On Today's Philippine Independence Day

I somehow deplore my previous post a year ago on independence day. I had stated a line there that seems to be not-so true with the fact that some see a hopeless case in the current line of problems that our beloved Philippines has. It would now seem inevitable for some to take up arms and take the fight to the hills. I also deplore the fact that I have restated some lines owned by authors whose names I now cannot remember. (My apologies)

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Anyway, I am not supposed to be writing about anything today until I saw the slew of comments made after my comment on why I think that message of Hillary Clinton for our independence day is just another piece of crap.

I am not really quite surprised that a lot find my comment too bitter and that I was dweling too much on the past.

Some gave me unsolicited advices to move on and forget the past so we can move forward - just like an already trashed up relationship (which is what should be because of the unfavorable relationship for us that we currently have with the US).

As expected some would point out that the Spaniards and Japanese did worse. But how can you even say that when the kind of history that is being taught in schools all over the country merely discuss that part of our history wherein some 'power-hungry democratic country' seized our just proclaimed independence and even called us rebels in our own country!

But I guess the common denominator among their comments is that: we look up to America as some sort of a role model and a big brother.

And that most of them I guess, have not known what is life then under the Stars and Stripes. For your reference, you may read my previous post containing a brief summary of what happened during the Philippine-American War.

These comments really made my Independence Day.

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I once remembered how I looked up to America as an 'ideal state' and even wished someday that we would be like them.

But as soon as I found out how they treated Filipinos as nigger, bandits, bandido and tulisan, I suddenly feel disgusted at how can a supposedly bastion of freedom and democracy do that to us? I began to doubt that there was a huge cover-up on this topic because I don't remember it being discussed thoroughly unlike other topics in Phil. history such as the abusive friars, slave labor and monopolies during the Spanish period and the rape of our women during the Japanese period.

Photo Courtesy of The New Yorker

Photo Courtesy of HistoricalTextArchive.com

I was about 10 then. I was lucky enough to pick up that book (I forgot the title) and learned what school hadn't taught me.

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So I would like again to reiterate my statement:

"As long as the US won't say sorry for the atrocities they commited when they occupied the Philippines and be accountable for the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos killed during the Philippine-American War, which ironically happened after we declared our independence, their greetings are just a piece of crap. Where's our sense of history guys? Alamin ang nakaraan para malaman kung paano natin haharapin ang kinabukasan. :)"

Actually, this is not just about asking for apologies for what they did in the past but is also about the continuing meddling of the US in our affairs.

Since they came to colonize us, our history contains a lot of instances wherein the US is working behind the scenes to make things favorable for them even up to the point of supporting a tyrannical and authoritarian dictator just so their interests would not be harmed.

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This is not about how I hate America or how I want the US to be completely destroyed because that would make me act like an imperialist too. This is about letting people know what really happened back then. I know that past is past but if we have become completely ignorant of the past, we allow our past to continually haunt our future. Just like now at how we deplore ourselves for being like this and like that and we are all hands down for America because 'she gave us almost everything' - including AIDS.

But don't get me wrong. I will still celebrate this independence day even if just a few years ago Bonifacio had been excecuted by his fellow compatriots. I will still celebrate this independence day even if the illustrados then seized the credits of the revolution from the masses who ignited it.

Because even if this was a short-lived triumph interrupted by American imperialism, we have shown that we are capable of uniting against a common enemy. This only shows that we can still do it today, not on our individual means, not on individual promises that 'I'll change myself' but collectively as a Filipino people who will by all means bring about lasting changes to this nation.

But to say that we have been truly free is another story.

For the meantime, let us look back and reflect on our past so we will know what we should do for our future.

Ipaglaban ang Kalayaan ng Pilipinas!

Paglingkuran ang Sambayanan!

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Postscript: Someone commented that freedom has no use if people are all hungry, I urge that person to read my post on what's the use of 'freedom' that we have right now.

For more on the Philippine American War, click on this links: here and here.

Hacienda Luisita Massacre

Did it really happened? Or is it another ploy to discredit Noynoy Aquino who had been in recent weeks consistently topping all survey charts for the presidentiables? Is there a truth in what the militant groups are blabbering these past few days? Well, it did really happened. If you want to know how everything else happened 5 years ago, here is a documentary made a year after the Hacienda Luisita Massacre happened.

What you saw is just the first of four parts, you may see the remaining parts on YouTube by searching 'Sa Ngalan ng Tubo' to know how the strike by the workers of Hacienda Luisita ended.

We have heard what Nonoy Aquino stated regarding Hacienda Luisita: they will sell off their shares because after all they're not earning much from it. But Mr. Aquino, why not pressure the other owners to give up their hold on that estate and distribute it to the farmers who have tilled that land for many decades? After all, it should have been done a long time ago since the CARP was passed under the administration of your mother which was then considered as the centerpiece program of her administration.

Now, you're telling everyone else that it might not be the best solution (redistributing the land) since the ratio of farmers to the size of the land is disproportionate. But Mr Aquino, this would not have happened if your family (the Cojuangcos) will not intend to convert the land into 'commerical, industrial, residential and recreational parks.' From the very beginnning, you don't have any plans to give up the land but to displace the farmers one by one while you gain more profits from the new land use plan that your family had been planning ever since.

What the farmers had been asking from your family ever since is just to give the land that was rightfully theirs. It is no longer a question whether the ones claiming are legitimate residents of Tarlac or workers of the hacienda but it is a question of why can't you simply give up Hacienda Luisita for these farmers who had been tilling the land for you so that you may earn.

If you did nothing to resolve this issue once and for all, I guess it depicts what kind of president you will be once elected. By the way, I'm no supporter of any presidential candidate - whether it Villar, Estrada or Teodoro. In fact I don't want to see any of these three people to end up winning the elections. Actually, I had been toying with the thought that it could be you whom I will support but upon much deeper discernment and the way things are going, it seems to me that you've got no difference with them.

Yes, your family did not ordered these farmers to be gunned down to death which led to Hacienda Luisita Massacre - one of the most brutal crimes committed against farmers who never asked for anything else but to give the land that was rightfully theirs. But in the midst of what was happening then, your family did nothing but to even blame the militants for instigating the farmers to go on strike. Your family did not even tried to talk with those in the picket line. Your family chose to ignore them.

Well, it is not too late to do something about it, Mr. Noynoy Aquino. Show everyone else that you are indeed a beacon of hope and change in this wrecked land - not a son who had just been passed on the legacy of his parents. It is about time to make a stand on issues, to make a stand if you are indeed for the Filipino people.

More readings on the Hacienda Luisita Massacre:
- Bulatlat
- Inquirer
- Manila Standard Today
- Google Search Results

Digmaan (War)

(Note: This post was originally intended to be published on September 1, the day of commemoration for the outbreak of the Second World War.)

Most of us weren't born yet when it happened. It is said to be one of the most 'destructive war of all time' that it had been able to surpass all the previous wars in terms of cost, people killed, nations involved and the havoc it did. Mankind had witnessed the most 'inhumane acts' committed by heartless and merciless people. It was a war borne out of man's lust for power and selfish aims to rule the world. It is the most tragic and horrible chapter of human history.

It was the Second World War (World War II).

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Last September 1, a few countries in Europe 'commemorated' the 70th year anniversary of the outbreak of World War II that began with the invasion of Poland by then Nazi Germany. I would like to emphasize that: 'a few countries..'

From out of the more than 100 nations that had been involved in the most deadliest war, only a few had remembered.

It seems that everyone else had simply chosen to forget a war that had almost annihilated the entire human race.

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Maybe, we cannot blame some people to simply put the war as part of history books and erase it from collective memory because of the tremendous sorrow, pain, grief and sufferings the have experienced. Kumbaga sa pag-ibig, para naman maka-move on ang lahat.

Yet, there is a danger when everyone else chose not to even remember it. Because the next generation would have little knowledge about that war and would not be able to learn some lessons from it. Thus, there is a big possibility that it could occur again.

Even now, we are quite seeing some danger signs that could possibly lead to escalation of violence and would most likely lead to another war that almost all nations would be involved.

What would be the reasons for the possible escalation of another war? The same reason that have caused World War 2: greed.

Take the case of the Philippines.

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Our capital (Manila) is said to be the 2nd most destroyed city in the world after the war. It is also said that almost a third of our population had been either killed in action or had been victims of the war. Others who had survived had barely crossed the line to insanity. Our women had been raped and this barbaric act had been forever etched in their minds. We had also seen how Imperial Japan then used the most excessive and brutal torture methods. We had seen how each Filipino had suffered so much that they've got no other choice but to either fight or die.

And yet, we do not even remember much of it. It had been downgraded to a mere chapter on our history books - just like other important historical events that made us truly Filipino. It had become a mere campaign for more compensation for the service our veterans had rendered during the war. It had almost been removed in the Filipino's collective memory.

And because of that, we are seeing a resemblance of the previous war we had been - this time in its much worse form.

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Filipinos fighting against each other. Filipinos silencing those who disagree with them.; some would experience the same torture that Imperial Japan did. Filipinos who still see that only an all-out war can put an end to our insurgency and terrorism problems. Fellow Filipinos who sees dissenters as traitors of the 'state' and destabilizers out there to disrupt the prevailing oppressive social order.

The aggressors had long been gone. But what made it worse is that our fellow Filipinos had replaced them. In fact, as soon as war ended, the previous governments of Roxas, Quirino and Magsaysay worked for the annihilation of the Huks simply because they fought against the feudal lords and fought for their right to have their own land to till.

From then on, the government who supposedly should be protecting the true interests of its people had become the oppressor. The entity who used its 'legitimate use of force' to silence the people's genuine concerns. The traitors who are out there to sell out our country and its people in exchange for dollars to fill in their pockets.

But why? They had simply forgotten to learn their lessons from the past.

And I won't be surprised if in the near future, no matter how peace-loving Filipinos are, we would be divided by civil strife because of their frustration and hopelessness that they are seeing in our current plight.

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But then again, no one wins in a war. Not even the victor who had been able to wipe out its 'enemy.' Even the oppressed who suddenly took up the arms to fight the oppressor. We would always end up in a vicious cycle of violence and hatred that would make it happen all over again.

So what do we need to do?

Learn our lessons from history.

The Philippine-American War

I would like to ask my fellow Filipino readers if they know anything about the Philippine-American War? Yeah, we have actually battled the superpower more than a hundred years ago. And because of this, they called us niggers, bandits, tulisan and bandido! Isn't it ironic to be called rebels in our own land?

Photo Courtesy of JapanFocus.org

It is also interesting to note that some US universities do not study it as a part of US history. Some say that it is because for almost a decade we have resisted Uncle Sam's offering of democracy but with a little pinch of colonization and imperialism; that still persists up to this day. But some American historians like Paul Kramer are recently bringing up to light that there was once a war that Filipinos waged against the Americans.

And also it is sad to note that this war is called by some academics and scholars of history as "The Philippine Insurrection" when it was these Americans who came to occupy us while we are struggling to become an independent nation. Besides, what are they doing here 10,000 miles away from home? It is clear that they REALLY want us and they want to USE us.

Photo taken from http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Crete/9782/main.htm

Does every Filipino who are queuing up at the doors of US embassy know that they killed more than 1,000,000 Filipinos during the war? And how could I ever forget 'Balangiga Massacre' wherein to avenge their defeat from us 'niggers', they ordered 'to kill everyone over ten.' And for everyone else's information, it was not the Japanese who used water cure as a torture method. It was these Americans who used it extensively during the Philippine-American War. And we should not be surprised that up to now, their 'prisoners of war' from Iraq or Afghanistan are suffering the same treatment in Guantanamo Bay.

Photo Courtesy of HistoricalTextArchive.com

Photo Courtesy of The New Yorker

Well, we should be proud that we are the ONLY country to have risen up to fight these imperialist for almost a decade. But it is very sad to note that public schools here in the Philippines do not take up much of the Philippine-American war. It is merely shown as a 'little incident' that happened and was easily 'eradicted'. Too much emphasis is given on the establishment of the Commonwealth and the 'Independence Missions' where in fact, we should not be begging for it because they are not the ones who own us. Besides, THIS IS OUR LAND. They have just grabbed it away from us.

And it is also interesting to note what William Howard Taft said in 1905 or 103 years ago:

"I have not come to give you (the Philippines) your independence, but to study your welfare. You will have your independence when you are ready for it, which will not be in this generation - no, nor in the next, nor perhaps for a 100 years or more."

And lo and behold, his word indeed came true. We may be 'free and independent' in essence but the Philippines is still held by America: economically and maybe politically. We are a 'neo-colony'. We still look up to Uncle Sam as our protector and giver. And we still allow their soldiers to roam freely in our ports and disguise it as 'military exercises' but in truth they are engaged in our own internal conflicts. We are still beholden by the enormous debt that is crippling our economy and eating up more than 50% of our annual national budget which can be used for delivering basic social services like education and health.

Kailan ba tayo mamumulat sa panloloko ng mga Kano sa atin? Kailan?

And this did not just happened to us: we have seen them invade Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. They would always say that they are trying to bring world peace yet they are always the one who invade or starts the war. Well, it is not surprising that they would just create a conflict out of nowhere. It is just to use their huge 'military-industrial complex' to boost their economy and of course, power.

They seem to feel that they are the rightful owners of these world. But wake up Joe, THE WORLD IS NOT YOURS. You cannot just meddle into anybody's affairs. You should not say what is right. Because what could be right for you, would not be right for everybody else. Look at what you did to Iraq, the whole country is in total chaos. The situation was a lot better before you came. You did gave them democracy but what happened? You divided the country. Pitting one group against the other.

Anyway, I hope that the Philippine-American War is no longer an "Invisible War" in the minds of my readers.

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The Egg Throwing Incident

In support and gratituide to the organization whom assisted me in the first few days of my college life here in UP, and whom they have earned from me trust and respect, I would like to repost their statement so that all may know their position about the said incident.

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Chronology of the Assault

A Timeline on the Collegian Controversy

April 20: The Office of the Chancellor issues a memorandum on the procurement of supplies and services. Mandated by the Government Procurement Reform Act or RA 9184, it states that procurement by government units amounting to P250,000 and above shall be done through a bidding process administered by the UP administration.

June 11: As is the practice of previous terms, the Collegian, selects its printing press autonomously after canvassing price quotations from various presses. The cost per copy is P3.

June 15: Supplies and Property Management (SPMO) officer in charge Prof. Virginia Yap calls the attention of the Collegian editorial board (EB). In a meeting, she explains the necessity of the Collegian to undergo a bidding process to be facilitated by the UP admin based on the Chancellor Sergio Cao’s memo deriving mandate from RA 9184. The editors reiterated their stance that the Collegian does not fall under the UP admin or any other government unit, which Yap questions.

June 24: Recognizing the publication's deficit accumulated from the previous terms, which amounts to more than P200,000, and with pressure from the UP admin for the current term to pay for this deficit, the EB again canvasses for a cheaper printing press. The new press complies with the Collegian’s adjusted budget of P2.85 per copy.

July 8: The Collegian, again with pressure from the UP admin, submitted to the Chancellor two budget projections deliberated by the EB, one reflecting actual projected expenses, which amounts to P2,431,000; the other showing reduced expenses to comply with the tight budget and to partially offset the accumulated deficit, which amounts to P2,059,850. The Chancellor then recognizes the latter.

July 18: Since the UP admin still holds the release of the payment for the publication’s printing expenses, the Collegian requests the admin to recognize the EB’s autonomous selection of its printing press. The EB reasons that the canvassing was properly done, even according to the processes mentioned in the Chancellor's memo, except that it was not facilitated by the admin.
The Collegian then begins to conduct its autonomous bidding process to undertake greater scrutiny in selecting a permanent printing press.

July 27: In a letter, the SPMO states that the question on the Collegian's independence still has to be addressed, while reiterating that the publication should comply with the admin’s facilitation of the printing press selection.

August 25: The EB informs the UP admin of the result of its autonomous bidding process. The new printing press, which the Collegian has sealed a contract with, still conforms to the P2.85 per copy and was required to submit pertinent documents such as DTI registration, Mayor’s permit, etc. The EB also reiterates its position that the Collegian is an independent student institution, with funds directly and solely coming from the students, and is thus not covered by the Chancellor's memo or RA 9184. The EB also invoked a provision in the implementing rules of the Campus Journalism Act saying that the selection of the printing press shall be conducted by the editorial staff either through canvass or public bidding.

August 25: Student Regent Raffy Jones Sanchez raises the Collegian's concerns in the Board of Regents’ meeting, where, according to Sanchez, Roman commented that the Collegian staff should collect its own funds if it were to assert its autonomy. Roman then refers the Collegian's concerns to Chancellor Cao and Vice President for Administration Martin Gregorio.

August 28: The Collegian requests for an immediate dialogue with Roman, after learning that payments for printing expenses incurred since its first issue was still denied.

September 1: The Collegian meets with Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Elizabeth Enriquez, together with Diliman Legal Officer Atty. Percival Cortez, as well as officers from the SPMO, Diliman Accounting Office, and Office of Student Activities. In the meeting, Cortez staunchly declares that the Collegian does not have fiscal autonomy, given that its funds paid for solely by the students are completely handled by the admin. Enriquez advises the EB that unless the publication agrees to the admin-facilitated bidding, its funds will never be released.

September 3: In the 10th Systemwide Students' Congress, student organizations from all UP units nationwide who attended the congress co-sponsored and approved a resolution opposing the implementation of RA 9184 to all student institutions and formations.

September 4: The Collegian writes to Cao to endorse the immediate release of the payment for the printing of all the Collegian’s released issues, as without such payment and without guarantee for payment of subsequent issues, the printing press can no longer proceed with the printing of subsequent issues. Cao replied the same day, and implicitly denied the release of funds as he questions the autonomy of the publication.

Excerpts from the Campus Journalism Act (CJA) of 1991

Sec. 4. Student Publication – “...editorial board shall freely determine its editorial policies and manage the publication's funds.” Sec. 5. Funding of Student Publication – “In no instance shall... the school administration concerned withhold the release of funds sourced from the savings of the appropriations of the respective schools and other sources intended for the student publication. Subscription fees collected by the school administration shall be released automatically to the student publication concerned.”

Excerpt from CJA’s implementing rules and regulation

Rule IV, Section 4: Printing of the Student Publication – The printing of the student publication by a private printer shall be conducted by the editoriboard and the student publication staff through canvass or public bidding.”

Source: Philippine Collegian.net

Autonomy Image: Kule0607 on DeviantArt

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UP student publication under siege

Autonomy Under Siege

The Philippine Collegian and RA 9184

(As seen in their site: http://www.philippinecollegian.net/index.htm)

The Philippine Collegian bears witness to a lasting tradition of independence as a student institution. It is a publication funded solely by the students, and for years has served as a salient representation of academic freedom and democratic rights. Throughout history, UP students have vigilantly fought for the publication's autonomy from all forms of administration intervention.

Once again, the Collegian's autonomy is under siege.

Using Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, the UP administration since June 2006 has blocked the release of the Collegian's printing funds. According to the administration's interpretation of RA 9184, all fees collected by the university are government funds—including the Collegian's funds. Under this false assumption, the UP administration insists that the bidding and selection of the publication’s printing press be facilitated not by the Collegian editorial board, but by the administration itself.

However, the Collegian firmly asserts that it is exempt from RA 9184. It is not a government unit, as it is funded only by the students. Moreover, the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 stipulates that the editorial board should facilitate the selection of the publication’s printing press. The administration’s sole task is to collect the publication fee during registration, and thereafter give full discretion of handling of Collegian fund to the duly selected editorial board. The administration may not intervene in any of the publication’s operations.

In response to the Collegian’s arguments against RA 9184, the UP administration continues to deny the institution of its right to bidding autonomy. In our dialogues, the administration even questions the publication’s “independence” as basis for its exemption from the particular law.

We, from the Collegian, cannot accept this kind of reasoning. To allow the Collegian to subject itself to RA 9184 is tantamount to surrendering its autonomy as a student institution. Even now that the publication’s inclusion in the law is still in question, the UP administration is withholding the publication’s printing fund to coerce the Collegian to submission. Such is why the previous Collegian issues were delayed, while pending issues have not been printed. RA 9184 thus compromises the publication’s fiscal autonomy.

Moreover, allowing the Collegian to subject itself to RA 9184 would set a precedent for the UP administration to thereafter inflict the same law and intervene in the operations of publications and other student institutions in all UP units. In fact, the UP Diliman University Student Council’s publication Oblation is also being subjected to this law.

We from the Collegian view the administration’s insistence to subject the publication to RA 9184 as an assault against the publication’s autonomy. We call on the administration to recognize fully the independence of the Collegian as a student publication. We demand that the administration uphold the Collegian’s fiscal autonomy, specifically its right to facilitate the bidding process.

The Collegian is accountable only to the students, who are its sole publishers. Thus, we call on all students to protect the autonomy of the publication. This issue is a clear manifestation of administration intervention, and a direct attack on campus press freedom.

Uphold the Collegian’s autonomy!

Defend campus press freedom!

Protect the independence of all student institutions and organizations!

Support the campaign!

Visit: http://www.philippinecollegian.net/sign.php

Source: Philippine Collegian.net

Rebel Kule Image: DeviantArt

Autonomy Image: Katipunero

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Giyera: Walang Kwenta Talaga

Gusto ko lang na ibahagi sa inyo ang aking nararamdaman ngayon matapos kong mapanood ang isang kahindik-hindik na dokumentaryo tungkol sa mga reporters na madalas na nagco-cover ng mga giyera. Pero higit pa sa mga napapatay na mga reporter mas nanindig ang aking balahibo sa mga larawan at video na ipinakita sa nasabing dokumentaryo.

Una ay ang World War I at II. Ito ang dalawa sa pinakamalaking digmaan sa buong mundo na kinasangkutan ng maraming mga bansa. Alam natin ang nangyari na Holocaust o ang sinasabing "The Final Solution" ni Adolf Hitler para lipulin ang lahat ng mga Hudyo. Pero hindi natin nakita kung ano ang nangyari doon sa Japan, lalo na ang Nagasaki at Hiroshima nang bombahin sila ng 'atomic bomb.'

Ipinakita ba sa atin ang mga video na kung saan madaming mga tao ang naputulan ng paa at kamay, ang mga bata na sunog na sunog ang mga balat, ang isang lalake na nabutas ang tiyan at lumabas ang bituka. Nakita din ba natin ang mga taong halos natunaw at nagkadikit-dikit na? Umpisa pa lang iyan.

Sumunod ang Vietnam War. Walang kaalam-alam ang mga mamamayan ng Vietnam sa kung anong nagawa nila at bakit sila inaatake ng Amerika. Kitang-kita sa mga video kung paano sinira ng mga pambobomba ng mga Amerikano ang mga palayan, mga gubat, mga kabahayan at pati ang pambobomba sa mga sibilyan na lumilikas lamang palayo sa gulo. Kitang-kita mo kung paano magkalasug-lasog ang kanilang katawan.

Isa pa sa maituturing na hindi isang giyera kundi sobrang paninikil sa karapatang pantao ay ang Tianmen Square Massacre sa China noong taong 1989. Libu-libong mga estudyante ang noo'y matahimik na nagpoprotesta nang bigla nagpadala ng mga sundalo ang Chinese gov't upang supilin ang nasabing kilos-protesta. Ang mga sundalo ay kung saan-saan bumabaril at kita mo kung paano bigla na lamang bumubulagta ang mga nagpo-protesta habang patuloy sa pagpapaputok ang mga sundalo. Wala namang magawa ang mga estudaynte kundi tumakbo. Imbis na tumigil pa ang mga sundalo sa pagbaril, hinabol pa nila ang mga ito at parang mga laruang pinagbabaril.

Ang isa pa sa isang 'di ko malilimutan sa dokumentaryo na hindi pa namin natatapos ay ang digmaang sibil na nangyari sa Rwanda. Isang genocide na ang nangyari kung saan nag-uubusan ang dalawang lahi sa bansang ito. Kitang-kita mo ang mga bangkay na nagkalat sa daan. Ang mga batang nalaslas ang tenga habang tumatakbo. At ang mga sundalo, imbes na pigilin ang nasabing kaguluhan, may kinampihan din sila at siyempre ito ay ang kanilang sariling pinanggalingang lahi. Nagba-bahay bahay sila at pinapasok ito at doon pinagbabaril nila ang mga nakatira doon, walang ititira ni-isa.

Hindi pa namin natapos ang dokumentaryo pero naging sapat na ang mga napanood namin para talagang kamuhian ko ang digmaan. Sa aking pagmumuni-muni, sa mga halimbawa ng giyera na nasa taas, halos lahat ng ito ay sinimulan ng mga Kanluraning bansa.

Unahiin ko na ang Rwanda. Ayon sa aming propesora, ang mga bansa talaga sa Africa ay wala iyan noon. May mga iba't ibang kaharian doon na may sarili nang pamahalaan. Nang dumating ang mga Europeo, gumawa sila ng mapa at pinaghati-hatian ang mga lugar dati at gumawa ng mga borders. Itong Rwanda ay bansa na binubuo ng dalawang tribo. Dati sila ay namumuhay ng tahimik. Hindi sila nagkakaroon ng digmaan. Ngunit sa pagdating ng mga Europeo pinagsama sila bilang isang bansa at ang inilagay nilang pinuno ay nagmula sa isang tribo at halos lahat ng nasa pamahalaan nila ay galing sa tribo na iyon. Ngayon ano pa ang inaasahan mo kung hindi siyempre mas pabor ang mga namumuno sa kanilang pamahalaan sa kanilang pinanggalingang tribo. Doon nagsimula ang away.

Ngayon, sa kwento ng bansang Rwanda. Sino ang naging ugat ng matinding hidwaan na nangyari sa kanila? Ang mga Kanluraning bansa. Sila ang gumulo sa mundo. Gumawa sila ng sinasabi nilang New World Order pero ang 'order' na ito ay naging sobrang pabor para sa kanila. Sila lamang ang nakikinabang. Habang tayo na mga bansang naghihirap, patuloy nilang ginagamit tayo para sa sarili nilang kapakanan.

Ginagamit nila ang mga mahihirap na bansa bilang 'stage' upang ipkita sa lahat ang kanilang military power gaya ng nangyari sa Vietnam. Nanahimik ang mga mamamayan doon. Wala silang kaalam-alam kung bakit may giyera sa kanila. Sinasabi nga na ito ang pinaka-baboy o napakaduming klase ng digmaan sa buong mundo sunod sa WWII. Mga inosenteng bata ang biktima. Mga likas na yaman ay niyurakan.

Magaling din ang mga bansang ito na pagtakpan ang mga kababuyan na kanilang ginawa. Palagi silang may dahilan sa bawat ginagawa nila kahit na hindi naman talaga balido ang dahilan nila.

Hanggang kailan tayo magpapagamit? Hanggang kailan tayo magbubulag-bulagan? Hanggang kailan tayo maniniwala sa mga pinagsasabi nila? Hanggang kailan tayo maniniwala sa FOX News, CNN at mga Western media companies? Hanggang kailan tayo maniniwala sa mga magiging Pangulo ng Amerika?

Ako. Hindi na naniniwala sa kanila. Ikaw?

Image Source: NewsAhead

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The World Bully - Unang Kabanata

• Nakakalungkot isipin na kung ano pa ang tinitingalang bansa sa buong mundo, e siya pang pasimuno nang lahat ng gulo sa mundo.. unknowingly.
• Iyan ang United States of America. Nakamit ang kalayaan mula sa Britanya noong 1776. Pero ngayon sila naman ang nananakop. Sila naman ang nanggugulo.
• Saan nga ba nanggaling si Spiderman? Di ba natutuhan niya.. "with great power comes great responsibility." Di ba ang kanyang bayan ay Amerika? So di ba dapat practice what you preach?
• Mula nang matapos ang Cold War, ang Amerika na ang naging pinakamalakas at pinakamakapangyarihang bansa sa buong mundo. Kaya niyang pasunurin ang United Nations dahil sa malaking bahagdan ng budget nito ay nagmumula sa US. Kaya siyempre, kahit pa sabihin nila na pantay-pantay ang mga bansa sa samahang ito, dominant force pa rin dito ang US. Kaya din niyang pagbintangan ang isang bansa na nagtatago ito ng Weapons of Mass Destruction at lusubin ito ng walang anumang opposisyon. May ilang aalma, pero wala din naman silang magagawa. Dahil kayang-kaya silang durugin ng US. Kayang-kaya din niya na maglagay ng kanyang mga polisiya at makialam sa soberaniya ng isang bansa. Paikutin ang ekonomiya ng mundo at makuha ang kanilang gusto.
• Kung may aalma, kung may kokontra kaya nilang patahimikin. Papatawan nila sa pamamagitan ng UN ng mga economic sanctions ang mga bansang ito. Gaya ng North Korea. Sigurado ba tayo na talagang napakasama ng kanilang lider? Saan ba natin nakuha ang ganitong impormasyon. Sa US. Sigurado ba tayo na tama ito at totoo? Paano naman ang North Korea? Narinig na ba natin ang kanilang panig?

Simula pa lang ito. Gisingin ang natutulog nating diwa. Ako si Dennio. Galit sa GINAGAWA ng Amerika.

Image taken from: Nazmilia

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Ang Tunay na Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas?

Lahat tayo namulat na sa Hunyo 12 bilang Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas. Subalit medyo bigla akong napa-hmmm.. sa isang pamphlet na napulot ka sa upuan sa Claro M. Recto Hall kanina lang. Oo.. napulot. Kasi naiwan ata nung nakaupo dun. Siyempre dahil sa nakuha ng titulo nito ang aking atensyon dahil sa pamagat nitong: KILALANIN AT GAWING PISTA OPISYAL ANG SETYEMBRE 16. Hmm.. Another holiday for us.. puwede.. Pero, higit pa sa holiday na madadagdag sa atin, may isang magandang punto ang mga nagsusulong nito.

Sa araw na ito, tunay na nakamit ng Pilipinas ang kalayaan ng ating bansa.

Bakit?

Dahil 15 taon na ang nakaraan, noong ika-16 Setyembre 1991, pormal na napaalis sa ating mga bansa ang mga base militar ng mga Amerikano.

Hmm.. Ilan kaya ang nakakaalam sa atin nito. Kahit ako, ngayon ko lang nalaman ang petsa noong bumoto ang 12 Senador upang ibasura ang Military Bases Agreement .

Interesting.. huh..

Eto na ang continuation.

Ang word-per-word na paliwanag ng grupong ito.

Bakit mahalaga ang pagkilala sa Setyembre 16

1. May kasabihan ngang "Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan." Kilalanin natin at unawain ang nagdaang kasaysayan upang matiyak nating tama ang ating tinatahak sa kasulukuyan.

Itutuloy..

Author's Note: Hindi ko na ito naipagpatuloy dahil nawala na ang kopya ng nasabing polyeto.

Image Added: 05/15/2010

Image Taken From: Pinay Lighter Side

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The Hague Joint Declaration: September 1, 1992

Nakuha ko ito sa official website ng mga komunista dito sa Pilipinas. Ang kanilang website ay ang www.philippinerevolution.net.

We, the undersigned emissary of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the undersigned representative of the National Democratic Front (NDF) have held exploratory talks at The Hague, The Netherlands on August 31 September 1, 1992 and have agreed to recommend to our respective principals the following:

1. Formal peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDF shall be held to resolve the armed conflict.

2. The common goal of the aforesaid negotiations shall be the attainment of a just and lasting peace.

3. Such negotiations shall take place after the parties have reached tentative agreements on substantive issues in the agreed agenda through the reciprocal working committees to be separately organized by the GRP and the NDF.

4. The holding of peace negotiations must be in accordance with mutually acceptable principles, including national sovereignty, democracy and social justice and no precondition shall be made to negate the inherent character and purpose of the peace negotiations.

5. Preparatory to the formal peace negotiations, we have agreed to recommend the following:

a. Specific measures of goodwill and confidence building to create a favorable climate for peace negotiations; and

b. The substantive agenda of the formal peace negotiations shall include human rights and international humanitarian law, socio economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, end of hostilities and disposition of forces.

Signed on September 1, 1992 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

For the Government of the Republic of the Phiippines

Rep. Jose V. Yap

Emissary

For the National Democratic Front of the Philippines

Luis Jalandoni

Representative

Witnesses:

Rep. Eric D. Singson

Tereseita de Castro

State Counsel

Coni Ledesma

Byron Bocar

Jose Maria Sison

Approved by:

(Sgd)

Fidel V. Ramos

President

Government of the Republic of the Philippines

October 8, 1992

(Sgd)

Manuel Romero

Chairperson

National Democratic Front of the Philippines

September 9, 1992

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