Pagbalik tanaw sa ilang alaala ng pagkilos sa hanay ng KABATAAN

YS (youth and students/youth sector). Kilalang tawag sa mga aktibistang kumikilos sa hanay ng kabataang estudyante. Kung hindi ka pa lumampas sa edad na 35 ay swak na swak ka pa rin para maging YS. Sa kabilang banda, yung mga hindi kumikilos o dating kumilos sa hanay ng kabataang estudyante ay pwede pa rin namang tawaging YS…Youth Sadto…dialect term ng “dating youth.”

Napapabilang pa naman ako sa hanay ng kabataan dahil sa edad ko. Pero kung nag uusap-usap ang mga aktibistang mula sa iba’t ibang sektor ay madalas na ginagamit ang terminong YS upang matukoy kung sino ang kasalukuyang kumikilos sa hanay ng kabataan.

Ilang buwan na lang ang bibilangin at eksaktong tatlong taon na nang ako’y opisyal na naging “youth sadto” nang kumilos ako bilang isang human rights defender matapos ang halalan noong 2007. Pero kahit tatlong taon na ang nakakalipas ay YS at heart pa rin naman ako.

Marami akong alaala, natutunan at siyempre meron ding frustrations bilang YS. Isa sa mga pinakamahalagang bagay na natutunan ko bilang YS ay ang kahalagahan ng sama-samang pagkilos at ang mahigpit na pakikiisa ng sektor ng kabataan sa batayang sektor ng ating lipunan.

Ang kabataan na bumubuo ng kalahati ng ating populasyon ay isang mahalagang pwersa, hindi lamang dahil sa ating bilang kundi dahil sa ating mga likas na katangian. Sa kabuuan, tayong kabataan ay maliksi, matapang, malikhain, bukas sa mga bagong ideya, mabilis kumilos at marami pang iba na hindi na kaya abutin ng aking bokabularyo. Ang mga katangiang ito ay mahalaga upang mapasigla ang kilusang pagpapalaya at pagbabago dito sa ating bansa.

Dahil nga dapat ay mahigpit tayong nakikiisa sa  batayang sektor ng lipunan, mahalaga rin na aralin natin kung papaano ba nagkakaugnay-ugnay ang mga isyu ng kabataang estudyante katulad ng tuition and other fees increase at campus repression sa mga isyu ng mga manggagawa katulad ng mababang pasahod at kontraktwalisasyon;  sa isyu ng mga magsasaka katulad ng kawalan ng lupa at suportang serbisyo at marami pang mga isyu ng iba’t ibang sektor at ng buong lipunan.  Mapapaikli naman ang mga isyung ito sa tatlong batayang problema ng bansa na siyang pinag-uugatan ng lahat ng kahirapan: pyudalismo, imperyalismo at burukrata kapitalismo. Pero gaano ko man kagusto na isa-isang ipaliwanag sa blog na ito kung papaano nagkakaugnay-ugnay ang lahat ng mga usaping ito ay hindi ko kakayanin dahil sa limitasyon sa oras at kakayahan kong magsulat. Kaya para sa pagpapalalim hinggil sa mga usaping ito ay maaari namang sumali sa mga diskusyon at edukasyon sa pinakamalapit na erya ninyo. =)

Ang punto ko lang naman ay gustong kong ipaalala kahit kelan ay hindi maaaring magkaroon ng sariling kilusan ang kabataang estudyante na hindi nakaugnay sa pangkalahatang isyu ng lipunan at kahit kelan ay hindi tunay na maipapanalo ng kabataang estudyante ang ating mga isinusulong kung hindi rin ito nakaugnay sa isinusulong ng iba pang sektor ng lipunan. Kaya nga mahalagang tayong kabataan ay dapat na matuto rin mula sa mga manggagawa, magsasaka, mga kawani, mga maralitang taga-lunsod at iba pa upang malaman natin kung ano ba ang totoong mukha ng ating bansa sa labas ng ating mga silid-aralan.

Dahil sa maraming isyu ng lipunan, hindi maiiwasan ang pagsulputan ng maraming organisasyon at indibidwal na nagpapahayag ng kanilang pakikipagkaisa sa mga mahihirap at umano’y pagtulong. Pero dapat din nating malaman na ang mga tao’t organisasyong tunay na nagsusulong ng interes ng kabataang estudyante at ng sambayanang Pilipino sa kabuuan ay nasasalamin sa pamamagitan ng linya’t panawagang dinadala nito.

Halimbawa na lamang noong kasagsagan ng pakikibaka upang mapigilan ang 300% pagtaas ng matrikula at iba pang bayarin sa UP noong 2006, nagkaroon ng konsultasyon o mas tama sigurong isulat na pinagsalita ni Pres. Emerlinda Roman at ilang miyembro ng BOR ang mga estudyante ng UP Tacloban at UPM SHS sa isang forum matapos ang pagpupulong ng BOR sa Palo noong Oktubre (ata yun) 2006. Maraming estudyante ang nagpahayag ng pagtutol sa TOFI lalo na yung may mga kapatid na papasok sa UP na matatamaan ng TOFI. Isang nakakagulat na counter proposal naman mula sa isang “lider-estudyante” ang nagpapanting sa tenga ko.

Akalain mong sinabi niyang (not his exact words pero sa ganitong konteksto) “naiintindihan namin ang pangangailangan ng UP dahil sa kakulangan ng badyet nito, kahit hindi apektado ang mga upper class ng TOFI ay masyadong mabigat ang 300% na increase para sa mga darating na freshies, so why not share the burden with us para fair? Paghati-hatiin ang halaga sa lahat ng year level ang increase para hindi gaano kalaki ang itataas ng matrikula?”

Naalala ko rin na nung dalawang taong magkasunod na may naaksidenteng mag-aaral na naglalaro habang  sportsfest sa UP at walang gaanong naitulong ang administrasyon ng UP Tacloban sa pagpapagamot ng mga naaksidente ay may lumabas na suhestyon na kumuha ng insurance ang mga estudyante katulad ng nakasanayan ng ibang unibersidad at institusyon. Isinulong ito ng ilang “lider-estudyante” para daw ay maiwasan ang ganoong pangyayari na kung may maaksidenteng muli ay hindi na magkakaproblema sa pagpapaospital. Ikokonsulta naman umano ito sa mga mag-aaral bago ipatupad. Ibig sabihin ay karagdagang bayarin para sa mga estudyante na kapwa estudyante pa mismo ang nagsusulong.

Ang basic lang naman diyan ay government responsibility. Kapag tinutupad ng gobyerno ang kanyang tungkulin na magbigay ng de-kalidad at libreng edukasyon sa kabataan at libreng serbisyo medikal, e di sana ay walang TOFI at walang problema sa pagpagamot ng mga naaaksidente sa loob ng unibersidad. Mali rin namang sabihin na hindi dapat iasa sa gobyerno ang mga ganito dahil yun nga ang responsibilidad ng gobyerno, ang magbigay ng serbisyo at isaalang-alang ang kapakanan at interes ng sambayanan.

Ilan lang yan sa mga tahasang kontra-estudyanteng linya ng mga mapagpanggap na “lider-estudyante” na personal kong nakasalubong bilang YS. Mas marami pa ang mga kontra-estudyante at elitistang linya na narinig ko noong apat na beses akong nakadalo ng mga makasaysayang GASC (General Assembly of Student Councils) noong 2005 at 2006, nung si Ken Ramos ng UP Manila pa ang Student Regent at nang mapili si Raffy Jones Sanchez ng UP Cebu bilang Student Regent. Doon ko muling napatunayan kung gaano na talaga kabulok ang sistema ng edukasyon at lipunan kaya’t mga bulok na rin ang isipan ng ilang mga mag-aaral na katulad nila.

Minsan nga ay hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit may mga estudyante na ganoon ang pag-iisip. Pero siyempre nangingibabaw pa rin ang pag-unawa at tamang pagsusuri. Sila ay mga produkto lamang ng bulok na sistema ng edukasyon at lipunan. Maging ang mga mulat ma’y hindi rin ligtas sa ganitong klaseng pag-iisip hanggang umiiral ang kasalukuyang sistema at hindi tayo nagiging mapagbantay sa ating mga inaaral at isinasapraktika.

Ngayong nalalapit na halalan, malaking ayat sa kabataang estudyante ang maipanalo ang nag-iisang partido nito, ang KABATAAN PARTYLIST, upang mas mapalawak pa ang larangan ng ating pagkilos at pakikibaka sa pagsusulong ng tunay na interes ng kabataan at sambayanang Pilipino sa kabuuan.

Kailangan ay mas magpursige tayo upang maipanalo ang ating tatlong kinatawan na sila Mong, Mark at Katkat na siyang magdadala ng ating mga hinaing at programa sa loob ng Kongreso katulad ng pagsusulong sa isang makamasa, makabayan at siyentipikong sistema ng edukasyon. Siyempre walang kwenta ang mga mapapaupo natin sa Kongreso kung walang kasabay na mga pagkilos sa labas. Kaya dapat ay ipagpatuloy natin ang pagmumulat, pag-oorganisa at pagpapakilos sa malawak na sektor ng kabataan.

Ngayon na ang panahon upang ikaw ay makialam, lumahok at maging kasangkapan para sa pagbabago.

Sabi pa nga ng isang kasabihan na paborito ng marami: Kung hindi ngayon, kelan? Kung hindi ikaw, sino? ###

Justifiable actions

Yesterday, while I was browsing my facebook account, online news and blogs, a friend’s chat message popped out asking if what I thought about the anti-TOFI rally in PUP last March 24. Although I wasn’t there, I’ve been following the protest actions in UP and PUP ever since the controversial burning of chairs that has been subjected to a lot of discussions and comments especially in facebook. My friend and I exchanged a lot of messages, trying to explain the actions of the students from UP and PUP. I quoted a lot of status and comments from facebook to help him understand more. Before he logged out, he thanked me for clarifying the issue. I’m just hoping that he really was clarified.

After the controversial “violent” and “radical” rally in UP Diliman, PUP and the CHED’s office (where students from the two universities met), I read some posts of the account and views on what happened during those rallies like Anton Dulce, Floyd Tiongson and Danny Arao‘s posts. I also read posts against the paint bombs, burning of chairs, destroying CHED’s gate, and other actions tagged as violent. After reading all of those posts, I was further resolved of the form of mass action the UP and PUP protesters resorted to.

History has taught us that mere dialogues, petitions and other similar actions are empty without the support and mobilization of the sectors concerned backed up with enough pressure from them to win a certain struggle. History also taught us that when these actions have been continuously ignored and tyrannical rule insist on its ways, what students did in UP and PUP, how “violent” and “barbaric” it may be, is always an option.

The attempt to railroad the approval of P.E. fees and other fees increase in UP and the proposal to increase PUP’s tuition that was blocked because of the protests is just a tactical victory, but a victory nonetheless which is a result of the mass actions. If it weren’t for the protests, I wonder what happened to those proposals.

After the tactical gains, the PUP and UP protesters (even the non protesters) should be more vigilant. The fight doesn’t end there. Given with our experience of promises from powers-that-be, CHED Chairman Angeles’ promise not to allow any increase in fees is not a guarantee.

But what happens if he doesn’t fulfill his promise? If another the PE and other fees increase will be railroaded by the BOR? Will it end up with another “violent” and “radical” mass actions? What other options do the students have?

No wonder a lot of our fellow Filipinos choose a higher form of struggle.

Election fever, my realizations…for now

A few weeks after Rep. Satur Ocampo’s sortie (actually it was the Nacionalista Party’s sortie) here in Eastern Visayas last March 12-13, 2010, I realized and learned a lot of things:

1. Politics is really rotten in the Philippines. It has been instilled in some people’s minds that politicians can buy anything, otherwise why would you run especially for senator if you don’t have the money? Some people wouldn’t believe you that you are volunteering for a national candidate. When you say volunteer, no salary, no wage, no allowance.

While I was giving out leaflets and taking pictures at the same time during Ka Satur’s sorties…

Me: Vote for Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza for senator!

Man: Miss, how much do you receive from your candidate?

Me: (smiled, dimples out) Manong, I’m just a volunteer.

Man: Ows? I don’t believe you. You take a lot of effort and tire yourself without pay?

Me: (smiled sweetly again) Really manong, we’re just volunteers. Our candidates are poor. We need change. Vote for them. (Then ran where Ka Satur was shaking hands with vendors)

**Of course there wasn’t enough time to explain, the man was on a jeepney and I was almost running handing out leaflets and capturing good shots of Ka Satur…

2.  In Catbalogan City, Leyte (the town not the province) and Naval where we have practically no machinery, just a few contacts, not enough funds for mobility and other needs, a team (hindi naman ganun karami, isang tao ba yun o dalawa?) was deployed there a few days before the sortie’s arrival to do everything: from postering, look for volunteers, prepare the salubong, mobilize, etc, etc. The results was so good aakalain mong matagal nang nakaugat dun yung mga nagparticipate. No one is a better tactician during campaign sorties than from the progressive bloc themselves. Although we’re not used to the mainstream election campaign, aba’y kampanyang masa pa rin naman but with more creativity, style and gimmick. But of course you need a lot of tibay at lakas ng loob, especially kapal ng mukha at ka-epalan. Thanks a lot to the Kabataan Partylist people for bringing in more forces.

3. If you don’t talk and discuss the nitty-gritty details of an activity, you’ll go berserk during the actual activity when you see that there’s something wrong and nobody’s doing anything about it.

4. In mainstream politics, if you’re not epal, you’ll get stepped on by other politician’s supporters and leaders. Insist, insist, insist, epal, epal, epal is the key.

5. Even if Villar, Legarda and even our candidates Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza win, the Philippine’s rotten system won’t take a 360° revolution that will change the system. We will gain a lot whether they win or not. The point is, change is beyond elections.

So will I continue to campaign for Kabataan Partylist, Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza? Oo naman! Mas kailangan pa nga natin silang ipanalo para maitulak ang mas marami pang repormang kinakailangan natin. Habang tayo sa labas? Tuloy ang laban!

another one of those so-called mass graves

Just a few hours ago, I heard a news that Army’s 63rd IB based in my hometown Northern Samar together with the Philippine National Police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives of the province recently “exhumed” a “mass grave” in an interior barangay in Mondragon, Northern Samar where allegedly purged victims of the New People’s Army in the 80′s were buried.

According to the news, an informant tipped the army of the location of the “mass grave”. The tipster claimed to be a rebel returnee and one of the NPA members who did the alleged purging.

On the other hand, the National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas denied any “mass grave” in the province and slammed it as military fabrication. They further stated that in the history of the revolutionary movement in the Samar island, purging incidents never occurred there.

When I heard about the news, I tried to do a bit research about decomposition of textile which is related to recognizing the postmortem interval (PMI) of a body. I came across a thesis by Kellie Marie Gordon entitled A Comparative Analysis of the Deterioration Rates of Textiles and their Role in Determining Postmortem Interval submitted at the Louisiana State University and where she did field tests on the deterioration of cotton and polyester when buried with a body, buried with the fabric alone or left on the surface like the usual incident where bodies which are victims of crimes are most likely to be found.

According to her research, after 7 months and 12 days, cotton—which is commonly used for our shirts—buried with a body (a pig to be exact) has moderate to pronounced deterioration, while cotton buried alone has complete deterioration.

Now why am I including this research (I have more downloaded research about textile deterioration and PMI but haven’t read it yet) in this blog about this mass grave issue? According to what I’ve heard on the news, a certain 15-year old boy from that area where the “mass grave” was found was recognized through his clothes. This is the same with the “mass grave” in Inopacan, Leyte (joked to be the traveling bones) where relatives of the so-called purged victims recognized the bodies because of the clothes which their relatives wore the day they disappeared.

Science tells us that clothes after 20 years or so will be impossible to be recognized under our naked eyes. Unless they have forensic evidences like samples of the same clothes the victim wore 20 years ago where they can compare the ones found on the bones, there’s a chance to prove such claims (but given the situation of the crime labs here in the Philippines, much more here in the region, I doubt it).

Logic and common sense tells us that there’s a slim chance that a person can positively remember what a person was particularly wearing at a particular incident, unless one has a photographic memory.

In addition to the Inopacan mass grave where I saw some of the pictures of the exhumation, I noticed that the clothes that the bodies (which are bones already) are supposed to be wearing didn’t show any signs of 20 years of deterioration. They were dirty definitely but decomposed worth of 20 years? I don’t think so.

So how different is this Mondragon mass grave? The authorities identified a body but what’s disturbing is that the crime lab in Northern Samar doesn’t even have equipments for comparing DNA samples and is as backward as our economy.

So how in the world did they positively identify a body? I’m not a forensic expert but definitely a fan of CSI which is close enough to real forensic investigation but these mass graves are so absurd in terms of forensic investigation you can’t help but think that its nothing but pure military propaganda.

Let me guess, the next thing the military will do is condemn the so-called purging and mass grave, call on us human rights defenders, especially Katungod-SB to condemn the mass grave, file another defective multiple murder case against Jose Maria Sison, et. al. where legal personalities like Rep. Satur Ocampo are included.

This kind of military gimmick is too dumb of a tactic to be believed. Makes me realize more that because of their desperation to crush the revolutionary movement, the more we should stand up and fight against their attacks on the legal democratic movement.

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