A love story is not about those who lose their hearts but about those who find that sullen inhabitant who, when it is stumbled upon, means the body can fool no one, can fool nothing—not the wisdom of sleep or the habit of social graces. It is a consuming of oneself and the past.

~The English Patient

Knowing What I Didn’t Know

Chapter 3: Examining Sensation and Perception
Film: (Smell and Taste Documentary) Human Senses


Knowing What I Didn’t Know

My friends always say that I’m a sucker for useless information—a walking encyclopedia at worst; but then, compared to the body of knowledge out there that I still cannot grasp fully, I’m hardly a trivia-trashcan.

This idea hit me fully in the gut as I watch the documentary Human Senses. I realized, “I’m hardly a knowledgeable person…I don’t know that!”

For starters, I know sharks are supposed to be the “garbage can” of the sea, and that they can’t swim back (except for the computer-generated-very-agitated sharks of the film Deep Blue Sea) and that they have commensalism relationships with small fishes. Plus, I’m also very well aware of how much they like their meat as well as how they can smell from afar a single drop of blood in the water. But never—repeat never—was I made to be aware that sharks don’t like my favorite meat—the chicken.

Watching the documentary, I also realized that humans have very different taste preference than that of animals; such that of the shark not having a taste for chicken.

Furthermore, another example of this explicit but easily disregarded fact is that of the koala. Koalas, for me, are one of the cutest animals I’ve ever laid my eyes on since I was a child and deeply in love with stuffed bears and dogs. And because I love them, I made it a point to know what they love—the eucalyptus. This fact, a lot of people know since it’s a common one, but then, the new thing for me about this is that I didn’t know that they would rather starve themselves than eat anything else aside from eucalyptus. Not unlike to human introverts, they are less likely to be bored with the same stimuli ONLY THAT unlike introverts, they’ve taken it to a higher level! Moreover, because of their euca-addiction, they don’t need water anymore. Amazing!

Another bit of knowledge that previously has not been stored in my memory bank is that of the hummingbirds. I won’t pretend that I know a lot about these avian except that they’re small, and can fly and can sing a different song from that of Miss Regine Velasquez. But with this documentary, I was able to know that their taste buds are like that of a woman—addicted to sweets. Maybe even more. I wouldn’t have ever guessed that they can consume sugar water half of their total weight. Furthermore, I didn’t know that their taste for sweets would take them to an extent that they will fall prey to an artificial sugar-holder like that shown in the documentary where the man put the little flower in his mouth with the open bud just outside his pursed lips and the hummingbird flew to it without any qualms. Talk about sweet tooth!
When it comes to the human tastes, a lot of what we eat, we actually perceived by our sense of smell. And this fact, though not entirely new to me, is still a little surprising since preceding the film-showing, I only know this idea as an abstract concept.

As I watched how the experimenter in the documentary proved her hypothesis that we only know what we eat by associating it to its smell, the previously abstract concept unfolded in my brain. How the subjects only recognized that the “thing” they put into their mouth was a little grainy and somehow spicy and so on, not realizing that it was actually cinnamon without their sense of smell intrigued me to the best, especially when afterwards when they were allowed to released their pinched noses and they exclaimed that it was cinnamon. Surprised at how they were not able to name it beforehand. It only gave more credence to the common idea that the nose and the mouth are intertwined at almost every process they are involved with.

I also learned a lot about the secrets of the sense of smell.

One of these is the appropriateness of the idea that it is REALLY HARD to develop the smelliest odor which can invoke great nausea (same reaction) to almost anyone who may have the luck to smell it. This is because according to the documentary, people react to the same bad smell differently. How strong we react to the smell depends on our past experiences, since like that of the taste associated with the smell of the food, the reaction to the smell of a bad odor depends on the picture we associate with it. This is made possible by the fact that sensory nerves for the sense of smell goes straight to the frontal lobe AND the limbic system where we store intense feelings. Thus, how strong our reaction depends on our intense feelings against it.

That is why some people react to the smell of vomit differently. Some can tolerate it, while others can hardly imagine smelling it. And from what I’ve gathered from the film, the same phenomena may occur when it comes to food.

Just imagine, if I happened to be traumatized (by food poisoning or just an upset stomach) by the taste of okra when I was a child, it may be the cause of why I can hardly be near it. But then, according to the documentary, sensitiveness to taste of food may change over time as we grow. Since when we are still children, we tend to reject bitter and sour foods because such stimuli forge in our brain that it is poison or just plain bad for ourselves. But over time, we get over it for we are already more receptive to the things we can and cannot eat. Moreover, as I’ve learned early on, we humans eventually adapt to different taste even if we hate it at first.

Seeing all these in the film, it makes me want to know more and more even if some may think that they are not relevant at all. Well, I’m the one storing them anyway.

For the secrets of the human senses, I hardly knew at all.




Sto. Domingo, Rosalyn Mae P.
2006-11360 BA CommRes
10 July 2008
Psychology 101 *Asst. Prof. J. Lagdameo

The Underside of the Malolos Republic: A Reaction Paper

Reaction Paper

The Underside of the Malolos Republic

By Dr. Milagros C. Guerrero

Isang kamangmangan ang mamulat sa mga bagay na ang tanging nilalaman ay ang isang mukha lamang ng katotohanan. At lalong isang kamangmangan na tanggapin ang katotohanan ng iilan lamang. Ito ang pinakanais maipabatid ni Dr. Guerrero sa kanyang artilulo patunggkol sa mga “tunay na nangyari” noong itinatag ang Republika ng malolos.

Bilang isang mag-aaral, namulat ako sa mga bagay patungkol sa unang republika ng Pilipinas sa lebel na ang tanging nababangngit lamang ay ang mga “common facts.” Tulad ng kung kailan nagkaroon ng Kongreso ng Malolos, ang Tejeros Convention, kung kailan idineklarang “tunay na Malaya ng Pilipinas”… mga ganoong bagay. Kapakababaw lang ika nga. Sa katotohanan, kahit na ganoon lamang ang alam ko, kahit kailan ay hindi ko ninais na malaman pa ang mga bagay na mas malilim pa roon. Bakit pa? Eh, alam ko naman kung sino ang nagpapatay kay Andres Bonifacio at alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi karapdapat maging national hero si Jose (Mercado) Rizal kahit na sinulat pa niya ang Noli Me Tangere at El Filibusterismo dahil tanging ang mga mayayaman lamang na may kakayahang makabili ng mga kakaunting nakapasok na kopya ng kanyang mga nobela lamang ang nakabasa noon. Bukod pa sa hindi marunong magbasa ng Espanyol ang mga katipunero.

Ngunit ayon sa nabasa ko dati, tanging sa karansan lamang sa nakalipas matututo ang tao sa kung ano ang kanyang dapat gawin para sa kanyang kinabukasan. Iyon ang lalong nagpasidhi ng aking loob na basahin ang isinulat ni Dr. Guerrero, bukod pa sa kailangan talaga.

Ayon sa kanyang sinulat, ano ang kabuluhan ng pagiging unang republika na naitatag sa timog silangang Asya ng Republika ng Malolos kung ang tanging nakapagkamal ng karangyaan at kasayahan sa panahong iyon ay ang mga kayayamang uri ng tao sa bansa, o ang mga alta de cuidad? Lalo ng noong mga panahong naisulat ang artikulo na malapit na ipagdiwang ang ika-isangdaang taon ng pekeng Republika ng Malolos. Para kanino ito ipagdiriwang?

Karapat dapat bang ipaghanda at ipagsaya ito, nang isang daang taon na ang nakalilipas ng paasahin ang mga Pilipino, na nagpakahirap na naangkin ang kalayaan na ipinagkait ng mga espanyol ng tatlong daang taon, ng mga opisyal na nangakong paglilingkuran ang mga taong bayan na sa bandang huli ay inabuso lamang sila at tinapaktapakan?

Nabubuhay tayo sa kahibangan kung iniisip natin na may kabuluhan ang ganoong uri ng pagdiriwang. Ayon sa sinabi ni Salvador H. Laurel, chairman ng National Centennial Commisson noong panahong iyon na ipinagdiwang ang ika-isangdaang “kahangalan” ng gobyerno,

“We want our people to be proud of their past…It is a feeling of being one, of belonging under one flag—with one heart and one soul—and one republic that engender country.”

Kung ganoon nga ang ninais nilang mangyari, bakit hinayaan nilang manatili sa dilim sa mga tunay na nangyari noong mga panahong iyon ang mga Pilipino? Papaano ka magiging mapagmayabang tungkol sa kasaysayan ng iyong bansa kung tanging mga mito na lamang tungkol sa mga bagay-bagay ang iyong alam?

Iginagalang magpahanggang ngayon si Emilio Aguinaldo bilang unang presidente ng Pilipinas kahit na ibinenta niya ang mga Pilipino sa mga Amerikano. Kahit na hinayaan niyang maghirap sa ilalim ng kanyang mga ilinuklok na opisyal ang mga mamamayan. Kahit na inamin niyang may mga opisyal siya na hindi talaga karapat dapat sa posisyon dahil sila’y may favoritism at sila’y mga kurako, ngunit hindi niya inamin na siya mismo ay nakapabor sa mga cacique-ilustrado-principalia kahit pa na siya’y galing lamang sa mas mababang klase ng mamamayan at dapat sana ay mas makamasa. Ito ba ang gusto nilang ipagmalaki natin sa ibang lahi ganun na rin sa mga susunod pang henerasyon?

Ang Malolos Constitution, isang halos tunay na photocopy lamang ng 1895 JImaguayu Constitution of Cuba. Unang uri ng imitasyon. Ito ba ang maipagmamalaki? Na ang mga Pilipino ay magaling at creative sa pagkopya sa mga produkto ng iba?

Kung sanang noong una pa lang ay ipinakita na nila ang tunay na kulay ng Republika ng Malolos, disin sana’y hindi na natin pa kailangang isipin ngayon kung papaano nagsimula ang pagiging mahina ng ating bansa, ang kawalan natin ng sense of national identity. Ang kawalan ng nationality.

Bukod pa rito, maraming nagbuwis, naibuwis at ibinuwis na buhayy para lamang sa kasakiman ng mga nagtatag ng Republika ng Malolos. Ang konstitusiyon na ito ay ang isa sa mga naging dahilan kung bakit naging madali ang pagpapailalim natin sa mga Amerikano na hanggang ngayon ay ramdam pa rin ng Pilipinas. Ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino.

Ngayong naging malinaw na kung ano talaga ang mga pinagdaanan o mga nangyari noon, kung paano ginustong bitawan ni Aguinaldo ang pagiging presidente ng isang bansa na nasa kalagitnaan ng krisis na kung tutuusin ay isa siya sa mga gumawa—ang kanyang kaduwagan—at ang kakulangan ng kanyang mga tagapagpayo dahil sana’y tinuruan na lamang siya kung paano unti-unting bitawan ang kapangayarihan ng hindi mabigla ang mga mamamayan at maghirap ang bansa at mailagay sa mga more capable hands ang dapat sana ay kinabukasan ng bansa.

Nakakalungkot dahil noong nabasa ko ang artikulo ni Dr. Guerrero, masyadong maraming mga “sana ganito” at “sana ganyan” ang pumasok sa aking isip. Mga bagay na maari sanang nagawa upang iligtas ang ating bansa mula sa mga nararanasan niya ngayon.

Hindi sa sinasabi kong lahat ng nangyayari ngayon ay resulta ng mga nangyari dati, ngunit, sa paikot na paraan ay parang ganoon na rin. Lahat ng bagay ay may pinag-ugatan, depende lang kung gaano ka kalalim hahanap ang magiging kasagutan. Halimbawa na rito ang pagiging kurakot ng mga opisyales, unang republika pa lamang ng Pilipinas, meron na. Mas harapan pa ang pangungurakot noon. Isang asenso ngayon, mas magaling magtago ng paraan ng pangungurakot ang mga opisyal—kahit na alam na naman ng mga tao. *evil laugh*

Ang paggunita sa Republika ng Malolos ay katulad rin ng dapat sana ay paggunita sa Edsa Dos. Ang argumento nga noon, kung ipagdiriwang ang Edsa II, para kanino? Eh ayaw na ng mga mamamayan kay Gloria. Kung ipagdiriwang pa rin siya, parang ipinagdiwang na rin na naging pangulo si PGMA. O kaya naman, parang ipinagdiwang na rin na natanggal sa pagkapangulo si Estrada o ipinagluluksa na nadaya siya mula sa kanyang posisyon ni Arroyo.

Mga ganitong panig ang ipinakikita ng sinulat ni Dr. Guerrero. May kalayaan tayo. Ngunit ang tunay na kalayaan ay may basehan. Hindi kailangan isang magarbong kasinungalingan ang ipakalat ng mga may nais na magkaroon ng “maipagmamalaking kasaysayan.”

Kung ano ka, ipakita mo. ‘Yun ang totoong pagmamalaki.

Sto. Domingo, Rosalyn Mae P.
2006-11360 BA Communication Research
Kas1 Sir Jely A. Galang
MTh 1-2:30 pm
11 February 2008

Mulan on a Cultural Spotlight

Mulan on a Cultural Spotlight

I am an avid Walt Disney fan. And one of my favorite movies is their Mulan.

Mulan is about the Chinese girl living in a world full of restrictions where everything she does reflects the name of her family. Set in an era where dynasties are still the ruling class, and where everyone must serve the emperor, “a man by bearing arms, a girl by bearing sons,” Mulan tries to break the norm by trying to uphold her family honor in a very unconventional way.

In this study, I will try to dissect and look between the lines of this story to uncover the cultural aspects underneath all the adventures and the trials of our heroine, making her seat under the cultural spotlight.

Theories at Work

In this application, three theories will be put into perspective as I delve into the cultural ideas scattered around the movie. These are the following: (1) Standpoint Theory, (2) Face Negotiation Theory, and (3) Feminism or Feminist Scholarship under the Modern Tradition.

Standpoint Theory

This theory is about how social groups within which we are located powerfully shape what we experience and know as well as how we understand and communicate with ourselves, others, and the world. In short, it talks about how society “gets into individuals”, or what they usually say “gets under our skin”, so that members of a culture share common understandings, patterns, and values.

Also, it relates the relationship on how individuals come to understand and participate in that of a common (social) world. (Wood, 1997)

Standpoint Theory will be used to analyze how Mulan tried to fit into the social world that she was born into and how she reacted to the social norms that her family instilled in her. Brief examples are like that of she, as the only child of Fa Zhou and Fa Li, as well as being a daughter, can only uphold her family’s honor by marrying good.

Face Negotiation Theory

A theory by Stella Ting-Toomey and her colleagues, Face Negotiation Theory provides a basis for predicting how people will accomplish facework in different cultures. Facework being the communication behaviors people use to build and protect their own face, build, or threaten the face of another person. (Littlejohn & Foss, 2005)

There are two primary variables that affect facework. The first is the individualism-collectivism culture which may be summarize into a “I-Identity” versus “We-Identity” relationship. Most people have feelings of both but within a given culture; one of these will usually predominate.

This will be applicable in setting up the basis on how Mulan tried to escape the stereotyping of the value of a woman within a cultural community. How she tried to save the face of his family after she failed to impress the matchmaker who was supposed to be their key to a brighter future by joining the imperial army in place of his father after disguising herself as a man under the name “Ping.”

Definition of Terms

Face- one’s self image in the presence of others. Feelings of respect, honor, status, connection, loyalty, and other similar values; Means feeling good about yourself in whatever ways your culture prescribes.

Facework- as described above, this is the communication behaviors people use to build their own, or other person’s face.

Locus of framework- whether it is directed at self of others.

Face valence- whether a person’s actions are positive (defending, maintaining, or honoring one’s face) or negative (attacking).

Temporality- whether the communication is designed to prevent loss of face in the future or restore loss of face that has already happened.

Preventive facework- involves communication designed to protect a person from feelings of threat to personal or group face. (e.g. “I know you are very busy, and I’m sorry to intrude, but…”

Restorative facework- designed to rebuild one’s face after an insulting to a friend in a moment of anger. (e.g. Fa Zhou talking about delayed blooms being more beautiful. “My, my, what beautiful blooms we have this year. But look, this one’s late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all.”)

Self-construal- one’s sense of independence or interdependence. (This variable is simply how you see yourself in relation to others.)

Feminism (Feminist Scholarship in the Modern Tradition)

This theory centers around two lines of inquiry. First is that feminism that primarily work for the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes—that seek for women to gain equal status with men within existing power structures. Second, feminisms that seek to dismantle restructure the social system to make it more emancipatory for men and women. (Littlejohn & Foss, 2005)

In short, these can be seen as liberal and radical feminism.

But as I analyze Mulan, I will focus more in the first line of inquiry since the story is set in a time where men are valued significantly more than women. And Mulan being our unconventional heroine, her strive for equality is dominant.

Definition of Terms

Liberal feminism- the idea that justice involves the assurance of equal rights for all individuals.
Radical feminism- the oppression of women runs far deeper than political rights; the problem goes to the heart of our social structure, which is patriarchal.

Feminist inquiry- seeks to transform society rather than simply incorporate women’s voices within it.

Mulan on Spotlight

In the first part of the movie, Mulan is seen as a girl who was given man chores but is expected to act modestly to attract a handsome man into marriage with the help of the “scarier than the undertaker” town’s matchmaker. Here, echoes of the Face Negotiation Theory and the Feminism under the Modern tradition are heard.

Fa Zhou: “Honorable Ancestors…please help Mulan impress the Matchmaker today. Please, please help her.”

In this dialogue, it can be seen that Fa Zhou, the father of Mulan and head of the Fa family, expects Mulan to strike a good match since she’s the only child they have, hence, she’s an only daughter, marrying is the only thing she can do for her family. Heard in this context, it can be seen that under the Feminism Theory, girls are regarded as of lower value than of boys shifting the status quo that the feminist scholarship is aiming for. Also, under the ideas of the Face Negotiating Theory, this passage highlights the need to build a collectivist type of face. In a collectivist type, the group face is given more acknowledgements. With respect to the movie, group face pertains to the honor of the Fa family.

Fa Zhou: Mulan. You should already be in town. We’re counting on you to…

Mulan: Uphold the family honor. Don’t worry, Father. I won’t let you down. Wish me luck!

The same can be said of the passage above. But in this one, Standpoint Theory also applies since based on what Mulan said, it can be deduce that she knows what she ought to do. Being raised under the culture where women are only good for marriage, our heroine already has certain knowledge on what she needs to do and tries to fulfill it by going on the usual “ceremonies”. It is the personification of what the phrase “gets into individuals” means.

Woman #2: Wait and see, when we’re through
Woman #3: Boys will gladly go to war for you
Woman #2: With good fortune
Woman #3: And a great hairdo
Both: You’ll bring honor to us all.
A girl can bring her family
Great Honor in one way
By striking a good match
And this might be the day
Woman #4: Men want girls with good taste
Woman #5: Calm
Fa Li: Obedient
Woman #5: Who works fast-paced
Fa Li: With good breeding
Woman #5: And a tiny waist
All: You’ll bring honor to us all.

Again, the voices of unequal regards for men and women. In this part, men are seen as great people who need to be pampered so their wives should be submissive and industrious when it comes to family matters. Plus, with the aid of the Face Negotiating Theory, the need for group face is always there.

But in the part after Mulan was rejected and insulted by the Matchmaker and she was “self-meditating” in the form of the song “Reflection”, it can be said that Mulan is somewhat trying to break free from the holds their culture have in her. Since they are under a collectivist culture, she is trying to redeem her face in an individualistic way of self-construal but is still conscious of the collective implications of her actions. This is what was addressed in the first part where it said that most people may feel both individualism and collectivism. But in the end, one still predominates.

And it is true. Even though Mulan wanted to do things her own way, she still thought of how her family’s honor may be endangered by her not marrying.

But then, when the imperial proclamations about China needing more soldiers with her father willing to sacrifice his life for his country (again a version of collectivist facework, as well as a point in the Standpoint Theory where people act with respect to how their culture cultivated them), Mulan’s collectivist side was forgotten making her go in place of Fa Zhou in disguised of a man. But when she was already in the Moo-Shung Camp and was engaged in havoc with other soldiers-to-be, she was faced with the dilemma that centers on how she will act equally with “disgusting” men. Under the feminist context, this is an idea that needs a lot of effort to be attained. So, started her not-so-good days at the camp where her vulnerability was highlighted until such time that she was able to do what the other men weren’t able to; making her, as Ping, a “star” of the group and thus restoring her individual face as well as her family’s (since she was pretending to be the son of Fa Zhou, whom Chi Fu, the royal “overseer” deemed as a “lunatic”).
Moving on, when they were supposed to be going to the Pass where the General was supposed to be staying guard against the Huns, the song that the soldiers were singing also depicts inequality, and how the culture views a man and wife relationship.

For a long time we've been marching off to battle.In our thundering herd, we feel a lot like cattle.Like the pounding beat, our aching feet aren't easy to ignore.Hey! Think of instead, a girl worth fighting for!Huh?

That's what I said! A girl worth fighting for!
I want her paler than the moon, with eyes that shine like stars.My girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars!I couldn't care less what she'll wear, or what she looks like!It all depends on what she cooks like!

Beef, pork, chicken, mmm ...
Bet the local girls thought you were quite the charmer!And I bet the ladies love a man in armor!You can guess what we have missed the mostSince we went off to war!

What do we want?A girl worth fighting for!
My girl will think I have no flawsThat I'm a major findHow 'bout a girl who's got a brain, who always speaks her mind?Nah!My manly ways and turn of phrase and sure to thrill her!He thinks he's such a lady-killer!

I've a girl back home who's unlike any other!Yeah, the only girl who'd love him is his mother!But when we come home, in victoryThey'll line up at the door!
What do we want?A girl worth fighting for!Wish that I hadA girl worth fighting for!A girl worth fighting--

In the passage above, the ones highlighted in blue are the cultural norms that are being established in the setting of the story that Mulan is trying to shatter. The ones highlighted in pink are actually the lines Mulan contributed to the song, which are, as it is seen, rejected by her comrades because that their way of thinking is boxed into what their culture dictated on them eversince. Feministic views are also touched in these areas.

After the encounter with the Huns, where Mulan, as Ping, saved the day with her suave strategies as well as Shang, but was wounded in the course, and our heroine’s identity is revealed, instantly, the lost of face was obvious as well as the cultural perceptions (that she needs to be killed because of her treachery) and the inequality (women cannot fight). All three theories combined in a way that everything seems to matter in such a way that affects both the Fa family’s honor as well as Mulan.

Left in the mountains, Mulan decided to just go home and restore her face that is damaged by the insults Shang, Chi Fu, and the other soldiers inflicted in her (face valence: attacking) but then she accidentally learned that the Huns are still alive and are headed to the palace. Mulan being Mulan—removed from the context of her collective culture—thought that it would be a better plan to head to the Imperial City first and divulge what she has learned to protect the emperor. But when she was already there, no one wanted to believe her.

Mulan: The Huns are here!
Man: eh!
Mulan: (to Mushu) No one will listen!
Mushu: huh? Oh, I’m sorry, did you say something?
Mulan: Mushu…
Mushu: Hey, you’re a girl again, remember?

The passage above demonstrates how women are regarded in that particular setting. But then again, because of the real friends Mulan has made during the camp training, someone finally believed her and thus they were able to save the emperor. And by doing so, the feminist idealism that Mulan went so hard to achieved is given permission in a way that the emperor bowed to her and asked her to be a part of his council.

In the end, not only was her family’s honor redeemed, she also brought honor in a way that defies the culture in which she was shaped and broke the perceptions about the issue of equality between men and women.

Sto. Domingo, Rosalyn Mae P.

06-11360 2nd year BA CommRes

Comm 140 _ Dr. Paz Diaz

Application 3

REFERENCES:
Littlejohn, Stephen and Karen Foss. Human Communication, 8th ed., 2005.
Wood, Julia. Communication Theories in Action: An Introduction, 1997.
Mulan Script. Retrieved: September 16, 2007.
URL: http://www.fpx.de/fp/Disney/Scripts/Mulan.html

Vampires: Fiends of the Humanity

Vampires: Fiends of the Humanity
An Analysis on How Media Presents Vampires to the World
With Anne Rice’s The Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat

by Sto. Domingo, Rosalyn Mae P.
06-11360 BA CommRes
Submitted to Comm 140 1st sem 07-08 Dr. Paz Diaz


Vampires are immortal creatures dubbed to be “undead” that sustains their immortality by drinking human blood. This is how the world views these “children of the night.”

But then again, that is only the most general concept often integrated with the word vampire. From Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula to Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles and New Tales of the Vampires, these blood-sucking creatures have been described in a lot of different ways that often creates puzzles for the humanity.

In this simple analysis, I will be delving in the different ways these vampires are embedded to the mind of humans with respect to their culture. And to do this, I’ll be focusing more with Anne Rice’s vampires versus the “common vampires” with the help of Social Action Media Studies.

Social Action Media Studies

A theory by Gerard Schoening and James Anderson, this talks about how media content is interpreted within the community according to meanings that worked out socially within the group, and individuals are influenced more by their peers than media. (Littlejohn, 2005: page 282) A community –based approach, this theory is outlined into six premises: (1) meaning is not the message itself but is produced by an interpretative process in the audience, (2) meaning of media messages and programs is not determined passively, but produced actively by audiences, (3) meanings of media shift constantly as the members approach the media in different ways, (4) meaning of a program or message is never individually established, but communal, (5) actions that determines a group’s meaning’s for media content are done in interaction among members of the group, and lastly, (6) researchers join the communities they study, if only temporarily, and therefore have an ethical obligation to be open about what they are studying and share what they learn with those studied.

Comes with these ideas is the “increasingly popular way of approaching media which is to think of the audience as numerous interpretative communities, each with its own meanings for what is read, viewed, or heard.” (Littlejohn and Foss, 2005: page 282)

An interpretative community when a group of people starts to develop their own meaning of things viewed, seen, or heard. They have common understanding of contents that sets a common outcome of ideas. Thus, if one is to know or understand how a community views things, you have to know their cultural background. Any person may be a member of any interpretative communities

Thomas Lindlof presents three dimensions of an interpretative community. The first is content, which says that a community must share the same meanings of the media messages or programs they consume and also share some common meanings of the content. The second is interpretation, where members of the community must share similar ways of interpreting messages but do not necessarily share the same meaning. And finally, the third, is social action, where members of the community share common sets of behaviors towards the media in question and how the media affects them.

With this theory, I’ll analyze how different people view vampires according to how the media presents them. There will be two media used, one is print (The Vampire Lestat) and the second is from the big-screen, the movie Interview with the Vampire compared with the general perceptions and the ancient presentation of Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula.

The Interviews

Before I set out to collect different sources about how media presents vampires, I conducted some ambush interviews about how my peers view vampires and why. Following are some excerpts.

Q: So what comes to your mind when you hear the word vampire?
A: Hindi ba yung sumisipsip ng dugo? Yung katulad nung Dracula…
(Aren’t those the blood suckers? Like that of Dracula…)
Q: Ahmm... So how do you think they survive? I mean in the sense of population.
A: Kapag kinagat ka nila. ‘Di ba vampire ka na nun.
(When they already bit you. You’re already a vampire then, aren’t you.)
Q: How can you say so?
A: Wala. Sa tv tsaka sa books ‘di ba. Ganun.
(Nothing. In the television, or books. That’s how.)

In this particular interview, the interviewee was not really exposed to vampiric talks or media. Her only basis was the general perception of people to this specific topic and thus she was considered an audience from the community who bears no care for the topic at hand. The meaning then of the word vampire to her, is as simple as the phrase blood-suckers.
In the second one, another one who was not as versed with the topic as the first was interviewed. Same questions were issued and the following were her answers.

(Q1) A: Ahmm… Yung parang kay Mary Tudor ‘yun ‘di ba? Yung tinawag na Bloody Mary kasi nagpapapatay ng mga protestants. If I’m not mistaken, impaler ata tawag dun.. Siyempre pati na rin yung kay Dracula.
(Q2) A: I think pwede naman silang manganak…I mean, sa Dracula, they can have sex, so maybe they can also procreate.
(Q3) A: Wala, yung Dracula nga. Tsaka when I read kasi history books, especially that of Europe, medyo lumalabas yung word na vampire. Yun lang talaga yung alam ko since I don’t read anything about vampires.

Using the first premise, I can then conclude that the audience in the first interview interprets the message in a simple way different from that of the second one who was also lacking in education about the topic of vampires who integrates the word vampire to that of impaler and of course, Dracula. The most striking difference is that the second one seems to have more logical explanation about the word by connecting it to the violence in history.

Count Dracula

Count Dracula, a character given life by Bram Stoker, is supposed to have been from 15th century Transylvania; a tyrant noble with the name of Vlad III Dracula.

He is known to be the Prince of Darkness, the very first vampire. He can transform into a bat or a clouds of bat, a rat or a swarm of rats, a wolf, or mist. He can control the minds of his victims by putting then into a trance so they bide his will. He will either kill you by sucking your blood or make you into a vampire yourself in the same way. He is supposed to be a thousand years old for he is immortal, although there are some ways in which he can be stopped or even killed. These are (1) he cannot cross over running water, (2) he cannot abide the smell of garlic, (3) he cannot touch holy water or bear the sight of the cross, (4) he cannot enter a house unless invited, (5) he cannot leave his lair at daytime because sunlight (or even a big blaze) may burn him, (6) you can find him in his coffin and while he is sleeping, drive a wooden stake through his heart and cut of his head.

These are the characteristics known to people today. The basics about a vampire. And this is generally how interpretative communities view vampires. Under the first dimension of interpretative communities, this is the content—meaning—people share about the concept of vampire.

The Vampire Lestat

The Vampire Lestat, the Brat Prince of the Vampires, a character from the book of Anne Rice, is an 18th century French noble who was turned into a vampire by force. A fledgling (vampire child) of Magnus, a 300 year-old vampire, who after creating him jumped into a big blaze and ended his immortal life, Lestat de Lioncourt described himself as “almost human” in a way that he still looks the same as he did when he died as a mortal and joined the realm of the undead only that, he never changed physically after that, but instead just grew more white in complexion, almost translucent. The only thing that usually signals that he is a vampire is that his fingernails are like carved from glass that they shine inhumanly. And this description works for all of their kinds.

Like Count Dracula though, they are immortals and really feed on human blood and sleep in coffins, if they like. Out of all the descriptions connected with the mythological Count those were their only distinct similarity.

They don’t turn into bats or the likes. They do not have familiars. They can go inside the church, touch the cross, and even pray the prayers of the devotees, and still they wouldn’t burn. They cannot die just because of a stake through the heart and a head cutoff. And Dracula, in this novel, is not their eldest vampire.

Anne Rice, creating her own legendary vampires created a new definition of the occult word vampire in her novel, specifically this. This is how her media described our human fiends. And her readers used these meanings/descriptions when asked about vampires. Under the first premise, they are the interpretative community who has their own shared interest as well as common meanings. In this case, their common meaning is Anne Rice’s novel.

And their social action media studies premise falls under the fourth one since the tradition the group has is that they are all fans of Anne Rice as well as vampire enthusiast, and therefore, they are already removed from the Dracula Days and now under the interpretations of Anne Rice.

Interview With The Vampire

Interview with the vampire is a novel by Anne rice that was adapted into a movie. In this paper, we’ll focus more on the movie, rather than the novel.

The movie talks about vampires the same way The Vampire Lestat did since it was based on another Anne Rice novel, but, in respect to the media message, it was taken in different ways by different people.

The first one I interviewed is a boy of seven who has seen the film. He said that he knows vampires are only shaped from the imagination and thus he doesn’t believe they exist but he believes the ways on how these creatures were presented in the movie. I asked him if he knows how a vampire is made, believing he would explain the “Dracula way,” but then he explained it to me in this way: “Una, sisipsipin muna yung dugo mo tapos pag konti na lang yung dugo mo, kakagatin nila yung kamay nila tapos ipapainom sa’yo yung dugo nila. Tapos nun, vampire ka na.”

That was exactly how it was shown in the film and that was how he presented the information to me. When I asked him how come he knows such things, he said it was because his sister is a vampire. Fancy that.
This particular interview, the premise at work is the fifth one, where a group’s meaning for media content are done in interaction among members of the community. In this particular part, the community is the family.

The second interview was of the sister of the first interviewee, (she’s not a vampire, just a fan) she answered the same way her brother answered the questions I poured at them but in the last part of the interview, she said that actually, she is quite confused in a way that, in Anne Rice’s series’ says that vampires cannot reproduce the way human do because they are already dead. But in other books, general resources, they speak another different thing. And these things confuse her view of the vampires.

After talking to her, I realized that she was already making an active acceptance to the media messages she received. Thus, her reaction proved premise one and two where meaning is not in the message itself but produced through an interpretative process in the audience and that meaning of media messages and programs are not determined passively, but rather, actively by the audience—that audience actually do something with what they view or read.

Vampires Questionable

After conducting these series of analysis, I’ve come to the conclusion that vampires are viewed in different ways by humans. It depends on how they react to the messages being given to them and to how their already composed meanings of these topics affect their interpretation. But even though a lot of factors turns this vampiric topics into a subjective ones, it ends with what the audience choose to do with the facts they are given.












REFERENCES

Littlejohn, Stephen and Karen Foss, Theories on Human Communication, 8th ed. 2005
Rice, Anne. The Vampire Lestat. 1984
(movie) Interview With the Vampire
K-Zone October 2003, Vol. 2 No.2: pp. 38-41

Kilusang Kababaihan

Introduksyon

“Kasumpa-sumpa
ang maging babae sa panahong ito.”
-Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo

Ayon sa tula ni Ruth Mabanglo, kusumpa-sumpa ang maging babae dahil hanggang ngayon, nakukulong pa rin ang mga babae sa nakaraang depenisyon na ito ay mahina. Isang babasaging kristal na sa kakaunting pagpapabaya ay maaaring mabasag o masira. At dahil rito, ayon sa matandang paniniwala, bilang isang dalaga, ang isang babae ay nasa pangangalaga ng kanyang ama at mga kapatid na lalaki hanggang sa ito’y mag-asawa at ang pangangalaga ay malilipat sa esposo.

Ito ang matandang paniniwala patungkol sa babae sa Pilipinas.

Ngunit hindi ganito mula sa simula.

Pahanong Pre-hispaniko

Bago pa dumating ang mga Espanyol sa Pilipinas, may parting ginagampanan ang mga babae sa lipunan. Sa mga panahong ito, ang babae ay kapantay ng lalake. Sa isang pamilya, ang karapatan ng anak na babae ay kapantay ng sa anak na lalake—kasama na rito ang partihan sa mana. Bukod pa riyan, ang babae ay may karapatang magkamit ng karangalan at posisyon sa lipunan. At kung siya ay solong anak, may karapatan siyang magmana at mamuno bilang tagapagmana ng pamilya. (Subido, 1989: pahina 1)

Ang pagmamay-ari ng bahay, karapatang ipasawalang-bisa ang kanyang kasal, at magboses ng opinion ay parte rin ng kakayahan ng isang babae bago pa man dumating ang mga Espanyol sa ating bansa. Maging sa kanyang pananamit, walang limitasyon.

Panahon ng Espanyol

Ngunit nang dumating ang mga mananakop, ang Pilipinas ay napuno ng mga batas ng kodigong Sibil at kodigo ng Komersyo kung saan bumaba ang estado ng babae dahil pinag-ibayo ng mga bagong batas na ito ang pagtingin sa babae. Mas mababa na ang estado nito sa ngayon. Nawala na ang mga dating karapatan na naglalagay sa babae sa parehong pwesto tulad ng kanyang kapatid na lalaki.

Hindi na rin siya pwedeng magsuot ng mga damit na ayon sa mga Espanyol ay “malaswa” at “mula sa demonyo.” Nawala na rin ang kakayahan nitong makapag-aral, makapagbigay ng opinyon sa mga usaping pambayan, maging ang kanyang kakayahang mamuno ay wala na.
Sa isang iglap, ang babae ay naging isang nilalang na hindi nakikita sa lipunan. Isang nilalang na nasa bahay lang mula pagkabata. At kapag nag-asawa, kailangan nitong sundin ang lahat ng luho ng kanyang esposo kung hindi ay isa iyong malaking kasalanan.

Maging ang Katoliko Romano, mas lalong pinagtibay ang kawalang ng bokasyon ng isang babae sa panahon na iyon. Malimit lamang ang mga babaeng talagang lumalaban sa sistema tulad nina Melchora Aquino o Tandang Sora, Gabriella Silang at iba pang mga anak ng katipunan.
Ngunit lahat ng mga kalayaang tinatamasa nila ay naabot lamang nila kapalit ng kanilang pagiging kalaban ng lipunan.

Panahon ng mga Amerikano

Nang dumating ang mga Amerikano sa Pilipinas, muli ay nabigyang laya ang mga kababaihan. Dahil sa libreng edukasyon noon ng mga Amerikano, maging ang mga kababaihan na noong panahon ng mga Espanyol ay mga dasal at kasulatan lamang na pang-simbahan ang alam ay nakapag-aral. Nagkaroon din sila ng karapatan makaboto at ilabas ang kanilang saloobin sa lipunan at mga bulok na sistema. Muli ay nakamit nila ang kalayaan na ipinagkait sa kanila ng lagpas tatlong siglo.

Lahat ng mga kalayaan na ibinigay sa ng mga Amerikano ay kanilang ginamit na lubusan upang mabawi ang kanilang karapatang pampolitikal, pangsibil, pang-ekonomiko, at pang-sosyal na parehong kalagayan nila sa mga kalalakihan.

Ngunit ang kalayaan na ito ay panlabas na anyo lamang ng mga kababaihan dahil kahit na bukas na ulit para sa kanila ang lipunan, ang mga maliliit na institusyon ay hindi pa. Tulad na lang sa loob ng pamilya, maraming babae pa rin ang ikinukulong sa bahay pagkat ang kinikilala nilang depinisyon ng pagiging babae ay ang panganganak, pag-aalaga ng anak at paglilingkod sa asawa. Sa bandang huli, ang karapatan nilang magaral ay napupunta lamang sa pagiging isang may-bahay.

Panahon ng Hapon

Nang salakaying ng mga hapon ang Pilipinas, muli ay nawala ang kalayan ng mga kababaihan at sa halip ay lalo silang natapon sa kamay ng mga kalalakihan. Nagkaroon ng mga comfort women na ang naging papel ay maging taga-aliw ng mga sundalong hapon. Kahit na gipit noong panahon na iyon ang lahat ng mga Pilipino, mas matindi ang sinapit ng mga babae dahil sapilitian silang ginagawang laruan ng mga hapon. Hindi lamang upang tugunan ang kanilang makamundong sidhi ngunit para na rin yurakan ang dignidad ng mga Pilipino.

“Kaya nila ginawa ‘yon dahil alam nila na mas masasaktan ang mga Pilipino dahil hindi lamang ang mga babae ang dinudungisan kundi pati na rin ang buong sambayanang Pilipino dahil ang babae ang nanganganak,” sabi ng isang mag-aaral ng Hum1 nang pinag-uusapan ang dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng mga comfort women matapos basahin ang autobiography ni Rosa Henson, dating naging comfort woman noong panahon ng Hapon sa lalawigan ng Pampanga.

Isa lamang ito sa mga naging kasakitan ng mga kababaihan noong panahon na iyon. Marami pang iba.

Babae sa kanyang paglaya sa tanikala

Dahil sa mga sinapit na ito ng mga kababaihan, mas lalong naging masidhi ang pagnanais na makawala sa tanikala na tila nakatali sa kanilang pagkatao. Dito nag-ugat ang Kilusang Kababaihan.

Ngunit kung tutuusin, matagal ng nagsimula ito noon pang panahon ng mga Espanyol, ngunit nabigyan lamang sila ng boses, noong 1905.

Kilusang Kababaihan

Depinisyon at Kasaysayan

Ang kilusang kababaihan ay ang mga political, social, and cultural movements na nababatay sa mga teorya at pilosopiyang moral na may kinalaman sa mga usapin patungkol sa hindi pagkakapantay ng lalaki at babae, at mga diskriminasyon sa babae.

Ayon sa ilang kasulatan, ang pangkalahatang kilusang kababaihan ay may tatlong yugto. Ang una ay noong ikalabing-siyam na siglo hanggang sa mga unang bahagi ng ikadalawampung siglo, ang ikalawa naman ay noong 1960s hanggang 1970s, at ang huli ay mula 1990s magpasahanggang ngayon.

Ang unang yugto ay nag-ugat sa United Kingdom at United States patungkol sa mga isyu ng equal rights sa mga kontrata at mga pag-aari ng isang babae at ang pag-ayaw nito sa isang pilit na kasal, gayun na rin ng pag-aari ng asawang lalaki sa asawang babae. Ngunit sa bangdang katapusan ng ikalabing-siyam na siglo, natuon sa mga karapatang political ang kilusang kababaihan.

Ang ikalawang yugto naman, tulad ng nauna ng nasabi ay nagsimula noong mga unang bahagi ng 1960s at nagtapos mga huling bahagi ng 1980s. Tungkol ito sa mga kultural at political na pag-aalsa ng mga kababaihan. Kung ang unang yugto ay tumutukoy sa mga paghihirap ng mga kababaihan, ang pinatutungkulan naman nito ay ang hindi pagkakapantay-pantay ng babae at lalaki at ang katapusan ng diskrminasyon.

Ang ikatlong yugto naman ay nagsimula mga unang taon ng 1990s bilang isang tugon sa mga hindi nagtagumpay nalayon ng ikalawang yugto ng kilusang kababaihan. Naghahangad ito na talunin ang dating depinisyon ng feminismo o femininity na ayon sa mga advocate ng ikatlong yugto ng kilusan ay sobrang istrikto at ideyal.

Feminismo sa Pilipinas

Ang kilusang kababaihan ay isang kilusang nananawagan hindi lamang sa pagpapalaya ng kasarian mula sa pagsasamantala at pang-aapi sa lipunan kundi pati na rin sa pambansang pagpapalaya. (Kalagin ang ating tanikala: batayan kurso sa kalagayan at pakikibaka ng kababaihang Pilipino: pahina 3)

Sa pamamagitan ng kilusang ito, nasisigurong mayroong behikulo para sa pakikipaglaban para sa mga isyung kinasasangkutan ng mga babae sa lipunan.

Upang maisulong ang paglaya, partikular na ginagawa ng kilusan ang paglaban sa mga institusyon ng lipunan na nagsusulong sa sistema na patriarka—mula sa estado, negosyo, simbahan, paaralan, masmidya hanggang sa pamilya. Ang mga istitusong ito kasi ang higit na nagsasadlak sa mga babae sa mababang posisyon sa lipunan.

Sa ating bansa, mayroong iba’t ibang klasae ng kilusang kababaihan. Ayon sa nabanggit na libro, mayroong tatlong katangian na dapat taglayin ang mga ito upang ganap na makilalang kilusang kababaihan. Ito ay ang mga sumusunod:

Isa dapat itong kilusang nakapaloob sa kabubuang kilusan para sa pagpapalaya ng bayan.

Sabi nga, ang usapin ng paglaya ng mga kababaihan, kailanman ay hindi maaaring ihiwalay sa usapin ng paglaya ng bansa mismo. Kasi naman, hangga’t hindi pa napapalaya ang bayan mula sa kuko ng imperyalismo, pyudalismo, at burukrata kapitalismo, hinding-hindi rin lalaya at magkakaroon ng pantay na katayuan sa mga kalalakihan ang mga kababaihan. Ang mga salot na ito sa lipunan ay pawang mga nagiging daan sa pagpapaigting ng pang-aaping ating nararanasan.

Ikalawa, isa dapat itong kilusang masa.

Kapag sinabing masa, kadalasan sila ang mga nakararaming api sa lipuan. Mainam na sila ang mamuno sa kilusan upang matiyak higit na pagpupursigi upang makamit ang pangunahing layunin ng paglaya. Kumpara kasi sa mga nabibilang sa nakatataas na antas ng kabuhayan, mas nararamdaman ng masa ang pagsasamantala at pang-aalipusta. Kaya naman masasabi na sila ang pinaka-naghahangad ng pagkalag mula sa tanikalang ng pang-aapi at pagsasamantala ng naghaharing uri.

Ikatlo, isa dapat itong militanteng kilusan.

Upang makamit ang inaasam na pagbabago sa lipunan, kinakailangan na isantabi ang pagiging pasibo at kimi; sa halip, dapat ay maging matapang at mapangahas na makibaka para sa mga karaingan at karapatan. Walang mangyayari sa kasalukuyan kalagayan kung hindi magbubuklod ng lakas at sama-samang sa aktibong paglaban.

Nakasaad din sa libro ang mga tungkuling dapat gampanan ng isang kilusang kababaihan.

1. Maramihang palahukin ang mga kababaihan sa mga pakikibaka ng sambayanan at ng iba’t ibang sektoral na kilusan.

Dahil sa mga isinasagawang pagkilos ng mga kababaihan, dalawa sa kanilang mga isinusulong ang kaagad-agad na natatamo: ang pagpapalakas sa kanilang pakikibaka sa bayan, at ang pagsulong ng kanilang kalayaan.

2. Itaguyod ang mga karapatan at kagalingan ng kababaihan, sa larangan ng ekonomiya, pulitika, at kultura.

Sa larangan ng ekonomiya, nararapat lamang na isulong ang mga karapatan ng mga kababaihan tulad ng karapatan para sa mahusay at makataong empleyo, karampatang bayad na pantay sa kalalakihan para sa parehon trabaho., pantay na access sa mga resources, at pantay na oportunidad. Dapat na tutulan ang gender-strereotyping.

Sa pulitika, karapatan ng mga kababaihang magkaroon gn wastong representasyon sa iba’t ibang institusyon sa lipunan. Ang mga ito ang magsisilbing boses ng nakararami.

Sa kultura, kinakailangang suportahan ng estado ang demokratisasyon sa pamilya upang mapagaan na ang pasanin ng mga kababaihan pagdating sa bahay, at nang mabago na rin ang naging tradisyunal na palakad sa pamilyang Pilipino.

3. Pangalagaan ang kagalingan ng mga bata.

Hindi dapat na maging solong responsibilidad ng mga babae ang pagtataguyod sa kanilang mga anak. Tuwing nangyayari kasi ito, patuloy silang natatali sa bahay at nalilimitahan ang kanilang partisipasyon sa lipunan.

4. Makipagkaisa sa mga kababaihan sa iba’t ibang panig ng daigdig para labanan ang pang-aapi sa kababaihan.

Kung mayroong pagkakaisa, mas mapapadali ang pagtamo sa layuning paglaya. Basta ba unahin lamang ang pagkakaisa nila laban sa pangunahing salot—ang imperyalismo. Ito kasi ang pinakanagsasadlak sa mga kababaihan sa ibayong kahirapan at karahasan.

Nabanggit din sa Kalagin ang ating tanikala: batayang kurso sa kalagayan at pakikibaka ng kababaihang Pilipino ang mga pangunahing gawain ng kilusang kababaihan. Napakarami ng mga gampanin ng mga kilusang kababaihan tungo sa pagsusulong ng pakikibaka at paglaya ng kababaihan. Bawat gawain ay mahalaga at nagbubukas ng iba’t ibang mga kasanayan para sa mga kababaihan.

1. Edukasyon

Mahalaga na mamulat ang mga kababaihan sa tunay na kalagayan nila sa buhay. Dapat nilang mabatid ito nang sa gayon ang kaalamang ito na ang magsilbing daan tungo sa kanilang paglaya. Sa oras na malaman na nila ang ganitong katotohanan, mag-uumpisa na ang unti-unting proseso ng pagbabago sa kanilang mga buhay. Magkakaroon na rin sa wakas ng panimulang pagkilos.

2. Pag-oorganisa

Ito ang nagsisilbing sandigang lakas ng kilusang kababaihan. Nakabatay ito sa uri. Mahalaga na tutukan o bigyang-pansin ang ang pag-oorganisa sa kababaihang anakpawis. Bagaman hindi ipinagbabawal na bumuo ng mga organisasyon na kinabibilangan ng mga kababaihan mula sa iba’t ibang uri ng pwersa sa lipunan.

Iba-iba ang anyo ng organisasyon ng mga kababaihan batay sa kani-kanilang mga pangangailangan o kalagayan.

3. Kampanya at Pakikibakang Masa

Makikita ang lakas ng mga kababaihan base sa kanilang mga ginagawang aktibong pagkilos.
Kampanya—serye ng mga pagkilos na isinasagawa ng masa upang ipaglaban ang isyu o kahilingan.

Pakikibakang masa—aktwal na pakikitunggali o paghamon ng masa sa mga kaaway sa uri upang maipagwagi ang ilang mga kahilingan o koneksyon.

4. Propaganda

Ito ay pagsasagawa ng malawakang pagbibigay-edukasyon sa publiko kaugnay ng mga usaping nakakaapekto sa mga kababaihan. Naipapalaganay ang impormasyon sa pamamagitan ng mas midya tulad ng radyo, pahayagan, sine, at telebisyon. Ngunit hindi maaaring lubusang umasa sa midya lalo na’t maraming impormasyon ang pinaghihigpit dito.

Kasabay ng pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon sa ganitong mga paraan, nararapat pa ring i-maintain ng organisasyon ang mga sarili niton daluyan ng impormasyon tulad ng kanilang pahayagan, manipesto, iskit, kulturang pagtatanghal at iba pa.

5. Networking at Pakikipag-alyansa

Networking—pagbubukas ng pagkikipag-ugnayan sa mga organisasyon, institusyon, indibidwal para sa mga kadahilanan tulad na lamang ng pagpapalitan ng impormasyon o kaya naman ay pagpapadalo sa mga kumperensya.

Pakikipag-alyansa—pakikipagkaisa sa mga organisasyon, institusyon, o indibidwal batay sa iisang pagtingin o pagposisyon sa mga isyung kababaihan o pambayan. Ito ay dapat lamang na nakabatay sa prinsipyo at hindi lang sa mga personal na dahilan o kahiyaan.
Ang mga gawaing ito ang magsisilbing daan tungo sa paglawak ng hanay ng kilusang kababaihan.

Ang Pakikibaka ng mga Kababaihan sa Malapyudal at Mala-kolonyal na Sistema
Iba’t ibang kilusan ang naitatag upang matamo ng mga kababaihan ang kalayaan mula sa pang-aaping nararanasan. Nag-umpisang lumahok ang mga kababaihan sa pakikibaka ng masang Pilipino. Ilan lamang ang mga sumusunod sa mga kilusang ito:

Makabayang kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan o MAKIBAKA

Itinayo ang militante at rebolusyunaryog organisasyn na ito noong 1970. Ito ang kauna-unahang samahan ng mga kababaihan sa Pilipinas na malinaw na nagtataguyod hindi lamang ang pambansang kalayaan at demokrasya kundi pati na rin para sa naaaping uri. Bumuo rin ito ng mga programa para sa paglaya ng mga kababaihan. Ang mga miyembro nito ay pawang mga babaeng aktibista mula sa hanay ng kabataan.

Nililinaw nito ang isyu na bukod sa pagsasamantala ng mga dayuhan at ng naghaharing uri, dumaranas din ang masang kababaihan ng pagsasamantala dahil na rin sa kanilang kasarian.

Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan o KMK

Binuo ang pambansang organisasyon na ito ng mga kababaihang manggagawa noong 1980. Isinusulong nila ang pagtatanggol sa kinasasadlakang pang-aapi ng mga babae sa larangan ng ekonomiya.

SAMAKANA

Nabuo noong 1983, isa itong mulitsektoral na organisasyon ng mga kababaihan. Kalaunan, ito’y naging organisasyon ng mga kababaihan sa mga maralitang komunidad.

Women for the Ouster of Marcos and Boycott o WOMB

Ito’y bunga ng pag-oorganisa ng mga babae mula sa hanay ng mga petiburgesya. Hayagan nilang ipinapakita ang kanilang oposisyon sa diktadura noong panahon ni Marcos.

General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership and Action o mas kilala sa pangalang GABRIELA

Naitatag ito noong 1984. Isa itong pambansang koalisyon ng kababaihan mula sa iba’t ibang uri na lumalaban sa diktadurang Marcos. Noong 1986 naman, ang organisasyong ito ay naging sentrong pampulitika ng militanteng pagkilos ng kababaihang Pilipino para sa pambansang kalayaan, demokrasya at pagkakapantay-pantay ng babae at lalake.

AMIHAN
Ito’y isang pambansang pederasyon ng kababaihang magbubukid sa Pilipinas. Naitayo ito sa tulong na rin ng GABRIELA.

Konklusyon

Lipunan talaga ang nagtatakda ng magiging papel ng babae o lalaki. Ito ang pangunahing nagtatakda ng mga ikikilos nila.

Noong simula, bago pa man tayo sakupin ng mga Kastila, ay mataas pa ang katayuan ng mga kababaihan sa lipunan. Kapantay pa sila ng mga kalalakihan. Ito ay dahil wala pang masyadong paghahati sa mga komunidad o basehan ng mga teritoryo sa kalakhan sa bansa. Nang dumating ang mga Espanyol ay naitatag ang lipunang kolonyal at piyudal na siyang nagpabago ng mga kasanayan o sistema sa ating bansa. Ito ay isa sa mga naging dahilan ng pagkakaroon ng pag-uuri –uri. Bunga nito, ang pagpapalaganap nila ng pagkakaroon ng mababa at sekundaryang posisyon ng mga kababaihan sa lipunan. Nabuo ang konsepto ng sistemang patriarka sa ating bansa. Patriarka ang sistemang hanggang sa ngayon ay nagbibigay pa rin ng lamat sa kakayahan o pagkakakilanlan ng mga kababaihiang Pilipino. Sa pagsakop naman sa atin ng mga Amerikano, higit nila tayong nakontrol dahil sa paghahari ng imperyalismo. Ito ang higit na nagpasidhi sa pang-aapi sa mga kababaihang Pilipino kahit na nabigyan tayo ng laya na makapag-aral at magpartisipa sa mga gawaing panlipunan. Nagbigay ang kanilang mga direksyon ng huwad na kalayaan na hindi matutumbasan. Nang dahil sa sistemang kolonyal at malapyudal na kanilang ipinalaganap, lalong nagkaroon ng klarong hatian sa mga uri sa Pilipinas. Ang mahirap ay sadlak lalo sa kahirapan; ang mayaman ay ubod ng yaman; ang babae ay naging isang edukadang alipin ng kanyang asawa. Isang matinding pinsala naman ang idinulot ng pagsakop sa atin ng mga Hapones. Naging laganap ang panggagahasa at sekswal na pang-aabuso sa kababaihang Pilipino na hindi lamang sumira sa kanilang pagtingin sa sarili, kundi pati na sa harap ng ibang tao ay naging madungis ang anyo ng mga kababaihan. At hanggang sa kasalukuyan, patuloy pa rin ang paghahari ng sistemang patriarkal sa bansa na kahalo na ang iba pang pang-aapi ng iba pang mga nagdaang panahon.

At upang ibawi ang dangal ng kababaihan, maraming mga kilusan ang umusbong upang tugunan ang mga hinaing na hindi napapansin at hindi pinapansin ng lipunan. Ito ang mga kilusang kababaihan na siyang nagbibigay ng suporta at naglulunsad ng mga gawain upang matulungan ang mga Filipina na magpahanggang sa ngayon ay alipin pa rin ng huwad na kalayaan, pang-aapi, at diskriminasyon.

“Kahit masugat –sugatan ang sarili,
Upag ang dugong
Sa kabahagi lamang dumadaloy,
Maglandas din sa isip at guni-guni.”
Ang Maging Babae
Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo

Kilusang Kababaihan
A Term Paper for Fil 40



Dizon, Lea Mae Patricia L.
2006-13839
Sto. Domingo, Rosalyn Mae P.
2006- 11360


Professor Melania Abad
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City




BIBLIYOGRAPIYA

______________ ., Kalagin ang ating tanikala: batayang kurso sa kalagayan at pakikibaka ng kababaihang Pilipino Quezon City : Center for Women's Resources, 1994

Azarcon, Pennie S., ed. Kamalayan: Feminist Writings in the Philippines. Quezon City : Pilipina, 1987.

Camacho, Leonarda. 100 Centennial Celebration: Feminist Movement in the Philippines. [S.l.] : Printed by Vibal Pub. House, c2005.

Fernandez, Albina Peczon at Rosalinda Ofreneo. Kababaihan. Kalinangan. Kaunlaran: essays on women and culture. Quezon City : Forward Looking Women, 1990.

Tarrosa-Subido, Trinidad. The Feminist Movement in the Philippines. [Manila] : National Federation of Women's Clubs, [c1955]



ANG MAGING BABAE
Ruth E. S. Mabanglo

Kasumpa-sumpa
Ang maging babae sa panahong ito:

Depinisyong pamana
Ng nakaraa’t kasalukuyan

Anong hinulma
Ng pag-asam at pangangailangan

Ibukod pa ang basal na kalikasan
Ang tungkulin at kapaligiran

Isaalang-alang bilang halimbawa,
Ang maiambil sa babasaging kristals

Mulang pagsilang,
Nagumon ang isip sa karupukan
Guwardiya ang bawat ama
Ng pagkabirhe’t kahihiyan

Bawat kapatid na lalaki’y espiya,
Asawa naman ang kandadong ikinakawit sa pinto.

Tunguhin ka’t dahilan
Ng di mabilang na bagay.

Kanin at pamulat
Ng hangari’t paglingap.

Anong pag-ibig o pagpapakasakit?
Anong paglilingkod o pagtitiis?

Ikaw ang pundiya ng karsonsilyo,
Ang kurbata, maging ang burda sa panyo’t kamiseta.

Susukatin ang ganda mo sa kama,
Ang talino’y sa pagkita ng pera.

Kumikita ang beer at sine,
Nagdidildil ka ng pills.

Tunay, ang maging babae sa panahong ito’y
Magiging kasumpa-sumpa lalo

Kung di babalikwas ang lahat,
Matiim na magmumuni’t magsusuri

Kahit masugat-sugatan ang sarili,
Upang ang dugong
Sa kabahagi lamang dumadaloy,
Maglandas din sa isip at guni-guni.

Never Again

As I think of you now
I know you’ll never
Think of me again.

As I murmur your name
With my loving care
I know you’ll never
Say my name again.

And as I break my heart
By remembering you,
My witnesses are the morning dew
For I know you’ll never
Break your heart again.


Never Again
26 February 2008
R.M. Sto. Domingo

On A Boat

Sinking
Sinking
Sinking

Infinite sadness
Infinite despair
Loneliness—
Beyond repair.

A stone
Thrown on the
Water
Slowly—desperate
--sinking.

The oblivion
Waiting,
Darkness from
Within.



On A Boat
29 November 2007
R.M.Sto. Domingo

Pain in Innocence

Pain etched
In my soul
On my soul
I suffer this
Ill-disposed.

Pain radiated
In the whole of me
Unwanted
Unnecessary
But in there—

Not a scalpel
Nor a laser
Can destroy it.
No, indestructible.

Someone
Wretch my heart
Away and save
Me from reality.

Inside, a melody
A chorus floating
Indecisively—
Unpatterend.

Sing it
This composition
And set me free.

The angel wings
Beneath the
Casket door.

Pain in Innocence
29 November 2007

R.M. Sto. Domingo

We Are Us, Not You And Me

You think I am now yours,
I cannot be myself again.
That I’m all for you.
And yourself for yourself.

How can you be so arrogant?
So sure of yourself?
I am me.
And you are just a part of me. Not me.

I gave you a piece of my heart.
A place just for you.
But not my heart.
No. just a part of it.

Now come to me and hear.
You are mine. A part of me.
I am yours. A part of you.
But I’m not you. You, not me.



We Are Us, Not You And Me
13 August 2007
R.M. Sto. Domingo

Immortal

You are my immortal image
My life-long dream.
When I’m with you,
I’m afraid, yet I’m secured.
So embrace me now and
Don’t let go.

Immortal
13 August 2007
R.M. Sto. Domingo

Words of Honor

Stand firm
On your words
For me.

I was hurt once.
Too much.
Too hard.

I cannot succumb
For now.
I was hurt.

It’s still there.
Cutting me.
Making me doubt.

You know that.
I told you.
Wait for me.



Words of Honor
04 July 2007
R.M. Sto. Domingo

Waiting in Vain

The whish-whoosh of the wind
Dominating the sound in my head.
As I lay here picking the
Dry grass where I lay.

With my back aching and my but damp
Silently praying the moment would
Come when I’ll be able to stretch,
And remove the clinging leaves on my pants.

The wind is blowing harder now,
With the blue sky now tinted with red.
My neck stiff and my nose becoming runny.
Little flying pests clinging above me.

An electric current is running down
My legs, so I shifted my position.
But still, stubbornly holding my post,
Red tint now turning into bluish gray.

As the sky finally turned into a fine dark blue
With the winged-pests feasting on my red juice.
I was forced to realize that it has been long due
For me to have known what I ought to do.

Yet, here I am, firm on my stand,
Lying under the million diamonds
Peeking through the tree’s toothy gap.
My body aching; mosquitoes sucking my blood.


R.M. Sto. Domingo
19 July 2007

What We Were

We never fought,
And yet we said goodbye.

We always talk,
And yet we never understand.

We always smile at each other,
And yet we never were happy.

We always give,
And yet we never share.

So now that we're suddenly apart,
I realized we never really were
What we thought we are.


R.M. Sto. Domingo
18 June 2007

Sick, Fool and Stuttering

I c-could ne-e-ever be-e t-the oa-ne

Wh-whoo wi-will oh-always b-ee da-there ah-around

You-u, la-like s-she d-does

Fo-for ah-I am-m b-busy eh-and

Bo-born-n t-to th-think-k o-of ah-d-ther t-things

Mo-mowre al-alluri-ring eh-and d-decep-p-tive-e

D-than you-u ah-re; eh-and s-she

Ah-I no-know, ee-s t-the oa-ne you-u'v-ve oh-always

Lo-looked-ed fo-for ee-n ah-a w-woman

P-perfect fo-for da-the a-eyes ah-an ee-imperfect-th

Ki-creature la-like m-me c-could ne-ev-er

Gee-gain co-comp-parison t-to.

B-but the-then, whe-when ah-I th-think t-twice

Ah-bout c-came t-to t-the con-conclusion

Whi-which me-made me-ee ah-ask t-the

Que-question th-that me-ey fo-forever n-nag h-her

Eh-and y-yet s-she wo-won't no-know t-the ahh-nswer.

"C-can h-her ah-eyes t-talk w-when

you-u ah-re n-not li-listening-g?"



R.M. Sto. Domingo
12 November 2006

sights for sore!

blood aksed

Where does one draws the line between love and hate?
Is it when one stumbles upon the heart and it gets broken?

When does love becomes hate?
Is it when you love too much and forget about yourself
while, he, too, loves too much and forgets about you?

Is it when you smile while your heart is bleeding
because he smiles and his heart is not for you?

When does hate becomes love?

Is it when anger is too much to bear
that the heart just can’t contain it
and it bursts and turns into something not worth losing?

Or is it when you nourish too much doubt in your heart
that it suddenly breaks and eventually turns into ash and then is reborn?

Is the cycle of love and hate worth crying over?
Or does it make you sick and let you disintegrate into nothingness?

~blackrose