liberation and other lullabyes

first time voters project @ newsbreak magazine

2006-12-20T22:41:00.000+08:00

mga kaibigan, kakilala, kakwentuhan, nasalubong sa daan at mga nakasakay sa jeep, athigit sa lahat sa mga nakainuman,

hinihiling po ng first time voters project [ftv], isang pambansang network ng mga kabataan na nagtataguyod ng kahalagahan ng karapatan ng kabataang maging kabahagi ng pampulitika at electoral na partisipasyon na tayo ay kumuha ng kopya ng newsbreak magazine itong darating na january 01 - 15, 2007 upang ipakita ang suporta sa network.

gayundin, ang ftv sa ngayon ay nakaabante sa kagyat na registration ng mga unang beses na boboto sa darating na may 2007 election higit dahil sa darting na december 30, 2006 na ang deadline ng registration.

kaya kung di ka pa register mag register ka na tol.

behind the wall

2006-03-13T01:44:00.000+08:00

by: tracy chapman

last night i heard the screaming

loud voices behinds the wall

another sleepless nights for me

it won't do no good to call the police

always come late if they come at all
and when they arrive they say

they can't interfere with domestic affairs

between a man and his wife

and as they walk out the door

the tears well up in her eyes
last night i heard the screaming

then a silence that chilled my soul

i prayed that i was dreaming

when i saw an ambulance in the road

and the policeman said "im here to keep the peace

will the crowd disperse i think we all could use some sleep"

araw ng kababaihan

2006-03-09T00:49:00.000+08:00

kanina ay masaya kong binati ang aking ina ngayong international women's day. maaga palang ay nakapagpadala na ako ng text message sa cellphone ng kuya ko para sa aking ina.gayunpaman, malinaw sa akin na hindi ako makakadalo sa pagkilos dahil sa mga meetings at ibang tasks na aking dapat gampanan.

subalit, dahil sa pagkakaaresto ni kasamang congresswoman risa hontiveros-baraquel at josua mata, secretary general ng alliance of progressive labor ay biglaan kaming napasugod sa camp karingal. duon ay pansamantalang hinawakan ko ang programa habang nag-aayos ng hanay ang mga women organization sa loob ng akbayan at mariin na kinondena ang ilegal na pag-aresto sa aming mga kasamahan. matapos nito ay tumulak ang akbayan at ang mga kababaihan sa malawakang pagkilos sa makati.

habang nagproprograma ay napansin ko na may nakasabit na streamer sa gate ng camp karingal na may panawagan para sa karapatan ng kababihan. isang streamer na tuluyang nawalang saysay dahil sa mga machong polisiya ng kapulisan na paggamit ng dahas para buwagin ang mga lehitimong pagkilos ng mamamayan. pero mas higit na macho si PGMA dahil kahit na inalis na raw ang PP1017 ay damang-dama pa rin natin ang lupit ng polisiyang ito na ginagawang punching bag at battered wife ang ating mga batayang karapaatan.

gayunpaman, ay lubos akong humanga sa tatag ni kasamang risa at sa mga kasamahang kababaihan sa kanilang pagsasabuhay ng tunay na gampanin ng kababaihan sa pakikibaka. hindi matatawaran ang simbolong nilikha ng pagkilos ng mga kababaihan sa araw na ito. ang araw na ito ay magmamarka sa ating lahat na nakikibaka para sa kalayaan ng kababaihan.

gayundin ay kaisa ako ng marami sa pagbati sa lahat ng mga organisasyong pangkababaihan sa solidong pagkakaisa ngayong araw na ito. nakatutuwa na sa araw na ito ay nagkaisa silang lahat at nakarinig pa tayo ng kondemnasyon mula kay gabriela partylist congresswoman liza maza sa nangyari kay kasamang risa.

higit pa dito naipakita natin na hindi tayo papadapa sa mabruskong gobyernong ito ni gloria. tayo man ay takutin at arestuhin patuloy tayong lalaban para sa ating mga karapatan. at ang paglaban ng kababaihan ay importante sa panahong ito.

sa suma, mula nuong feb. 24, 2006 ay nakakaapat na na ilegal na pag-aresto sa mga lider ng akbayan. una ay sila prof. randy david at ronald llmas, akbayan national president nuong nasabing petsa. at bisperas ng women's day ay si jessie dimaisip, national secretariat ng akbayan. (si muder jessie ay ang aking ina-inahan sa partido). at itong huli ay si kasamang risa at josua. mabuti nga at pinalaya na si kasamang risa subalit ngayon ay nakapiit pa rin si kasamang josua sa karingal.

minsan ay aamin ako na nakakatakot ang mga kaganapa subalit sa tapang ng mga kasama ay walang puwang ang matakot.dapat ay suklian ang tapang nakanilang ipinapakita sa kasapian. kaya naman, ngayon ay masasabi kong walang pagbitiw na magaganap para sa labanang ito.

anger and outrage!

2006-02-25T20:16:00.000+08:00

last february 24, it dawn to me the real gruesome face of the State. how it can hurt people with its enormous capacity to fabricate lies and deciet. in a sense, i was not shocked that the likes of PGMA and her cohorts can manipulate it to induce selfish agenda. it was clear that PGMA will do anything to stay in power even at the expense of the democratic rights of the people.

it was supposed to be a celebration of hard won democratic gains of the 20 years edsa people power revolution but turned out to be a day of mayhem for the people. hinding on the failed attempt of idealist young officers or in the government's language"the misguided military officers" the declaration of procalmation 1017 which provides the legal mandate for the pronouncement of the state of national emergency dispels all the gains of past people power.

finally, the state unleashed its thrid monster to thwarth the aspirations of the people. CPR, E.O 464 and now P.D 1017. all policy pronouncement of the PGMA to kill the clamor of the people for her ouster.nevertheless, even with threaths of mass arrest, dispersals and warntless arrest, large number of people marched in edsa and makati to defy PGMA. she can never coward us bythis mere pronouncement. she maybe disperesed the rallies but this gave replenishment to the growing discontent of the people.

i adherently would like to express my anger and outrage against this government. a hyprocrite government that does not even listen to its people. gloria has a very short memory that her 3 year term was made possible out of the collective greif of the people. the past edsa revolutions teaches us not to fear anymore, and that is instilled to us. never again will we allow another martial law. enough is enough for gloria.

i was on of many young people caught in the middle of the brewing storm. but one thing is clear for me, if called to defend the democratic rights of the people i am willing to be at the center again.

simpleng pagdiriwang

2006-02-23T02:38:00.000+08:00

gaya ng aking natural na rekurso sa tuwing sasapit ang aking kaarawan ay itinuturing ko itong isang normal na araw lang na walang anumang espesyal na rason upang tuunan ng pansin. gayunpaman, marami naman na sa mga kasama ang bumati sa akin ng maligayang kaarawan at ito ay aking buong pusong tinanggap at pinasalamatan.

ito ang ikalawang pagkakataon na ang aking kaarawan ay araw din ng malakihang pagkilos. una, ay nuong bago pa lamang akong tibak na nangangampanya para sa registration ng mga first time voters at ikalawa, sa katatapos pa lamang na citizen's pilgrimage for truth.

sa aking buong assessment ay ito ang pinakamasaya at pinakamakabuluhang birthday ko. mahigit 20, 000 na mamamayan mula sa iba't - ibang sektor ng lipunan ang inianak ng lansangan sa iisang panawagan: tutulan ang chacha ni gloria at kagyat na patalsikin ang kanyang ilehitimong pamumuno.

iba't - ibang sektor din nang lipunan ang nagsama-sama mula sa hanay ng kabataan, manggagawa, kababaihan, mangagawang-bukid, maralitang lungsod at maging mga indeginous people ay nagmartsa mula sa bantayog ng mga bayani patungong people power monument. ako kasama ang ibang mga kabataan ay nakihanay sa freedom from debt coalition habang gumgampan ng pagiging emcee ng programa na may kiling sa pagkondena sa lumolobong utang ng bansa. ang panawagan ay "freedom from debt, freedom from gloria." sa mga istatistika ay lumalabas na ang utang na nilikha ni gloria sa mga international lending institution ay katumbas ng pinagsama-samang utang nila cory, fvr at erap.

ilang ulit din na tinangkang harangan ang martsa ng mamamayan subalit napagigpawan ng sama-samag lakas ng masa ang mga dahas ng kapulisan. binuwag ng aming hanay ang mga railings na kanilang iniharang sa paanan ng flyover ng santolan at tuluyan nang nakapagmartsa at naipakita na sa sama-samang lakas ay walang magagawa ang hanay ng kapulisan. at dito ay hayaan nyong papurihan ko si kasamang obet sa napaka-decisive na pasya na igiit ang lehitimong pagkilos ng grupo.

naging matiwasay ang buong programa hanggang muli nanaman ay igiit ng pulisya ng estado na buwagin ang hanay ng wala pa sa takdang oras. gayunpaman, ipinagmamalaki ko na ang mga kabataan ng aking organisasyon ay walang takot na ipinagtatanggol ang hanay. mga kabataan ang nasa unahan ng hanay ng maganap ang salpukan sa mga pulis. may ilang mga nasaktan sa kiskisan ng mga truncheon at sheilds subalit hindi nagpadapa ang aming hanay. unti-unti rin ay binigo ng mamayan ang hanay ng kapulisan. dahil ang edsa kailan man ay hindi para sa iilan. sa lugar na ito nakatanim ang diwa ng pagkakaisa ng sambayanan laban sa anumang porma ng represyon at panggigipit sa mamamayan.at sa aking kaarawan ay masaya ako na kasama ako sa muling pagangkinin ng diwa ng edsa.

sa kabuuan, may hahangarin pa ba akong paraan ng pagdiriwang ng aking kaarawan? kung bibigyan ng pagkakataon hindi ako mangingiming muli ay ipagdiwang ang aking kaarawan sa makasaysayang lugar ng edsa.

wishlist ko 'to!

2006-02-22T01:26:00.000+08:00

today im celebrating my 25th birthday though i always treat
it as a normal day in which i have to accomplish my targets
and goals. but for the sake of fun, i am making a wishlist so
that my friends may know their options of gifts to give me. lolz

1. any of f.sionil jose books (i already have gagamba and the god
stealer. i intend to collect the rosales saga on my own savings.
ermita, sin, puppy love or oblivdon would do.)

2. takod by david hontiveros and wasted by gerry alanguilan or
ang kagila-gilalas na pakikipagsapalaran ni zsazsa zaturnah by
carlo vergara

3. 48 laws of power which i forgot who the author is.

4. a dozen of tubao (any size, color or texture will do)

5. cd/tape of buklod or rama and sita

(it's not obvious that im obssessed in reading, right? hehehe...)

kung anuman ang dumating, maraming salamat sa lahat!

2006-02-22T01:15:00.000+08:00

Akbayan Youth Holds Civil Disobedience To Defy Gloria

AKBAYAN Youth staged a civil disobedience sit-in along P. Campa – España Avenue which caused build-up of traffic with calls of resistance against PGMA and the prevailing political impasse. AKBAYAN Youth members bare placards on their chest with callings for the immediate ouster of PGMA and the establishment of a transitional revolutionary government.

AKBAYAN Youth warned young people that if they continue to be apathetic on the resolution of this crisis their future and the future of the next generation will suffer. Thus, civil disobenience is necessary at this moment in asserting the growing clamor for the ouster of PGMA towards a system change.

“It is insulting for the youth to continue to follow the leadership of PGMA smeared by deceit. Enough is enough. If Gloria is the law, then disobedience is our duty.” said Marie Chris Cabreros, AKBAYAN Youth National Spokesperson.

AKBAYAN Youth expressed their apology for the traffic that the common motorists have to bear while explaining that PGMA is the biggest inconvenience the nation has ever had citing the uncontrollable price hikes in utilities, the R-VAT, the inhumane poverty and poor governance that the people has to suffer.

“The youth is one with the continuous call for the ouster of PGMA. If it entails that we defy law in asserting the discontent and desperation on this Administration, we are willing to do such for we cannot live lawfully and peacefully under an illegitimate government,” Cabreros explained.

AKBAYAN Youth earlier launched the I Resist Campaign which aims to build the youth resistance against GMA and elite rule. With the civil disobedience as a form of resistance, Akbayan Youth challenged other young people to take part in defying the prevailing system.

(i wrote this press statement for the civi disobedience sit-in protest for akbayan youth. and with the call to heigthen the campaign, more of this will be written down)

romansa ng rebolusyon

2006-01-25T13:35:00.000+08:00

banayad mong haplusin ang aking buhok
gaya ng paghaplos mo sa dungis sa mukha ng batang paslit.
hagkan mo ang aking mga labi gaya ng hagkan mo ang landasing mapagpalaya.
yakapin mo ako ng buong higpit gaya ngpagyakap mo sa maka-uring linya.
dahan-dahan mong hubarin ang saplot naaking suot gaya ng hubdan mo ng kaapihanang masang pinanawan na ng pag-asa.
romansahin mo ako ng buong lambing gaya ng romansa ng pighati at pasakit.
i-ulos mo ang sandata ng buhay gaya ng pag-ulos ng kamalayan sa iyong kaisipan.
angkinin mo ang aking katawan gaya ng angkinin mo ang gawaing rebolusyunaryo.

umungol ng buong laya gaya ng mga malayang tinig at sigaw ng pakikibaka.
at sa dulo, sabay nating abutin ang sukdulang langit na ating parehong pinangarap.

(nakakapraning na nalikha ko ang tulang ito habang nakasakay sa isang jeep papasok ng eskwelahan. gayundin nailimbag na ito sa tinig.com bilang aking contribution at nabasa na
rin sa ilang mga poetry session ng mga struggling writers...)

to write is already a choice

2005-12-15T16:25:00.000+08:00

most of the time i am forced to write. i usually write statements for the press, position papers of the organization, briefing papers for campaign purposes, leaflets of propaganda value as well as project proposals. i am not really a writer. in fact i am a VERY frustrated writer. my vocabulary is poor and my grammar is always being challeneged.

when i was in grade school i won in a division level editorial writing in english competetion. if my memory serves me well, the theme given to us was something to do with environmental protection and my entry's title was "to breathe or not to breathe fresh air." it was an opinionated writing on why the clean air act must be legislated in the most immediate time. ms. lacambra, my coach was very proud of me and my editorial paper was published in our publication the trumphet. i was very proud of that. moreover, our newspaper won the over-all award in our division.

my highschool journalism class were all together boring. the teacher was not inspiring and pushes us to write. putting the long story short, i suffered from motivational crisis. but i do not blame all of it to her beacuse partly i just lost interest in writing. occassionally my write-ups were being published but that was very rare. i remember writing something about magna carta for students and being caught totally confused on the agruments invovled in the issue. looking back, i regret for not giving time to listening to my journalism class. in college, i was more involve in student movement and student council engagement but oftenly i was tasked to write freedom wall statements and leafletes. that give dent to my regrets for not taking my journalism class seriously.

my regrets today is more political in essence. i beleive that if i just honed my writing capability i could be of more help to the movement. writing for the people is very important. it is very important to help the people understand and realize the implications of the situations unfolding right before them. especially in a society wherein truth is usually being miscontrued. it is the task of young activist writers to help the people in deciphering the truth. writing should always be biased for the welfare of the people and should always be geared towards exposing the ills of this oppressive system without imposing your thoughts to the people. simple enough, i am not referring to the messiach complexity of dogmatic activism.

and yes i am a lover of freedom of expression that is why i hate gloria when she tagged the media with image of "badboy." to seek truth and express one's opinion must not be seen as bullying the president. the discomfort it brings her is a price she has to pay for being a public servant and publics interest is more important than her comfort zones. you see madame president, that's how democracy works.the civil liberties of the people is much important. i am also enraged by the killings of journalist and the government not doing anyhting about it. they can never silence the voice of truth and the voice of the people (rethorics! hehehe)

as for now what i want is to learn and unlearn skills in writing to help me serve others. lastly, let me thank my bestfriend for taking the liberty of creating this blog account.

Apropos to Random Quotes

2005-12-05T19:19:00.000+08:00

" my leaves have fallen like a shower in autumn
my roots thirst from drought of emptiness
because in an instance the promise of spring has faded"

"the last leaf may have fallen in autumn
but the springs will remain as hope
perpetually refreshes even the driest desert"

"it was a bitter pill i took this morning
sitting still, not moving for my dear life
and suddenly thousands of pain caresses
me in my solitude"

"the bitter pill is gone as the sunsets to rest
standing firm, moving on and desiring more
and suddenly scores of happiness slowly
tickles the innerdepth of my soul..."

"amidst the darkness i woke
hastily, plunge into the ocean of deep sorrow;
numb deep to the very soul, i breath no more"

"amidst the darkness i sleep
hastily, floats into the winds of dream
nurtured deep to the very soul, i breath again."

"learn to write your heartaches in the sand
where the winds of respite can blow them away;
and carve your blessings in stone where no wind
can ever erase them"

"learn to carve your love in my heart
where no winds and storms
can ever erase them and write my epitaph
of regrets in the sand where the winds of
respite can blow them away."