reaction on the statement

(angst, angst, angst)

We were sitted on the floor at the film lobby one afternoon. Marian told her story of a time she interviewed a broadcast media practitioner (I choose not to name the person). After the interview proper, the braodcaster asked her if she was from the CMC student council. With Marian answering yes, the broadcaster commented on the statement we released against the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007 saying that we obviously don't know what we're doing. It lacks research but it is however forgivable since we are mere students.

Excuse me. If I may...

Do not talk to us about research. We are students of the College of Mass Communication. We know what is research. It is what we do. Omitting research is by far a disgrace not only to the university that has taught us to be the best that we can be but also to the public we serve.

We know very well the implications of our actions, that our words may be accused of inciting "terror", if the Gloria administration in particular wants us, the vigilant ones to be arrested. It is for this very reason alone we must be certain of every criticism we pose.

This "terror" we chose to ignore, the risks we are ready to take.

We should not be antagonized for our actions. To be explicit about it, the statement is humiliation to media practitioner who chose to sit and be quiet when students, those younger and inexperienced if I may say so, chose to stand up and fight for the same right we all should be concerned about, the fight to press freedom.

I would rather see students of this college proactive than passive. It is better to risk making mistakes and apologize in the end than to regret that we should have done something when we still have the chance.

I remain standing and will continue to uphold this statement.

remembering a friend

Last week, I saw myself in a dream bumping onto an old friend of mine. In this dream, he looked very happy. When I woke up, I realized it was a day after his birthday. I texted him, he never answered back. It must have been one of the many numbers I had saved of him, or he never got it.

But seriously, it's been a long time since I talked to this friend of mine. We went to the same high school and being a year older than I am, we forcibly became partners in a waltz performance during the prom. We've already experience much stepping on each other's feet, teasing, and reprimands but from that day on still, we became good friends.

We attended the same university for a year. He finished his degree in University of Sto. Tomas (UST), while I transfered to UP after a year.

He never missed my birthday and to that, I felt really bad for not making it in time for his.

I remember those times when I needed books but I always fail to get one. He would either lend me his or ask one of his blockmates to lend me theirs. He gave me advice on professors and how I could earn the highest grades possible.

There were also times when I feel down and he'd suddenly text the most appropriate messages even when he doesn't know what exactly is going on.

He's actually the perfect example of a friend I often underestimate and ignore because of his physical inexistence in my environment when in essence ha has always been there, quiet and unnoticeable.

That has always been my mistake, to give too much attention to people existing physically in the world I move around at the moment in such a way that when they leave this sort of space, I end up finding myself at lost. Probably this is why I have some kind of defense mechanism when people attempt to invade my personal bubble (sana tama ang gamit ko di ba? comm theories!), even when I would consciously allow them to.

I never learn still. Good things there are people like him, friends who never leave even when you tend to forget them. I guess this is one of God's myseteries in our lives.

things I must have forgotten

disclaimer: if you're not into drama, don't read. may actually be boring...

After all those months of total conflict and angst, at last I can now say I'm quite getting over it.

No, the conflict has definitely not resided. As long as our dear chairperson never detach party affliations from council affairs and start being professional, I doubt if conflicts will ever reside. But that's beside the point now.
I'm actually feel better now (after so long).

I guess I must have found some sort of renewed strength after I've talked with my new cell grop leader, Ate Mai/ Val (people call her different names; Mai by my Christian org, Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), Val by my college; I refer to her as Ate Mai).

After Ate Emmylou resigned as a staff of CCC and enrolled in a bible school, I honestly felt quite lost. Being that individualistic person who tries to solve problems on mere self effort, getting out of the box and start depending on another person and then being left alone again makes my coping up stage even longer. But of course, I could never tell her that. Selfish me. Come to think of it, I may actually just be needing someone to actually be "there" everytime I need to release every unstable feeling my environment provokes me. And for quite some time, I was actually back to my individualistic effort of coping up until ---

I never actually knew Ate Mai that much except that she graduated with a degree on Broadcast Communication and that she is the one who handles target area prayer group for CMC (a group of students who pray for a certain college to come and know Jesus). However, I can really say she had always been there, even before the elections. Her little efforts of texting me for updates on the election, on how I was doing after Bikoy lost (which by the way, I seldom respond to) actually meant nothing to me until now.

It's been two months since school started. Bible study should have been that long too but I never had the chance to attend even one, much more, I never had the opportunity to officially meet Ate Mai as my new cell leader.

And so, we decided to meet for lunch today. And yes, I told her my stories, ALL of them, from my family history, to my how I started to get involved in college politics, how my experience was with my political party, and our church ministry, the free pre-school we are running, and my dreams of becoming a SPED teacher.

I could never forget what she told me.

Ever since I ran for college politics (as Journalism Representative two years ago), she, together with the CMC target area prayer group, never stopped praying for me and Micah (the other Journalism Representative, also a Christian). She said they knew we needed strength to stand up.

She also heard the story of a drunk session during an induction of an organization through a culturally shocked first year Journalism student. This freshman told her that one of the drunk people commented on my strong personal convictions against drinking and smoking so they never really attempted to invite me to join them because I would never do such. "At some point, I felt proud kasi ok ka pa rin pala," were the next few words Ate Mai told me.

The next module for the bible study was designed to people who has commited some work for CCC, discipleship, target area, witnessing, at least something. However, she also saw the things I'm already commited to. There will be no pressure for me. Instead, "I want to be of service to you. I want to help you."

I've been longing to hear those words from anyone, that he/she cares not for what I do for them as a member of the council, that after all the personal attacks on my integrity and feeling degraded, I can still find people who looks through those things.

The trap had been so deep, I thought I could never get out alive. I tried crying out for help, no one seems to listen. There were signs of people hearing me but they too couldn't think of how to get me out. On mere solo effort, I try my best to escape when in fact had I looked harder, I would have seen that thin line lowered down to save me. It's a small effort, but I know it's enough to get me away from an almost death trap I've fallen into.

That afternoon, I decided to attend Movement Life (ML), a small fellowship every Friday organized by CCC. As I entered the Student Center and saw no one I knew except Ate Mai and Ate Neri, I actually felt relieved. Had I been used to being on top, I forgot how it felt like to be down below, that life when nobody knew who I was, when I could just stay as quiet as I want to be without anybody caring that I be such, that life of a follower and do nothing but to sit in a corner and watch. I never felt so simple and yet grateful.

It must have been a while since I had a chance to talk to God without doing or worrying anything else. I never felt so grateful.

I am going to be better.

There are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.
It's been a while since I've seen the dawn.
But this day, I will be experiencing the refreshing moment.
At long last.

reaction paper slash balahurang papel

I really don’t know how I was able to conceive such notion, but every time a teacher assigns a reaction paper, I always feel like it’s one of those joke papers I have to do, something I wouldn’t really take seriously.

Maybe it had something to do with that relate-it-to-yourself kind of approach you are expected to use in going about the paper. It isn’t like a diary that anyone would actually be honest, now would it? I mean, how can anyone actually appreciate a relate-it-to-yourself essay with no juicy gossips in it? Seriously.

At the same time, let’s not kid each other and be blatant to say that in any reaction paper, there is only one objective of the student, to try to verbalize what the professor actually wants to hear.

Say, if it’s a seminar sort of gathering, the most common entry would be “I’ve learned a lot of things regarding this field because blah, blah, blah and I will be using it for the rest of my life.”

If it’s a testimony, “I’m really inspired to what he/she said especially when he/she talked about blah, blah, blah,” then ending it with that sort of thought provoking, emotionally appealing sentence.

On the other hand, if it’s a talk done by the teacher himself/herself, most of what might come out in the paper are points of agreement and not of disagreement. For a simple-minded high school student, why would anyone dare to disagree if you’re only aim is to get good grades.

Talking about all those high school reaction papers reminds me how I used to sweet-talk and play around with words just to make it sound “good”.

Then, why do I have to do one again? There must be more to life than this. (Imagine the bumping of the head on the wall)

Then I ask, what is the essence of a written form? Why do I actually have to write all these reaction papers in the first place? For the teacher to find out if I was actually listening to what they were saying, if that’s the only purpose I need to achieve, it makes the paper quite superficial, wasting printer inks and white paper. Think of all the trees I’ve misuse for all these nonsense. (I know. Ma’am Rara has gotten into me. I’ve become conscious of the environment. Yes, me, the patron of Ate Gloria’s take-out-in-a-styro lunch and plactic-cupped iced tea. How ironic)

It rather brings me back to media as a whole. In one of our discussions in our thesis proposal, (god. Thesis. Don’t remind me) is media a source of information? Yes, of course. However, it is not completely a source of information since it contains a lot of trash as well especially in television (and yes, in less than a year, I’ll eventually be one of those people working in the network responsible for such trash. Depressing, I know)

This makes me go back to my question. What is the essence of media? What is the purpose that media must serve?

In simple terms, to be a source of information. But unless it’s as brightly colored as Barney, it would really never sell. (I really hate Barney, that singing purple dinosaur that suggests homosexuality to children, that goes for Tinky Winky as well. What is it with the color purple in the first place? Haha, me and my children’s show angst. I call for the revival of Batibot! bwahaha)

Sell. Ratings. Business. (which reminds me of my very own business-minded, profit-oriented, marketing organization, the student council. angst. angst. angst) All these concepts deviate the media for serving its true purpose, just like that wasted reaction paper. Every space is power, and must therefore be used with responsibility. (reminds me of Spiderman. And being the Marvel fan that I am, I hate the third movie, bad)

If you had the opportunity to reach thousands of people, what will tell them? Will you say to them what they want to hear? Or what they needed to hear which will also serve the very essence of media, to make use of the space and serve its very purpose. (talk about good use of space. I just love Conrado de Quiros’ three previous columns. click here)

The reaction paper is a joke paper because I chose it to be.

Instead, make it a chance to address the issues that I think should be critical about, to be able not to conform to what everyone else is doing, to flop but make every sense of space I use up.

The reaction paper is what I want it to be; the media is what its practitioners want it to be, and never what the people wants to see, a choice and never a trap. A stage play will never be “poor” because of its audience; it’s the people who worked in it.

(Apologies for the side comments. I’m actually having fun with this. Then again, I still have to do my reaction paper. I really needed to convince myself to make good of it, now do I. Hate you Sir for this)

Statement against the Human Security Act of 2007

College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines – Diliman

We, the students of the College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines-Diliman, believe that the media, which serve to responsibly inform and enjoin, must unequivocally denounce any law, which ultimately threatens the lives of those they strive to serve – the Filipino people.

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9372, also known as the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007, through the surveillance of unsuspecting civilians and the interception of private communication UPON MERE SUSPICION, violates freedom of speech and freedom of the press as enshrined by the Philippine Constitution;

WHEREAS, the vague definitions of terrorism and arbitrary qualifications for terrorists and terrorist activities promote a chilling atmosphere for the public and especially for media practitioners and students of mass communication who repeatedly and necessarily invoke the right to free speech and free press;

WHEREAS, the power to interrogate and detain a “suspected terrorist” on grounds of MERE SUSPICION is open to abuse and misuse for political ends;

WHEREAS, the HAS can easily be transformed into a repressive legal instrument under the implementation of the Arroyo administration whose integrity and intentions are still in question in the context of unsolved killings and enforced disappearances of media practitioners and individuals critical of the government;

WHEREAS, if a law as powerful as the HAS, which can be used to tag virtually any citizen as a terrorist, is enacted without Implementing Rules and Regulations, and whose substantive interpretation is determined at the discretion of the Anti-Terror Council, the police, the military and the few who are given authority, then it intends to sow fear and intimidation upon the very public it purportedly tries to secure;
We strongly condemn the Human Security Act of 2007 in its entirety and call for its immediate repeal by the Congress.

16 July 2007

published in the 5th issue of Philippine Collegian for this year

for a copy of the Human Security Act of 2007, click here

surveillance sa loob ng campus, at ang media students bilang biktima

Excerpt
--posted by Francis Losaria through e-mail

Nitong nakaraang Huwebes [July 5 2007] bandang alas-sais ng gabi, habang nagkakaroon ng discussion ng Tuition and other Fee Increases [ToFI] at Commercialization of Education sa isang [General Assembly,] GA ng UP Cinema sa may CMC Veranda, isang kahina-hinalang sasakyan ang bigla na lamang tumigil sa harap ng nagaganap na GA. Ayon sa mga miyembro ng UP Cinema, nagbukas lang umano ito ng heavily tinted na bintana ngunit may itim na kurtina ito. Napansin ng ilang mga testigo ang kamera na nasa likod ng kurtina. Dahil sa takot at pagdududa, may estudyante umanong tumawag sa guard upang sitahin ang sasakyan. Kinatok ng guard ang sasakyan ngunit hindi ito nagbukas o kaya ay tumugon sa guard. Narinig na lamang ng guard ang isang pag-uusap sa loob ng sasakyan na nagsasabing “Sa Palma Hall na lang tayo magkita”. Saka lumisan ang sasakyan. Ayon sa guard, alas-singko pa lang ay umaaligid na ang sasakyang ito sa CMC . Nakuhanan ng camera ang sasakyan habang kinakatok ng guard at ng paalis na ito.

May mga initial report at imbestigasyon nang ginagawa para malaman kung saan maaring nakaugnay ang sasakyang ito. May ilang ulat na ding pumasok na may kinalaman itong saakyan na ito sa mga surveillance vehicles ng military. Lubhang nakakabahala ang insidenteng ito.

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The same van was seen near CMC the Monday a week after, this time during UP Cinema Arts Society's GA. This was the same day the three organizations mentioned above held a press conference to condemn the said surveillance.

A week after, the CMC Student Council decided to have a forum on the Human Security Act of 2007 (HSA) and release a statement condemning the Act. Right after the event, the same van was seen around UP, particularly near CMC and Cine Adarna. The guards once more tried to talk to the van drivers but were once again ignored. Witnesses decided to go to the UPD Police to have the van blottered.

The same week, the van was seen once more. UPD Police were able to halt the van but they too, were ignored.

By Wednesday, another van was seen driving around CMC, also taking still pictures of students, particularly the ones that fit the stereotyped activist. Some students believe these were just the same people using only a different van.

when Stand UP supports...

(Student Alliance for the Democratic Rights in UP)

I've been so busy this week with my academic requirements (j122 group report, j195 pair report, two edsp122 assignments, edsp122 outline for the group report, RRL for our thesis, and j196 individual report) and that Anti-Terrorism Bill (a.k.a Human Security Act of 2007) to be implemented today (then again, I'm not sure if it is really today since rumors have been everywhere. whatever) that I must have forgotten all my other troubles.

And both my parents have been lecturing me because of the too time I devote to the council (a.k.a that damage control that also became my "hobby"). Since I was awarded that scholarship, both of them are worried I might not get the required average the network is asking me.

Whatever, I always believed that when God gave me this scholarship, He didn't want to give me more pressure (I keep telling myself). And I've already learned the trick to life, to just obey God, to be what He called you for. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things shall be added unto to you"

Crap. I'm getting out of focus.

Then there's that HSA.

I can't really say what the popular sentiment of the MassComm students are, but what I can safely say is that Journalism students are craving for information regarding the said Act.

And with some initiatives from certain professors, I've taken the chance to organize a forum/ discussion when I convened the council meeting last Tuesday. And the council members readily agreed.

However, the Office of the Dean was quite apprehensive. The Dean particularly said she doesn't know still the sentiments of the faculty regarding the said Act. Moreover, she wasn't at all familiar of the Act that she can't speak for herself. (and seriously, god! is that how apathetic people can be? that a surveillance had already happened and still they do not care??) However, they let us use the CMC Auditorium for free.

And since "he" didn't know anything about the HSA, he left everything to me, which is quite good actually, at some point.

I've started texting a prospect speaker and apparently, he never replied. Come Saturday, I still didn't know who else to contact.

So I texted our campaign manager, Divs, who forwarded the message to Kepi. And god, has he put so much effort on this!

He kept texting people to look for contact information of personalities that can help us with the forum. By Saturdaynight, he has already given me three numbers.

However, by Sunday afternoon, no one was still sure to come. He texted for updates, and of course, I told him nobody had confirmed yet. A few hours more, he bombarded me with six numbers, of which one had confirmed. Aside from that, he had already contacted the Student Regent, Terry Ridon, who also contacted a law professor who was willing to talk during the forum. (and if Ii may also note here, this was after a series of prayers I called for to the Christian members of the council, because seriously, i think that's what we lack)

However, being rational and ignoring the prayer session, I'd like to give credit to Stand UP. Half of whatever turns out tomorrow will be on their credit. Sure, it could be argued that they're just after the statement against the Act and all that, but it doesn't matter. They'e been all the help I need.

And quite honestly, at certain times, I felt they were just using me for their own interests, like I'm just being used. But I guess perspectives do change. I've changed. And I've learned to love these people, as individuals and for the principles.

At this time, I can surely say, to run under Stand UP was never a mistake, to fight in principle, to rationalize what truly benefits people. To be associated as an activist, I care not. Better to be progressive than to be part of this apathetic culture.

Tunay. Palaban. Makabayan. Stand UP.

A little note from me:
I know, poor construction. Sana wag na lang muna tayo mag-edit ha? bilang disoriented pa ako sa buhay ko. salamat : )

freshie week