With Struggle, Comes Hope

As this study abroad comes to a close, I can only think about how grateful I have been for my experiences shared with my peers and colleagues, instructors and people I’ve met along the way. For my wonderful group mates whom I’ve collaborated with for two group presentations, for the opportunity to grow as an individual and budding activist and community member than I was before. Reflecting on this, as well as the experiences and readings from week four, one message to describe the overall theme of resistance is that although corruption continues to be manifested in different forms to this day, when the people are united they are never defeated. That the struggle continues on.

This week’s readings were on “An American colonial state: Authority and structure in Southern Mindanao” by P. Abinales and “Fagen and other ghosts: African-Americans and the Philippine-American war” by R.G. Ontal. Although they did not connect with our week’s experiences as much as the previous weeks readings have, one takeaway is that they have given me a wider perspective on the topic of resistance in the Philippines and my job as a woman of color to continue deconstructing and analyzing what it means to work in solidarity as a person of color with the Pilipino peoples. The reading by Ontal brings us the history of the African American diaspora in the Philippines, and the colonial mentality brought by it. Because of the occupation of Spain and the labels associated with higher status, African Americans and mixed Filipinos with African American descent were associated as worse than “Full Filipinos”. Ontal mentions:

“The social engineering of US colonialism - a mandatory schooling system which excluded black histories, and featured derogatory portrayals of African-Americans in Hollywood films - had altered the racial psyche of Filipinos by the time the Black soldiers’ daughters and sons were born. The hierarchy of color, introduced during the Spaniards’ reign, was institutionalized under the Americans. Bleaching creams and skin whiteners continue to be top-selling items in present-day Manila and other cities.” (Ontal, 2002, page 13)

Our group’s trip to Boracay was reminiscent of how people continue to live and engage in the pleasures of life without fully pausing to think about how problematic it can be. As I paused to sit down the 2nd day we were visiting the island, and the rest of my study abroad group went to enjoy the nightlife, I began to furthermore question things. Although I was very sick, I felt blessed to have some time to self-reflect on what we were doing, and why it was that we were in Boracay for our study abroad experience. We as humans grow up wishing that we can go to touristy locations like Boracay for vacation. But why? Why is it that we spend so much money pursuing places that will give enjoyment in the way that Boracay can, or Cancun, or Macau, Las Vegas, Tahiti, the Caribbean islands and so forth? So much money on tourist activities? When one deconstructs and begins to question why we do the things we do, and think the way we think, then we start to get a grasp as to how things are set up the way they are. In the case of the top tourist location, Boracay, exploitation (both of natural resources and of workers) and capitalism are at the forefront. As I was walking through the beach, observing the nightlife and the Pilipino workers, foreigners and overall tourists, I thought about the effects of globalization and what it took to get to that spot on the ‘Top Tourist Location and Island in the World’ list. All the exploitation and the blood, sweat and tears. How it was once a land of resistance (still is, but to a lesser extent) and inhabited by the indigenous Ati peoples. Bittersweet, but true. Capitalism and globalization may continue to inhabit the indigenous land, or not. We may never know, but only time will tell.

Contemplating in Boracay

Boracay Sunset

As our group ventured to Mactan Island, I was even more thrilled to visit it than I was to Boracay, although this is a personal opinion of mine. I am far more enriched by educational and social justice experiences, and the thrill that comes with organizing an action, planning an educational event, creating art and writing, self-reflecting in nature and spending time with family than I am of nightlife. This trip has furthermore reinforced more of who I am and my persona. Visiting the Lapu Lapu shrine was very inspirational, but it was also infuriating having to see Megaworld Corporation and how they are dedicating a plaza named Magellan Plaza, how corrupt everything seemed to be, from the way the advertisements for the building only included White people, how the plan was to turn the area into a prime tourist spot, and more. The space of Megaworld Corporation, one of extreme globalization, was created right next to the Lapu Lapu shrine and against all of the land’s first hero’s values. I’m sure that if Lapu Lapu was alive today, he would continue to revolt against the building, as I’m sure many social justice activists, indigenous groups and more have done and/or attempted to do so. I was able to tie in the experience of visiting Mactan Island to the Abinales reading on the Mindanao region. As I mentioned that if Lapu Lapu were alive today, he would more likely than not help lead an uprising against the Philippine government for the way that they have continued colonization. The reading describes:

“The preoccupation of most scholars with Manila-centered and Manila-driven politics has blinded them to one inconspicuous detail: that over one-half of the Philippines did not fall under ‘civilian’ authority nor was it classified as a regular province” (Abinales, 2002, page 21)

The ways in which the people in ‘Moroland’ are continuing to resist all the forms of corruption found in the Philippine government and trying to be autonomous is indigenous resistance in itself. It’s interesting to reflect on the role of government, and how it is supposedly this system set up to provide system and order. But as I have learned in my own studies and also furthermore on this trip, the system is set up to help only a select few - the elites. We have seen it in the way that most government officials in the Philippines and Presidents have been of Spanish descent, and that the architecture, laws, and more are of Spanish and US influence. It is only justified that the movement happening for Mindanao to be autonomous from the Philippine government, and indigenous groups in general, be the case.

Mactan Island and Lapu Lapu Shrine

The group's reaction to Globalization in Mactan Island

At Bohol Island, I continued to think about the effects of tourism on the indigenous people and what could go into the preservation of the island. As I learned about the aftermath of the Chocolate Hills and overall island because of Typhoon Haiyan, I reflected on our own privileges of staying at the University of the Philippines Diliman. I, as a foreign, study abroad student residing at UP Balay International, who was terrifyingly privileged to have been almost untouched by Typhoon Glenda and was able to sleep through it. I slept through it, waking up safe with a near secure shelter, when so many next door were in a slum, how so many people died, were wounded, displaced, relocated and more. We on this study abroad trip residing in UP Balay were untouchable in a way, but still not safe.

After a week and full program reflecting on the colonial mindset, struggle, corruption, hypocrisy of the Philippine and US Government and global system, we were finally able to visit an incredible grassroots organization, Migrante International. Migrante International, working towards global labor justice for Pilipino workers, with a volunteer run team living in less than a minimum wage, showed us all that despite the injustices, they are not won. For as Margaret Mead has said, a small group is all that has been needed to change the world.

At Migrante International

Continuing the topic of resistance, my group met up with two inspiring street and hip hop artists who show us that the battle truly is not over. As Angelito “Taggsign” Tuazon stated, there are many revolutionaries in the streets, and people who do the real work without worrying about the pay, doing so, so the fight may continue on. Through my own personal project that I have begun on this study abroad program, I have collected the stories of Pilipino street artists in addition to the ones my group interviewed, composing a documentary which will be the beginning to a global project related to art, the stories behind the art and the artists themselves and more. Yes, the fight truly is not over, and the Pilipino artists and activists I have also met prove this. Although I was sick and didn't get to experience the Taoist temple, I am sure that the observations on spirituality and incorporating spiritual beliefs are a way of continuing the spirit of hope through the struggles of everyday life.

Interviewing artists

Marlowe and Angelito "Taggsign" Tuazon

(Intro video to my project)

Furthermore reflecting on current work done in the Philippines, I was able to tie in the Abinales reading, which is about the current situation in Mindanao and the Pilipinos in the region who have fought to gain independence not only from Spain, but from the Philippine government itself. (Abinales, 2002). And, my role as a person of color and how I can be an ally to the Pilipino people. The Ontal reading furthermore describes this:

“Despite the near-erasure of this event from the classrooms and culture, the lessons of an anti-imperialist alliance between African-Americans and Asians - and the saga of one man’s leap of faith on behalf of Philippine independence - survive and resonate one hundred years later.” (Ontal, 2002, page 21)

Despite all the struggles, how exploitation continues to persist, the growing ring of imperialism through policy acts such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement (a proposed regional free trade agreement which is being negotiated by twelve countries throughout the Asia Pacific region) and general colonial mindset brought forth through aspects such as skin whitening products, and other general material goods designed to instill a sense of inferiority in the Pilipino people, there is a beacon of hope. We have seen it through Migrante International, through the way that people work together as a community to make it through natural disasters such as Typhoon Glenda, how debatably true national heroes no longer continue to be ignored for elitist privileged at birth figures such as Jose Rizal, and more. The hope continues, for the spirit of Lapu Lapu lives on in the Pilipino people and land. I know that the resistance that I have observed on these islands and through its people, makes me honored to have experienced at least a little of this. I will come back to Seattle with a greater understanding of decolonial resistance, how to continue being an ally to the Pilipino people, and with a wider spectrum of tools on how to continue organizing for social justice and a better tomorrow for all people with my fellow comrades and all. 

Discussion question:

What do you hope to contribute to in the fight for social justice? With which community, what location, and why? In what way do you see your passion shining through in this fight?

Works Cited:

Abinales, P. (2002) An American colonial state: Authority and structure in Southern Mindanao. In A.V. Shaw & L.H Francia, Vestiges of war. (pp. 89-117). New York: New York
Press.

Ontal, R.G., (2002). Fagen and other ghosts: African-Americans and the Philippine-American war. In A.V. Shaw & L.H Francia, Vestiges of war. (pp. 118-133). New York: New York Press.