Pre-show, the group was already chatting (ito ang mga dapat na eh-air na parts eh). Lourd and I are poised and prepared. Translation: Na-Google na namin itong tatlo.
Third-term Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco showed up in jeans and a t-shirt ready to rock the booth with narrations of his sturdy string of experience as an undefeated Mayor. He explains that the legacy he wants to leave Navotas is that there is hope for seemingly 'hopeless' situations. He narrates the problem of flooding of streets in Navotas and shares the Bombastik water pump projects they have established in and around the area to address this. Toby struck me as a hard-line and very hands-on mayor. So maybe there's hope, after all. Hmmm.
Rep. Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya or Jun is a second-term Congressman. He was in the Navy, educated in the Annapolis Naval Academy, Jun came back and took the reins from his father (former Rep. Del Abaya) a few years ago and finished his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila while in office. He passed the bar, by the way, being the only person in public office to do that this year. He explains the role of Representatives and how the abstract act of "creating laws" concretely helps ease the living conditions of many. Jun is a sincere public servant, he really holds the welfare of Cavite close to him. Ah hah. Baka nga may pag-asa pa... mukhang mababait talaga tong mga to...unless na "hypnotize sa taktikang politika" na din kami ni Lourd... haha
Genuine Opposition's frontman, Atty. Adel Tamano is candid and speaks clearly. Kaya nga spokesman eh. He emphasizes that there are a lot of things in our political culture that should be changed. The contribution of "big funders" concentrates the power too much, he says that perhaps the support of many 'smaller funders' might prove to be a more effective way to go about a campaign. This may diffuse the possible 'utang na loob' that our officials feel towards the big funders. Hmm. Such honesty from a frontman. Lines are now beginning to blur. Maybe we DO have hope. Ah hah. Tamano also tells the group that he has encountered several good people in politics and that they are not all monsters. He laments the lack of representation of the Muslim population in the administration. He also cited that being enraged about the death of Musa Dimasidsing, a teacher who exposed partly the Maguindanao elections fiasco is not a 'political party' decision, it is a human being thing. Abaya asserts with Tamano that everyone, including the administration should dig deeper into this and let justice reign. Human life and the protection of it (esp in the situation of risking one's safety for integrity) should be protected by all --regardless of political color. 
Lourd and I are sometimes shell-shocked that these three gentlemen take on the questions we throw out with the fantastic balance of the 'safe politician on-air' and the brazen out and out face-the-music attitude. Ang gagaling nila, kakatakot. Sana mababait talaga at matitino talaga tong mga to... sayang naman ang dunong.
Carol Bello relays her experience as a pollwatcher. She mourns the violence that still happens and encourages all private citizens to participate and be more engaged in political movements. She insists that many times we really deserve the government we elect. Therefore the 'bad system we inherit' is only such because we accept it or tolerate it. If you don't like the system, join it and change it. Galing ni Carol. Teka, baka dapat tumakbo din siya....
Rep. Abaya and Mayor Toby Tiangco both say go ahead, put the public official to the test. Ask them questions. It is your right to do so. Hold public officials to their promises. But participate and contribute as well. Deserve your voice in this arena. Deserve the privilege to demand from the people in office. I suppose we can now revise our campaign -- the "Keep Your Promises" campaign is really for all of us and not just the politicians.
If we keep the lines between US and THEM open, then maybe we're on our way.
I'm sure narrowmindedness seldom helped history anyway.
Everyone settles in. We decided to talk about the surface of the iceberg topic called "Being Gay in the Philippines" wheeee. Let's go. What an all-star cast we had on this one. 
Prof. Danton Remoto, Chairperson of the Ladlad Partylist (and a recent Congressional candidate) starts off the hour. He says that these days are kinder to the coming-out of gays because of many factors. Literature in the academe has ushered in the more comfortable acceptance of what the general population describe as a 'different sexual orientation.' He, is partly responsible for the fight that the gay collective has put up against the bigots who are hateful of homosexuals. Prof. Ramon Bautista (of the UP Film Dep) better known for his Ramon Bautista show on MTV listens in intently, so does Sir Francis Brew. Both Francis and Ramon represent the straight male tribe.
The Rock Ed straight contingent are all ears. Jaime, Lourd, and Gang listen in rapt attention. Trying to absorb everything, maybe re-assessing if they are really straight. Hehehe
Ramon Bautista says that despite being straight all the way, he can appreciate who is good looking and who isn't among men. He mentions John Lloyd Cruz as his example but it doesn't mean he wants to date John Lloyd. (Incidentally, Ramon: I got a text msg from John Lloyd -also a Rock Ed volunteer--and he says ayaw ka din nya i-date. May girlfriend na daw siya. Hehe loko lang...) Bautista is a media practitioner and a UP Film professor, his field sees a lot of gay participation and he says he doesn't mind this at all.
Tingin ko ang mga homophobic ay talagang namamangha lang sa possibilities na na pe-present ng mga bading o lesbyana. I think what the bigots feel is true awe (maybe even envy and curiousity) and then because it's too much for their mediocre minds to handle it, the easiest manifestation is hate. Then again, I could be very wrong.
Rock Ed Radio decided not to touch on the stands of any creed or faith following on this one, that might take up too much time and perhaps should be explored at another forum altogether. We went over the time limit as it was.
Allen Ginsberg, a beat poet from the 50's was born on June 3 1926 and he served as the inspiration of last night's show. Even in the ultra-conservative 40's, he was already open and brazen about discussing homosexuality --he continuously attempted to force the world into dialogue about controversial subjects because he thought no change could be made in a polite silence.
The "Rock the Rehas" project group is a combination of Rock Ed volunteer writers, still photographers, film-makers, admin and production staff. We also have the advisory board from Libertas Lawyer's League who help us with legalese and the boring stuff. Hehe. This audio-visual project allows the group to visit and spend days in jail and then Rock Ed assists them (us) in producing short film-docus on any angle of our penal system.
Many of these inmates could've been released if only someone filed for a motion stating that he has already served maximum prison time for the crime committed. Que inosente o hindi, na-serve na niya ang max duration of time behind bars for the crime he is accused of. But since there are not enough clerks or public attorneys who have administrative assistance, nabulok na lang sila sa loob. Shown above is a woman who was outside the BBRC facility in Cebu. Masuwerte ang pamangkin niya dahil siya mismo ang kumulit at tumutok sa P.A.O. para ma-release siya dahil lampas nang dalawang taon sila sa loob na wala pang hearing. (taken March 2007)
Tado Jimenez is part of the team. In fact, he is so valuable to this team because he is the most popular figure in the group. Natutuwa sila agad pag nakikita si Tado, lumalamig ang atmosphere. I've seen him in action with the inmates, natutunaw ang apprehension ng mga siga sa loob kasi disarming ang charm ni Tado. He is also working on a series of docus on his own. (title DokumenTADO) One of which will be on jails. He says that many of the minors he's interviewed would prefer to stay inside the jails because life is harder for them outside. Frustration is hard to disguise even for someone so cheerful and uppity as Tado.
All of us listen to Ditsi as she explains that many of the minors who are convicted are remanded inside to "teach them a lesson" even by their parents. But what many of us don't realize that there are little programs inside designed for rehabilitation. Many blame budget, a lot more blame the corruption and pillaging that goes on with the higher ups. The system inside is also rotten. Drugs are easily slipped in. Violence and sexual invasions are not even mentioned yet. We can't even imagine what goes on when the lights are off, gates are locked, and visitors gone. Therefore mas malala pa ang ugali ng mga bata paglaya nila kesa nung bago sila pumasok sa kulungan. Lalo sila naging mabagsik at lalong nagkaroon ng pait o galit. At lalo silang nasanay sa mundo ng krimen.
Bago kami matuluyang magbigti sa depression at frustration with the system, may advice si Tado sa mga magpapa-arresto. Nang matawa naman tayo: "Wag kayo mag pa arresto ng Biyernes. Kasi matatagalan ng dalawang araw ang detention ninyo kasi sa Lunes pa mag bubukas ang opisina ulit. Maski ang pam-piyansa mo sa Lunes na ma-po-process. Patay ka dun." Mahirap man, natawa na lang ang grupo. Madalas naman tayong mga Pinoy pag grabe ang hinaharap, bumabagsak sa tawanan. Eh ganun talaga. Pero ang oras at pagod na inaalay ng grupong ito ay patunay na hindi sagot ang "ganun ata talaga."
Oftentimes in the hour, we just stared at points in the room. Not quite used to verbalizing the stories on broadcast level. Amongst us during our road trips and provincial apartelle dinners we would discuss at length. We were free-er to cuss and rant the harsh harsh harsh realities we have seen to the real real real men, women, and children that we meet. Pushed to a life of crime because of hunger, homelessness, lack of opportunities, sub-human living conditions in closed quarters. Who is to blame? Moot question. Let's try to proceed from where we are right now and this is our reality. Too much poverty, too little education, never enough public attorneys, corrupt administrations, unequal treatment of the rich and poor even if both are criminals in the (supposed level) eyes of justice.
Via SMS:
Ang masikip na bilibid ay simptomas ng mas malalim na problema. There is a deeper, bigger, wider and taller problem other than the congestion of jails. It could be bad governance, corruption, wrong priorities, and our apathy. Then again, what do I know. None of us are experts on this one. We don't have real answers but we hope to provoke more questions. Minsan doon galing ang aksyon.
I must admit I have a difficult time managing how I feel whenever we are out on our jail visits weeks. Sometimes eight days straight we visit 6-7 facilities. Everyday new faces, same stories. Varying shades of violence and injustice. It takes a toll, really. (parang gusto ko lang mag Walt Disney DVD marathon pag uwi ko o kaya pumapak ng Xanax) But what would be more frustrating is if many of the ideas will not be implemented kasi walang nag volunteer. Obviously, hindi namin kaya kung kami-kami lang. Sama kayo. Problema natin 'to. 
