These days, I ask myself questions about our political culture and our psyche as a nation. How do we think as a people? Why do we act the way we act? Why has corruption become so ingrained, so institutional it happens in all sectors of our society? We talk of corruption in government because it is the most rampant and the easiest to talk about. But it happens at all levels. We in the private sector are just as guilty as some of the ones we have voted to power.
10 Videos That Made The Philippines
Some years ago, I listened to a CD called, "20 Speeches That Changed A Nation". It was a list of 20 Speeches that changed, made and molded our country into what it is now. In homage to that, and borrowing from that idea, I am featuring 10 Videos that I think best represent, or show us what this country is all about. This one is by no means a definitive list. But I have tried my best to get a good sampling from all over.
Lessons Learned from the RH Bill War
The Reproductive Health Bill has divided our nation into two factions (with a third faction of those who passively--or actively--don't really care about it). This is unprecedented. In the past, the factions were drawn around political and even cultural lines. The EDSA Revolution was about anti-Marcos civilians (of which a vast majority was a Cardinal Sin-led Catholic Church) and troops against a pro-Marcos military.
Mustard Seed Revolutions
The past few months, we were witnesses to protests and upheavals in the Middle East. As with all revolutions, its seeds were planted years ago when democracy was curtailed and dictators and the military took power. But the trigger for this series of upheavals can be traced back to Dec 17, 2010, when a young jobless graduate Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after police confiscated the fruit and vegetables he was selling from a street stall. He had been unemployed for a long time and when the police stopped him from earning a living, he burned himself out of frustration and in protest. This event sparked widespread demonstrations in Tunisia. The Tunisian President went on television days later to promise more jobs. But it was too little too late.
Metamorphosis
I remember writing this for Father Roque Ferriols, my Philosophy professor who is known as the Father of Filipino Philosophy. I gave this to him during our oral exams. And we talked about this poem instead of talking about the thesis statements.
An Ode to the Humanity of Heroes
In my highschool back in Cagayan de Oro, there is an award called the Xavier Award. The Xavier Award is given to someone who is able to embody in himself the values that Xavier University High School (also known as Ateneo de Cagayan) stands for.
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