Tayo ay manunulat

Tayo ay manunulat.

Tayo ang mga tulay ng iba't ibang panahon at tagasalin ng tradisyon. Sa ating mga akda, napagdu-dugtong-dugtong natin ang mga kwento't alamat ng ating lahi mula sa unang pagsikat ng araw sa ating mga isla sa panahon ni Bathala hanggang sa kasalukuyan, sa ilalim ng ibang ulap na inihip parito ng tadhana. Kung hindi tayo nagsulat at patuloy na magsusulat, hindi na tayo makababalik pa sa lupa at mundong ating pinanggalingan. Yaong mundong may hustisya at kapayapaan sa bawat apak ng paa ng ating mga ninuno, sa kanilang bawat sagwan, sayaw at pagkanta sa mga gubat at kapatagan, sa kanilang bawat paghinga.

Ang ating mga mata ang bintana ng kasaysayan. Hanggang tanaw at saksi natin ang ating bansa, ang kanyang mga mamamayan at ang mga kaganapan sa kanyang mga bayan, maitatala ng ating mga kamay kung ano at sino at naging tuwid, baluktot, mapag-balatkayo, ang mga naging bayani at ang mga pook ng kanilang kadakilaan, at ang yaong mga karaniwang taong tahimik sa pagtulong sa kapwa at pag-buo ng mga haligi ng lahi at bayan. Huwag tayong magpapabulag sa takot o ambisyon; walang halaga ang yaman sa manunulat na tapat sa tungkulin. Huwag tayong pipikit sa dilim kung kailan tayo ang inaasahang hahawak ng liwanag ng katotohanan, dahilan at pag-asa. Huwag tayong kikindat at piliting mang-aliw, kung kailan kailangan ng ating mga matang dumilat sa katotohanang nagaganap sa ating paligid. Huwag tayong kukurap sa ihip ng suliranin. Huwag tayong pipikit, mga manunulat.

Tayo ay mga manunulat. Sa iilang letra, bumubuo tayo ng libo-libong istorya, mga istoryang pinakakawalan natin sa hangin ng buhay. Naway yaong mga makahahagip ng ating mga akda ay makakapit dahil marami sa kanila ngayo'y mga istorya na lamang ang kayang mahawakan. At sa kanilang pagkapit, naway's madala natin ang kanilang isipan sa malawak na himpapawid ng pagkakataon at pangarap. Palayain natin sila sikip ng pagdududa, sa putik ng aba at sa kamatayan ng kawalang pag-asa. Dalhin natin sila sa liwanag. Ipakita natin ang mas malaking katotohanang malawak ang mundo at ang espasyo nito para sa mga taong nagpupursigi. Dalhin natin sila sa taas ng bundok ng tagumpay nang makita nilang mapanganib man ang gubat ng buhay, ang sukal nito'y nadadaanan, naaakyatan, napagwa-wagian. At kapag sila'y nasulasok at nakulong sa patibong ng ibang tao, mapagpanakop na pananampalataya, kasinunangilan, impluwensya at doctrina, magiging malakas ang bagwis ng katotohanang ating sinusulat na aalpas sa anumang paghila. Bigyang lakas natin ang ating mga letra sa bawat kwento, pelikula, dula, tula at lahat ng akda.

Tayo ay manunulat. Tayo ay walang lahi, pamilya, relihiyon at partido dahil kalahi, kadugo, kapanampalataya at kasama natin ang lahat. Walang tayong panig, walang kampi, patron o panginoon kung hindi katotohanan at bayan. Wala nang mas tataas pa, wala nang sasambahin pang iba o paglilingkuran pa, kung hindi ang kadakilaan ng bayan. Wala tayong sisiguraduhin kung hindi ang pagsulong ng lahi sa gabay ng katotohanan.

At sa dapit-hapon, magtipon-tipon tayong mga manunulat sa dalampasigan ng tadhana. Tayo'y magsaya at magdiwang sa ating tungkulin. Hindi tayo mga panginoon ni alipin, hindi bayarang kawani o masunuring utusan. Kaya magdiwang tayo sa ating kalayaan at ipagtanggol ang kapangyarihang ito; kapangyarihan ipinamana sa atin ng mga sakripisyo ng ating mga ninuno. Tayo'y mga manunulat, mga alagad ng bayan, anak ng mga bayani. Magsama-sama tayo sa ating mga mithiin at tungkulin. Sa araw-araw ng buhay, alalahanin at tupdin natin ang ating dakila at banal na layunin.

Mahirap magbingi-bingihan sa katotohanan; mahirap magsulat subalit kinakailangan.

Next up: In defense of Creativity

Hopefully I can write before Friday's events.

This is in reaction to my church mate's reactions towards my (and the world's) sadness over Steve Jobs' death.

How Esquire Philippines could live up to its brand

I love Esquire Magazine. In the format I got used to reading. In the tone that earned my respect. "The best man that you can be," its motto says. So even if their articles are about the politics, business and culture of another country and another nation miles away from Manila in both physical and financial terms, I was always able to relate. This averagely successful young professional with familial responsibilities despite being single coming from a third-world country, but living in a global city, can relate. I learned about wine and beer and how to appreciate both in different settings; with conversation pieces I can enjoy with like-minded friends. I can really, totally relate. Reading Esquire was like listening to an older brother, the one whom you idolized as a kid for his personality and charm and virtues (spirit of rebellion included), who got to travel around while working for a multi-national in one of the world's capitals. Certainly classy, but never aloof nor snooty.

And that is why Esquire Philippines is still far from deserving its brand. It's like listening to this average guy (in academic and athletic terms), educated in one of Manila's private school for boys, who thought he was cool just because he was already watching MTV when other boys outside his gated neighborhood were still peeking into the grills of a sari-sari store just to watch Eat Bulaga.

"...oh, never mind the peso sign - you'll never be able to imagine that much money with or without it anyway..." The PLDT-Digitel Merger.

Wow. If the article was only truly knowledgeable as it pretended to be about business or the merger (is he an insider?) or the telecom industry, I might have been less irritated. The article only elaborates already-discussed and printed gossips about the subject. It does not educate, like what an Esquire article should; it rather conveyed hear-says and pieces of opinion to the reader without original thought. Or if it were original to the author's point of view, well, that's even more sad and worse because his/her points were already pointed out before. Somewhere. And obviously, if the author works in a corporate setting, sadly the business of his company is too small that they're not used to hearing billions of pesos in their reports, forecasts, or in simple pantry conversations.

And the "skills" Esquire Philippines would like its readers to have include playing "Firework" by Katy Perry, wielding a Katana, handling a 20-foot reticulated python, building a raft and making your bed. I thought I was listening to a classy older brother - not a teenage jackass who just recently learned how to jerk off in front of an old copy of Penthouse. Why not talk about the emergence of Cebu as a financial counterweight to Manila? How about feature - being an international brand in a local setting - Filipino men who are known and who command respect (not because they can belt out "Faithfully") globally? Or since we're talking about skills here, why not talk about doing first-aids and quick home fixes - skills that men can use to become men in their homes?

And Man at his best is Ramon Bautista? Is this Esquire or is this FHM?

But fine, Esquire Philippines is still saved by some good articles.

Articles that fed my mind:

The new brew revue - Erwan Heusaff (and why is the glossary under the Appendix?)

Volcanoes Primer

Shared Esquire History

The Minimalist

The Unquiet American

Articles that entertained:

Making love out of nothing at all - Lourd de Veyra

Maturation of Manny - Gary Andrew Poole (though it sounds like it was lifted from previous Manny articles written by the same author)

Man who beat Pacquaio - Patricia Evangelista (I hate her politics, but I love her writing)

Articles that resonated:

These movies shouldn't exist - Philbert Dy

The man who could not grow up - Charlene Sawit

How to be a real man - Tara FT Sering

What is a man (Although the choices are subjective, I expected that the editors could have been more observing and could have done more research. To give our young men more Filipinos to look up to, the list could have been more extensive to include the men of our times -- for example, Midas Marquez, F. Sionil Jose, Ben Cabrera, Fr. Bernas, Adel Tamano, etc.)

Expected sell-out articles written for advertisers are also taste-spoilers:

Gadgets every man should have - Esquire Phil. could have written through a perspective

Things a man should own - Same comment as above

And lastly, does the international version of Esquire curate the ads that get printed in their pages? It would seem so.

Ok. After ranting all these, anyone could say that I'm just practicing the very old Pinoy vice of crab mentality. Totally untrue. In fact, it's the other Filipino vice that got me ranting -- the vice of mediocrity, the vice of "pwede na 'to." Fact is, for its premier issue, Esquire Philippines seems like it was a "pwede na" endeavor. I want Esquire Philippines to live on and set the standard for what the Filipino man should be at his best. Become the rational, tasteful, man that will be the modern voice and opinion for a progressive country.

Esquire Philippines should be true to its promise - become the best that it can be.

Don't allow Pinoy music to die

What's up?



See that? Angas diba? That's why I was super excited when I found out that DJ Academy Philippines is bringing Masta Plann as part of my DJ Lineup for my next event in Bacolod. Poster, below:

However, however, my regional counterpart until now seems doubtful of the quality of show we're producing. He's afraid that the music might be too "deep." That the audience might not like and appreciate our event. He'd prefer canned pop songs taped together by band aids of sound bites which in totality he'd call a mix. Not his fault that he wants to make sure that our events sell because in the first place, that's our objective when we do events - generate business (and of course strengthen brand affinity). Not his fault that kids today like the pop-ish kind of music. I love pop music too, nothing really wrong with that. But what I'm frustrated about is the attitude toward originality and creativity in music. Masta Plann is a pillar of the local music industry, a mega block in the Hiphop pillar of the crumbling house we call OPM, a music hero who fought with other Pinoy legends such as Francis Magalona the Great. How can you doubt such a talent? How can you not notice the sexiness and angas that go well together in his music? Gahd we're too peppered with cutesie-patootsie already. Sometimes we need Angas. And not the jologs kind of angas na puno ng angst, galit at frustration. But angas that has an opinion. A point of view.

And speaking of Angas, who says cute can't be angas?



I find that cute, angas and pop. And original! The problem with Philippine music is that we've stopped to be creative. Who else writes songs these days? Many of the bands are gone. They've disbanded, disintegrated or have felt too comfortable with their old hits. They're pretty okay doing the regional concerts without producing new material. Ehem Itchyworms. And others I can't even remember. Buti pa nga sa Rico Blanco, kahit binayaran para sumulat, at least sumusulat. Our great bands should remember, wala silang pera when they started. They only had dreams, messages and talent. They can't use lack of funds now to justify their laggard creative production. Magalit kayo kung gusto niyo pero sa tingin ko, 'yan ang totoo.

And our divas? They're busy out-performing each other. Nagi yatang ongoing reality contest ang kantahan ngayon in our shows. It's not about performing for the audience anymore - to enthrall, inspire. It's not about messages of songs anymore. Now it's all about vocal power. Have we as a people become too hurt and numb with our problems that messages can't get through with songs anymore? That only through being awed by vocal power can we appreciate music? Sad, sad Philippines if that's the case. Our musical spirit seems to be dying while we are plastering on our surface a plastic kind of music manufactured only to be consumed. It's like eating without tasting.

Anyway, my event is pushing through. October 14 and 15, Flow SuperClub, Bacolod's only SuperClub. I've listened to some of the DJs and truth be told, I'm not too excited. My regional counterpart will be happy however - yes, we'll have the pop DJs playing the top 40s. But I'm hopeful that when Masta Plann starts spinning, girls will be grinding and boys will be drinking their beers as they wave one hand up in the air. We're in Bacolod. We're sexy boys and pretty girls and this party is ODK super.