Hanggang sa Huling Hibla ng T’nalak

by Leo V. 

Sining…mula sa kislap ng mga mumunting bituin sa kalawakan, sa paghimbing at panaginip na inihabi ng mga matatandang kababaihan sa isang telang ibinuo mula sa puno ng abaka, ito, ang tunay at autentikong sining ng mga Pilipino. Lahat ay sining, magmula sa pananamit, pagsasalita, at pag-uugali, lahat ay may kauukulang pamantayan ng kagandahan. Ito ang tradisyon ng mga Pilipino, pinong pag-aasal, at purong puso ang iginugugol sa bawat gawain.

Ang sining, ayon kay Webster ay “the production, expression, or realm of what is beautiful”. Kung ang tradisyunal na sining ay nakikiisa sa kultura at gawi ng mga Pilipino, at kung ito’y ihahalintulad sa deskripsyon ni Webster sa sining, marahil nangangahulugan rin ito na sa kagandahan ng ating kultura noon, maihahalintulad rin ba ito sa isang awtentikong sining?

Ang Pilipinas ay kilala ‘di lang sa Asya ngunit sa buong mundo bilang tahanan ng mga magagaling na artists at bansa ng mga taong mahilig sa arts.  Kahit saang dako ka man mapunta sa Pilipinas ay tiyak na may ilan silang maipagyayabang na produkto ng mga malilikahaing kamay ng mga lokal na eksperto sa sining.

Tunay na maipagmamalaki ang tradisyunal na sining at kadalubhasaan ng mga mamamayan ng Pilipinas. Magandang isipin na ang mga dalubhasang ito ay hinasa na sa kani-kanilang sining mula pa pagkabata at hinubog na ang kani-kanilang mga kamay at kaluluwa sa paglikha at pagtatanggol ng sining hanggang sa kamatayan.

Ilang ulap na ang dumaan, ilang pagsubok ang lumipas, ilang tela na ang hinabi, at sa kasalukuyang panahon, nakalulungkot lang, tila lahat ng mga itinuring na gawain ng purong puso at pinong kumpas ng mga kamay ay tila isang larawan sa panginorin na unti-unting lumalabo at kumukupas.

Dati-rati’y umaabot ng higit-kumulang apat na buwan ang paghahabi ng isang T’nalak, itoy isang telang inihabi na nagpapakita ng pagkakasunod-sunod na pangyayari sa isang panaginip ng mismong manghahabi. Mula sa pagkuha ng hinimay-himay na habla ng abaka hanggang sa mismong paghabi gamit lamang ang kamay at paa,, lahat ng proseso sa paggawa ay nangangailangan ng ingat at naayon sa tradisyon.

 Itinuturing na isang mahalagang kasangkapan ang T’nalak sa tribu ng T’boli, ito ay nagsisilbing simbolo ng pag-iisang dibdib ng lalaki at babae, at nagsisilbi ring pamana o “heirloom” ng magulang sa anak. Ngunit sa ngayon, ang dati’y sagradong T’nalak ay ngayo’y ibinebenta na at itinuturing bilang isang simpleng produkto ng komersyalismo.

 Kung dati’y inaabot ng halos apat na buwan ang paggawa ng isang T’nalak, ngayo;y minamadali na ng mga “dream weavers” ang produksyon upang umabot sa deadline na  ipinapataw ng kani-kanilang industriyalisadong amo. Nasaan na ang kultura? Ni hindi na nga pinapatawan ng naka akmang ritual o orasyon ang dapat sanang isang mahalagang instrumentoat simbolo ng isang buong tribu.

Ang pagbabago ay hindi nakasasama kung ang pagbabago mismo ay dumidinig sa mga pangangailangan at kabutihan ng pangkalahatan. Diba’t kailan lang umusbong ang balitang tumaginting sa tenga ng mga pari’t Obispo, madre at iba pang miyembro ng konserbatibong Iglesia Katolika? Nilagyan ng condom ang krus, ginuhitan ng kung anu-anong bandalismo at nakakaasiwang marka ang imahe ni Hesu Kristo, ito ba ay isang sining? Kailan nga ba maitatawag na sining ang sining? Dahil ba sa gawa ito ng isang dalubhasa? Gawa ng artist?

Hindi ba’t ang kahulugan ng art ay isang ekspresyon ng kadalubhasaan sa paggawa ng bagay na naayon sa pamantayan ng kagandahan? Ako’y nagulat sa balita sa telebisyon nang nabenta ang isang larawan ng toothpick na iginuhit ng isang tanyag na artist sa Estados Unidos sa halagang 3000 dollars, o tumataginting na 138 000 pesos. Isang toothpick na kahit isang bata ay kayang kopyahin.

Ang pagkawala ng kalaliman ng tradisyunal na sining Pilipino ay epekto nang pagbabago ng panahon at dala na rin nang matindig impluwensya ng komersyalismo at globalisasyon, kung saan ang lahat ng mga nakaugalian ay unti-unting nagbabago. Tama bang makibagay tayo sa kung anu ang nauuso at bago at isasawalang bahala ang isang maganda at maipagmamalaking kultura? Kung ako ang tatanungin ay hindi. Bakit natin babaguhin ang isang bagay na hindi naman kailangang baguhin?

Kung sana’y nalalaman lang ng lahat ng Pilipino ang tunay na kahulugan ng isang kultura at tradisyunal na sining, marahil isa na tayo sa mga tao sa mundo na malaki ang respeto sa sariling bansa at kultura nito. Mayaman ang ating kultura, huwag nating hayaang mawala ang kahalagahan nito.

Isipin at isa puso natin lahat ng iniambag na dugo at pawis ng ating mga ninuno upang mabuo ang isang magandang kulturang nagbigay daan sa pag usbong ng magandang sining. Pangalagaan natin kung ano ang natitira at huwag nating hayaang masayang lang ang huling hibla ng T’nalak.

 GOOD PUBLICITY for Dan Brown...

MMDA worries about the bad image that

Manila, gates of hell? MMDA fumes

By Mike Frialde (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 24, 2013 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino yesterday joined the bandwagon of critics slamming Dan Brown for his latest novel “Inferno,” in which the author describes Manila as the “gates of hell.”

Tolentino said he wrote Brown a letter telling him that his description of Manila was “inaccurate.”
“We write to you with much concern regarding your recently published novel ‘Inferno’ and its mention of Manila being defined by a number of terrible descriptions of poverty and pollution, among others, having ‘suffocating pollution, and a horrifying sex trade’ and worse, being alluded to as ‘gates of hell’,” Tolentino said in his letter.

“While we are aware that yours is a work of fiction, we are greatly disappointed by your inaccurate portrayal of our beloved metropolis. We are displeased with how you have used Manila as a venue and source of a character’s breakdown and trauma, much more her disillusionment in humanity,” Tolentino added.

Tolentino defended Metro Manila as a “center of Filipino spirit, faith and hope.”
“Our faith in God binds us as a nation and we believe that Manila citizens are more than capable of exemplifying good character and compassion towards each other, something that your novel has failed to acknowledge. Truly, our place is an entry to heaven,” Tolentino said.
Tolentino invited the bestselling author to visit Manila.

The End of Filipino Time

 Finally, Philippine Standard Time, Institutionalized...why it took so long???

From an article :

Aquino signs law setting Philippine Standard Time

 @http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/05/23/aquino-signs-law-setting-philippine-standard-time-283808

Thursday, May 23, 2013

MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III has signed into law a consolidated bill setting the Philippine Standard Time (PST) and institutionalizing the first week of the year as the "National Time Consciousness Week."

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a press briefing on Thursday, said Aquino signed last May 15 Republic Act 10535 or "An Act to set the Philippine Standard Time in All Official Sources throughout the country, to provide funds for the installation, operation and maintenance of synchronized time devices to be displayed in key public places and to declare the first week of every year as National Time Consciousness Week."

The new law otherwise known as The Philippine Standard Time (PST) Act of 2013 is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3284 and House Bill No. 164 that was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on February 4, 2013.

The Act mandates all national and local government offices to display Philippine Standard Time on their official time devices, including bundy clocks, in accordance with the official time provided by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) using its network time protocol.

All of these offices shall coordinate, at least once a month, with the Pagasa to synchronize their official timepieces and devices.

The Pagasa's Time Service Unit, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (Dost), shall be tasked to monitor, maintain and disseminate the PST throughout the country. The Pagasa shall operate and maintain a timekeeping system to perform these functions and shall endeavor to install and maintain sufficiently large and prominently displayed synchronized time devices in all their field stations and in key public places.

The procurement of equipment necessary for the automatic dissemination of time with global positioning system (GPS) shall be in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act). The DOST shall be the procurement overseer of the said equipment. 

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will also require the participation of all government and private television and radio stations to ensure synchronization of timekeeping devices even in the most remote parts of the country.

Owners of private television and radio stations who shall fail to calibrate and synchronize their time devices with the Philippine Standard Time during their broadcast shall, upon hearing and due proceedings, be penalized with a fine of not less than P30,000 but not more than P50,000 in the first offense. A subsequent offense will merit a revocation and cancellation of their franchises to operate.

The fine to be collected as penalty for the violation of this Act shall be deposited in the general fund of the National Treasury.

The law also institutionalizes the first week of the year as "National Time Consciousness Week."

The Pagasa, in coordination with the Dost, the NTC, the Department of Transportation and Communications, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of National Defense, Department of Health, the Department of Education, and the Commission on Higher Education (Ched), shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of the calibration and synchronization of the timekeeping devices and implementation of this Act within 90 days from the effectivity of this Act. 

This Act shall take effect after 15 days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in two 2 newspapers of general circulation. (SDR/Sunnex)

Pork Barrel - PDAF

Pork Barrel, by definition, is a slang term used when politicians or governments "unofficially" undertake projects that benefit a group of citizens in return for that group's support or campaign donations. This spending mostly benefits the needs of a small select group despite the fact that the entire community's funds are being used. Also referred to as "patronage".

For example, let's say a city has a large number of potholes, spread evenly throughout its communities. If the mayor took campaign contributions from a group of wealthy residents in exchange for a promise to fix the potholes in their neighborhood first, this would be pork-barrel politics.

One possible derivation for the phrase comes from the practice of country stores keeping a barrel of salted pork open and available to the public. Certain high-ranking citizens would come by daily to dip into this common fund.

From an article by Angela Casauay entitled :Senatorial Bets want to abolish pork barrel “A senator gets about P200 million in pork barrel funds each year, an amount that makes up a substantial amount of congressional allocations that lawmakers receive each year.”

Llasos, a lawyer, said the PDAF, or the Priority Development Assistance Fund, and other discretionary funds are the root of graft and corruption and should therefore be abolished.

According to Marwil Llasos  , "I know the function of a senator. The function is legislation, to create laws, investigations in aid of legislation and education on issues. There is no mention of being a contractor,"

Hontiveros said PDAF allocations must be subjected to “the system of ordinary people” so that they can dictate the kind of projects that the pork barrel will subsidize, while Christian Señeres said it should be “scrutinized up to the last peso."

Bayan Muna Rep Teddy Casiño cited a concrete use of the pork barrel: collect all and give to state colleges. In outlining his platform on education, Casiño acknowledged the need to provide more funding for universities, which can be sourced from the PDAF and by re-aligning funds used to pay for the country’s P5-T debt.

Why can’t the PDAF be distributed directly to local government units? For years,  national and local oligarchs have been benefiting millions from this “unofficial fund”. We do not even know for sure if these supposed to be millions of development funds are being used for development projects, or being corrupted. All we know, is that people who  gets into positions gets even richer and richer.

“Every right involves a corresponding responsibility to others and to society?” an assesment.

There is an old argument about rights that has enjoyed resurgent popularity in these days of “spreading the wealth around.” It is the assertion that while human beings undoubtedly have rights, they also have responsibilities. “For every right there is a corresponding responsibility that is its complement.” One should not be surprised that this line of reasoning appeals to statists of all varieties, because they see in it a way to undercut rights and dress up their schemes of plunder and domination as “responsibilities.” However, it does not take the clear-thinking mind long to see through these principle, for they fail to hold up to a moment’s analysis.

What are the characteristics of a right? A right is an absolute and exclusive claim to something. “Absolute” because you cannot partially have a right to something. You either have a right to it wholly or not at all. “Exclusive” because that which you have a right to no one else can claim a right to. A right defines something that you are entitled to. You do not need anyone’s permission to exercise a right. No one can charge you a fee for exercising it. No government can regulate it. You are entitled to exercise rights without interference by or permission from anyone.

Consider the right to life. Is your right to life absolute or do you only have a right to live under certain conditions? Do you have an exclusive right to live your own life or do others have some partial right to your life? Are you entitled to live, or do other people have a right to charge you a fee in return for allowing you to live? Can any government pass a law or regulation qualifying your right to life?

There are different kinds of rights, based upon their origins. Legal rights derive from a contract. While these rights originate with the consent of others, such as your right to a house that you have purchased, that right nevertheless takes on all of the characteristics described above once you have acquired it. The corresponding responsibility to the right of ownership of the house is the obligation to pay for the house. Your responsibility to pay derives from the contract you entered into. You are obliged to pay because you have consented to pay in exchange for the right to the property previously owned by the seller.

Natural rights are inherent in each person. These do not originate with the consent of others, but are part of and inseparable from our humanity. They cannot be taken away. Even if they are violated, they nevertheless remain. When we recognize something to be “wrong,” it is usually the violation of some kind of right. However, when we recognize something as “evil,” it is invariably the violation of a natural, inalienable right.

A responsibility is something that you are obliged to do. It is an obligation that you must fulfill in order to comply with a moral or legal code. Responsibilities do not always conform to our wishes. We may prefer to do one thing, but have the responsibility to do another. Responsibilities are actions that we are compelled to do, either by religious doctrine, our own consciences, or other people.

Marriage Equality Act

If I were a legislator, this would be the bill I'd be pushing for...but I know the country isn't ready for this yet.

Title: Marriage Equality Act

Executive Summary:

           

Homosexuality in our country, the Philippines is evidently not acceptable compared to other developing countries. Discrimination is still very much evident as some people still refuse to accept the existence of the third sex and other times, limit their expectations, assuming that members of the third sex are deemed to be unclean.

Marriage has long been one way that couples express their love for one another and their commitment to their relationship. Despite arguments that so-called “same-sex marriage” seeks to redefine “traditional marriage,” allowing committed gay and lesbian couples to get married does not change the meaning of marriage. Gay and lesbian couples want to get married to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and to protect their families.

Bill Text:

The concept of equal protection under the law, to be preserved in our Constitution, requires that fundamental rights like the right to marry be made available equally to same-sex and opposite-sex couples. This bill would not only allow same sex couples to get married, but would also serve as an enshrined advocacy on defending LGBT (Lesbian, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders) rights and broaden the range of civil liberties.

The act would open the minds of the many who refuse to live with the third sex that they have equal rights as straight people, that they have the capacity to love, work, trade as those who are straight. The act would be part of the constitution, thus it would reflect the political principles of government, and thus recognizing the existence and delegating equal rights to the LGBTs.

In article posted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), “Nine states plus D.C. allow same-sex couples to marry, two more respect marriages of same-sex couples validly performed in other states, eight provide civil unions or comprehensive domestic partnerships, and two more have more limited domestic partnership systems. That’s 20 states plus D.C. that provide some significant state-level relationship protections, and those states are home to 130 million people.

These facts are heartening, but there is still a lot of work to do to improve laws that will protect all families. Since the first marriage lawsuit for same-sex couples in America in 1971, the ACLU has been at the forefront of both legal and public education efforts to secure marriage for same-sex couples and win legal recognition for LGBT relationships.”

For Philippine Implementation, education is the first step for this act to be recognized and accepted to society. Movements promoting the advocacy of giving equal and distinct rights to the LGBTs must also be strengthened and persisted.