Celebrating the Unwon Freedom

It was the 12th day of June 1898 when, by orders of General Emilio Aguinaldo but under the auspices of the United States of America, the Declaration of Philippine Independence was signed by a few Filipino Compatriots and one American by the name of Koronel L.M. Johnson in front of Notary Public Ambrocio Rizanzares Bautista.

The document cited the reasons for the declaration. We have back then a profound national sentiment of exasperation against foreign domination, supremacy and ascendancy making us slaves in our very own land. There were arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial executions done with utmost impunity by the “guardia sibil”. Land-grabbing, graft and corruption, lack of adequate education, political monopoly by the elite and the oligarchy were most endemic in the society.

The Filipino Tribes (peoples) back then has nothing but a “patriotic native heart” as against a well-garrisoned Spanish Government. The Philippine Revolution that brought forth the Declaration of Independence was commenced by a simple but most meaningful PUBLIC TEARING OF CEDULA coupled by the famous CRY OF PUDAGLAWIN in July 7, 1892, both under the leadership of ANDRES BONIFACIO, the epitome of proletarian revolution against the ruling elite.

It is sad that a close examination of the Philippine Society today or 110 years thereafter, the reasons for the Revolution back then persist with even more impunity and dubious strategies than ever before. Perhaps it is true that The Filipino has its own Government and they have their own leaders or it may be said that there is indeed a Filipino Nation free from foreign control. However the Filipino as a Human Society and a Human Being is gradually, if not virtually, stripped off whatever human dignity left of him. Despite its Roman Catholic orientation, the Philippines is one of the most corrupt nation of the world; it has a ballooning population that could no longer feed itself; extrajudicial killings are seemingly part of accepted policy with a senior government official issuing “shot-to-kill” orders; a judicial system that is beyond the reach of the poor Filipino owing to its commercialization; an educational system that is likewise profit-oriented rather than investment-driven in preparing the youthful populace to face the ever growing scientific future; a government which is proud of its policy of sending OFWs to foreign land and be servants subjected to indignities and oppression which, according to reports, are less than humane; the worse is a stagnant and even antiquated kind of governance because change of leadership is not actually by election but rather thru succession or inherited rights.