The Oplan Bayanihan of Noynoy Aquino as a deceptive program of “peace and development” has continuously displaced tribal inhabitants and dispossessed indigenous peoples of their ancestral domains.
Here is the inexorable reality—matagal nang nataga sa bato! (long etched on rock)— the thievery that one President does during his term has always been the same form of thievery the succeeding President does in his own time. And so on. . . and so on. . . and so on. . . ad infinitum.
The recent developments in our country are consequences of unabated enslavement—or puppetry—of our government to the government of the United States of America. All these deplorable consequences are evident in all aspects of our social life—from our economy to our politics to our culture.
‘Unsung heroines’ are these admirable women’s groups. Their lives have been transformed by the significant shift they made in their farming practice in the same breath that they have transformed the quality of the farm products they have heretofore produced.
The news of the death-slay of Jennifer Laude by an American soldier in Olongapo caused a lively discussion at the neighborhood Eatery the other day. My good neighbor friends threw random thought-provoking questions arising from their curiosity about the whys and wherefores of the incident. It was a welcome circumstance. The discussion touched on the significant questions about the lopsided agreements between our Government and the USA. The discussion went this way –
In Philippine socio-political affairs, US Imperialism begot two twins, namely: Puppetry and Corruption, and Poverty and Underdevelopment.
“That’s the common perception of our people. Yes, it would seem that corruption is the root cause of our longstanding social ills. And it is good that you have identified one of these social ills – poverty. Or underdevelopment. But, I tell you, corruption is not really the root cause. In fact, corruption is only a detestable consequence of a much deeper and prior causal phenomenon.
The vigorous accent in its sound jolts the unsuspecting mind.. It is meant to make a kind of “wake-up” call—an audio stimulus designed to produce a quick response. The utterance attracts by its automatic association to the sound of a social upheaval—a revolution! It is like a call for a worthy mass undertaking akin to social transformation. And somehow it catches the imagination and generates reaction of the uncritical segment of the population.
Once again the government is making calls to the youth to register for the SK Elections. Elections has been the constant political menu dished out time after time after time to nourish the citizenry with empty hopes. Empty hopes vis-a-vis the people’s dream to savor a better condition of existence or a more comfortable life.
starting at four in the afternoon and passing excitingly towards seven in the evening at the Auditorium of Ateneo de Davao University.
