Aug 5 on Rock Ed Radio: EarthCare 101 :

Let's talk about our daily habits like driving, cellphone use, disposing of our trash, water we drink etc etc.And see how it affects our environment. We have someone from the Center for Environmental Awareness and Education, Mr. Jukka Holopainen and Prof CP David of the National Institute for Geological Sciences as resource persons.

Abigal Jabines of Greenpeace and Anya Santos of Haribon will also talk to us--- about us! (hala...) Kasama si Cathy Untalan, Ms. Earth 2006! (Isa siyang tunay na environmental activist, by the way..)
An overview of environmental care. And what the real fuss is about.
Walang jargon dito. Just straight up facts and tips on how we can alter some of our habits so we become activists for the earth as well.

Toss in your questions now on global warming, environmental care, water, air, and land pollution. Laws that protect the earth. Or the lack thereof. Powerhouse guests tayo ngayong gabi.

Game.

photos: Sagada Road trip to Session Road, Baguio. Gang Badoy copyright 2007

Children, parents, rock and roll and reading.

Pinaluhod ka ba sa asin? Piningot, pinalo at pinahiya sa harap ng barkada? Nanood naman ba ng spelling contest mo ang parents mo? Paano ka kaya magiging parent? Waw.

Paano ka pinalaki ng magulang mo? I-a-apply mo ba sa iyong mga anak at mga magiging anak ang parehong methods of parenting?

School administrators of the RAYA SCHOOL Ani Almario and CP David will talk to us and musician Dan Gil (keyboards, Chillitees) about kids and rock and roll. Perhaps the dying and resurrecting interest in reading. Honey Sacro-Libao, a US-based teacher and young mother of five (ages ranging from 18-2) will talk to us also.

All guests will discuss the perils and perks of parenthood and teaching in this era of extreme media freedom. In this era of music and films that range from gothic to vulgar to divine. Effects of parenting on our disposition towards reading and learning. O puro lang ba rakenrol ang mga cool na magulang... hmmmmm at ang pinaka magandang tanong...

Kailangan bang mawala ang pagka-cool para maging mabuting magulang?

Ngeh. Makinig na kayo, baka mangyari sa inyo 'to soon. Hala.... AT dadaan si Sir Ramon Bautista para mag share ng kanyang sariling kwento bilang anak at future (sana) na tatay. Kwela to.

July 22 Topic >> Negosyo Tayo!

Kung gusto n'yong mag-negosyo, magtanong dito.

Let's talk to the Filipino entrepreneurs who started and run their own businesses and in the process, provide jobs and livelihood for other Filipinos. Whee.

Guests will be the people behind BINALOT, FIGARO, ROYAL CARRIBEAN, and SACRED HEART SCHOOL.

I read somewhere that when jobs are provided, THAT'S when a concrete nation is built.

July 15 >> Gangstas in the Home of NURock

TEXT EXCHANGE:

3 July 2007/1023am
LOURD: Gang! may topic na ba tayo sa Jul 15 episode?
GANG: Meron, dapat 101 on Global Warming, sina CP ang guest. Pero di pa confirmed.
LOURD: Kung wala, gusto mo yung mga tondo tribes? Mga totoong street gangs at rappers
GANG: Hmm. Teka cancel ko lang sila CP, move natin ang Envi topic to another date...
LOURD: Saya nito! Ang gagaling ng mga bata. Pwedeng mag-freestyle MC battle on air. Wasakan to
GANG: okey game. hindi ko sila kilala so pakitext sakin ang info para malagay sa website....

9 July 2007/829pm
GANG: Lourd, may website ba sila sa movie? Paki send info, names etc etc, ilang days na lang kasi hindi ko pa napopost para ma accomodate mga tanong ng listeners...
LOURD: jimdiamond.multiply.com (temporary site yata) di pa kasi ata tapos ang www.tribu-themovie.com
LOURD: ang galing nito, maski walang questions, kaya nila punuin ang show, maski 2 hours! verbal jousts, pero ilagay mo na lang na sila yung actors sa film ni Jim Libiran na TRIBU...
GANG: teka, di kaya tayo ma-drive-by nito? katakot...pwede ba yung mga mababait lang ipa-guest natin sa NU? TEKA!! may mabait bang gangster?
LOURD: wasak ka no, basta... okey 'to

14 July 2007/559pm
LOURD: pa meryenda tayo sa tondo crew bukas ah
GANG: o ba, pano? dala tayong pagkain sa NU o ilabas na lang pagtapos? Mag painom na lang tayo sa Meatshop, yung dating Tribu... (uy okey ah, Tribu din)
LOURD: sandali ha, baka ibang meryenda ang ibig nilang sabihin.. baka illegal, I'm finding out, text you back.
GANG: uy waw, okey ...
LOURD: Ok, chibog lang pala...pre or post show... di pala sila umiinom.....
____________________________________________________________________

And so it came to pass, hip hop gangsta rap artists got their 15 minutes (1 hour or so, in fact) on the airwaves usually dominated by rock and roll. Rock Ed Radio invited the gangstas in the context of their life as poets and artists, life as Filipinos in the front and center of an impoverished state (sometimes) .... I suppose in the end hiphop is not so much a genre of music... let's see...
There lies a proverbial blue-flame line between those who live by gangsta rap and the one who adheres by rock and roll. A silent hot, cold divide that's always been there, supposedly.

Last night, the rock listeners of NU107 listened to four real-life gang members who are starring in Jim Libiran's much-awaited film called TRIBU. Libiran, a finalist in this year's Cinemalaya festival, created more than a film, so they say. He also got real life gangsters together to enflesh his Palanca winning script. If the statistical norm Filipino won't even walk within the same block as a hiphop mob because of all the violent misconceptions about this underworldly people, we gotta hand Libiran the trophy just because he dove right into it. Film making, I learned, is really about courage and a steady stance on things.

Shilbert. Poet with bling. He is a father now and hardly looks like the mob leader I had in my narrowmind.
Raynoa and Lloyd. Poets both. Living beatboxes, too. Terse, sharpshooting verses, wrapped in rhythm and moving in rhyme. Ang huhusay nitong mga 'to ... Shown in photo above is Lloyd. He narrates the loss of his friend during the recent fiesta. His friend got separated from their group and was gunned down. When I asked Lloyd if approaching the authorities (say, the police) was an option for something like this, he says sometimes it's useless to do so. My first instinct was to think that gangstas have their own justice system, but on closer scrutiny .... this sentiment echoes even to those who don't have gangs. The gang collective just magnifies what we all go through. Reacting to poverty, searching for identity, respect, discipline, livelihood and love. That is what we all do. They just make the search more obvious.

Billy is the funny one. His manner of rap is lighter than the rest. His poetry shines through when we asked him to freestyle a reaction to the present national situation. I always believed that sense of humor is intellect dancing. There is no doubt that these young men are sharp and quick on their feet. Most of us stay staring at the cursor on a blank white space, they are merely asked a question and poetry spews out. Poetry drawn from the life in the streets. Every rap piece is a celebration that they are still alive and that they manage to win some, despite the cards they hold.

Jim Libiran breaks ground on this film. With every chance to have a Sam Milby type to sell his docu on street gangs, he chose the better route. Get the actors who know the drill best. Not much internalization here, just depiction of a life they already know. I suppose in the end that's a better decision than to make a powder-puffed matinee face be on board for this one.

I prefer the French word for Director, (Realisateur) because it indicates, not someone who orchestrates all the elements of a film, but someone who "makes real" onto film something that is real in real-life. (huh?)) With all the plastic components around us, figuratively and literally, we sometimes don't know when we're real. We all have projected lives in the photos of our blogs and Friendsters and we multiply that audio-text depiction of our lives on Multiply. Some fakes are abound the Friendster realm, I know. But this movie is real life. This movie is contemporary Tondo history, organized for our consumption. Written by the unbiased and those who know the societal movements best. A good analogy for us, Filipinos. After all, the Philippines is one big figurative Tondo. Mas maayos pa nga ata ang totoong Tondo, sa atin, in general.

Rock Ed Radio thanks the rap artists, Raynoa, Shilbert, Billy, Lloyd for taking the time out to be guests on a rock station. For crossing that cold line of fire between them and us. (it's always that, huh, US and THEM and them and us....) Salamat at nabanat ulit ang pinupulikat na naming mga utak at pananaw.

On a personal note: Salamat kay Shilbert na kino-correct ang aking Tagalog grammar. Haha. I also want to thank the gentlemen for breaking my image of what a gangsta is. I was always teased for my name before (even if its roots are in the Visayan term of endearment "pangga.") May nagsabi sakin minsan na lola ng barkada ko nung high school, "Ay, hija, ang sama naman ng pangalan mo!! " So pwede ko na i-text yung lolang yon...

16July2007/622am (maaga ako nag text kasi nga lola yun eh)

GANG: Lola, okey lang na Gang ang pangalan ko, kasi mahuhusay at mababait ang mga nakilala kong totoong gangster sa Tondo. tulog ka ng mabuti at mag efficascent oil, ha. Good night po.

Read more on Libiran's TRIBU.
Also on http://www.tribu-themovie.com/
and my blog http://sumandali.blogspot.com/

text: Gang Badoy/ photo credit: Ispok Sy copyright2007

____________________________________________________________________

Gangsta not as you know it.

Film director Jim Libiran is neck deep into making his much-awaited film TRIBU.

Based on real-life tribes of Tondo, this film may very well be a better cultural mirror than our old and terribly biased history books.

Learn about the film. (http://jimdiamond.multiply.com/)

And listen to its reality on Sunday.

Samahan si Lourd at Gang kausapin si Jim Libiran at ang mga lider ng mga tropa't tribo ng Tondo; this Sunday on Rock Ed Radio. Your alternative Social Studies class on air.

July 15, Sunday at 8pm on NU107.

text: Gang Badoy/ photo credit: Jake Verzosa, taken in Taguig. Subject of photo is not from Tondo. Just FYI.

July 8 Topic>>Desaparecidos: Let's take a closer look on ENFORCED or INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES.

Conversations, when true, aren't rehearsed nor staged. The beauty of a live radio show is that we get to listen to a good mix of the 'rehearsed lines' and the candid reactions to unexpected points raised. Both are true, but the latter more believable.

Before the show Rock Ed Radio hosts briefed all the guests that the primary purpose of this episode is to inform listeners of the reality of enforced disappearances. It is not to choreograph a debate to get people tuning in, but if that is the case, then this is certainly a necessary verbal duel to witness. All participants agree that the primary audience of the night is the NU107 listener. And not necessarily each other. Whew.Representing the AFP Spokesperson's Office is Lt. Jean Robles. Robles, a PMA graduate who attended BroadComm in UP Diliman, was disarming. To send a fresh face to represent what is perceived as the most lupine collective in the country was obviously not a random decision. Definitely - a wise one. We know that the military (right or wrong) has always been in the hotseat regarding the issue of enforced disappearances and abductions and to send in your typical military wolf would've been disastrous for them. Cheers to the AFP for being open to join this challenging invitation. Lt. Robles was initially very contrived. She was dishing out the FAQ answers like "...the AFP is here to protect and uphold the people's rights." And while on paper, this is true, the group certainly had reservations because of all the stories (true or otherwise) about some units within the military. The nature of this beast is harsh, I think their biggest challenge is to prove themselves gentle and truly protective of the people instead of the other way around. After a few rounds, Jean relaxed a bit and showed a human face to the AFP and I have to hand it to her. I know she came determined to do a good job in enlightening us about the subject at hand and that she came in the capacity of AFP Spokesperson's Office rep. I hope I get to talk to her off the record someday, though. Mrs. Edith Burgos's son is missing. Jonas, her eldest, was forcibly abducted last April 28. She was more graceful than I imagined, she says they are looking for Jonas with love and peace in their hearts, but with an unmistakeable fire that says, "To the listeners: regardless of what you do, you have rights. You have a right not to be forcibly taken. Even criminals have the human right to be subject to due process, innocent til proven guilty. So whatever it is that you are asking about Jonas, it was NOT RIGHT that he was just taken away without any of us knowing where or how he is. Maling-mali yung ginawa sa kaniya. Kung may ginawa man siya, i-charge ninyo, idaan sa korte. Everyone deserves to go through due process of the law..." Enough said. Mrs. Burgos also says that prayer keeps her steady about this whole thing. She narrates how life has changed for them since that day Jonas disappeared. She even says they haven't stopped knocking on doors, inquiring from people in power, even identifying corpses just to find some answer to this gnawing question. It was unnerving to hear her so calm, her voice steady as she says the phrase, "identifying corpses" -- kung ako yon....susmaryosep.
JL Burgos narrates the incident of his family's group gathering in front of Camp Aguinaldo to inquire and protest about the disappearance of Jonas. The military responded by facing large speakers onto the crowd and played grossly asinine music like "Jumbo Hotdog." (what da?!) It was an out and out slap onto their right to be heard. Lt. Jean Robles explains that the military usually plays music during rallies because it helps appease and calm the crowd. And that was their only purpose. It wasn't to suppress the family's right to be heard. I'll leave this blank. Your call on how to react to that explanation. To her credit, Robles did admit it was certainly not the best choice of music to play. (Ya think?) Mr. Joey Faustino is part of the group called FIND. (http://www.find.org.ph/) Families of the Victims of Involuntary Disappearances. He recalls his older brother Jerry, who at 21 years old, disappeared in 1977. Til today there are no leads. Joey says the military gave a total denial and since it was Martial Law at that time, they also had no means to probe further. He narrates that as a 13 year old, he would accompany exhumation trips to shallow mass graves in the hopes of finding his brother's remains, at the very least. He recalls seeing a group of bodies of young people whose skulls were all cracked and beat. He narrates this while we listen with morbid curiousity at how matter-of-fact this activity was for him. Finding his Kuya has always been and seems to always be at the forefront of Joey's life agenda. We should all hold torches for the families with similar circumstances. Joey is decided that this phenomenon is systemic. There has to be changes in other aspects of governance in order to address this. He questions the Congress for not placing laws protecting Filipinos from being subject to enforced disappearances as priority. He sighs and says that the legislative branch has strange ideas of what is most important. When human life and physical safety should be smack on top of their urgent to-do lists. What a circus, huh?
Both JL and Joey have apprehensions about the responses of the military. They stayed gentlemanly though when asking Lt. Robles about the stances of the AFP when it comes to specific movements in their investigations. (Whew, mahirap siguro yon...) The investigative reports that are not turned over to the family. Precious information withheld. The only lead they have points straight to a military camp and yet they are scoffed at as jumping the gun on this accusation. JL calls out to the people who know something about his brother's disappearance to come out and help. Lt. Robles says the AFP is doing all they can because more than any other group, the AFP is anxious to clear its name in this mess. Hmm. Joey, however agitated, was cool and steady enough to say that he appreciates the presence of Lt. Robles because at least they are extending an openness to discuss these things, at the very least. It's a much more progressive move than blaring campy music onto a crowd. (Campy music in Camp Aguinaldo)

There is still so much to this episode, but I decided to keep my summary sanitized. (Sa lagay na 'to ha...sanitized na yan.) Having a brother who is a desaparecido is something I cannot even begin to imagine. Aso nga lang na nawawala nakakabuwal na ng buhay, utol pa kaya o anak.

Much as we try to stay non-partisan in our politics, Rock Ed Radio decided to tackle issues that are real, pressing, and oftentimes ignored. And if names of people with rank and power come up in the process of the discussion, then so be it. It is more important for us to talk about this than to stay paranoid about the consequences. Besides, if these controversial events are depriving people of their rights are TRUE, then it shouldn't even take courage to talk about it. In a democracy, this should be matter of fact. Sa isang tunay na demokrasya, hindi nga kailangan ng kakaibang tapang para magsalita ng katotohanan, dahil sa tunay na malayang bansa, normal lang ang pag usapan itong mga 'to --nang walang takot.

Tibak man o konyo, lahat tayo may kinagagawan dito. Ang tanga na natin kung hahayaan lang natin ang mga nawawala, manatiling nawawala.

Sana may natutunan kayo kagabi. Dahil kami, madami.

-Gang Badoy

http://sumandali.blogspot.com/

_____________________________________________________________________

This Sunday-July 8, 2007- will be a day of great learning for all of us on Rock Ed Radio. The hosts, listeners, researchers and the NU staff on-board will listen to stories of real people who are enduring the enforced disappearances of members of their family.

Guesting that night will be JL Burgos, younger brother of Agriculturalist, Jonas Burgos. Jonas is a member of the peasant organization, Alyansang Magbubukid ng Bulacan. Jonas, according to witnesses, was forcibly taken by a group of 6 males and 1 female while he was having lunch at the Hapag Kainan Restaurant in Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, on April 28, 2007 at about 1.30 p.m. As he was being forcibly taken, he was shouting “Aktibista lang po ako!” If schedule permits, Edith Burgos-the mother of both Jonas and JL, will join us during the show.


Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearances (FIND) will be represented by Mr. Joey Faustino.


An enforced disappearance occurs when persons are arrested, detained or abducted against their will or otherwise deprived of their liberty. This is usually followed by a refusal to disclose the whereabouts of the abducted person and therefore puts that individual outside the protection of the law.

"Some men arrive. They force their way into a family's home, rich or poor, house, hovel or hut, in a city or in a village, anywhere. They come at any time of the day or night, usually in plain clothes, sometimes in uniform, always carrying weapons. Giving no reasons, producing no arrest warrant, frequently without saying who they are or on whose authority they are acting, they drag off one or more members of the family towards a car, using violence in the process if necessary." *

We all agree that this should end.

Subukan natin pag usapan ito. When we stay silent, it is almost as bad as saying this rabid violation is okay or that it is acceptable. Clearly, it is not.

Mag post ng mga tanong at comment dito, para maisama sa programa ngayong Linggo.




*quote taken from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights website.
Read more about the Free Jonas Burgos Movement

July 1 Topic>> Sus Ginoo!

Nandun si Kidlat Tahimik! Siya ang assigned mag discuss tungkol sa ugali ng mga binata noong araw. Gentleman pa rin ba ang mga Pinoy? Yan ang tanong.
Ms. Earth 2006, Cathy Untalan bravely ventured to represent ladies that night, up against the male poets of Los Chupacabras. She notes that sometimes gentlemen are only gentlemen when they have ulterior motives. Pero hindi naman daw extinct ang mga maginoo.
Viva Los Chupacabras! Easy, Joel, Carl, and Mikael. Gentlemen, all. With their own poetic takes on the question at hand.

Ang idol kong si Joel Toledo ang nagsabi na hindi naman ata gender thing ang pagiging gentleman. Kung ang ibig natin sabihin sa pagiging gentleman ay isang taong considerate, matulungin, mapagbigay sa ibang tao. Human being decorum talaga yon, na hindi lang dapat naka ipit sa mga kalalakihan.
Easy, lead vocals is steady and sure on his stance that being a gentleman should not just be a response to someone who is a 'lady.' Kailangang standard siya and you yourself should set your bar.
Sabi ni Marj, napaka interesting mapansin na parang mas madami talaga ang gentlemanly ang demeanor sa probinsya kesa dito sa urban areas. Ang flip side naman nung coin na iyon ay baka mas chauvinistic din sila? Hindi naman pangkalahatan yon kundi obserbasyon lang ng isang babae na may pagkakataong ma-expose sa rural at urban men.
Legendary film maker Kidlat Tahimik shares on air the decorum of young men of UP Diliman in the 60's. Ang mga formal gatherings noon ay talagang halos pang demo ng "proper ethics and chivalry." Pero kailangan daw nating itanong si Ms. Sylvia Mayuga (na dapat guest din ngayong gabi kaya lang nagka lituhan sa schedule ng sunduan, sorry Ma'am!) ...dahil date ni Kidlat si Sylvia sa isang frat ball nung college. Upsilonian si Kidlat. Gentleman pa daw ba ang mga Upsilonian ngayon?
Si Cathy talaga ay may set stance against men who are only gentlemen to pretty women. Gentlemanyak daw talaga ang iba. She emphasizes the cruel stereotype she has to face as a beauty queen. Yung misconception daw na ang mga byuti kween ay mahihina o hindi matapang. Si Cathy ay matalino, maligalig, at may dunong. Hindi naive sa mga bagay bagay pero may trust and innocence level pa rin ng mahinhing babae. Nakakatuwa siyang panoorin makipag-verbal-boksing kina Mikael.
Si Mikael ay isang grad student sa hindi ko alam kung saan, haha, malamang UP Diliman din. Ang theory naman niya, kung nag dedemand naman ang kababaihan ng equality and the likes, eh di dapat wag na din maging prinsesa ang mga babae na parang mababasag kung hindi pag buksan ng pinto. Magaganda ang mga punto ni Mikael, parang lahat ng sinabi nya pwedeng ipang-topic sa iba pang mga episodes. Yung archetypes. Yung breaking down of the fixed notions and etc. Ang saya nito!

Si Carl ang walang pakundangang gentleman. Lahat ng naibahagi ni Carl ay yung mga gusto, malamang, madinig ng lola't nanay ko kung meron man akong pakakasalan. Maginoo at gentleman-dapat-lahat-full-stop ang stance niya. Both for women and men daw. Ang galing nila, lahat teacher.
Napadaan lang chamba ay si Cynthia Alexander. Wala daw siyang issue kung gentleman o hindi ang mga lalake, basta siya gentlelady at dapat pantay, mabait, at considerate ang pakikitungo ng bawa't isa sa bawa't isa. (parang mali mali ang Filipino ko no, Joel? Pwede bang mag episode summary sa Bisaya next time? Baka mas okey yon para sa kin...hehe)

Yung anak naman ni Kidlat Tahimik na si Kidlat de Guia, wala, nakisingit lang habang nag vivideo document ng episode. Hindi ko po ma alala ang sinabi nya kasi tawang tawa kami sa isang comment na ang gwapo daw niya sa radyo.

Pag dating sa behaviour, individuals talaga ang nagseset ng sarili na nyang standard. Bagamat may statistical norm o mga linya, malaya tayong makitungo sa kung ano mang paraang gustuhin natin. Pero ang isang napagkasunduan ng lahat, ay sana may kasamang ugaling mapagbigay at maalaga ang lahat ng Pilipino.

Pang byuti contest yung sagot na yon 'no. Pero kung si Cathy ang tanunging mo, ang sagot ng byuti kwin ay hindi general o safe. Ang sagot ng byuti kwin ay may tapang at talas. At, utang na loob, pagbuksan niyo pa rin ng pintuan ang mga nanay ninyo ha.

Wala na ako gaanong maalala, halos isang buwan na ang nakalipas mula sa episode na ito, kaya lang ngayon ko lang nakuha ang photos kaya ayun.

Patatawarin naman ako ng mga Chupacabras kasi ipa-plug ko ang soon-to-be-released album nila entitled "Release the Evil" ...sa mid September daw abangan, suportahan at tangkilikin. Bukod don, okey lang sa kanila ang pagkukulang ko sa pag update ng episode nila kasi gentleman sila lahat. (naks)

____________________________________________________________________

Gentleman pa ba ang mga Pinoy? Mahinhin pa ba ang mga Pinay?

Malakas na yata si Maganda, at tama lang yon. Si Malakas naman, kamusta na?

A light discussion on gender differences. Listen to the poets of Los Chupacabras headed by the poet JOEL TOLEDO level it off with Ms. Earth 2006 beauty queens, CATHY UNTALAN and some the other queens of her court. AH HAH! And joining us tonight will be the legendary film-maker -- KIDLAT TAHIMIK. Sayang hindi kita ang bahag sa radyo. And the lovely writer MS. SYLVIA MAYUGA. (kwela 'to, si Ma'am!)

After discussing homelessness, (ANG BIGAT KASI NUUUUNN) magpahinga muna tayo at mag usapang ugali muna. Magaan, malakas, maganda. Whew.

Magtanong kayo ng KAHIT ANO! si Team Toledo at si Team Earth ang makakapanayam, kasama si Kidlat sa Team Earth. Dahil mas maganda pa pwet niya kesa sa mga byuti kwin naten.

Note:

Malakas at Maganda
Philippine Folklore

Malakas and Maganda is about the origin of the native Filipinos.

When Bathala (God) was done creating the world, he was bored. He looked down over the earth and sent a bird into the world. The bird was flying around when it heard some sounds and tapping somewhere in the forest.The bird landed and found out that the sound is coming from a huge bamboo. He started pecking on it and pretty soon it split in the middle where a man came out of it. His name was Malakas, which means strong, and he told the bird, "My mate is in the other piece of wood." They got her out and her name was Maganda which means beautiful. The two got on the bird's back and flew away to find some place to live. They went flying around the world, and then finally, the bird saw a land and let the two giants set foot and live on it. When Malakas and Maganda stepped on the land their weight separated the land into islands (Philippines has 7,200 islands). Malakas and Maganda live on and produced millions of children, which came to be the Filipinos.

June 24: 'Engeng Bahay

The topic of homelessness is too looming to be discussed in any setting, most especially on-air within just one hour. Large and frightening as it is, Rock Ed Radio agreed to take a shot at discussing an overview of this harsh reality. So Lourd and I prepared well for this one. (Warning: Smoking Kills. Don't try this at home.) After researching on our own, it was agreed that we didn't know squat about the country's housing problem (pun intended)--all we had were questions. So we invited the experts. Topbilling our roster of guests is Home Guaranty Corporation's President, Mr. Gonzalo "Bong" Bongolan. He explains that the HGC is one of six agencies of the government that works to address the problem of housing. It is a government-owned and controlled corporation, that operates a credit program to promote home ownership. HGC is compelled by law (RA 8763) to give more attention to low-cost housing. The Law provides that 70% of their efforts must be allocated to prioritize lower-cost packages. In other words, inuuna nila ang mga sakto-sakto lang ang income. Kapos-kapos, pero kaya pa naman. (O parang ganun...)

HGC's clients are banks and lenders, including the Pag Ibig fund that assists easier payment plans for those who can afford homes for as long as the terms are kinder. Minsan hirap magbigay ng loan ang mga bangko kasi housing talaga ay matagalan ang bayaran. Kung kaya't mabagal ang balik ng investment sa kanila. HGC gives them go-signals, even incentives to go ahead and support these people. On paper, kakampi mo ang HGC! naks. (Teka baka hindi accurate ito.... I'll re-ask Bong to write and post his definition again on this blog entry...) Ma'am Teacher not listening. But if you should know, I did my research. Now do yours. Surf the HGC website. Bong reiterates that the solutions to resolve homelessness is not about building houses alone. It is also the building of educational institutions in the rural areas, sources of employment, rural development. Whew. Any questions? ( I know I do! Baka kailangan ng second part itong episode na 'to....) Then, of course, we have Team Unity's deputy spokesperson Tonypet Albano guesting as a champion of Gawad Kalinga in his native Isabela. (A week late! haha) He says that Gawad Kalinga's approach is different. They really prioritize the poorest of the poor. Those who cannot afford at all. Those who have none. He explains that it is an offering to collectives who really have nothing to start with. Many big businesses contribute to the growth of Gawad Kalinga and President Arroyo was the one who jumpstarted the fund way back when she donated (wait, whose money?) to build the first thousand homes. Gawad Kalinga believes in value formation and right behaviour in communities. They disallow drinking in public and indecent demeanor in the respective areas. (nakupo, bawal uminom sa labas ng bahay.... Lourd! At bawal daw ang walang tishert o nagto-tong-its sa tapat ng mga bahay-bahay.... lampas kalahati ng UP Diliman hindi na puwedeng manirahan sa GK Village, kung gayon...) Tonypet's point is that a decent living condition really helps in eradicating what GK calls "the slum mentality" and all the bad behaviour that supposedly comes with that squalid territory. Hmmm. He mentions that competing businesses help and outbuild each other within the GK confines. He also says even rival political clans try to outdo each other in helping GK out. And that's unusual. And perhaps that can be an indication of hope for this ominous problem of ours. Also representing Gawad Kalinga is Mike "G-Money" Mercado. He is a rap artist and he is part of the head committee to recruit in the North Manila chapter. He shared that GK is more than just building houses. It is really more about building the figurative community. With programs like education and community building in place, they don't merely build shells. There's a big stress on what they call "sweat equity" and the physical contributions of people in the actual site. One builds his neighbor's home, so in turn, the neighbor builds their home. According to Greg, this kind of arrangement really fosters the bayanihan spirit because he explains --- no one would really wish harm on another person especially when he helped build your home. (Nga naman.) Values formation is stressed again by Mercado. I think the premium of the goals of GK is really found within the poetic homes and villages they build for people. Yung mga hindi nakikita ng mata. Greg is the one who was most on fire last night. I was wrong in saying that it was because he's young, I think it's really because he has it in him to have true hope and a positive vision of the future. In any case, every old fogey in the studio wishes that he doesn't lose his idealism to the cynicism of so-called adulthood. Greg-- may your reality be nurturing of that positive outlook of yours. Don't let anyone put out that fire. I guess. But what do I know.... Haha. Ah since I'm here, lemme plug Greg's album coming out entitled GK 1MB: Isang Milyong Bayani, suportahan ninyo yon. It's a rap/hip-hop album promoting the values that Gawad Kalinga uphold.

Habitat for Humanity was formidably represented by Warren Ubongen. He explains also that "sweat equity" is prime in Habitat. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, it was Habitat for Humanity that coined that term during its inception. People are encouraged to earn their keep. They help in the building and with very kind terms, they pay back their homes slowly. That is to preserve the dignity in that transaction. Habitat for Humanity stresses the need for core human values of kindness and consideration.

*Habitat houses are sold to homepartner families at no profit. Homepartners repay through affordable, zero-interest, inflation-adjusted mortgage loans. These monthly mortgage payments are pooled into a Fund for Humanity so that the amortization of one house will help build another ("House-for-a-House" principle). Ang galeng naman neto! Wuhooo. Learn more about Habitat and ways to help them out.

Discussions ensued. Each guest contributed expertise based on their points of view because of the work that they do. Bong talked to Warren, Warren dealt with Tonypet while Greg supported Tonypet with the GK youth view and the discussions went round.

"Sitting in" (as he calls it) is musician and artist, Rico Blanco. He passed by the show to learn about homelessness and to help Lourd and I ask questions. He contributed insightfully angled queries for the guests to answer. He asked the much-avoided but necessary question, "So, what does it look like for us? What is the situation, really?" Whew.

Joining the discussion is a post-graduate product of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG, Agnes Nonog. She brings up the subject of urban migration. How lack of employment opportunities pushes people to migrate to the cities. And because work is difficult to find, people tend to squat all together in idleness. Siksikan.

Lourd asks if homelessness is a purely economic state. He also shares the weird fact that despite shelter being up there in the 'most basic-needs list' of the human being, homelessness is one of the least discussed topic in circles. I think it's because of the multi-dimensionality of the problem. Nakakatakot nga kasi talagang pag-usapan ang isang problema na parang ang tagal, laki, at ga-higante ang kinakailangang solusyon. Katakot nga naman kasi yon. But here we are trying to talk about it. More information is a good precedent for better and more sound solutions.

I think the problem of housing is most complex. Based on my interviews of offenders in jail, most of the narrations of the crimes they've committed would've been avoided if they didn't live in such squalid, congested conditions. Dahil ang sikip sa bahay, ang daming cases of incest, rape, homicide because of petty fights. Eh ang sikip nga naman kasi kung saan sila nakatira kaya't minsan talagang, --napupuno sila. (another pun, aba...) And I re-assert Bong's point. It is multi-dimensional, therefore the solutions have to be just as (or possibly more) multi-dimensional. Gusto ko rin ang sinabi ni Warren na talagang kailangan LAHAT ng Pilipino ay tumulong. Maski papaano, maski gaano ka liit, tumulong ka. Tumulong tayo. We may not have directly built a house tonight, but certainly the conversation that flew out onto our airwaves must've sparked some ideas in some of the listeners. If you feel the urge to help or contribute to any of these movements, go ahead and surf their websites. Donate, build, join, share. Whatever. Sabi nga ni Warren ng Habitat for Humanity, kaya pa 'to. Basta't tumulong tayo. Hindi lang GK, hindi lang government, hindi lang Habitat. Kasama dapat LAHAT.

Okey, Rock Ed, tama na satsat. Trabaho na tayo. Game. Mag volunteer kayo dito.

__________________________________________________
Cut and pasted below is a letter I kept for 18 years. Bong Bongolan wrote this for me before I entered UP as a Freshman.

It was the encouragement of young student leaders like Bong who helped me shape my dreams of someday helping our country. I read the letter on air as my tribute to him and the other people who preceded the idea of Rock Ed Philippines. (Sila Chito Gascon, Miro Quimbo, Mardi Mapa, CP David, (naks, Ceep!) at Amante Jimenez)
_______________________________________________
Letter reads as follows:

1 Feb 1989

Dear Gang,

As promised, here's the note.

To tell you frankly, I'm not comfortable with the "Hon(orable)" stuff at all. However, I have to fulfill the duties and responsibilities accompanying the position.

I look forward to your transfer here to UP Diliman to pursue a college degree. The way I look at it, you are more than prepared for college life. Moreover, I look forward to having a new comrade-in-arms in you --- one who will take on the cudgels and persevere in the effort to advance the rights and welfare of the students and the people.

Work hard at growing up and at improving yourself. What we make of ourselves is what we offer to the Filipino masses.

Pls. keep in touch.

Love, Bong
______________________________________________

Rock Ed Radio thanks you for listening and participating on Sunday nights @8pm. Because learning is still the new rock and roll.

To continue this conversation, feel free to post comments on this entry or email commentsrock@gmail.com. We will forward your questions to the guests and they have agreed to reply as best they can.