or "How They See Us Part II"
or "The Balls and Chains Keeping Us Down Part III"
Went to sleep in Manila / woke up 15 years later in the same place / except now, it's Calcutta
My vain attempt at being Bob Dylan
My words - believe it or not - fail me. Please watch these two first. I…just…might…recover…
Part 1:
Part 2:
I'd already started on a piece for this but sat on it and let it simmer for a month. Looked at it again and it felt like it was what it was: A viewpoint from an educated, upper middle-class, bleeding-heart liberal.
It talked about how I often took public transportation and actually felt like I was “among my people." "Crap," I agree with you. My ideology - just like others in this country - will never allow me to understand what most of the people in this country feel. We just may think we do.
I had said that “needless to say, there are two Philippines.” The one I belong to: The influential, know-it-all, predominantly conservative, comfortable, English-with-an-accent speaking better half and the voiceless, toothless (literally and figuratively), ill-educated and hungry other half.
The ideology of the first group will never allow it to see the reality of the second one. “Shame on my people,” I said. Another gem I came up with: “Ideology trumps reality.”
But, on repeated viewing of “City of Guilt” I realized – call it an epiphany – that I got it all wrong. So, this is the piece I should have written all along:
To ex-Mayor Lito Atienza: Thanks to you, I now know why there’s been an absence of fleas on my body: It’s the pesticide in the condom I’ve been using! No wonder. Suggestion to Trust’s marketing folks: “Hindi lang pang-proteksyon, pang-tanggal pa ng kuto!”
To Congressman Ed Zialcita: Don’t lose too much sleep trying to figure out ways of coming up with laws to make the country a better place. Your idea – which I think is brilliant – is to send most of us abroad, anyway. Don’t worry about it, we’ll be fine there.
In fact, we won’t stop you if you decide to get a job in Canada. Don’t worry, with your impeccable English, you’ll easily get a job.
Even better, I’ve realized that with all the lives lost in Japan and the Middle East, my wife’s excuses tonight will pale in comparison. My line: “Honey, you know, according to a great Congressman we’re the Slave Manufacturing Capital of the world. So, please get undressed because, tonight, we’re F***ING FOR JAPAN. BANZAI!!"
I mean, somebody's got to wipe the butts of the Western world. Why shouldn't we do it? Here’s a campaign for you, you humiliated Marketing people at the Tourism Department: “Come to the Philippines - the Slave Manufacturing Capital – and see how they are made! Feel free to make one yourself!”
And, lastly, to that guy who once said these: "Love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another," "Love your neighbor as yourself" and "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me,"
Please hush. Your ideology – great on paper, by the way – has no basis with reality. Your views are obviously nothing but the rantings of, yes, a crazed bleeding-heart liberal. Look at us: We have the power, but, we won’t care for and love each other. Please see the light as we have.
Here’s a warning, too: You come back here without changing your views...don't worry, we won't kill you again...we'll just laugh and mock you, once again. This time, though, it'll be live on primetime on TV5.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Six-Word Memoir Contest Awarding
Took advantage of the FPJ event as the venue to award the winners of the Six-Word Memoir Contest. Here they are:
Rocky Camus and me Mum
Gino Tadiar's
Pete Lacaba's
Dani Orosa's
Thanks again to Boyet Abrenica and the good people at Sud for the great shirts.
Till next contest!!!
Note: The dark photos? Yes, I didn't know the flash needed separate batteries.
Thanks again to Boyet Abrenica and the good people at Sud for the great shirts.
Till next contest!!!
Note: The dark photos? Yes, I didn't know the flash needed separate batteries.
A Few Words About The FPJ Event
Text of speech I was SUPPOSED to deliver at the Remembering Ronnie event. Things just got off to a great start that I didn't feel like butting in with my thoughts....
The question on everybody's mind right now is, no, it's not "I wonder what's for merienda." Rather, "What am I doing here?"
This afternoon has been billed as a get-together talking about Fernando Poe Jr. But, as I lay it down in the next few seconds - it really is about ourselves.
In my observation, I've noticed that there seems to be two Philippines. One is made up of the better educated, English speaking and understanding, more comfortable upper classes. I must admit I belong to this group but it is the other grouping that I am most intrigued with. They're the neglected, voiceless, figuratively toothless under-educated masa.
One thing I noted about this masa crowd is that you can still find them - almost six years after his death - watching the movies of Fernando Poe Jr. I've seen them watch an old movie of his behind the counter of a cafe and at carenderias. These are movies from the 70's and 80's! That's when I started becoming curious. "This is some phenomenon," I thought.
Why him...
I'll let the scriptwriter Pete Lacaba take over here. He writes, "The standard Fernando Poe Jr. movie deals with themes that appeal to the popular imagination and express certain popular aspirations.
The Poe character is usually a patient, long-suffering individual who, when his patience has been stretched to the limit by the violence of his oppressors, is not averse to using fists and guns to defend or avenge himself. It is a character the Filipino peasant, likewise blessed with legendary patience, may find easy to identify with...
One strong quality of the Poe character is that he is incapable of wallowing in despair. He may be assailed by doubts, but in the end he always gets over his doubts and goes into action. The Poe character believes in the necessity of struggle, operating on the assumption that the human condition presents much to protest against but nothing to despair about. Thus, the Poe movie always ends on a note of hope. Perhaps the hope is illusory, and then again, perhaps it could be a stimulant for the downtrodden."
That should explain why he almost became President, why another actor who operated under the same modus became President and came second the last election. This is what we, in the upper classes, will not comprehend and will continue getting surprised by the behaviour of the "masa." Pete Lacaba's words, by the way? Written in 1979.
Check out your favorite bookstore and you'll see it chockfull of biographies, autobiographies of "foreigners." Look for the same type of books on Filipinos and the selection is very thin. A biography on Rizal, maybe, one on Rudy Fernandez, a collection of writings on Cory, maybe...
What does this say about us? It seems to say that we Filipinos don't have great stories. My thinking is this, great stories don't have to be about white, black or yellow people. It, too, can be about people with a brown complexion.
Imagine what would happen to us when we realize - hey, we Filipinos have great stories. Maybe, just maybe we can be great after all. Like I said, it'll be about ourselves...
The tepid and quizzical response I got when I started telling people about this get-together is an indication of where we are as a people. Believe me, we do something like this in let's say Rancho Cucamonga, California talking about - let's say John Wayne - we'll probably be able to have 60 guests at the local library. We have to to able to start celebrating ourselves. Like I said, it'll be about ourselves....
The response among my class can be described as dismissive. I suppose to "us" he belongs to a different class. The class not to be taken seriously.
So, absent of a biography on FPJ, I was hoping that this afternoon would suffice for now. Am looking forward to hearing stories about him....about ourselves.
In closing, I also noticed that he is a true Filipino. True Filipino, in the sense that he seemed to be one of contradictions. Here's a champion of the so-called masa - representing them in their fight against usually fair-skinned contravidas - obviously representing our passed down by generations desire to rebel against our oppressors when he - FPJ himself - is of Spanish - by way of Catalonia - and American descent.
Also, here's the story of a person whose image was that of a devoted husband, but, who we later find out actually has kids with another woman.
Was supposed to close the event with this "thanks" to my Mom who played host:
Let me tell you a bit of myself. I grew up in a small town and in the 70’s, movies were the only form of entertainment. My Mom made me aware of that world in that darkened at a very tender age. Believe me, watching “Jaws” at 5 years old? Not a good idea.
Then one day my Mom told me: “You’re not going to school today, we’re going to watch a movie being made.” I still remember my Dad’s protestations about this. That I shouldn't miss school. Looking back, we should have heeded him. It was amazing: They were these skilled people doing fun things....seriously. That looked like fun and I wanted to be part of it.
My brothers and I have been hooked since. Warning to parents and parents-to-be: Be careful what you expose your children to.
You might be getting the impression that Mom is maybe a bit unbalanced. Well, you’re wrong. Just like me? She’s waaaay craaaazyyy. When other parents tell you, “You should go into business school that’s where the money is or be a doctor”…she’s the one who encouraged me to take up filmmaking. She was the one who ordered my Dad to pay for my education in the US. So, Mom, thanks for hosting this affair and for having introduced me to that flickering image in that darkened temple.
Mom: Thanks for being there....and for indulging me in my craaaazzzyyy ideas.
And, Dad? Thanks for letting Mom be herself.
Note: Yes, of course, I took pictures of the get-together. Me being me, siyempre, I didn't put batteries for the flash.
The question on everybody's mind right now is, no, it's not "I wonder what's for merienda." Rather, "What am I doing here?"
This afternoon has been billed as a get-together talking about Fernando Poe Jr. But, as I lay it down in the next few seconds - it really is about ourselves.
In my observation, I've noticed that there seems to be two Philippines. One is made up of the better educated, English speaking and understanding, more comfortable upper classes. I must admit I belong to this group but it is the other grouping that I am most intrigued with. They're the neglected, voiceless, figuratively toothless under-educated masa.
One thing I noted about this masa crowd is that you can still find them - almost six years after his death - watching the movies of Fernando Poe Jr. I've seen them watch an old movie of his behind the counter of a cafe and at carenderias. These are movies from the 70's and 80's! That's when I started becoming curious. "This is some phenomenon," I thought.
Why him...
I'll let the scriptwriter Pete Lacaba take over here. He writes, "The standard Fernando Poe Jr. movie deals with themes that appeal to the popular imagination and express certain popular aspirations.
The Poe character is usually a patient, long-suffering individual who, when his patience has been stretched to the limit by the violence of his oppressors, is not averse to using fists and guns to defend or avenge himself. It is a character the Filipino peasant, likewise blessed with legendary patience, may find easy to identify with...
One strong quality of the Poe character is that he is incapable of wallowing in despair. He may be assailed by doubts, but in the end he always gets over his doubts and goes into action. The Poe character believes in the necessity of struggle, operating on the assumption that the human condition presents much to protest against but nothing to despair about. Thus, the Poe movie always ends on a note of hope. Perhaps the hope is illusory, and then again, perhaps it could be a stimulant for the downtrodden."
That should explain why he almost became President, why another actor who operated under the same modus became President and came second the last election. This is what we, in the upper classes, will not comprehend and will continue getting surprised by the behaviour of the "masa." Pete Lacaba's words, by the way? Written in 1979.
Check out your favorite bookstore and you'll see it chockfull of biographies, autobiographies of "foreigners." Look for the same type of books on Filipinos and the selection is very thin. A biography on Rizal, maybe, one on Rudy Fernandez, a collection of writings on Cory, maybe...
What does this say about us? It seems to say that we Filipinos don't have great stories. My thinking is this, great stories don't have to be about white, black or yellow people. It, too, can be about people with a brown complexion.
Imagine what would happen to us when we realize - hey, we Filipinos have great stories. Maybe, just maybe we can be great after all. Like I said, it'll be about ourselves...
The tepid and quizzical response I got when I started telling people about this get-together is an indication of where we are as a people. Believe me, we do something like this in let's say Rancho Cucamonga, California talking about - let's say John Wayne - we'll probably be able to have 60 guests at the local library. We have to to able to start celebrating ourselves. Like I said, it'll be about ourselves....
The response among my class can be described as dismissive. I suppose to "us" he belongs to a different class. The class not to be taken seriously.
So, absent of a biography on FPJ, I was hoping that this afternoon would suffice for now. Am looking forward to hearing stories about him....about ourselves.
In closing, I also noticed that he is a true Filipino. True Filipino, in the sense that he seemed to be one of contradictions. Here's a champion of the so-called masa - representing them in their fight against usually fair-skinned contravidas - obviously representing our passed down by generations desire to rebel against our oppressors when he - FPJ himself - is of Spanish - by way of Catalonia - and American descent.
Also, here's the story of a person whose image was that of a devoted husband, but, who we later find out actually has kids with another woman.
Was supposed to close the event with this "thanks" to my Mom who played host:
Let me tell you a bit of myself. I grew up in a small town and in the 70’s, movies were the only form of entertainment. My Mom made me aware of that world in that darkened at a very tender age. Believe me, watching “Jaws” at 5 years old? Not a good idea.
Then one day my Mom told me: “You’re not going to school today, we’re going to watch a movie being made.” I still remember my Dad’s protestations about this. That I shouldn't miss school. Looking back, we should have heeded him. It was amazing: They were these skilled people doing fun things....seriously. That looked like fun and I wanted to be part of it.
My brothers and I have been hooked since. Warning to parents and parents-to-be: Be careful what you expose your children to.
You might be getting the impression that Mom is maybe a bit unbalanced. Well, you’re wrong. Just like me? She’s waaaay craaaazyyy. When other parents tell you, “You should go into business school that’s where the money is or be a doctor”…she’s the one who encouraged me to take up filmmaking. She was the one who ordered my Dad to pay for my education in the US. So, Mom, thanks for hosting this affair and for having introduced me to that flickering image in that darkened temple.
Mom: Thanks for being there....and for indulging me in my craaaazzzyyy ideas.
And, Dad? Thanks for letting Mom be herself.
Note: Yes, of course, I took pictures of the get-together. Me being me, siyempre, I didn't put batteries for the flash.
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