Politics exists in a CULTURAL PRODUCT

              Isang linggong pinagdiriwang ng lungsod ng San Pablo ang taunang kapistahan ng santong si San Pablo, ang Unang Ermitanyo. Iba’t ibang mga programa at palabas ang dinaraos sa buong linggong ito. Tuwing ika-13 ng Enero ay binibigyang halaga ang pagpapamalas ng talentong ng mga mag-aaral mula sa iba’t ibang paaralan ng lungsod, mula sa primarya hanggang sa kolehiyo. Ito ay tinatawag na Mardigras Streetdance Competition. Dito natin makikita ang puspusang preparasyon ng mga guro at mga estudyanteng kalahok sa naturang paligsahan. Panglabinlimang taon na ito ginagawa ng mga San Pablenyos.

            

          Ano nga ba ang bumubuo dito? Sinu-sino ang mga taong nararapat lamang na magpamalas ng kanilang galing sa larangang ito?

           

            Walang limitasyon ang pagsali dito. Sa bawat dibisyon (primarya, sekondarya at kolehiyo), maaaring magparehistro ang alinmang mga paaralan na nais sumali. Halimbawa nito ay ang naging paaralan ko noong ako’y nasa ikalimang baitang. Taun-taon ay sumasali ang eskwelahan ko. Sa bawat sayaw ay maaaring sumali ang kahit na sino man. Ang magiging limitasyon lamang nito ay kung lumampas na sa inaasahang bilang ng mga mananayaw ang isang grupo. Bawat baitang ay mayroong mga kalahok upang maipakita ang kooperasyon ng buong samahan ng paaralan.

            Noong panahon ko, ang bawat mananayaw ay may tinatawag na couturier. Siya ang tumutulong sa mananayaw na isukat ang damit, ayusin ang mga dapat na ayusin sa magiging postura, mapa-sapatos man ito, head dress o ang kabuuan ng damit pang-indak. Para sa konsepto ng kanilang kasuotan, ang tanging pamantayan dito ay gawa sa niyog ang mga materyales, kahit ano pa mang parte nito ang ilagay. Mula sa ulo hanggang paa, dapat yari ang mga ito sa niyog sapagkat ang buong pagdiriwang ay nagsisilbing pagbibigay-pugay sa produkto kung saan nakilala ang lungsod (San Pablo Coconut Festival). Sari-saring gimik ang ginagawa ng mga paaralan upang maipakita ang kakaibang gamit ng niyog sa kasuotan. Maging ang sapatos ay binabalutan ng lubid na gawa rin sa niyog upang mabigyang-diin ang produkto. 

            Bago pa man magkaroon nito, puspusan na ang paghahanda para sa buong koreograpia ng magiging sayaw. Tulong-tulong ang mga guro ng PE sa pagbubuo nito. Oktubre pa lamang ay nag-eensayo na ang lahat tuwing hapon pagkatapos ng klase. Pinepwesto sa unahan ang mga magagaling na mananayaw at sila namang inilalagay sa hulihan ang mga lalaking tagabuhat ng mga props na gagamitin. Tatlong buwan ginagawa ang ganitong pamamaraan hanggang sa dumating na ang araw ng paligsahan.    

            Sa tatlong taon kong panonood ng paligsahang ito sa lungsod ng San Pablo, marami akong napansing mga pagbabago sa pagdaan ng panahon. Marahil ay dahil na rin sa pag-angat ng lungsod, marami nang mga materyales ang napalitan at mas ginamit na ang mga sintetikong props sa pagpapaganda ng mga kasuotan. Kung ating susuriing mabuti, dala na rin ito marahil sa laki ng badyet na inilalaan ng mga paaralan (paghingi ng mas malaking kabayaran ng bawat mag-aaral na kasali) para sa ganitong kompetisyon kaya’t may kakayahan silang pagandahin pa ang mga gagamitin. Maaaring masasabi nating maganda ito dahil kahit mahirap na ang buhay sa mga panahong ito, nagagawa pa rin nilang isalba at maisali ang mga mag-aaral na nagnanais na ipakita ang kanilang talento sa pagsayaw. Ngunit, kung ating iisiping mabuti, nawawala na ang orihinal na punto kung bakit nagsasagawa ang lungsod ng ganitong mga paligsahan. Ito ay upang mas palawigin pa ang pagtataguyod ng sariling atin, ng sariling produktong ipinagmamalaki ng lugar na nadadala sa pagpapakita ng abilidad ng mga kabataan.

           

          Isang bagay lamang ang patuloy na ipinapakita nito. Binibigyang pansin ang presensya ng estado ng pamumuhay para sa mga maaaring sumali rito (Marxism-class). Oo at galing ka sa isang pampublikong paaralan ngunit sa pagbabayad ng mga materyales para sa lahat-lahat ng kakailanganin, walang excemption. Ito ang irony nito. Sa kabilang banda, may magandang naidudulot din ito para sa pagbibigay-diin ng kahalagahan ng art nang walang panghuhusga sa panlabas na kaanyuan ng tao dahil lamang sa mga damit na kanilang isinusuot. Kung magandang tingnan na ang lahat ng mga kalahok ay naka-disenyong palda para sa pang-ibaba, maging ang mga lalaki ay kasama dito. Walang kahit anong malisya. Lahat ay isinasagawa.  

Pictures: © www.facebook.com/Sanpablocity

Where everyday politics exists (SPACE)

   Politics is located everywhere. Name it. We may not mention it directly, but there will always be a hint of what politically is happening. As we have gone over some places in the province of Laguna last March 1-3 of this year, these 3 days of observation has proved a lot to say that the term politics is not just about how power is mobilized or ways in which the citizens are governed by the authorities. Politics is no longer just about public issues, but now involves the ordinary, the everyday life, the personal— the personal is political; it is no longer just about grand, visible and public processes, but also about diverse, local “stories”.

1^st destination: Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Laguna

   Class. Income Level. Types of people.

   This was our first destination. As I have analyzed the place, it is more concerned of the classes, not just like other areas wherein everyone is entertained. There are few entering the place.  You can see the stores which are biased with regard to those who are able to buy. You may argue with the time. It was an afternoon and a Friday. It is not a typical weekday which people do not bother to entertain themselves. Surely, it should be visited with a lot of people. There is this certain part of sports stalls where expensive yet trusted sports wears are sold. Also, within the vicinity are different kinds of restaurants. If I will compare the people present in such nowadays, I could say that the amount of commodities can still be considered as affordable to them, may it be apparently elites or in the middle class. An example of this would be Shakey’s. Before, there will never be people who are not regarded as high class eating in this kind of restaurant. But look at it now, even the students choose such for lunch. However, if the poor are to be exposed to this place, instead of buying something, they might as well use their money for cheap transportation to go to a more “public-friendly” mall or just stay at home. The prices of the products are obviously stated since the ambiance of the place is somehow favoring the people who can afford to stay there for a walk. It is simple yet peaceful. Also, the structure of the whole Paseo is more of divisions based on the aura of the stalls (depending on items sold and prices).

2^nd destination: SM Calamba, Laguna

This is where different types of people are found. Shoe Mart does not cater commodities which are not appealing to the public, quality and amount wise. Together with my friends, we roamed around the area observing where people usually go. Places were the SM Food Court, vacant corners where students stay since during that time, their classes have ended already. (apparently using mall’s free internet), small stalls in the middle. There were only few watching inside the movie house. Most of them are just strolling around. Others were buying groceries, particularly families whose main purpose is to go to the supermarket. This is the place where class is not considered at all. There may be the high and middle class type in elegant places within the vicinity but with regard to the entirety of the place, it is not limited to a specific group of people.

3^rd destination: Liliw, Laguna

This is known for its shoes sold in almost every corner of the municipality in the entire province. As I roamed around the place, it was evident that the products are not those native-type sandals usually seen in such provinces. There are already the modern ones. Historically, there was no industry years ago. It was then argued that the Tsinelas Festival Liliw has today is made few years back. This could be the reason why they mostly sell shoes which are mainly seen in malls. They are going with the flow of the modern era. Moreover, pastries and different kinds of food are not originally produced in the area. They are usually bought outside of Liliw (in other parts of the province which are really the original ones), put up stalls along the streets and sell them to those what we call “mga dayo.”

4^th destination: Night Life in UPLB (Along the streets)

Night life is literally a night life in UPLB. We can say that since it is a province, people usually stay at their houses or dormitories and study. However, this is not true. LB people, mostly students, are also engaging in the modernization of entertainment. We were in a certain chill place along the area at 7:30 in the evening. As time passes by, individuals are coming over, may it be students or adults. They are already used to the ambiance of what is it to be experiencing the night life of a particular area that is why, the idea of a life in the province is somehow disregarded. Commodities are sold and bought.   

Critical Commentary for Indigenous Theoretical Tradition

            Establishing Indigenous Filipino theories is a huge step towards the promotion of our own. Focusing on own voices, own and other thoughts, and other local authors and sources, we may be able to develop and strengthen native ideas, without the influence of the other. What is lacking in the Philippine culture is, even though we are used to the norms and traditions, we still have no sense of protecting the country from the dominant groups in terms of embracing all of what the Philippine culture offers. Since the colonizers have given us the privilege and freedom to be exposed to their products, medium of communication, and the like, our standard of intelligence is diverted as well. Nowadays, if a particular person is fluent in speaking in English, he/she is smart. On the other hand, if he/she is fluent in speaking in Filipino, it is just average and does not even recognized by the public. This is already burying what should be expected of as notions in mind to Filipinos as citizens of the country.

            Transforming the meaning of negative stereotypes serves as a motivation among Filipinos to dwell on the positive side. Taking Bahala na and talangka mentality as an example, the notion of saying Bahala na as having an attitude of laziness since a person does not finalize things and just goes on with the flow could be reinterpreted as determination and risk taking, and a way of pumping courage into one’s system so that one does not buckle down in the face of formidable obstacles. Talangka mentality, which is defined as someone who is selfish, and who wants his fellowmen stay in the ground could be described as a call for community members to acknowledge their indebtedness to others and to work for the good of the entire community and not just for themselves.

            I believe that strengthening such theories could be a tool in the formation of the real identity of Filipinos. Besides the international setting, we always familiarize ourselves with a regionalistic attitude. This is now the time to be identified not as an Ilocano, but as a Filipino. This is now the time to be identified as a promoter of native products, not the branded ones made in the other parts of the world. Personally, if I will be given a choice to pursue my career using just the Filipino language, I will definitely do it and further enhance my ability in conversing. However, as modernity suggests, a universal foreign language is indeed significant with regard to relations with others. It may not be eradicated but still, when it comes to the encounter with fellow Filipinos in our land, we are the ones who should be spreading the heart of our own language.    

Critical Commentary for Postcolonial Theoretical Tradition

           

            Colonialism has created a sense of division and alienation in the self-identity of the non-white groups. The history, culture, language, customs and beliefs of the white colonizers are to be considered as universal, normative and superior to the local indigenous culture of the colonized. Because of this, impacts on these white colonizers’ “other” are felt. Taking Philippines as an example, alarming effects on the colonized have been experienced. One of which is our sense of inferiority. Since the occupation has greatly contributed to the whole picture of the Philippine society, the feeling of being subordinates overpower the minds of the public, resulting to adaptation of the footsteps they have left for the colonized.  Moreover, it creates a divided sense of self considering as well as having a sense of alienation from the traditional considering that our own culture is bombarded with different ideas and commodities which are of Western construct.

            It has already been years when the last colonizers had occupied our territory. It cannot be denied that we have established an identity composed of the two, the influence the “other” has embedded on us and the traditional. Eradicating it will not be an instant. However, if we keep on influencing the whole Filipino community to make the production of our own flourish, it could be possible. The concepts of hybridity, ethnicity and location are the three areas of this theory which emphasize the diversity of postcolonial cultural identity. As the present offers us, patterns of migration have become the trend since people are now taking practicality into consideration. This, in turn, accords to the combination of the current culture they are in and the old norm they practice. This is evident nowadays. In addition, the idea of ethnicity also has given the theory a notion of how a group of people is portrayed in terms of the physical appearances, whether they are marginalized or considered as dominant. Because of this, it came to be a point of analysis in the postcolonial perspective. Furthermore, it recognizes the social, cultural and religious practices which help to make up one’s cultural identity and is less reductive than the more physically based concept of race.

            Postcolonialism has taught the society to be knowledgeable of the possible reasons why a country’s own culture is a mixture. It will not be asked to return to its original phase in a short period of time. It takes the community to embrace the traditions more as well as choosing the local over the imported ones. If executed, this could be a stepping stone towards the purity of the Filipino identity.   

Critical Commentary for Western Theoretical Tradition

         Class struggles are evident in the society today, resisting from the current situation the world is in. There are communities where resistance does not take place since they are able to cope up with sudden changes happening. As Gramsci defines hegemony, it refers to a situation in which consent from the oppressed is acquired through the exploitation of ideology such as the acceptance of capitalism and providing consent by the oppressed. Capitalism, taking as an example, has become a dominant influence which paves the way for the people to continuously aim for power, considering that capitalism’s main goal is to generate money as a necessity for survival.

        

         Other than this, I was attracted by the dialectics of enlightenment wherein the domination of nature is mainly by science and technology. Apparently, it is true. Especially today’s generation, technological advances are building its own culture and identity as a part of people’s everyday living. Because of this, it allowed the culture industry pertaining to the ways in which entertainment and mass media became industries that produce cultural commodities and manipulate people’s consciousness come in. They are being controlled by the visuals presented in television screens. This is where postmodernism enters the picture. People are now able to express themselves through the power of media, sharing their own insights that could be heard by the majority. Polyvocality is the trend. Since the society is bombarded with new ideas, we produce unique ways on how to say something, may it be through the world of internet, electronics, or verbal communications. Moreover, this has proven to be a helpful tool in embracing the ordinary lives of those who are not in the central sphere, the marginalized ones. They have now the opportunity to develop their own capabilities because of the emerging entertainment industry. Everything now becomes a matter to be discussed. These are the perks of modernity.

         However, questions would then be, “Will it last? Will the word perks still fit as years pass by? Is this situation really helpful to the society?”