren’t those things dirtier? Think. * Plunderer (noun). Someone who steals things from a place, such as a city or town especially by force. Well, birds of the same feather flock together. No wonder Digong wants to release her when he wins.

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Many of us Filipinos aren’t feeling it at the moment, but the Philippine Peso's worth continues to drop. A bad, bad sign for our economy. The reason? Duterte’s lead in the elections race with his vague economic plans and threats to kill criminals without due process. These were enough to give possible foreign investors second thoughts and the cold feet. Aside from these, he openly joked about his penis and promised to pardon himself for mass murder charges in a conference of top business leaders. Whuuut. Now, can you see the unsettling future we're putting ourselves in with a Duterte win? Think.

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If change is indeed coming, sige nga, I dare you to post online all the “wilwig” or pay money that you’ve received from all the running local and national candidates this election season. Let’s see if we've all changed for the better.

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Walang masama kung magbago ka man ng desisyon. Ang masama ay yung mananatili kang bulag sa katotohanan, at pinaninindigan mo pa rin ang kasinungalingan at kagaguhan.

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I am really starting to believe that the Philippines is but a little corner in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Macondo. The naive and stubborn majority, the gnawing heat, the sudden days of rain, the outworldly politics. The parallelism between fiction and our reality is close to perfection. If only I can close all of this shut like a book.

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I’ll borrow this message from a friend whose name I won’t disclose because this person has been subject to bullying and harassment by rabid, unsound supporters of Duterte. The guy didn't win the elections yet, but his loyalists are now so self-entitled to inflict pain and threats to other people. So is this your idea of good citizenry and governance? Wake up and grow up, people. Think.

“Duterte is a lazy choice. No one man can solve the problem. Discipline comes from ourselves. It takes everyone to build a nation. Killing should not be an option. Let’s build a nation founded on respect and dignity. Let’s make democracy work.”

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Most Filipinos love to play the Christian card. In this country, religion has always been the go-to remedy for all situations. It is no secret that the majority of Filipinos just love to brandish their being Christian on any issue. This was very apparent when same-sex marriage was legalized in the U.S. last year, and when boxer Manny Pacquaio likened the union of LGBT couples to something worse than animals. Many Filipinos condemned the legality of that marriage and many Filipinos defended Pacquiao. All because they are “good Christians.” With a capital C. May paquote-quote pa sila ng Bible verses. It is against the Holy Scripture, they said. It is very wrong! Fast forward to the election period, and these Filipinos are introduced to a man like Rodrigo Duterte. All of a sudden, things changed. Suddenly, it is okay to be a womanizer and a sexist. Suddenly, it is okay to bully. It is okay to influence and encourage people to be cyberbullies. It is okay to break laws. It is okay to be a bad influence. It is okay to be a bigot. It is okay to insult the LGBT community. It is okay to make jokes about rape. It is okay to curse. It is okay to exaggerate stories and make lies. It is okay to have no integrity and consistency. It is okay to be a mass murderer. It is okay to kill. Despite their insistence of being "Christians" and “good catholics,” suddenly, many Filipinos refuse to see these flaws. Suddenly, many Filipinos disregard the sins I thought they are so against to because, you know, they are supposed to be “good Christians.” So what happened this time? Does this only affirm that most Filipinos are irrationally desperate and selective of their beliefs from the very start? Who is biased now? I am no saint, good heavens! I’ve been to church only once this month. It’s just that when I see hypocrisy in full view, with so much pride in high-definition, the irony makes me really, really sick. If only there’s a word much worse and uglier than hypocrite…

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Today in How To Get Away With Murder. Move over, Viola Davis.
Link: Duterte vows to pardon himself for murder

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It’s hard to make sense out of this kind of evil to lead the vice presidentiables. I pray the citizens of this nation wake up and stop this impending horror. A vote for Marcos is an insult to the people who work hard for years to break the chains of tyranny. Please, stop him.
Link: Marcos still leads vice presidential race – Pulse Asia

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If there’s one thing Duterte is good at, it’s that he says what the masa (desperately) wants to hear. “I will do this. I cannot allow that. I will kill them.” But, more than ever, the most important question to ask to yourself is this: Are his means and methods to do them practical, right, and ultimately, efficient (which is different from effective)? Think.

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On the question, how to ensure good health and living for a community in far-flung areas? City and barangay health centers should have capable and pro-active workers (hindi puro naka-upo at chika lang sa clinic), a routinely updated and replenished stock of medicines, an effective information drive, and zero payment for the under-privileged. I agree with Santiago, Poe, and Roxas.

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In a debate, Duterte didn’t ask Miriam Defensor-Santiago any questions. Of course he won’t. That’s expected. He’s afraid to get an answer and a rebuttal from the much sharper, much logical Santiago.

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Binay, when asked by Roxas in a debate about the charges filed against him, seems to say, “Since I will and cannot answer you honestly, let’s discuss something else, okay?” Talk about segue!

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Important question:

“It’s incredible how pro-Duterte supporters defend their idol to the death, even when he says the vilest, more horrible things. Context daw, research more daw, words vs. actions daw. And yet when it’s about another candidate, all these things are thrown out the window. What to do when the blind choose to remain blind?” – Michelle Tan

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This is what arrogance sounds like. For a man who keeps honking his “political will” like some sort of agimat, he sure is driving away our current and possible foreign investors. You know what happens if that happens? If we cut off our international ties? Economic decline, mga ma'am ug mga ser. Let’s get poorer. Let’s remove the possibility of jobs for our unemployed men and women. Let’s have these unemployed men and women resort to the extremes like, you know, drug-dealing? And I thought Duterte supporters hate drug so much. Sigh.
Link: Duterte tells US, Australia: Sever our ties if I become president

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Here’s a true story recounted to me by a friend. This is no joke. Yesterday afternoon, in a boarding house along Gallares Street in Tagbilaran City, a woman was found dead with her body all tied up, stabbed, and covered with her bed's foam. She was, as it turned out, also raped. A crowd was growing outside the house, and beside my friend was a group of young ladies trying to hear more of the incident. Suddenly, two men on a motorcycle stopped in front of them. They just stared at the ladies, and one of the guys said (in the vernacular), “Hoy mga inday. Magingat kayo ha. Nakashorts pa naman kayo at magaganda pa. Baka kayo ang masusunod na ma-rape. Mas-ok sana kung ako nalang mauna.”

It angers me to hear news like this on television. But hearing it happening in my own home province, the anger in me boils on a whole new level. Boholanos, is this how we have become as a people? Where is our decency? Where is our sense of respect? Where is our empathy and common sense? And I thought Tagbilaran is a city of friendship.

This incident only heightens my call for people to reconsider voting for Rodrigo Duterte as president this coming May. Duterte is not fit for president. You see, this is the trouble of having an influential man like Duterte who keeps on spitting out inappropriate words that seem harmless to himself only to take them back when lectured about them. Yes, yes, he says he is sorry (or is he?). Yes, yes, actions speak louder than words. I hear you. But words are as powerful and persuasive as actions.

And if we continue to allow ourselves to have a leader who keeps saying things and taking them back, again and again, because (he reasons) he is always taken out of context, what are we going to believe? What context should we believe? Is it a context that rape is funny? Is this a context that gives those two Boholanos an excuse to jokingly rape a group of women? The elections have not yet begun, but we are now witnessing the consequences of Duterte's actions. Be very scared, people. Be scared not of the president you highly idolize but be scared for your family, your friends, your loved ones. These group of ladies could be anyone close to you. Let’s not get to the point in our lives when we regret the decisions we have made. Don’t make this country sicker than it already is.

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The Philippines has finally reached a point wherein most of its people believe and depend on memes, one-liners, and hearsays instead of facts, news, and books. No wonder it is really difficult to pull ourselves out of this political black hole. ‪

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The funniest but most troubling argument by many Duterte supporters regarding their idol joking about a raped and murdered Australian woman is that Duterte is taken out of context. No, guys. That’s not a valid excuse. You should not joke about rape, especially a raped AND murdered person. Rape is rape. These very acts dehumanize a person. You just cannot take rape into a different context, as if you're saying chocolate can taste like bagoong. No, it can’t. I’ve met kids, teenagers, and even adults today who still joke about rape, and every instance worries me so much. Because every time rape is taken lightly as a joke, the crime becomes trivial, the offense becomes less serious. Instances like Duterte’s “joke” contribute to this country’s ugly rape culture. And recently, although Duterte’s daughter says she is once raped but is not offended by her father's words, she is a different story. Of course she will side her father. But remember, there are millions of rape victims out there, somewhere, still silent and painfully living with the trauma. If you think rape is funny and if rape is your fantasy, please visit the nearest hospital. Consult your psychiatrist. I will pray for you.

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Let’s turn the table and ask this question:

“Someone on Facebook raised a really good question: for the sake of argument, what if the tables were turned and an Australian Prime Minister said, ‘Oh that Filipina who was gang raped by prisoners in an Aussie prison? She was beautiful. I should've been first.’ Now, how pissed do you think would we be?” – Joel Pablo Salud

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Change is coming? O baka naman rape is coming? Rape of values, rape of dignity, rape of intellect, rape of a nation, rape of humanity. As what we all know by now, even if one can easily dismiss Duterte’s recent rape joke (because he kills low-level criminals but praises the likes of Marcos and GMA), nobody can deny that his uncontrollable behavior is really going against his platform’s emphasis on “discipline” and “political will.” Ironic diba? Ugali nga niya di makontrol at madisiplina, bansa pa kaya?

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Think.

the haze

News of increasing risks of breathing problems and respiratory diseases in the Philippines caused by the haze from forest fires in Indonesia are finally getting into public consciousness. It is frightening it needs to be discussed more often. This pressing concern alone makes me think that it is now best that Filipinos need to regulate (or just stop merchandising and buying) firecrackers this Christmas season and the coming New Year’s Eve. There are just too much toxic elements in the air that people breathe these days. Besides, it’s 2015. We need to stop believing firecrackers drive the bad spirits away from our homes. What we need is to simply elect the right people for our government or ignore the late-night texts and calls from our jerk-ish exes. (Hello, do not ever dare follow Adele’s latest song!) This way, evil will definitely have a hard time getting into our lives.

remember: never again

A few days ago marked the anniversary of one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history. On September 21, 1972, the Philippines was under Martial Law with Ferdinand Marcos’ Proclamation No. 1081. This further strengthened his authority as a dictator that eerily resembled Adolf Hitler’s rule. I was not born yet to witness and experience the horrors of these times, but this is no excuse to deny the truth that Marcos has never been the man many of his blind supporters think of. There are people out there who still believe that Ferdinand Marcos and his men were the best administration the Philippines ever had, as evidenced by the “prosperity” the nation had experienced during those years.

Yes, theaters and malls sprouted like mushrooms, celebrities and big-wig politicians from all over the world graced the country, but these were not signs of genuine prosperity. This was a false sense of development because underneath it all is a painful, dirty consequence that could outlive all of us in the present and the future. In order to achieve the kind of superficial beauty and short-sighted luxury for the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos borrowed US$10 billion (plus interest that continues to grow each year) from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, a debt or “utang” that we are all still paying to this very day. And you are asking why the Philippines has a tough time rising to its great potential?

The elections are fast approaching in the Philippines, and historical brainwashing has grown increasingly strong among the youths. Many millennials these days just shrug off what has happened on September 21, 1972 to party, to be apathetic, or worse, to be lured into believing false anecdotes of the past. Some kids would even proudly say on social media that Ferdinand Marcos was the best thing to ever happen in the Philippines. It is too painful to learn that a mind that young has already been tainted with lies.

Lastly, if you still believe in the revisionist tales you’ve been hearing lately, be ashamed, be very ashamed that you’d crumble to the floor and weep for the hundreds of lives who have not lived to tell their tragic stories. Always remember, these were the lives cut short by Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies to keep them in power for their own personal gain. We cannot let this happen again for we should never be fools to commit the same mistake twice. Love your nation. This is one way of truly loving yourself.

is this what we really need?

The past few hours have been revelatory. Now I think 10% of the internet trolls, 28% of bigots, and 49% of hypocrites in the world are Filipinos or come from the Philippines.

Fine. The statistics are bogus, but in such a short span of time, one can easily approximate the current climate of a society based on an issue and how this society responds to it. This issue is that of Rodrigo Duterte possibly taking a major government position. I have posted on social media that this worries me since many people are clamoring for this to happen.

Why does this bother me? I believe that a man who can put an end (directly and indirectly) to another man’s life (criminal or not) because he thinks of himself as a higher being or a kind of god is a man who has no respect for human rights and equality.

This post has received a deluge of comments, mostly from people who deem the man and the maneuverings of the so-called Davao Death Squad are the next best solutions to the growing crime rates that plague our nation. They are up in arms about me being skeptic of him saving the Philippines.

I spoke about nobody should be taking one’s life without due process, but this only got a response that this suggestion, one said, was useless. Who can blame the person for sharing this sentiment? Corruption in our government is as visible as the glaring light of day.

One person came up with a lengthy response, saying that the killings are necessary and make up for a peaceful place such as Davao City. True, I have been to Davao a couple of times and it is a lovely place. As for peaceful I cannot entirely attest to this. People do not live a life of true peace if some live in fear, no matter how few or plenty they are

Another comment went something like this: “People are just simply tired thus killing these scum [sic] of society provides the easiest relieving respond [sic] to a safer community.”

People are just simply tired. Oh yes, with all the unsavory things happening in this country and all over the world, it is easy to get tired. New mothers get tired who have to wake up in the middle of most nights for their wailing firstborn children, but do they kill their babies? Street vendors suffer under the heat of the sun with little to no income each day, but do they kill the passersby who couldn’t even stop and buy from them a piece of candy? Heck, I even get tired on the idea alone of getting up for work as early as 5AM, but do I have to kill myself?

No.

For a nation whose major population proudly put their love of righteousness, justice, God, the saints, and whatever on their sleeves, it is funny and troubling to learn that death is their solution. This only strengthens my belief that our country and most of its people are neck-deep in hypocrisy.

A friend has shared to me that studies have actually shown death penalty is not even a deterrent to a crime. Meaning, it doesn’t stop the crime from happening again. It is true there are some people out there who do and can do acts that are way beyond our imagination that we may feel numb and suggest these guys do not have the right to live. But in the end, death does not reduce the crimes. “It’s like correcting a wrongdoing with another wrongdoing,” my friend said.

This is what many do not come to think of and even consider: Crime is an idea, sometimes a kind of force or compromise, not a person. Kill the person and yet the idea still lives on, thriving.

The point is we do not need an iron fist. What we need is an open hand and the sense of righteousness that do not resort to barbarism. We have come a long way, and we cannot go backward. This is already the 21st century after all.

Death or the many other forms of killing is a lowly, lazy and cowardly solution since it does not tackle head on the root and real issue of the problem. Because one has to ask, why do these people resort to crimes? Why do they do what they do?

This adamant support for taking the life of a criminal is like getting a test paper that you just throw away after seeing the tough questions. You didn’t solve any problem. You failed the exam.

On teenage gangs, which Davao’s police force say are responsible for the crimes committed in the city, Duterte can be quoted from an article by the Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), saying, “I will not hesitate to kill them. I don’t care about minors.”

Now, let’s ask ourselves, is this the kind of leader we need? Is this the kind of leader for our next generation? Should we soon put ourselves in the wrong side of history?


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PS: As for the trolls, bigots, and hypocrites in this country, here’s a word of advice. Do not try to make sense out of these people. You just cannot get it from irrational, stubborn, and culturally backward men. It’s like talking to a piece of rock. An ugly rock.