Saturday, September 22, 2012

Pinoys’ selective memories: whatever happened to…


While it may be easier to forgive than forget, Filipinos seem to get over about yesterday and move on with their lives—as if nothing has happened.

It is helpful to put things behind, but a mere abolition of history, without any or further reflection is as good as nothing.

“Contemplated experience is the best teacher,” my Philippine Politics professor said.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Martial Law. History books and politicians have chronicled the grim occasion on September 21, 1972, when President Ferdinand Marcos announced the dreadful decree, and the series of events that happened before the Philippines regained its democracy.

After four decades of reclaimed democracy, what now?

Forgetful Filipinos
I noticed that Pinoys in general, tend to forget easily the past without meditation hence, will commit the same mistakes again—and again.

If Filipinos despised the Marcoses, why do they still have powers over Ilocos region? Bong-Bong Marcos currently holds influence in the Senate. Rumors have it that he is aspiring the presidential seat, and I bet he will win if he runs.

During and after her term, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has faced numerous backlashes and criminal cases. Arroyo is even considered as one of the most despicable leaders of the country.

I was not shocked when she aspired and eventually won a congressional seat as the representative of the second district of Pampanga. Despite her alleged criminal cases on corruption and bribery, she had a landslide victory in the said region.

The last time I checked, majority of the Pinoys still blame Arroyo over the impoverished state of the nation. But yes, Filipinos really forget things as easily as re-electing her.
Whatever happened to the Maguindanao Massacre, the biggest mass media killing in the Philippines?

How about the onslaught of typhoons Ondoy, Reming, and other natural calamities that the government promised to take actions upon? Filipinos have been used to such events that they become resilient and just accept the effects of natural disasters without even trying to prevent them.

It turned out, the political arena is not just one area where Filipinos tend to practice “selective recollection.”

More than shocked, many were pleased with the sex scandal of Hayden Kho and his partners back in 2009. Pinag-piyestahan ang short films na ito.

His license as a doctor was later revoked  because of the scandal but this did not stop him from resurrecting his showbiz career, if there was any. After three years of hiatus, Kho seems to be back with a vengeance—he has established his own perfume line and will have his own launching movie. I would not be surprised if his debut film will earn box office hit.

Annabelle Rama has become a household name in the Philippine entertainment industry not because of her acting skills, though she was once a starlet back in the 70s. Rama’s fame comes handy because she is one loud, war-freak, and raucous talent manager. Rama doesn’t know where and when to choose her catfights, not even in the midst of an ongoing funeral mass. She has top billed headlines because of her rowdy antics and she will be making new headlines because she has announced her interest in running for a local position in her hometown, Cebu. Nako, ‘dong, panalo ka na dyan walang duda.

What does Annabelle know in politics, really? I could not wait to watch whom she will end up fighting with in the lower house. If ever, that will be the first time there will be a fistfight in the Congress.

History will be forever repeating itself if we do not review it. 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Libro ni Juan (in the making)


Gusto kong gumawa ng sarili kong libro, entitled, “Ang mga Katarantaduhan ng Pinoy.” Parody style, para cool.

Marami-rami na rin kasi akong nasaksihan, nabalitaan, at na-experience na ka-gaguhan ni Juan. Sa tingin ko nga magiging best seller ito dahil marami talagang makaka-relate. (wishful thinking!) balak ko ring lagyan pa ng mga pictures ng mga caught-in-the-act, para naman masabi niyong, “wow artista na ako, sikat na ako!”

  In one way or another, lahat naman tayo’y naging tarantado minsan sa buhay natin.

Mga tarantado sa lansangan
Habang sakay ng dyip biyaheng Divisoria, nakita ko ang isang babae, naka-short skirt, palinga-linga, wari’y may hinahanap. ‘Yun pala, tuma-timing si Ate para tumalon sa ginawang barikada ng MMDA.  

Una, nakahihiya ang ginawa niyang yun , kababae niyang tao, and to think that she was in a very short skirt! Pag katawid ni Ate, parang wala lang, para bang ang ginawa niya ay normal at pang araw-araw na gawain ng isang kagalang-galang na nilalang.

Pangalawa, ang tamang tawiran, ay halos katabi lamang ng barikadang tinalon niya, nag-eehersisyo siguro ang babae, or nagpa-practice mag parkour. O baka naman nagpapapansin sa MMDA, “tignan niyo ko, naka maikling palda ako, tatalon ako dito, kering-keri ko ‘to!”

Hindi ko na itatanong pa kung bakit mas pinili ng babaeng iyun na sumirko sa gitna ng daan sa halip na tumawid sa Ped Xing. Tamad kasi tayo. Isa pa, nakasanayan na ito at panghuli, wala rin naman kasing nanghuhuling enforcer. Kung meron man, aba malikhain ang Pinoy sa paggawa ng alibi.

"May emergency po eh, nagmamadali po ako."
 "Ay! Hindi ko ho alam na bawal pala tumawid dito."                                                                                                         
‘Yung iba naman nagbibingi-bingihan, nagtatanga-tangahan, o ‘di kaya’y i-Englishin ang MMDA enforcer para kunwari witty at nasa tamang lugar ang palusot.

Minsan ko na ring naisulat, at na-i-rant ang pagdura ng mga Pilipino. Bakit ba dura nang dura ang mga lalaki (may mga babae din kung minsan)? Nasusuka ba sila sa malansang lansangan? Kung ganoon ang dahilan, totoo namang nakaririmarim ang kadugyutan ng Metro Manila. Pero dude, wala namang duraan oh! Buti na nga lang at magaling akong umiwas sa mga nagtatalsikang laway.

I was aimlessly walking inside a mall, sightseeing, window-shopping, when a man, suddenly covered one of his nostrils and then blew very hard until a booger said “hello.” WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?

%^*$%&%^mo!                                                                                                                  $^@#&@ ka!

Sinadya kong isulat sa Ingles ang karanasan kong ito sapagkat malaswa namang basahin at nakakaturn-off kung:

Habang nasa mall ako’t nagsha-shopping, isang mama ang dagliang nagtakip ng isang butas ng ilong sabay singa nang malakas, ayun, sumabog ang malagkit niyang uhog sa makinis at magong linis na sahig ng mall.

Hindi ko lubos maintindihan kahit anong gawin ko kung bakit nagawa ng lalaki iyun, sa loob ng isang establisyamento? Tarantado siya. Walang hiya siya.

Kultura ng ewan
Ewan ko ba kung bakit binababoy natin ang lugar natin, in the end, binababoy na rin natin ang ating mga sarili. Kung iisipin mo, conscious ang mga Pinoy eh, dahil kung nasa ibang mas matinong bansa sila, tiyak naman ang pagsunod: pipila sila sa bus stop, itatapon nila ang pinagkainan sa McDo, tatawid sila sa tamang tawiran at hindi sila dudura kung saan-saan.

Kamakailan nga ay gumawa ng ingay ang Hollywood film na The Bourne Legacy dahil dito sa Manila napili i-shoot ang ilang bahagi ng movie. Nang tinanong ang director nito na si Tony Gilroy kung bakit sa lansangan ng Maynila ang location ng pelikula, isang straightforward answer ang ibinigay niya:

“It’s just so colorful and ugly and gritty, raw and stinky and crowded.”

Sensitibo ang mga Pilipino. Emosyonal tayo. Balat sibuyas ang mga Pinoy. Kaya’t naintindihan kong galit at inis ang una nating naramdaman sa pahayag na ito. Ngunit, may basehan at pawang katotohanan ang sinabi ni Gilroy.

Madumi’t mabaho ang Maynila. Pangit ang Manila.

Hindi ba’t kung ayaw nating mapintasan, dapat gumawa tayo ng aksyon upang kahit papaano’y hindi tayo makutya?

Alam natin ang truism na ito pero wala tayong aksyong ginagawa. Bakit nga ba? Dahil sa katamaran. Ibalik natin sa panahon ni Jose Rizal, minsan na ring naisulat ng ating pambansang bayani ang katamaran ng mga Pilipino sa libro niyang “The Indolence of the Filipinos.”

In summary, sinasabi ni Rizal na hindi inherent ang pagkatamad ni Juan, bagkus kulang lamang siya sa edukasyon at walang national unity ang Pilipinas na magpapa engganyo sa kanya na magsipag.

Hindi tanga ang Pinoy. Sadya nga lang tarantado at gago ang Pilipino dahil ito ang nakasanayan…

(My good friend, Claire, and I are planning to publish a book with the same topic and sentiments. I just hope our project will push through) *crossed fingers*