If you grew up in the streets and had to deal with a bully you may recall having been told this to your face: "May angal?" Literally: Any complaints? If the bully was much bigger than you, and especially if he had other toughies backing him up, you simply swallowed your pride, meekly shook your head, and took whatever abuse was heaped on you.
Your only recourse was to weep in self-pity and complain to the heavens about your fate. If you were the type with some measure of braggadocio, you told your friends that you didn’t have the heart to embarrass the bully or you didn’t want to dignify his lack of manners. But deep inside you, you felt really puny, impotent, and helpless. And ashamed of yourself for not fighting back.
In this country, which has deteriorated into one governed, not by laws but by people wielding raw power, we are being bullied and told to our faces: "May angal???"
We make a lot of noises, organize marches, sign petitions, hold up placards, write letters to the media, threaten to go to court, and curse the bullies to high heavens. But after so much sound and fury, the bullies in government still get away with their abuses. In fact, in a literal sense, they get away with murder.
The question is: deep inside us, how do we feel? Do we feel puny, weak, impotent, helpless, and ashamed of ourselves?
But can’t do much more? So far, that seems to be the case.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo phoned and instructed a Comelec commissioner to ensure her victory by cheating. She was exposed. She brazened it. Garci went into hiding then reappeared. And after a lot of zarzuela in the Senate and in the media, nothing came out of the case. Garci even ran for Congress. Mercifully, he lost. But Arroyo remained president.
May angal???
Jocjoc Bolante, undersecretary of agriculture, was summoned by the Senate to explain the misuse in the Arroyo presidential campaign of millions in agricultural funds.
He went into hiding in the US, was jailed, deported to the Philippines and finally faced the Senate. But all they could extract from him were denials.
Nothing has come out of the case. Now Bolante is running for governor of Capiz in the party of Manny Villar, who is the no-longer-secret candidate of Arroyo.
May angal???
The chairman of the Comelec, the presidential husband and Gloria Arroyo herself were accused of complicity in the ZTE-NBM scandal that would have yielded millions of dollars in illicit profit for the conspirators. Arroyo prevented a key witness from testifying before the Senate on the excuse of executive privilege. A compliant Supreme Court backed her up. To this day, a clear case of corruption and obstruction of justice remains unresolved and unpunished.
May angal????
The Supreme Court, formerly the last recourse for those seeking justice, has told the nation to "Shut up already" and live with its decision to allow Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to appoint the next chief justice. That way, Arroyo will have an even more compliant high court when she unravels her Machiavellian scheme to remain in power.
May angal????
The acting justice secretary, Alberto Agra, has decided to clear two members of the Ampatuan clan of involvement in the Maguindanao massacre, based purely on alleged alibis and discounting the testimony of a witness that the two had a hand in the planning of the killings.
The Ampatuans are electoral magicians. They can make even the most favored candidate end up with zero votes.
And they can make someone like Chavit Singson number one among senatorial candidates, never mind his dismal performance everywhere else. Obviously, the Ampatuan magic will be harnessed once more in the May 10 elections.
May angal???
State prosecutors, all subordinates of Agra, led by Chief State Prosecutor Claro Arellano, have publicly protested Agra’s unilateral decision and a nationwide uproar has been raised against him. But he is standing his ground.
May angal????
The Commission on Elections has piled up more blunders than the Keystone Kops, leaving in serious doubt the efficient and honest implementation of the country’s first automated polls.
To protect the integrity of the electoral process, calls have been made for a parallel manual count. IT experts, civil society, the business community, media, and most of the candidates for president are demanding it.
But the officials of the Comelec have rejected this recomendation, insisting that the elections will be conducted without a hitch.
That’s like saying that a car with faulty brakes, broken headlights, balding tires, and a defective steering system is fit and ready for a race. But as far as the Comelec officials are concerned, it’s their way and no other way.
May angal????
The party-list system was devised to ensure representation for the disadvantaged and the under-represented.
But the Arroyo dynasty does not want to let go of power. Gloria Arroyo will take a demotion to member of Congress, just to stay in power, and her son, Mikey, from whom she is grabbing the congressional seat, has decided to demote himself to security guard -- more accurately, as the representative of security guards -- in order to remain in Congress. Another relative claims to represent tricycle drivers. Everyone knows it’s a farce. But they’re getting away with it with the approval of the Comelec.
May angal????
Gloria Arroyo, feeling ultra-generous, decided to appoint her personal manicurist to the board of trustees of the Pag-IBIG Housing Fund and her gardener as deputy of the Luneta Park Administration. Her spokesman, Gary Olivar, justifies this as providing representation for the common people.
May Angal???
And speaking of Olivar, this fellow is a US citizen, as well as a Filipino citizen. According to the law, a dual citizen who occupies a key official position in the Philippine government must renounce his foreign citizenship.
Has Olivar done so? Is he breaking the law and getting away with it?
So what else is new? May angal???
And so, the elections will be held on May 10. There is every reason to fear that it will be Garcified.
RECENTLY REGISTERED CHINESE BABY NAMES BORN IN PINAS:
Born in the dark = Andy Lim Born blind = Kenneth Sy Born being swindled = Lino Co Born while cooking = Nilo Toh Born as 10th child = Sam Po Born while being courted = Lily Gaw Born fat = Bob Uy Born little = Kathy Ting Born different = Eva Yan Born with porridge = Lino Gaw Born looking for someone = Allen Sia Born while counterfeiting = Faye King Born on Sunday = Lyn Go Born in error = Mali Sia Born during a quarrel = Ally Tan Born with picture = Lara Huan Born with sweets = Ken Dy Born undefined = Sam Ting Born while taking a bath = Lily Go Born not to take a bath = Dinah Lily Go Born while buying = Bill Li Born secretly = Tina Go Born to fart = Otto Tin Born ugly = Kaw YoonBorn handsome = Ah koh YoonBorn Normal = Nath Ting Wong Born Abnormal = Sam Ting Wong May reklamo ka??? = Nath Ting
Filipinos rejoiced over the stunning victory of Pacquiao, that briefly brought unity among army troops and guerrillas and grounded traffic to a halt in his Southeast Asian homeland.
Filipino citizens cheered as they watch the live satellite bout between Filipino boxing champ Manny Paquiao and the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto for the light welterweight boxing title in various venues on Sunday November 15, 2009. Manny Pacquiao floored Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico in the second and third round of the 12-round welterweight title boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, before winning via stoppage at the last round.
Cinemas, restaurants, gymnasiums and other arenas in the country, aired live the boxing fight of the hometown folk hero Manny Pacquiao.
The devastation of Typhoon "Ondong" !!!
This year has been really hard for the people of the Philippines with all the devastating floods brought in by the back to back typhoons that has besieged the country from Luzon to Mindanao!
It seems to refect the political situation the country is being run by and I guess God is punishing the poor citizens without their knowing it. Let's just hope and pray the year finishes in good spirits and a dawn of a new era pervades in the coming elections of 2010.
This is where the Pinoy has to start to show that every corruption they have endured comes to a halt and real politicians come out to show the real color of a true Filipino.
Cory Aquino magic is back In death, she revives People PowerBy DJ Yap, Allison Lopez, Jeannette Andrade, Kristine L. Alave Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 02:18:00 08/04/2009
And as it was more than two decades ago, she drew multitudes who showered her with cheers, confetti and even tears in a huge outpouring of love and gratitude for the woman who led them in their fight to win back their freedom.
Ayala Avenue in Makati, where Aquino marched to defy a dictator in 1983, and EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue), where the People Power Revolution she inspired was born, turned into seas of yellow for one brief afternoon.
The tens of thousands that swarmed the two historic avenues Monday paid homage to Aquino as her flag-draped casket—on a flatbed truck bedecked with yellow and white blossoms—passed through en route to Manila Cathedral, where the last two days of the Aquino wake will be held before her funeral on Wednesday.
The streets fluttered with yellow ribbons and, as they did two decades ago, reverberated with chants of “Cory! Cory!”
The whole metropolis was “in a state of grace,” said Manila’s Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo.
Pabillo was overwhelmed by the public outburst of affection for the 76-year-old widow, who died after a battle with colon cancer on Saturday.
The country’s biggest television networks, GMA 7 and ABS-CBN, carried live telecasts of the procession. In contrast, the government TV NBN was running a different show—an episode of “Concert at the Park"—as Aquino’s casket arrived at the cathedral.
‘It’s now our turn’
As the cortege drove out of La Salle Green Hills and rolled through EDSA, confetti rained down from buildings, balloons soared and yellow flags snapped in the wind.
“This is an important chapter in Philippine history. Like I told my students, ‘You will regret it if you do not take part,’” said history professor Mark David Aquino.
“The time of Ninoy is over. The time of Cory has passed. It’s our turn to change history and shape our own destiny,” said Aquino, a distant relation of the late President.
Police estimates of the crowds that lined the streets leading to Manila Cathedral ranged from 70,000 to 100,000.
Motorists honked their horns or rolled down their windows, waved and took pictures of the procession.
The crowds came from disparate backgrounds: bare-shirted squatters, businessmen in suits, doctors and nurses, government employees, Metro Aides, foreign tourists, college and high school students, grade school pupils, teachers, construction workers, nuns and housewives.
A challenge to Filipinos
Rain had threatened to mar the procession but, as if by providence, the skies cleared the moment the coffin was lifted on to the six-wheeler truck for the ride through the metropolis.
The truck, swathed in black cloth, was smothered with cattleyas, anthuriums and casablancas. In front was a white banner with the message in Filipino: “We love you, Cory.”
Along the route, other signs sprouted: “Thank you, Tita Cory” and “Thank you for your legacy of freedom.”
Before the motorcade, a Mass was celebrated at the La Salle Green Hills gymnasium, where Aquino had lain in state for two days.
In his homily, Bishop Florentino Cinense said: “The more we praise her, the more we reveal that we, too, desire to be like her … Let her life and virtues challenge us to strive to do even better.”
Bringing the past back
Many in the crowd along the streets brought along something yellow (Aquino’s battle color), such as ribbons, umbrellas, towels and shirts.
What should have been a one-hour trip to the cathedral took five hours.
On Ayala, executives and employees in office towers showered the cortege with confetti, which rained down for minutes.
It brought back the past.
It was in the country’s financial center where Aquino led some of the most stirring rallies against the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos after her husband—opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.—was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983, on his return from exile in the United States.
The protests helped rouse public indignation against Marcos and led to the 1986 uprising that hounded him out of Malacañang and into exile.
Goodbye to Cory
“We feel sad because who will defend us now that she’s gone? ... But with her death, the EDSA spirit returned and united us again,” Makati bank employee Araceli Franco, 42, said in Filipino.
“I hope this kind of unity will last, because Ninoy and Cory’s sacrifices will become futile if we don’t stand up as one people,” she added.
In the crowd was Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and members of the almost forgotten August Twenty One Movement, a protest group set up after the 1983 Aquino assassination.
The Makati leg of the procession took two hours from Ayala-EDSA to Ayala-Buendia.
Instead of the usual stock figures, a streetside neon screen of the Philippine Stock Exchange flashed Aquino’s favorite nickname with her portrait and a message: “Goodbye Cory and Thank You So Much Cory.”
Carrying on
On Ayala, the convoy stopped for about 15 minutes in front of the Ninoy monument at the corner of Paseo de Roxas as people joined in singing “Bayan Ko”—Cory Aquino’s battle song against Marcos—while flashing the Laban (fight) sign with their thumbs and forefingers, and praying Hail Marys.
“This is our last pasyal with Cory,” Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, former Tarlac governor and wife of Cory Aquino’s brother Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, told the Inquirer.
“She was a woman who believed in freedom and democracy. It’s up to us to carry on. Her work is unfinished because we’re still not united,” Tingting added.
Peping Cojuangco said: “It took her death to revive unity among the Filipinos.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all,” said Aquino’s actress-daughter Kris.
“Our hearts feel so wonderful because you are letting us feel that you loved my mom very much,” she said. “I feel so blessed to be a Filipino.”
Farewell from the sea
In Manila, students, city and private employees crowded three major thoroughfares to await the procession.
Ship horns from vessels docked at the North Harbor wailed for five minutes as the truck bearing Aquino’s remains passed her husband’s monument standing across from the historic Manila Hotel.
A student from Rafael Palma Elementary School waved a yellow ribbon and cried out in Filipino, “Tell Cory, I love you even if she is already in heaven.”
For Araullo High School social studies department head Celia Soriano, welcoming the procession was a way of imparting lessons to students.
“This is part of history... They should feel they are a part of history,” Soriano said.
Bringing back memories
News photographer Rafael Gozum, angling for a good shot of Aquino’s cortege, was injured when he fell from the roof of a parked broadcasting van.
Catholic prelates and civil society leaders who attended the wake at Manila Cathedral said they were overwhelmed by the public support for the democracy icon.
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon said the street gatherings “bring back memories” of the EDSA Revolution.
“You can really feel the enthusiasm of the people. It’s a sign that the people are ready to fight for what they believe in,” Drilon said.
Bishop Pabillo said: “It shows that we can be united for a common cause … It can be a reminder and it can be a warning to those who wish ill of the country. There is a force to reckon with.”
During the liturgical rites, Bishop Socrates Villegas recounted how Sister Lucia of Portugal once talked to the late Jaime Cardinal Sin—who helped spark the 1986 uprising against Marcos—about Aquino.
Lucia asked Sin to give Aquino a rosary she had made and told the late Manila archbishop to give Aquino the message that she “is God’s gift to you people.”
Villegas said Sin replied: “But she is suffering.”
Lucia said: “Like all God’s gift, she will suffer.”
In the last days of her life and during her difficult presidency, Aquino suffered “for us,” fulfilling Lucia’s prophesy, Villegas said.
“But this morning we saw from La Salle to Intramuros the pain has ended. Alleluia. The battle is over, the victory is won,” Villegas said.
Public viewing at the cathedral started at about 5 p.m. The wake will last until Wednesday. With reports from Julie M. Aurelio, Marlon Ramos, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press
You are in a Filipino Party if ....
You're an hour late and there is still nobody there! There's enough food to feed the Philippines. ...you can't even get thru the door because there's a pile of 50 shoes blocking the way. When you see a huge fork and spoon on the wall, a framed picture of the last supper, a huge Santo Nino, and a barrel man. When they start singing "Peelings" on karaoke.... the piano in the living room is just there for decoration and to display framed pictures on. no one really plays the piano at the house, unless you count that one piano lesson your parents forced you to go to when you were 8.. When you hear an Uncle traumatize one of the female cousins by saying " OH, You're a Big Girl Now!" instead of "You're all grown up" when your puppy goes missing and you start thinking that it may be in your dinner. When they give you extra adobo for your baon. You have an Auntie that likes to grab your thing and calls it little birdie or putotoy. The living room is tiled, not carpeted.... because the furniture has been cleared out for karaoke and dancing. when the drunk uncles in the backyard don't even bother going to the bathroom to take a piss....the rose bush is designated to be the community urinal. I find it hilarious when my old Navy Retired Ilocano Manong uncles see old friends at a party. All I hear is...."UKI NAM! LONG TIME NO SEE! SHeee...it!" when you are greeted by a tita baby and/or a tito boy
When the older men are in the garage playing posoy-dos, the women are in the kitchen gossiping, the other people are in the entertainment room signing karaoke, and the kids are outside the streets running around unsupervised by any adults. ...your told only to walk on the plastic floor runners -There's goat pulutan beeing cooked there's a crazy woman with a camera going around the room snapping away and yelling "Uy peeeek-chuuur! " parents expect you to be best friends with their friends kids just because they grew up as best friends back in the Philippines. . When you enter a family party and you "Manong" half the old crowd and when you leave you have to say good bye to EVERYONE that's related to you as a sign of respect. You end up saying hello and goodbye for a total of 30-40 minutes. You know you're at a Filipino party when you hear a male's voice on the karaoke trying to emulate Frank Sinatra's "My Way".... women are still doing the line dance to "todo todo todo"...
when there's at least one or more with the name : jp, jt , tj, dj, aj, rj, lj, nae nae, lin lin etc......... . someone tells you how much weight you've put on since the last time they saw you, and then hands you a plate and says "go eat! go eat!" the parents show off how talented their kid is by forcing them to sing or play an instrument in front of their guests -All the old aunties are already wrapping up food to take home. You have the Pacquiao fight on the illegal cable boxes on the 70" LCD in the movie room, the 10 yr old 50" CRT in the living room, the 15 yr old 30" tube in the breakfast nook, the 20 yr old 15" tube in the kitchen, the 30 yr old 13" tube in the garage and the little portable by the BBQ grill Because TVs are NEVER retired in a Filipino household, they merely get demoted to whichever room doesn't have a TV yet(hahaha.. ..then it ends up in the balikbayan box to be sent to a relative back home, and it ends up being the main TV at the house again...) the leftover food can be recycled into another dish later on that week.. When someone is encouraging you to eat the "chocolate meat"..... (dinuguan) there's a token white guy there that's responsible for bringing one of your aunts over from the Philippines by marrying her... When every other sentence you hear at the party starts with "Puta" and ends with "Mo" chances are the hottest looking chick there is only 14 years old....and she ends up being your cousin the aunties are showing off their "designer" Louis Vuitton and Coach bags that they secretly bought at a swapmeet in the Philippines someone is always in the kitchen constantly cleaning up, and you're not sure if she's the maid or a relative, so you greet and kiss them on the cheek anyway just in case When no matter how many times to politely protest, refuse, or say you're full, you're still forced to eat food and even then, end up bringing at least 2 tupperware containers worth of stuff home. everyone decides to take off to las vegas to stay at the time share your aunt owns. they constantly ask if you have a gf/bf, or if you're married yet...and when you say "No" they're like "Oh why not?" and then they just so happen to know someone to hook you up with that's "perfect" for you... An Auntie or Manang asks, "Did you ETTTTTT...?" you say, "Yes Auntie, im full...!" and she says, "We hab Kanin..... you ETTTTT...!!" relatives will ask you where you worked and if it's a retail job or if you work at an amusement park, they'll ask if you can get them a discount.. everybody has there own magic mic with "their" songs..... when you see banana ketchup After the party, you're helping clean up and your auntie tells you... "Anak...... put the kwan next to the ano." The lumpia is gone in 5 minutes and they are frying up another batch. They play achy-breaky heart...over and over again....and they are doing the Electric Slide line dancing. i like how the religious gatherings at the house turn into an illegal gambling set up by the end of the night... The room is full of Uncles and Aunties that you aren't even blood related to. when you say "Pssssssssssttt. ...." out loud and everyone turns to look.. (its the universal way to get a Filipino's attention
Our good old rock station that almost everyone grew-up with .... The one and only D Z R J ...
The top 10 irritating Pinoy expressions
PENMAN By Butch Dalisay Updated January 05, 2009 12:00 AM
Last November, the folks at Oxford University came out with a list of “top 10 irritating expressions” in the English language, by which I suppose they meant the English language as it’s employed in their corner of the English-speaking world, and not necessarily in what used to be the backwaters of the Bard’s dominion, in places like India and the Philippines. “Irritating” is, of course, a matter of cultural and personal predisposition. One man’s joke — such as the “Barack the Magic Negro” song that top Republicans passed among themselves — could be another man’s slur, and what annoys an American—such as a Pinoy texting in the middle of conversation — might be perfectly normal to the other fellow.
So the Oxford list might cause some of us to just go “Eh?”, but it’s always interesting to see what ticks off other people. Now let’s see which among the following words or phrases feels like a bug in your ear:
1. At the end of the day
2. Fairly unique
3. I personally
4. At this moment in time
5. With all due respect
6. Absolutely
7. It’s a nightmare
8. Shouldn’t of
9. 24/7
10. It’s not rocket science
Well, come now, that wasn’t too bad, was it? We hear these expressions hereabouts now and then, but not that often, so they don’t grate on us as they might with the English. For example, we hardly ever say, “It’s not rocket science,” because, well, we don’t have rocket science in this country. Indeed we have our own, uhm, fairly unique ways of putting things and of getting annoyed by them.
I’ve compiled my own list of irritating expressions in English as we Filipinos use the language among ourselves, with others, over the airwaves, in the office, in conferences, and in the papers. I’m sure you can add to this list — do send me your pet peeves — and this comes with the caveat that the annoyance may be entirely mine. If they don’t bother you, then don’t lose any sleep over them; Lord knows we suffer enough aggravations in this life and in this country without having to be upset by wrong or awkward prepositions.
(Speaking of which, a reader wrote in recently to say how he or she — there was no name in the email address — failed to appreciate whatever I was doing in my column-piece on getting a La-Z-Boy, because I had committed the grievous error of saying “in the mall” instead of “at the mall” in my first sentence. I said I agreed that “at the mall” was probably the preferred and “correct” form, but I also asked him/her to Google the whole phrase “in the mall” to see how it’s entered common usage. Language — unfortunately or otherwise — isn’t graven in stone like math, perhaps to the distress of ruler-toting schoolmarms; one billion people saying “1+1=3” isn’t going to make it so. But if enough people—including influential writers and editors in places like Newsweek and The New York Times — say “different than” instead of “different from,” which I’m sticking with only because it’s what I’ve been used to, then the language will change; it already has. This might as well be the place for me to remind readers that while I do teach English and while I deeply value and enjoy language as a writer, I don’t think of myself as a stickler for rules, as some would like me to be. I cringe at bad language and poor grammar, but there are far worse things in life to fret over, and some of the worst damage to English is being perpetrated by some fools in Congress who insist on an English-only policy when they can barely speak or write it. I once had to sit through a hearing where a congressman held forth on “the youngs, the youngs of this country!”)
But here’s my list of the 10 most irritating Pinoy expressions in English — irritating not necessarily because they’re wrong (although some are), but because they’re everywhere you look and listen.
1. “In fairness.” The most popular phrase in Pinoy showbiz, where fairness is apparently in great demand. Every time I hear this, my mind goes, “In fairness to whom or to what?”, but you never get to hear the other end of the phrase, so much so that you begin to suspect that the speaker really means “In fairness to me!”
2. “As far as.” I don’t mean “as far as the eye can see,” but “As far as accommodations, everything is already taken care of” (or, more likely in these parts, “taken cared of”) or “As far as Manny Pacquiao, either Hatton or Mayweather will be okay for his next fight.” As in the above, I keep looking for the missing “is (or are) concerned” after “as far as” — but it looks like that’s as far as most people will go.
3. “At this point in time,” the Pinoy version of “At this moment in time.” I can recall precisely when I began hearing this wondrously redundant expression over the airwaves — during the coverage of the 1986 EDSA revolt and its aftermath, from which point (in time?) it became a staple of reporters and broadcasters. Why not just say, “at this point” or “at this time” or the even more economical “today” or “now”?
4. “Remains to be.” Not in the sense of “It remains to be seen if Filipinos will finally vote for the right person,” but rather “The deposit remains to be unclaimed” or “This painter remains to be unappreciated by the critics.” “To be”? Not to be!
5. “Wherein.” I don’t know how this word crept into the vocabulary and overran the place, rather like the carnivore snail someone imported that ate up all the other garden creatures both good and bad, but you hear it everywhere, taking over where (or wherein?) the good old “where” (or, sometimes, the more precise “whereby”) should suffice. Hear this: “The house wherein the hero was born will be turned into a museum.” Want to have some fun? Google these two words together: “wherein” and “Philippines.” You’ll find choice examples like “He entered the University of the Philippines wherein he studied Medicine.”
6. “Demand for.” I’ve already written about this before, but obviously no one in government and corporate officialdom reads me, so we still have signs screaming “Demand for your receipt!”
7. “Literally.” Don’t people know that “literally” means, well, “literally”? I’ve heard people say “I’m so hungry I could literally eat a horse!” Really? I tried horsemeat once, in little nibbles—no, it didn’t taste like chicken — so I guess I could say “I literally ate horse,” but literally eating a horse will require hunger the size of Africa.
8. “Whatever.” You ask someone a perfectly good question you’ve taken minutes to compose, and that person shrugs her shoulders or rolls his eyes and says “Whateverrrr….” Don’t you just want to strangle that person on the spot?
9. “Wholistic/holistic.” First of all, just how do you spell this thing? Does it come with a W or not? The medical dictionary defines “holism” (no W) as “the conception of a man as a functioning whole. But then you have websites devoted to “The Wholistic Pet” and “Wholistic Health Solutions” (which, incidentally, sells the Home Colon Cleaning Kit). This word (with or without the W — whatever) seems to be one of those warm and fuzzy buzzwords that came in with New Age music, organic tomatoes, and NGOs. (I’ll talk about “stakeholders” some other day.)
10. “Multiawarded.” It’s No. 10 on this list, but it tops my list of Ugliest Frankenwords in the Universe. Of course, it’s popular because it does the job of saying “He (or she) has won not just one but many prizes!” Anyone should be happy to be multiawarded, and I should be honored that this word’s been often applied to me in introductions and such — but it isn’t false modesty at work when you see me wincing at the word. “Prizewinning” will do. Or, better yet, “many-splendored.” But that would no longer be me.
Contrary to popular belief, Philippine resistance to American rule did not end with the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo in 1901. There were numerous resistance forces fighting for Philippine independence until the year 1910. One of these forces was led by Macario Sakay who established the Tagalog Republic.Born in 1870 in Tondo, Macario Sakay had a working-class background. He started out as an apprentice in a calesa manufacturing shop. He was also a tailor, a barber, and an actor in comedias and moro-moros. His participation in Tagalog dramas exposed him to the world of love, courage, and discipline.
In 1894, Sakay joined the Dapitan, Manila branch of the Katipunan. Due to his exemplary work, he became head of the branch. His nightly activities as an actor in comedias camouflaged his involvement with the Katipunan. Sakay assisted in the operation of the Katipunan press. During the early days of the Katipunan, Sakay worked with Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto. He fought side by side with Bonifacio in the hills of Morong (now Rizal) Province.
During the initial stages of the Filipino-American war, Sakay was jailed for his seditious activities. He had been caught forming several Katipunan chapters and preaching its ideals from town to town.
This is the author's impression of what Sakay's Republika ng Katagalugan flag must have looked like. There are no available pictures of the flag; this reconstruction was based on a written description.
Republika ng KatagaluganReleased in 1902 as the result of an amnesty, Sakay established with a group of other Katipuneros the Republika ng Katagalugan in the mountains of Southern Luzon.
Sakay held the presidency and was also called "Generalisimo."Francisco Carreon was the vice-president and handled Sakay's correspondence. Julian Montalan was the overall supervisor for military operations. Cornelio Felizardo took charge of the northern part of Cavite (Pasay-Bacoor) while Lucio de Vega controlled the rest of the province. Aniceto Oruga operated in the lake towns of Batangas. Leon Villafuerte headed Bulacan while Benito Natividad patrolled Tanauan, Batangas.
L to R: seated, Julian Montalan, Francisco Carreon, Macario Sakay, Leon Villafuerte; standing, Benito Natividad, Lucio de Vega.
Sakay and many of his followers favored long hair, certainly something strange for his era. This affectation may have been exploited by the Americans in their efforts to portray Sakay and his men as wild bandits preying on the simple folk of the countryside. Even today, many in the Tagalog area (most of whom have never heard of Macario Sakay) refer to a man with long hair as "someone who looks like Sakay." This is, perhaps, a testimony to the effectiveness of the American propaganda campaign.
In April 1904, Sakay issued a manifesto stating that the Filipinos had a fundamental right to fight for Philippine independence. The American occupiers had already made support for independence, even through words, a crime. Sakay also declared that they were true revolutionaries and had their own constitution and an established government. They also had a flag. There were several other revolutionary manifestos written by the Tagalog Republic that would tend to disprove the U.S. government's claim that they were bandits.
The Tagalog Republic's constitution was largely based on the early Katipunan creed of Bonifacio. For Sakay, the new Katipunan was simply a continuation of Bonifacio's revolutionary struggle for independence.
Guerilla tacticsIn late 1904, Sakay and his men took military offensive against the enemy. They were successful in seizing ammunition and firearms in their raids in Cavite and Batangas. Disguised in Philippine Constabulary uniforms, they captured the U.S. military garrison in Parañaque and ran away with a large amount of revolvers, carbines, and ammunition. Sakay's men often employed these uniforms to confuse the enemy.
Using guerrilla warfare, Sakay would look for a chance to use a large number of his men against a small band of the enemy. They usually attacked at night when most of the enemy was looking for relaxation. Sakay severely punished and often liquidated suspected collaborators.
The Tagalog Republic enjoyed the support of the Filipino masses in the areas of Morong, Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite. Lower class people and those living in barrios contributed food, money, and other supplies to the movement. The people also helped Sakay's men evade military checkpoints. They collected information on the whereabouts of the American troops and passed them on. Muchachos working for the Americans stole ammunition and guns for the use of Sakay's men.
This vest with all its religious figures and Latin phrases belonged to Macario Sakay. It was his anting-anting and protected him from bullets and other hazards of war.
Many Filipinos who participated in the fight against Spain and the United States used anting-antings of all types for personal protection.
Unable to suppress the growth of the Tagalog Republic, the Philippine Constabulary and the U.S. Army started to employ "hamletting" or reconcentration in areas where Sakay received strong assistance. The towns of Taal, Tanauan, Santo Tomas, and Nasugbu in the province of Batangas were reconcentrated. This cruel but effective counter-insurgency technique proved disastrous for the Filipino masses. The forced movement and reconcentration of a large number of people caused the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Food was scarce in the camps, resulting in numerous deaths.
Meanwhile, search and destroy missions operated relentlessly in an attempt to suppress Sakay's forces. Muslims from Jolo were brought in to fight the guerrillas. Bloodhounds from California were imported to pursue them. The writ of habeas corpus was suspended in Cavite and Batangas to strengthen counter-insurgency efforts. With support cut off, the continuous American military offensive caused the Tagalog Republic to weaken.
Fall of SakayWhile all of these were going on, the American leader of the Philippine Constabulary, Col. Harry H. Bandholtz, conceived a plan to deceive Sakay and his men. He would later be quoted as saying that the technique involved "playing upon the emotional and sentimental part of the Filipino character."
In mid-1905, the American governor-general of the Philippines, Henry Ide, sent an ilustrado named Dominador Gomez to talk to Sakay. Gomez presented a letter from the American governor. The written statement promised that if Sakay surrendered, he and his men wouldn't be punished or jailed. Moreover, Gomez assured Sakay that a Philippine Assembly comprising of Filipinos will be formed to serve as the "gate of kalayaan."
Sakay took the bait, went down from the mountains, and surrendered on July 14, 1906.
On July 17, Sakay and his staff were invited to attend a dance hosted by the acting governor of Cavite. Just before midnight, they were surrounded, disarmed, and arrested by American officers who were strategically deployed in the crowd. Sakay and his men were brought to the Bilibid Prison. They were tried and convicted as bandits.
During the trial, Gomez was not around to produce the letter from the American governor-general. He didn't even show up and the letter had mysteriously disappeared.
Sakay was hanged on September 13, 1907. Before he died, he uttered, "Filipinas, farewell! Long live the Republic and may our independence be born in the future!"
Further reading:Abad, Antonio K. General Macario L. Sakay: Was he a bandit or a patriot? Manila: J.B. Feliciano & Sons, 1955. Constantino, Renato. The Philippines: A past revisited. Quezon City: Tala Publishing,1975. Ileto, Reynaldo C. Pasyon and revolution: Popular movements in the Philippines, 1840-1910. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1979. (This article was originally presented by the author to PHGLA on 8/12/95.)
To cite: Flores, Paul. "Macario Sakay: Tulisán or Patriot?" in Hector Santos, ed., Philippine Centennial Series; at http://www.bibingka.com/phg/sakay/. US, 24 August 1996. The Philippine History Group of Los Angeles invites you to send your comments to the author, Paul Flores, or the editor of this Philippine Centennial Series, Hector Santos.
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