Resistance as a Form of Progress

It is hard not to assume that the skyscrapers filling the skyline mean progress. Billboards paint the sides of buildings and the ornate Spanish facades are a reminder of a time which has been ingrained into this unique culture. What is most astonishing is the lasting impact that American colonization has left on this country. An overwhelming amount of advertisements are in English and Filipinos have inherited our nasty consumerism habits. In a way, the billboards and skyscrapers are reminders of colonization because they hold the space hostage, demanding attention and making their presence impossible to ignore. I used to think that colonization was over and that globalization was the gateway to progress. It is hard to be faced with the reality of the situation and realize how naïve my ideas were. Cross-cultural encounters are difficult and even frightening because as the process of objectification occurs the silent exchange of a glance leaves room for doubt. I have been obsessively questioning the meaning of Western progress which I will define as the idea of moving toward western, specifically American, standards of living, and doubting its effectiveness when applied uniformly throughout the world. I am beginning to think that real progress must come from within. The rich history that circulates throughout the islands is proof that Filipinos have been resisting and embracing change.  The circumstances which made these islands so unique have had serious consequences on the Filipino psyche; even so, there is still room to redefine progress.

Walking through the streets of Manila and even Batad, world famous for its rice terraces, today makes it hard to imagine that Filipinos were resistant to the English language. Yet, according to Andresen (2012), De Laguna, an American philosopher who migrated to the Philippines “witnessed Filipino resistance to the colonial education policies instituted by the United States. . . Likewise, Counts found the American colonial educational policies to be ineffective” (76). Today, many Filipinos embrace the English language. As I was walking through the rice terraces of Batad I asked our tour guide Jason what people preferred to speak in Batad. He responded, “Tagalog is our national language, but people here prefer to speak their native language and English over Tagalog.” I had to stop saying “salamat po” which means thank you in Tagalog while we were in Batad. That was one more assumption crushed, but I have to be cautious with my conclusions because preferring English over Tagalog does not mean embracing American values. 

English is a bridge of communication in the Philippines between the outside world and its people, but its acceptance does not mean defeat or surrendering to American ideals. Baguio, for example, the bustling city considered to be the “summer capital of the Philippines,” which “the Americans planned . . . as a concrete embodiment of U.S. ideology” is not the carbon copy Americans hoped for (Bose, 2002). According to Bose (2002), “many villagers are still engaged in the making of traditional crafts to fulfill the demands of the tourist market . . .[but] Beyond the tourist brochures, tribal peoples still observe and hold sacred their traditional rituals and beliefs” (263). Yet, despite efforts to maintain a traditional way of life, Baguio remains the perfect example of the negative effects of Western progress. What struck me most about the Bose reading was the economic erosion Baguio Ibaloy society was faced with. In summary, the people lost everything when their traditional economic structure was hijacked by Americans. Alcantara (2002) confirms Bose’s claim of the Ibaloy’s societal decline by stating that the change wrought on by American influence has created an irreversible outcome (221). I have seen the aftermath of Western progress in every place we have visited. Manila, Batad, Baguio, and La Union are all beautiful places full of tourist hot spots but the people who were and are being displaced by Western progress continue to struggle. What strikes me is that despite the fact that resistance is becoming more difficult, Filipinos continue to fight. 

References:

 Alcantra, E.R. (2002) Baguio between two wars: The creation and Destruction of a Summer Capital. In Shaw, A.V. & Francia, L.H. Vestiges of war. (pp. 207-223). New York: New York Press.

Andresen, T. (2012). Knowledge construction, transformative academic knowledge, and Filipino

American identity and experience, In E. Bonus, E. & D. Maramba, (Eds.) The “other“students:

Filipino Americans, education, and power. Charlotte, NC: IAP.

Bose, S. (2002). Baguio Graffiti. In A.V. Shaw & L.H Francia, Vestiges of War. (pp. 260-67).

New York: New York Press.