Kag editoryal sa www.sanrokan.com ni Ish Fabicon:
“Ka pagbusri it RDL (Romblon Discussion List) ag www.sanrokan.com ay nakatunong sa usa nak mga higako namo: palapnagon ka tatlong rila it probinsya—Romblomanon/Ini, Unhan, ag Asi.
“Kung ato kaykayon kinang mga kayatay it mga bulaybulayon ag diskusyonan sa RDL ag Sanrokan, imaw gihapon ka amo pangabay nak kung sarang ka mga pagsuyat reli sa mga rahon it Sanrokan ay sa tatlong rila it probinsya. Ugaling uya ra namo gibabawayi nak ka mga "bloggers' ay magparana it inra tuytuyanon sa Tingayug o English. Ka amo yang ngasing ging hahagar ay patugsiling na kung sarang, yaktan ra it pagsuyat sa Romblomanon/Ini, Unhan ag Asi.
“Kabay pang sabligan kami it inro patugsiling”,
ay mayamig nak tubi nag ging salibo sa maranggang likor it mga nagtutuko sa website nak kali.
Usa ako sa mga napur-ok it ida pangabay.
Marurumroman it mga nagsusunor sa ako blog ag sa iba pang nagtatapyak reli sa sanrokan it tuytuyanon nak ka karam-ang pag-itam-itam reli ay sa English ag Tagalog. Inggwa man it nagsusuyat sa inra sariling rila ay mayagwat pa sa pasi it payay nak bag-huang bag-ong bado ag bag-ong pur-as.
Ka pagtratar it RDL-CLEAR ag www.sanrokan.com sa mga nagbubuyar reli it mga kaisipan, miskan sisi-o, ay pamatuor it demokrasyang pinakamataas—kag ging aayaba nato sa English nak “freedom of expression”.
Ugaling, dahil gani kag pagbuswang it RDL-CLEAR ag www.sanrokan.com ay “nakatunong” sa pagpalapnag it tatlong lengguwahe it probinsiya, nag-aaro ako sa parumrom ni Fabicon. Dapat ra talaga nak ka mga nagyuyu-aw reli sa www.sanrokan.com ay papaagto sa rayan nak ka akahantupan ay magyutaw ka Romblomanon/Ini, Unhan, ag Asi.
Ngasing yang kali nako nabisayaha: Sa rinugay-rugay nako it pagtuko sa www.sanrokan.com, mas maramo ka nagsusuyat sa Asi kumpara sa Romblomanon/Ini ag Unhan. Asi?
Buko dapat magkumpara, ag basi pang buko klaro kaling ako pamatyagon, pero sa ako natutuhob, pay mas maramong Asi ka mukyat ka nayusrok pag-abot sa paglig-on ag pag-alinton it inra kultura kada mas maramo ka nagsusuyat sa Asi.
Mabis-oy kali gi sambiton, pero inggwa gihapon kali it rason.
Sa ako pamutang, kada mas maramong nagsusuyat sa www.sanrokan.com it mga tuytuyanong Asi ay dahil siguro sa “kahadlok”.
Kung irug-on it matugas sa patsihan, sa tatlong tribo it Romblon, ka Asi it ging tatratong kuliyot sa probinsiya. Sa Sibale ay imaw kali it “island psyche” dahil hanggang ngasing, nagriril-at sa isip it mga Sibalenhon kag derogatory nak pag-obserba it mga Romblomanon mainlanders sa mga taga-Sibale: “Sibale lang da!”
Imaw kali, sa ako pag-ibok sa tuyar nak sitwasyon, ka gakor it “kahadlok”.
We Asi write in Asi much more often than the Unhan and the Romblomanon Ini do in their own languages because of this “fear”—founded or unfounded—that if we don’t, our culture—language and all—will be lost forever.
The Asi has an acute sense of this terrible possibility. We write in Asi as much as we can to ensure that our language and cultural identity survive. We fear to lose, and the fear of losing something is the most potent motivation to be courageous in preventing such loss.
The Unhan and the Romblomanon Ini, I am afraid, have no such fear. They are secured in their belief that their number ensures the survival of their languages and way of life. This misplaced belief is cultivated and fertilized by the mainland Romblon politicians who know nothing about culture.
The power to assert our own identity rises from this fear. Thus, if the Asi tribe is much more assertive of their culture and language than the Romblomanon Ini and the Unhan, this is not without reason.
Inggwa it politikang elemento sa tuyar nak nahahanabo, miskan klaro sa istorya it probinsiya nak mga Asi ka pinakamatikasog nak nag nagtuy-og sa progresong pampulitika it Romblon. Fabella, Festin ag Firmalo ka mga nagyuyutaw nak ngayan pag-abot sa tuyar nak pamimisaya.
In this comes the “geographical factor”, which is evident in the allocation of economic resources over which the mainland Romblon politicians often have the final say. I will not pussy-foot. When it comes to political and economic division of resources and benefits, the Asi islands of Sibale, Banton and Simara receive the crumbs because of our geographical distance, which is however, not without a solution. Alas, we are always last in the priorities.
Waya ako gi susungon o gi yayabi sa tuyar nak sitwasyon, pero inggwa it mas marayom nak gakor ka tuyar nak pagtrato sa Asi.
I now begin to suspect a feeling of insecurity in our politicians over their inability to command supreme loyalty from the Asi. Fiercely independent and pragmatic, we Asi do not just bow to convention and the traditional importuning of our corrupt leaders.
We show this independence by writing in our own language.
When Awe Eranes and Tony Macalisang of the Romblon Sun said that the newspaper will not sell when Fabicon suggested he will write a column in Asi, the two, being non-Asi, were only following the dictates of economic reality drawn, established, and perpetuated by the mainland Romblon politicians who profit from the Romblomanons being afflicted with a “siege mentality”, meaning, they entertained the fear no one will read Fabicon, and that if he is read, they will revolt. Nothing is more fearsome than a people learning the ways of their oppressors.
Of course, Eranes’s and Macalisang’s fear is patently false and without basis. The www.sanrokan.com is proof positive that there is a horde of readers in the local languages.
Makaka-testigo ako raha. Sa ako pagsuyat, nagpapayadag ako sa ruhang suba it lengguwahe, English ag Asi. Nagsusuyat ako sa English para sa mga nagbabasa nak buko Asi ag para yumapar ka publiko nak sa ako pagpamutang ay dapat makarungog ak makatagam it ibang yuto; ag sa Asi kung ka ako mensahe ay partikular sa ako mga ka-tribo.
Sa tuyar nak pagpapamatu-or, ka pagkaykay ni Fabicon sa primerong gakor it mga lengguwaheng Romblomanon ay asa panahon. Dapat yang nak tuytuyon nato ka ging busri-an it RDL-CLEAR ag www.sanrokan.com sa parayan it paghingab ag pag panghakay it hangin it ato sariling mga bibisar-on.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Asi? The Concert: Rebirth of a musical culture
The Banton High School Alumni Association, headed by the tireless Lyndon Fadri, has joined Romblon’s cultural renaissance bandwagon, and will, with the support of Biniray 2009, mount a musical extravaganza at the Arellano University Gym on Legarda Street, Manila, starting at 6:00 P.M. on August 8.
This concert is for all: Romblomanons and non-Romblomanons alike.
If you are an Asi, you must block this date in your calendar and come. If you are an Unhan, you should set aside whatever you plan to do on that day and attend the event, aptly called Asi? The Concert. If you are an Ini, show up at the concert. You will be richer in emotional experience after.
If you are not a Romblomanon, but are a culture buff—interested in how the Asi weave their emotional dreams and aspirations and express their take on the current issues of the day through the universal language of music, I invite you to attend.
A ticket to the concert costs P250.00. Call 556 17 62 to reserve one.
With that sales pitch out of the plate, I will tell you more about the concert. Read on.
The biggest attraction of Asi? The Concert is, well, the singing talents of my ancient tribe, the Asi, a proud and brave Filipino race which antedates the coming of the Spaniards and whose members occupy the islands of Banton, Sibale and Simara and who founded the Asi towns of Calatrava and Odiongan in Tablas Island, Romblon’s biggest.
We, the Asi, have our own distinct cultural heritage, including a musical culture that the tribe’s cultural pillars recently started to propagate and promote. Thus, all the songs on the concert will be in Asi, our own language.
This language is unique and so rich that if I were an official of government, say, a congressman, I will push for its inclusion among the languages that are being used as basis in the development of the constitutionally-mandated Filipino national language. Yes, Virginia, there is such, but let us deal with that in another time.
So, if you are a non-Asi Romblomanon attending the concert, I urge you to bring with you the Tuk-anan, the first Asi dictionary that Lyndon Fadri published, to be able to better appreciate the joy and pathos of the Asi’s musical soul. Call him at 0918 918 2178.
Singing talents Catherine Lea Fietas-Beltran and Al Jandy Fadriquela have signified to participate in the concert. A group from Sibale, called IngSaBat will also join and sing two or three of my compositions. I will sing, if the weather cooperates.
The lead performer at the concert will be 1622-Unang Usbor, Romblon’s only performing band, which in my language will continue to be so unless other tribes in the province come out and disprove me.
The 1622: Unang Usbor has performed in April in Sibale and in May in Simara. Last February, they invaded the Asi population of Batangas with a post-Valentine concert and proved to all and sundry that Asi songs have not only an appreciative audience. They also promise to be with us while we continue to have babies to be lulled to sleep and emotions to express.
The Asi singing is a miniature replica of Philippine society casting out the devils of its impoverished, dilapidated, and oppressed existence. I make these comments in the context of the extraneous purposes of the concert, which are to raise funds for the BHSAA Scholarship and Medical Mission Funds and for the Biniray, Banton’s religious mecca.
I mind very much that private citizens like Lyndon have to supplant the provincial government’s role in ensuring that Romblomanons are well-educated and healthy. For if the likes of Rep. Budoy Madrona and Gov. Jojo Beltran are true to their calling as public servants, they would flush with shame in knowing that it is civic groups, like Lyndon’s, that are minding the public welfare.
But this is a parenthetical thought. The concert is what matters at the moment. “Our goal is to promote cultural heritage, provide local talents exposure to a bigger audience and help hone their talents, and promote closer ties between the Asi-speaking Romblonons,” Lyndon says.
Noble, these objectives are.
Lyndon is not alone, though in his admirable efforts.
There is the Asi Studies Center for Culture and the Arts (ASCCA) which, since September 2008, has been working tirelessly to build the musical skill of 1622-Unang Usbor.
The ASCCA derives much support from the online group RDL-CLEAR, which is on the forefront of educational, cultural and economic initiatives in the province. RDL-CLEAR members may be anonymous, but without them, ASCCA would not have been able to mount on its own its various cultural projects.
In the Philippines, ASCCA’s project director is another Asi. She is Nota Magno, who teaches anthropology at the Ateneo de Manila University. Ms. Magno’s invaluable efforts in the Asi’s cultural revival could put to shame our politicians’ years of strutting on the corridors of power. These politicians are a bunch of useless ignoramuses when it comes to Romblon culture.
“As artists,” Ms. Magno says, referring to the members of 1622-Unang Usbor, “their relevance is in the cultural work (that) they do for the Asi of Banton and of Romblon, not only the music that they bring. Their work extends from raising music appreciation among the Asi to the revival of the Asi language, a crucial element of Asi cultural heritage”.
The preservation, propagation and promotion of culture may be a lonely kind of work, but it is its own rewards.
On August 8, it will be time for these rewards to be harvested. Join us in the concert and share in the bounty of the Asi’s musical heritage.
This concert is for all: Romblomanons and non-Romblomanons alike.
If you are an Asi, you must block this date in your calendar and come. If you are an Unhan, you should set aside whatever you plan to do on that day and attend the event, aptly called Asi? The Concert. If you are an Ini, show up at the concert. You will be richer in emotional experience after.
If you are not a Romblomanon, but are a culture buff—interested in how the Asi weave their emotional dreams and aspirations and express their take on the current issues of the day through the universal language of music, I invite you to attend.
A ticket to the concert costs P250.00. Call 556 17 62 to reserve one.
With that sales pitch out of the plate, I will tell you more about the concert. Read on.
The biggest attraction of Asi? The Concert is, well, the singing talents of my ancient tribe, the Asi, a proud and brave Filipino race which antedates the coming of the Spaniards and whose members occupy the islands of Banton, Sibale and Simara and who founded the Asi towns of Calatrava and Odiongan in Tablas Island, Romblon’s biggest.
We, the Asi, have our own distinct cultural heritage, including a musical culture that the tribe’s cultural pillars recently started to propagate and promote. Thus, all the songs on the concert will be in Asi, our own language.
This language is unique and so rich that if I were an official of government, say, a congressman, I will push for its inclusion among the languages that are being used as basis in the development of the constitutionally-mandated Filipino national language. Yes, Virginia, there is such, but let us deal with that in another time.
So, if you are a non-Asi Romblomanon attending the concert, I urge you to bring with you the Tuk-anan, the first Asi dictionary that Lyndon Fadri published, to be able to better appreciate the joy and pathos of the Asi’s musical soul. Call him at 0918 918 2178.
Singing talents Catherine Lea Fietas-Beltran and Al Jandy Fadriquela have signified to participate in the concert. A group from Sibale, called IngSaBat will also join and sing two or three of my compositions. I will sing, if the weather cooperates.
The lead performer at the concert will be 1622-Unang Usbor, Romblon’s only performing band, which in my language will continue to be so unless other tribes in the province come out and disprove me.
The 1622: Unang Usbor has performed in April in Sibale and in May in Simara. Last February, they invaded the Asi population of Batangas with a post-Valentine concert and proved to all and sundry that Asi songs have not only an appreciative audience. They also promise to be with us while we continue to have babies to be lulled to sleep and emotions to express.
The Asi singing is a miniature replica of Philippine society casting out the devils of its impoverished, dilapidated, and oppressed existence. I make these comments in the context of the extraneous purposes of the concert, which are to raise funds for the BHSAA Scholarship and Medical Mission Funds and for the Biniray, Banton’s religious mecca.
I mind very much that private citizens like Lyndon have to supplant the provincial government’s role in ensuring that Romblomanons are well-educated and healthy. For if the likes of Rep. Budoy Madrona and Gov. Jojo Beltran are true to their calling as public servants, they would flush with shame in knowing that it is civic groups, like Lyndon’s, that are minding the public welfare.
But this is a parenthetical thought. The concert is what matters at the moment. “Our goal is to promote cultural heritage, provide local talents exposure to a bigger audience and help hone their talents, and promote closer ties between the Asi-speaking Romblonons,” Lyndon says.
Noble, these objectives are.
Lyndon is not alone, though in his admirable efforts.
There is the Asi Studies Center for Culture and the Arts (ASCCA) which, since September 2008, has been working tirelessly to build the musical skill of 1622-Unang Usbor.
The ASCCA derives much support from the online group RDL-CLEAR, which is on the forefront of educational, cultural and economic initiatives in the province. RDL-CLEAR members may be anonymous, but without them, ASCCA would not have been able to mount on its own its various cultural projects.
In the Philippines, ASCCA’s project director is another Asi. She is Nota Magno, who teaches anthropology at the Ateneo de Manila University. Ms. Magno’s invaluable efforts in the Asi’s cultural revival could put to shame our politicians’ years of strutting on the corridors of power. These politicians are a bunch of useless ignoramuses when it comes to Romblon culture.
“As artists,” Ms. Magno says, referring to the members of 1622-Unang Usbor, “their relevance is in the cultural work (that) they do for the Asi of Banton and of Romblon, not only the music that they bring. Their work extends from raising music appreciation among the Asi to the revival of the Asi language, a crucial element of Asi cultural heritage”.
The preservation, propagation and promotion of culture may be a lonely kind of work, but it is its own rewards.
On August 8, it will be time for these rewards to be harvested. Join us in the concert and share in the bounty of the Asi’s musical heritage.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The re-election of Madrona and Beltran
If my source is correct in telling me that 80 percent of all Romblon capitol employees, including the so-called ’15-30’ collectors, hate to see Gov. Jojo Beltran re-elected as governor, then Rep. Budoy Madrona may rest easy. He and Beltran will cruise safely to their re-election hurdles without any problem.
How is that? It is because logic tells me that wise voters who hate a politician usually vote for that politician not merely to ensconce him/her in power, but to insult him/her. Re-electing Madrona and Beltran would be, to me, the greatest insult that could be heaped on the durable duo.
Let us not insult our politicians by not voting for them. Again. That’s what this logic tells us.
Are we ready to do that? Hell, no. Romblon’s election history is rife with lessons. Lessons that elementary school pupils should not learn, but learn nonetheless from their teachers who count the votes. One of these lessons is that no politician in Romblon ever loses in an election. He/she just gets cheated.
Madrona, Beltran, Firmalo, and the rest know this. They know that come election time, the hate and the grudges of voters against our politicians will be transformed into admiration—then votes. That’s because of money. Our voters have this fallacious argument:
“Kukurakot din ‘yan. Galing din sa atin ang perang ipinamimigay niyan pag eleksyon. Tanggapin natin kasi, hindi na naman natin yan makikita sa loob ng tatlong taon.”
Correct?
So, if you hate Budoy or Beltran or both, chances are you truly love them, and will probably vote for them, not because of any emotional feeling or attachment or belief in their expertise and qualification, but because of money consideration.
This is true for a big chunk of Romblon voters. Many provincial capitol employees may protest to high heavens this open and probable event, but that’s the best they can do: bite their tongue in silent protest. Many can’t even come out in the open and denounce the shenanigans of their governor even if they are witness to these. They love their comfort zones.
I will start with Beltran. People love him very much that they want him to stay in the capitol forever. I, myself, want him to be there for eternity to mismanage the provincial government some more. Come on, Jojo. Please continue to run the capitol as a personal kingdom. You will lose nothing but your soul.
As for Madrona, well, you either love or hate the guy. Romblon loves Budoy, too, (look at that Bayan kong Mahal slogan, which some say is Bowel Movement) and would want to see him re-elected many times over. They had just a brief respite with the man when they elected Firmalo, but since then, they have realized their folly and returned Madrona to the House.
They will do so again in 2010. That’s my bold prediction. I am ready to bet my gin money to anyone who will say otherwise.
“Madrona is the best Romblon congressman.” Ever. Can you imagine, there was no mining in Romblon when he was not yet in power? Today, the province is all about mining. Our politicians, save a few, are all into mining. You know, “this is mine. That is mine. Those are mine.” Right?
I mean, why should we change our congressman and our governor when our lives haven’t changed either? We are still poor, yes? Perhaps, a little poorer than we were when Beltran was still in the kingdom of Raha Bangkusay, or when Budoy was still in a seminary, but what’s the difference?
Everyone in Romblon is entitled to suffer a little of our unpaved roads, dilapidated health care system, bad governance, unclean water, unemployment, and all that ek-ek that enemies of Budoy and Jojo love to hurl against them as if it is their fault that Romblon is reeling from incompetence, corruption and retrogress.
You are not a Romblomanon if you feel that when traveling from Magdiwang to San Fernando, you feel you are passing through an expressway. Are you sleeping?
No, it is not Madrona’s and Beltran’s fault that we are what we are. It is OUR fault, and we should not blame anyone but OURSELVES for having been short-changed and abused by our politicians. We should fault OURSELVES for allowing OURSELVES to be short-changed and abused year in and year out.
And who promises to save us from our hellish experience with the present power holders?
The opposition!
Ah, the opposition consisting of who? Lolong Firmalo, Bernie Fondevilla, Alice Fetalvero, Mel Madrid, Jun Irao, et al? These province mates of ours who also dream like everyone else of ending Madrona’s and Beltran’s reign?
They could be hallucinating. I mean, they must be like every one of us. Dreaming. Which is good, as long as it will not end in a nightmare, or bangungot.
It is not because they are not qualified, or have not the right and the means and the motivation to fight Madrona and Beltran, et al. They are and they have, but I am pessimistic. Suspicious, even. The reason I say this is while it is free to dream, it is also free to disappoint the Romblomanons with regards to the word ‘opposition’. And as a Romblomanon, I am truly, sincerely, angrily disappointed with these opposition politicians. Not anyone of them might get my vote. On election day, I might just put Awe Eranes on my ballot, then go home and write.
You see, ‘opposition’ contains the words OPPOSE, OPPOSITE, and OPTION.
A true political opposition opposes not just for the sake of opposing. A true political opposition also is the opposite of the person, place, or thing it opposes. And lastly, a true opposition provides us the option—the alternative, when it succeeds from being an opposition to become ruler.
Question: Are Firmalo and Fondevilla, et al the political opposition in the province in the truest sense of the word? Right now, right here, are they the opposite of Madrona and Beltran, et al? Do they have a ready alternative to the ways of the incumbents? Anyone who answers me correctly will receive a P20-worth of mobile phone load. My number is with Awe Eranes of the Romblon Sun.
Now, let’s look forward to the re-election of Madrona and Beltran—by crying. We are very unlucky.
If my source is correct in telling me that 80 percent of all Romblon capitol employees, including the so-called ’15-30’ collectors, hate to see Gov. Jojo Beltran re-elected as governor, then Rep. Budoy Madrona may rest easy. He and Beltran will cruise safely to their re-election hurdles without any problem.
How is that? It is because logic tells me that wise voters who hate a politician usually vote for that politician not merely to ensconce him/her in power, but to insult him/her. Re-electing Madrona and Beltran would be, to me, the greatest insult that could be heaped on the durable duo.
Let us not insult our politicians by not voting for them. Again. That’s what this logic tells us.
Are we ready to do that? Hell, no. Romblon’s election history is rife with lessons. Lessons that elementary school pupils should not learn, but learn nonetheless from their teachers who count the votes. One of these lessons is that no politician in Romblon ever loses in an election. He/she just gets cheated.
Madrona, Beltran, Firmalo, and the rest know this. They know that come election time, the hate and the grudges of voters against our politicians will be transformed into admiration—then votes. That’s because of money. Our voters have this fallacious argument:
“Kukurakot din ‘yan. Galing din sa atin ang perang ipinamimigay niyan pag eleksyon. Tanggapin natin kasi, hindi na naman natin yan makikita sa loob ng tatlong taon.”
Correct?
So, if you hate Budoy or Beltran or both, chances are you truly love them, and will probably vote for them, not because of any emotional feeling or attachment or belief in their expertise and qualification, but because of money consideration.
This is true for a big chunk of Romblon voters. Many provincial capitol employees may protest to high heavens this open and probable event, but that’s the best they can do: bite their tongue in silent protest. Many can’t even come out in the open and denounce the shenanigans of their governor even if they are witness to these. They love their comfort zones.
I will start with Beltran. People love him very much that they want him to stay in the capitol forever. I, myself, want him to be there for eternity to mismanage the provincial government some more. Come on, Jojo. Please continue to run the capitol as a personal kingdom. You will lose nothing but your soul.
As for Madrona, well, you either love or hate the guy. Romblon loves Budoy, too, (look at that Bayan kong Mahal slogan, which some say is Bowel Movement) and would want to see him re-elected many times over. They had just a brief respite with the man when they elected Firmalo, but since then, they have realized their folly and returned Madrona to the House.
They will do so again in 2010. That’s my bold prediction. I am ready to bet my gin money to anyone who will say otherwise.
“Madrona is the best Romblon congressman.” Ever. Can you imagine, there was no mining in Romblon when he was not yet in power? Today, the province is all about mining. Our politicians, save a few, are all into mining. You know, “this is mine. That is mine. Those are mine.” Right?
I mean, why should we change our congressman and our governor when our lives haven’t changed either? We are still poor, yes? Perhaps, a little poorer than we were when Beltran was still in the kingdom of Raha Bangkusay, or when Budoy was still in a seminary, but what’s the difference?
Everyone in Romblon is entitled to suffer a little of our unpaved roads, dilapidated health care system, bad governance, unclean water, unemployment, and all that ek-ek that enemies of Budoy and Jojo love to hurl against them as if it is their fault that Romblon is reeling from incompetence, corruption and retrogress.
You are not a Romblomanon if you feel that when traveling from Magdiwang to San Fernando, you feel you are passing through an expressway. Are you sleeping?
No, it is not Madrona’s and Beltran’s fault that we are what we are. It is OUR fault, and we should not blame anyone but OURSELVES for having been short-changed and abused by our politicians. We should fault OURSELVES for allowing OURSELVES to be short-changed and abused year in and year out.
And who promises to save us from our hellish experience with the present power holders?
The opposition!
Ah, the opposition consisting of who? Lolong Firmalo, Bernie Fondevilla, Alice Fetalvero, Mel Madrid, Jun Irao, et al? These province mates of ours who also dream like everyone else of ending Madrona’s and Beltran’s reign?
They could be hallucinating. I mean, they must be like every one of us. Dreaming. Which is good, as long as it will not end in a nightmare, or bangungot.
It is not because they are not qualified, or have not the right and the means and the motivation to fight Madrona and Beltran, et al. They are and they have, but I am pessimistic. Suspicious, even. The reason I say this is while it is free to dream, it is also free to disappoint the Romblomanons with regards to the word ‘opposition’. And as a Romblomanon, I am truly, sincerely, angrily disappointed with these opposition politicians. Not anyone of them might get my vote. On election day, I might just put Awe Eranes on my ballot, then go home and write.
You see, ‘opposition’ contains the words OPPOSE, OPPOSITE, and OPTION.
A true political opposition opposes not just for the sake of opposing. A true political opposition also is the opposite of the person, place, or thing it opposes. And lastly, a true opposition provides us the option—the alternative, when it succeeds from being an opposition to become ruler.
Question: Are Firmalo and Fondevilla, et al the political opposition in the province in the truest sense of the word? Right now, right here, are they the opposite of Madrona and Beltran, et al? Do they have a ready alternative to the ways of the incumbents? Anyone who answers me correctly will receive a P20-worth of mobile phone load. My number is with Awe Eranes of the Romblon Sun.
Now, let’s look forward to the re-election of Madrona and Beltran—by crying. We are very unlucky.
How is that? It is because logic tells me that wise voters who hate a politician usually vote for that politician not merely to ensconce him/her in power, but to insult him/her. Re-electing Madrona and Beltran would be, to me, the greatest insult that could be heaped on the durable duo.
Let us not insult our politicians by not voting for them. Again. That’s what this logic tells us.
Are we ready to do that? Hell, no. Romblon’s election history is rife with lessons. Lessons that elementary school pupils should not learn, but learn nonetheless from their teachers who count the votes. One of these lessons is that no politician in Romblon ever loses in an election. He/she just gets cheated.
Madrona, Beltran, Firmalo, and the rest know this. They know that come election time, the hate and the grudges of voters against our politicians will be transformed into admiration—then votes. That’s because of money. Our voters have this fallacious argument:
“Kukurakot din ‘yan. Galing din sa atin ang perang ipinamimigay niyan pag eleksyon. Tanggapin natin kasi, hindi na naman natin yan makikita sa loob ng tatlong taon.”
Correct?
So, if you hate Budoy or Beltran or both, chances are you truly love them, and will probably vote for them, not because of any emotional feeling or attachment or belief in their expertise and qualification, but because of money consideration.
This is true for a big chunk of Romblon voters. Many provincial capitol employees may protest to high heavens this open and probable event, but that’s the best they can do: bite their tongue in silent protest. Many can’t even come out in the open and denounce the shenanigans of their governor even if they are witness to these. They love their comfort zones.
I will start with Beltran. People love him very much that they want him to stay in the capitol forever. I, myself, want him to be there for eternity to mismanage the provincial government some more. Come on, Jojo. Please continue to run the capitol as a personal kingdom. You will lose nothing but your soul.
As for Madrona, well, you either love or hate the guy. Romblon loves Budoy, too, (look at that Bayan kong Mahal slogan, which some say is Bowel Movement) and would want to see him re-elected many times over. They had just a brief respite with the man when they elected Firmalo, but since then, they have realized their folly and returned Madrona to the House.
They will do so again in 2010. That’s my bold prediction. I am ready to bet my gin money to anyone who will say otherwise.
“Madrona is the best Romblon congressman.” Ever. Can you imagine, there was no mining in Romblon when he was not yet in power? Today, the province is all about mining. Our politicians, save a few, are all into mining. You know, “this is mine. That is mine. Those are mine.” Right?
I mean, why should we change our congressman and our governor when our lives haven’t changed either? We are still poor, yes? Perhaps, a little poorer than we were when Beltran was still in the kingdom of Raha Bangkusay, or when Budoy was still in a seminary, but what’s the difference?
Everyone in Romblon is entitled to suffer a little of our unpaved roads, dilapidated health care system, bad governance, unclean water, unemployment, and all that ek-ek that enemies of Budoy and Jojo love to hurl against them as if it is their fault that Romblon is reeling from incompetence, corruption and retrogress.
You are not a Romblomanon if you feel that when traveling from Magdiwang to San Fernando, you feel you are passing through an expressway. Are you sleeping?
No, it is not Madrona’s and Beltran’s fault that we are what we are. It is OUR fault, and we should not blame anyone but OURSELVES for having been short-changed and abused by our politicians. We should fault OURSELVES for allowing OURSELVES to be short-changed and abused year in and year out.
And who promises to save us from our hellish experience with the present power holders?
The opposition!
Ah, the opposition consisting of who? Lolong Firmalo, Bernie Fondevilla, Alice Fetalvero, Mel Madrid, Jun Irao, et al? These province mates of ours who also dream like everyone else of ending Madrona’s and Beltran’s reign?
They could be hallucinating. I mean, they must be like every one of us. Dreaming. Which is good, as long as it will not end in a nightmare, or bangungot.
It is not because they are not qualified, or have not the right and the means and the motivation to fight Madrona and Beltran, et al. They are and they have, but I am pessimistic. Suspicious, even. The reason I say this is while it is free to dream, it is also free to disappoint the Romblomanons with regards to the word ‘opposition’. And as a Romblomanon, I am truly, sincerely, angrily disappointed with these opposition politicians. Not anyone of them might get my vote. On election day, I might just put Awe Eranes on my ballot, then go home and write.
You see, ‘opposition’ contains the words OPPOSE, OPPOSITE, and OPTION.
A true political opposition opposes not just for the sake of opposing. A true political opposition also is the opposite of the person, place, or thing it opposes. And lastly, a true opposition provides us the option—the alternative, when it succeeds from being an opposition to become ruler.
Question: Are Firmalo and Fondevilla, et al the political opposition in the province in the truest sense of the word? Right now, right here, are they the opposite of Madrona and Beltran, et al? Do they have a ready alternative to the ways of the incumbents? Anyone who answers me correctly will receive a P20-worth of mobile phone load. My number is with Awe Eranes of the Romblon Sun.
Now, let’s look forward to the re-election of Madrona and Beltran—by crying. We are very unlucky.
If my source is correct in telling me that 80 percent of all Romblon capitol employees, including the so-called ’15-30’ collectors, hate to see Gov. Jojo Beltran re-elected as governor, then Rep. Budoy Madrona may rest easy. He and Beltran will cruise safely to their re-election hurdles without any problem.
How is that? It is because logic tells me that wise voters who hate a politician usually vote for that politician not merely to ensconce him/her in power, but to insult him/her. Re-electing Madrona and Beltran would be, to me, the greatest insult that could be heaped on the durable duo.
Let us not insult our politicians by not voting for them. Again. That’s what this logic tells us.
Are we ready to do that? Hell, no. Romblon’s election history is rife with lessons. Lessons that elementary school pupils should not learn, but learn nonetheless from their teachers who count the votes. One of these lessons is that no politician in Romblon ever loses in an election. He/she just gets cheated.
Madrona, Beltran, Firmalo, and the rest know this. They know that come election time, the hate and the grudges of voters against our politicians will be transformed into admiration—then votes. That’s because of money. Our voters have this fallacious argument:
“Kukurakot din ‘yan. Galing din sa atin ang perang ipinamimigay niyan pag eleksyon. Tanggapin natin kasi, hindi na naman natin yan makikita sa loob ng tatlong taon.”
Correct?
So, if you hate Budoy or Beltran or both, chances are you truly love them, and will probably vote for them, not because of any emotional feeling or attachment or belief in their expertise and qualification, but because of money consideration.
This is true for a big chunk of Romblon voters. Many provincial capitol employees may protest to high heavens this open and probable event, but that’s the best they can do: bite their tongue in silent protest. Many can’t even come out in the open and denounce the shenanigans of their governor even if they are witness to these. They love their comfort zones.
I will start with Beltran. People love him very much that they want him to stay in the capitol forever. I, myself, want him to be there for eternity to mismanage the provincial government some more. Come on, Jojo. Please continue to run the capitol as a personal kingdom. You will lose nothing but your soul.
As for Madrona, well, you either love or hate the guy. Romblon loves Budoy, too, (look at that Bayan kong Mahal slogan, which some say is Bowel Movement) and would want to see him re-elected many times over. They had just a brief respite with the man when they elected Firmalo, but since then, they have realized their folly and returned Madrona to the House.
They will do so again in 2010. That’s my bold prediction. I am ready to bet my gin money to anyone who will say otherwise.
“Madrona is the best Romblon congressman.” Ever. Can you imagine, there was no mining in Romblon when he was not yet in power? Today, the province is all about mining. Our politicians, save a few, are all into mining. You know, “this is mine. That is mine. Those are mine.” Right?
I mean, why should we change our congressman and our governor when our lives haven’t changed either? We are still poor, yes? Perhaps, a little poorer than we were when Beltran was still in the kingdom of Raha Bangkusay, or when Budoy was still in a seminary, but what’s the difference?
Everyone in Romblon is entitled to suffer a little of our unpaved roads, dilapidated health care system, bad governance, unclean water, unemployment, and all that ek-ek that enemies of Budoy and Jojo love to hurl against them as if it is their fault that Romblon is reeling from incompetence, corruption and retrogress.
You are not a Romblomanon if you feel that when traveling from Magdiwang to San Fernando, you feel you are passing through an expressway. Are you sleeping?
No, it is not Madrona’s and Beltran’s fault that we are what we are. It is OUR fault, and we should not blame anyone but OURSELVES for having been short-changed and abused by our politicians. We should fault OURSELVES for allowing OURSELVES to be short-changed and abused year in and year out.
And who promises to save us from our hellish experience with the present power holders?
The opposition!
Ah, the opposition consisting of who? Lolong Firmalo, Bernie Fondevilla, Alice Fetalvero, Mel Madrid, Jun Irao, et al? These province mates of ours who also dream like everyone else of ending Madrona’s and Beltran’s reign?
They could be hallucinating. I mean, they must be like every one of us. Dreaming. Which is good, as long as it will not end in a nightmare, or bangungot.
It is not because they are not qualified, or have not the right and the means and the motivation to fight Madrona and Beltran, et al. They are and they have, but I am pessimistic. Suspicious, even. The reason I say this is while it is free to dream, it is also free to disappoint the Romblomanons with regards to the word ‘opposition’. And as a Romblomanon, I am truly, sincerely, angrily disappointed with these opposition politicians. Not anyone of them might get my vote. On election day, I might just put Awe Eranes on my ballot, then go home and write.
You see, ‘opposition’ contains the words OPPOSE, OPPOSITE, and OPTION.
A true political opposition opposes not just for the sake of opposing. A true political opposition also is the opposite of the person, place, or thing it opposes. And lastly, a true opposition provides us the option—the alternative, when it succeeds from being an opposition to become ruler.
Question: Are Firmalo and Fondevilla, et al the political opposition in the province in the truest sense of the word? Right now, right here, are they the opposite of Madrona and Beltran, et al? Do they have a ready alternative to the ways of the incumbents? Anyone who answers me correctly will receive a P20-worth of mobile phone load. My number is with Awe Eranes of the Romblon Sun.
Now, let’s look forward to the re-election of Madrona and Beltran—by crying. We are very unlucky.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Fortuna in his last days: What the people—not the politicians—wanted
I did not attend, because I was not invited to, a meeting of Romblomanons that the late Julius Fortuna—Manong Jules to many of his acolytes—convened on June 20 in Quezon City, three days before he left for a Greater Meeting beyond.
The meeting, according to La Tondena de Bachawan of www.romblonpost.com, was to jumpstart a dialogue by and between Romblomanons on the basic problems confronting us in the province and to find ways to solve these problems.
According to my kumpadre Gen. Orville Gabuna, however, the meeting was Manong Jules’s “feeling the pulse” for what Gabuna said was the former’s preparation to make a run for Congress versus Eleandro Jesus “Budoy” F. Madrona in the May 2010 election, if there would be such.
La Tondena de Bachawan used the euphemism “make himself relevant for the 2010 elections” in describing the meeting.
I do not dispute the above observations. Neither do I doubt them. During one of our coffee powwows at the Century Park coffee shop, I hinted as much to Manong Jules that I wanted him to be in politics.
This, I said, could be an easy transition for him from the parliament of the streets (where he fought so bravely) to the “parliament of pork”, the House of Representatives, where his valuable wisdom would have weighed heavily against many representatives’ idiocy, lying and thieving ways.
Manong Jules’s presence in the House, if elected Romblon congressman, would have been an effective counterweight against the shallowness of thought of many House members, as well as a great opportunity for Romblon to be represented once again by an articulate, hard-working soul.
We could have been witness to a rebirth of Romblon’s glory days in national politics, last seen during the pre-Martial Law days.
When I egged him to run for Congress, Manong Jules would just look at me with his sparkling eyes, smile his enigmatic smile, and say:
“Let’s think about it.”
His answer, using the third personal pronoun in plural form, “us”, was a window to his thinking. He would always be on the side of the people, concerned about what they wanted, not about what the few politicians dreamed of. From his answer, I knew he would not side with the fat cows or overweight pigs of Congress if he was there. He would, instead, roast them with his pointed barbs.
Alas, this was not to be the case, for the Great Maker has other plans for Manong Jules.
Gabuna saw through Manong Jules’s plan, and he expressed his support for it. When he called up to inform me about the meeting, I sensed Manong Jules was building a team. A reformist team.
The meeting, according to La Tondena de Bachawan (the poor fellow didn’t have a name so he hid behind a bottle of wine!), produced a manifesto drafted by Manong Jules.
“We are residents, voters and friends of the province of Romblon who are all concerned about its future. We come together in this manifesto to make a pledge—to help the province and free itself from its many problems,” the manifesto’s opening paragraph declared.
Manong Jules expressed concern about the pervasive poverty of Romblon, saying “we cannot and should not accept this as a continuing feature in the lives of our people”.
He deplored what he called “leadership by neglect” and our leaders’ unmitigated greed and corruption leading to the “common disregard of environment laws and the destruction of our rivers, our mountains and our seas”.
“We are concerned that unabated corruption has led to the depletion of resources for most needed services for our people. Corruption not only depletes the provincial budget . . . . Corruption also comes in the abusive exercise of discretion by some provincial officials in the granting of permits and the tolerance of illegal gambling,” he said.
He had no kind words for the destruction of the environment through logging and mining, and wrote that “the inability of the provincial government to control mining has led to chaos in governance, social problems and unsolved murders”.
The most telling indictment that he had was his observation that, “We are almost a failed province.” This made me very sad I almost cried. Poor Romblon.
In the last paragraphs of his manifesto, he asked that anomalies happening in Romblon be investigated and those guilty prosecuted. “Our people should know about them—for it is they who should judge their leaders eventually.”
He asked our leaders to desist from punishing the province some more. “Maawa po naman kayo sa probinsya natin!” he said, respectfully.
If I were to rewrite this part of the manifesto, I would have said: “Mahilak kiy ra kamo sa ato probinsya. Tur-i ra baga ka namamanwa,” because it seems to me that Romblon is a dying, tubercular patient. Sinupsop piy it ato mga lider ka tanang unor it Romblon, magtuna sa isra, kahoy, mina, ag abilidad nak magtikang pa sa masunor nak henerasyon. Even our provincial morale is so down and low.
Manong Jules called for a dialogue, for us take advantage of the forthcoming election to find solutions to our problems, and expressed hope that “dialogue would lead to the wise selection of our leaders capable of leading our province in the challenging times ahead.”
But he left us with a few questions hanging in the air: “Are there such leaders and if the answer is yes, where are they?”
“Will the people of Romblon—having known of Manong Jules’s reformist views—follow his admonition and “select wisely” those leaders? Or will they continue to believe in Romblon’s two BMs—Ballistic Missiles Budoy Madrona and BatMan—lording it over the province?
Tell me.
The meeting, according to La Tondena de Bachawan of www.romblonpost.com, was to jumpstart a dialogue by and between Romblomanons on the basic problems confronting us in the province and to find ways to solve these problems.
According to my kumpadre Gen. Orville Gabuna, however, the meeting was Manong Jules’s “feeling the pulse” for what Gabuna said was the former’s preparation to make a run for Congress versus Eleandro Jesus “Budoy” F. Madrona in the May 2010 election, if there would be such.
La Tondena de Bachawan used the euphemism “make himself relevant for the 2010 elections” in describing the meeting.
I do not dispute the above observations. Neither do I doubt them. During one of our coffee powwows at the Century Park coffee shop, I hinted as much to Manong Jules that I wanted him to be in politics.
This, I said, could be an easy transition for him from the parliament of the streets (where he fought so bravely) to the “parliament of pork”, the House of Representatives, where his valuable wisdom would have weighed heavily against many representatives’ idiocy, lying and thieving ways.
Manong Jules’s presence in the House, if elected Romblon congressman, would have been an effective counterweight against the shallowness of thought of many House members, as well as a great opportunity for Romblon to be represented once again by an articulate, hard-working soul.
We could have been witness to a rebirth of Romblon’s glory days in national politics, last seen during the pre-Martial Law days.
When I egged him to run for Congress, Manong Jules would just look at me with his sparkling eyes, smile his enigmatic smile, and say:
“Let’s think about it.”
His answer, using the third personal pronoun in plural form, “us”, was a window to his thinking. He would always be on the side of the people, concerned about what they wanted, not about what the few politicians dreamed of. From his answer, I knew he would not side with the fat cows or overweight pigs of Congress if he was there. He would, instead, roast them with his pointed barbs.
Alas, this was not to be the case, for the Great Maker has other plans for Manong Jules.
Gabuna saw through Manong Jules’s plan, and he expressed his support for it. When he called up to inform me about the meeting, I sensed Manong Jules was building a team. A reformist team.
The meeting, according to La Tondena de Bachawan (the poor fellow didn’t have a name so he hid behind a bottle of wine!), produced a manifesto drafted by Manong Jules.
“We are residents, voters and friends of the province of Romblon who are all concerned about its future. We come together in this manifesto to make a pledge—to help the province and free itself from its many problems,” the manifesto’s opening paragraph declared.
Manong Jules expressed concern about the pervasive poverty of Romblon, saying “we cannot and should not accept this as a continuing feature in the lives of our people”.
He deplored what he called “leadership by neglect” and our leaders’ unmitigated greed and corruption leading to the “common disregard of environment laws and the destruction of our rivers, our mountains and our seas”.
“We are concerned that unabated corruption has led to the depletion of resources for most needed services for our people. Corruption not only depletes the provincial budget . . . . Corruption also comes in the abusive exercise of discretion by some provincial officials in the granting of permits and the tolerance of illegal gambling,” he said.
He had no kind words for the destruction of the environment through logging and mining, and wrote that “the inability of the provincial government to control mining has led to chaos in governance, social problems and unsolved murders”.
The most telling indictment that he had was his observation that, “We are almost a failed province.” This made me very sad I almost cried. Poor Romblon.
In the last paragraphs of his manifesto, he asked that anomalies happening in Romblon be investigated and those guilty prosecuted. “Our people should know about them—for it is they who should judge their leaders eventually.”
He asked our leaders to desist from punishing the province some more. “Maawa po naman kayo sa probinsya natin!” he said, respectfully.
If I were to rewrite this part of the manifesto, I would have said: “Mahilak kiy ra kamo sa ato probinsya. Tur-i ra baga ka namamanwa,” because it seems to me that Romblon is a dying, tubercular patient. Sinupsop piy it ato mga lider ka tanang unor it Romblon, magtuna sa isra, kahoy, mina, ag abilidad nak magtikang pa sa masunor nak henerasyon. Even our provincial morale is so down and low.
Manong Jules called for a dialogue, for us take advantage of the forthcoming election to find solutions to our problems, and expressed hope that “dialogue would lead to the wise selection of our leaders capable of leading our province in the challenging times ahead.”
But he left us with a few questions hanging in the air: “Are there such leaders and if the answer is yes, where are they?”
“Will the people of Romblon—having known of Manong Jules’s reformist views—follow his admonition and “select wisely” those leaders? Or will they continue to believe in Romblon’s two BMs—Ballistic Missiles Budoy Madrona and BatMan—lording it over the province?
Tell me.
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