ACTIVISM, RAISING MY CONSCIOUSNESS

The first time I probably encountered the word activism was when I was still 5 y.o. But I had no idea what it meant or the significance of it. Both my parents were activists, my father was then the chairman of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) in the entire PANAY region, while my mom was an advocate of women’s rights during her college years at The University of the Philippines in Diliman. They were both products of the Martial Law era that stirred a lot of idealist college students from the repressive Marcos regime. Despite of my parent’s active activism, I never knew they were actually both doing good in class. A friend of my mom once told me that she’s always absent from her classes just to attend rallies and integrate with the basic masses, but she would always top her class in all the exams and class recitations. My dad, on the other hand, had a knack for being the best student leader. He would convince students older than him to walk-out from their classes and demand for greater state subsidy on education and he does this with the consent from their professors. Sometimes, he would even invite their professors to go out with them in their rallies demanding for the increase in salary as the tuition fees would also soar high, one time, he even convinced their dean to go with them. My dad is also good in debates, he would usually argue with his professors about society and he usually wins it, one time, he even argued about the labor code with a lawyer and the lawyer was so amazed by his knowledge about the topic. My parents’ passion in serving the people did not end when they left their universities, rather they continued their commitment to become catalysts of change.

But this story is not about them, its’ about me…

Back when I was still in elementary, I always thought that activism is bad and it’s because of all the negative connotations of people about it. They say that if you’re an activist, you’re a communist and if you’re a communist, you’re a terrorist or an outcast of society. Well, whom am I to defy them? So, I believed them and had always thought that activism is really bad. I can’t blame my parent’s though, because my sister and I were usually left with our grandparents or my aunt and cousins when they’re not home. In school, when we talk about society in our HEKASI subject, I would always ask my teacher on why is there still corruption? Political harassment? Poverty? and why are there people, like my parents, who would always go out on the streets and shout their demands but no one even listens to them? And my teacher would answer, that’s because, coming from the old time phrase, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”. But i was not convinced, I am not satisfied with that answer, I want to know why our country is still six feet below the ground compared to other countries who were worst than the Philippines before and during the Asian crisis. I want to know why are there people still suffering from poverty and economic crisis despite of their hard work, day and night, just to have one complete meal in a day. While there are also people who just sits in their air-conditioned offices, yet receiving a thousand times more than that of there laborers? Why is it necessary for a 7 year old kid to force himself work at the fish port and carry kilos of fishes at 2 o’clock in the morning, just to help his family contend from poverty, instead of going to school? Why are there farmers being killed or militarized, when they are already victims of massive land grabbing and were not given the promised land as stated in the comprehensive agrarian reform program or CARP? And why is it the government would just simply say that these people are too lazy and didn’t took the opportunity that education can given them, if in the first place the government didn’t do anything to make education affordable for all? I don’t think that a grade 6 student would not understand the irony in our political and social systems. With all these questions in ind, it really made me think of the harsh realities in our society.

I was in high school when my perception about activism has changed. I was invited to join the pioneer batch of the Junior Red Guards (JRG) and I was actually shocked to see that my childhood friends were my comrades in this organization. At first I though the JRG us just another extra-curricular club that can help me build my personality development, etc., etc. But is was wrong, historically speaking the red Guards of China played a very important role during the Cultural Revolution in rectifying the false ideas and wrong practices of the people. The from that time on, I had a 360 degree turn from being passive and dogmatic into being vibrant and dynamic. I am now an activist!

I was in second year high school that I realized by joining the JRG I can critically analyze the Philippine Society from the context rooted from the basic mass line and that is to serve the people. Constantly I joined rallies and big mobilizations, like that during the ouster of ERAP. I was in 3rd year high school that I became the chairman of the JRG, and as part of my responsibility, I had to compliment our actions with proper political guidance by constantly studying the Philippine society. A young as 15 y.o., I had my first encounter of Political Economy and the existing feudal system of the government. I was exposed to different lifestyles especially of the urban poor, farmers and of course the working class.

I had an experience in one of our basic mass integrations that I really felt the oppression and poverty brought about by the abandonment of the government’s responsibility in providing humanitarian and dignified living condition of the people, especially in the squatter’s area in our city. I joined my foster family in their everyday routine. We woke up at 1 o’clock in the morning and work loads of fresh caught fish from the port to the market and receiving only 10 pesos per load. By 6 o’clock, we had to go back home and do the household chores, washing, laundry, cleaning, etc. But its’ no easy task especially when there’s no ample supply of water and you’d have to fetch it at least two blocks away. Our breakfast is no little than half a piece of “pan de sal” and a cup of coffee. In the afternoon I had to go with my foster brothers to make an earning out of selling scraps of metal found at the port or by paddling a bicycle from the port to the market, or by simply helping our “Nanay” in vending lunch and snacks in the nearby universities and colleges. My experience in this exposure strengthened my foundation in the progressive movement. That is why I don’t believe when people say, the reason why these people remain in poverty is because of laziness. I believe that the most hardworking people are actually those I’ve met during my one-week integration with the urban poor, working their asses of day and night, yet receiving only a little less than a hundred per day. We can’t blame them if they can’t afford to go to school, because they had to work more than the time they can learn.

I graduated high school with a lot of achievements, I was the High School council president, managing editor of our school organ and president of various clubs and organizations. My involvement as an activist did not hinder me to achieve great things, and it has actually taught me ti be strong and confident. When I went to college, I immediately joined the LFS, aside from upbringing my father’s legacy, I believe that the LFS is one of the few student organizations that has a purpose and genuine sense of service. Tuition Fees, exorbitant fees and other ridiculous fees are the worst fear of the students, worse than receiving a grade of 5.0 or facing a terror teacher in your major subjects. And this was the challenge to the LFS, to counter demand the excessive increases of fees just to get quality education. This is nationalism for me and is far greater than any other foundations or institutions that gives only donations during calamities or disasters. Serving the people is uplifting them from the social status and we can only achieve it if we empower them with their skills and potentials. Through our collective efforts we can change society and we should let the working force be in the side of the students to transform our country.

My idea of activism is like you inside a well, what you see is only a big whole above, but in order for you to see the really beauty of the world, you need to go out of the well and discover for yourself the challenges life has to offer.

Our knowledge is nothing if we don;t apply it for the better good of the people, our potentials and skills are like raw meat that you have to cook first before savoring its taste. This is my idea of activism and I would like to share this to everyone.

The Rise of Reactionary Students

A response to the article ‘Decline of Radical Student Activism” by Ryan Recabar

http://johnryanrecabar.wordpress. com

It was a sunny day in the early week of June. Students are scurrying for their enrollment and freshmen students are wondering how to pass through the skewing process.

There was a boy, almost particularly vain and feminized in action, who is talking to a group of freshmen students waiting turns to pay for their enrollment fees.

The boy asked one of the girls, who was silent and almost trying not freak out because of the nerve racking enrolment process. “Ano STFAP bracket mo?” (What’s your STFAP bracket?)

The girl hesitantly replied, but almost ignored him out of embarrassment, “Ah, eh, bracket D” .

“What? Really? Poor family mo aw? (What? Really? Is your family poor?) The boy replied indignantly. But instead of minding the reaction of the boy, the girl just kept silent and waited for her turn. While the boy went to another group and rumored the unfaithful news he just heard.

Is UP really becoming an elitist? Is being elitist something wrong? Is UP forgetting the lessons from the past? Or is UP really being turned into a financial institution blinded by academic opportunities?

It really makes you a “someone” if either you’re a coño, elite, or a socialite. Walking along the hallways is different from being a “somebody”, whom everyone notices, from being a “nobody” where almost everyone doesn’t know you exist. Isolation is indeed a big problem especially for college life. However, the big question is neither popularity nor being friendly, the big question is, do people listen to you or not?

Some people say the advent of turning UP into an exclusive school for those who can afford has begun. Only the privileged ones can go to UP, and when we say “privileged” we mean those can pay. The UP as a premier state university is well applauded for her renowned academic excellence and academic freedom, two terms, which for decades made a difference from that of other academic institutions. Ideally, constituents inside the university are expected to follow as well. Being “Iskolars ng Bayan”, students are expected to perform at their best in whatever endeavors they desire.

But this is just a plain play-of-words and simple rhetoric, because UP is now seeing the degradation of critical minded students. When we say critical minded students, I’m not just referring to those who can articulate whatever issues may arise in the school, country or in the world. When I say critical minded students, these are students who can identify the demarcation line of what is being sensitive from arbitrary accusation because of some reactive emotions felt during a certain period of time. From those who silly-sally says they care for the students, well in fact, all they care about is how to be socially popular and well-known inside campus. From those who recruit fresh young blood because they say they are an elite group and a bastion of popular students. From those who say let the change continue but went on saying changing may take some time. And let time pass until change has become stagnant. From those who claim to be excellent but have isolated their mind inside a box, a box of standards and letting backward information consume their intellects. Are all these things make up what a critical minded student?

If other people say, let us work hand-in-hand with the government to let harmony reign among Filipino people. Have we forgotten the lessons of Edgar Jopson? An Atenista who felt the same thing, by writing a letter to the President of the Philippines, the youth can change the system. But by the principle of the ruling class and the semi-feudal and semi-colonial system, what Ferdinand Marcos replied is simply; “Why should I listen to you? You’re just a son of a grocer!”. Indeed, this is a thing from the past. But then again, are we undermining the capacity of our government leaders to THINK for themselves that the county is in deep shambles of economic and political crises?

If there’s one thing that we see as a problem right now, it is the reactionary thought of letting things be as they were and accept the fact of an unstoppable degradation of human dignity. Why worry things which we’re not affected with? Why fight against the government if we’re just students? Why would I sacrifice my time and effort in shouting in the streets in the name of some forsaken people if I can stay here in school and study, study, study? Indeed, the reactionary forces have risen to a new level of social influence. And it is a shame for these intellectual students to choose a path which they think is right.

It really is a sad thing that when we achieve a lot and gained the audience to listen for, we sometimes believe what we say is the ultimate truth. It doesn’t always conclude that when we graduate as cum laude, magna cum laude or even summa cum laude, we are always correct and have the right to mock at the freedom of the other people. Making judgments to people who fight for a cause Andres Bonifacio has started is blatantly and consciously arrogant.

Every one of us wants to become rich, right? We want to uplift ourselves and rise above the level of poverty! But the question is, at the cost of what or someone? The tuition fee increase is a very sensitive issue to the “Iskolars ng bayan” and even to the administration. People argue that the cost of education has risen relatively compared to that of the last increase in mid – `80s. However, you think simply at an angle where one sector is beneficial. Don’t you question where your money is? The taxes you’re paying for? The corruption this government has made? Think sensibly!

The rise of reactionary students is something activist shouldn’t be afraid of; it is something to be challenged with. What activists should be afraid of if the masses fail to understand the essence of the national democratic revolution.

Going back to that boy, pity that no Martial Law was declared in the present regime, and if so, you yourself can see the implications of what power struggle would mean. The rise of reactionary students is something activist shouldn’t be afraid of; it is something to be challenged with. What activists should be afraid of if the masses fail to understand the essence of the national democratic revolution. These so-called popular students are nothing more than just squirmy ants pestering on us everyday. Let our minds be focused on how to divert the attention to national issues and raise local issues to broader concept of mass movement. We may be small but our hearts are one with the people.

So let this discourse embark into a sea of debate and I challenge you only over a cup of coffee.