The Mistress


       The quality of films in the Philippines, even completely disregarding the superficialities of cinematography, has a long way to go. If not full of amateurs, unfit-for-the-role veterans, or juvenile thespians, who sell not through their talent but through charm, movies are rife with clichés. Clichés, no matter how ironically debilitating of any or all interest, are relished time and again.

Many, perhaps, would readily jump to the conclusion that The Mistress will certainly not fail to copycat No Other Woman. I did; it was for this reason and the one mentioned above that I hesitated to watch it. After all, is it not just another take on adultery?

However, the psychological question that seems to have eluded the wide circle or intentionally so via mass media which has always puzzled me, although a theory as to such phenomenon looms at the back of my mind is: Why is The Mistress or No Other Woman or any other woman, for that matter, generally accepted by Filipino filmgoers?

There must be a deeper reason than simply the delight to see John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo (or Derek Ramsay, Anne Curtis, and Cristine Reyes in No Other Woman) pleasure each other, than inputs regarding relationships which the hoi polloi think they can appropriate, as if a valid theory-praxis paradigm, than entertainment.

I don’t have at my fingertips the statistics of cases on adultery or concubinage, but I am certain that it has not diminished and, perhaps, has now passed the borders of cliché and banality, without question on our part.

Yes, we are too afraid to ask, too afraid to know that we host the marital plague that gradually, if not rapidly, consumes the sacred bond that holds the society in place; for the two-dimensional desire to do it also haunts the very fiber of our being, and before us is a collective manifestation that admonishes attention. But neither feigning indifference nor condemnation will propel us forward to the sublime understanding of marriage, for this has been extensively done.

The Mistress wants you to open your eyes to this bitter fact of the present state of affairs. It does not judge you, no. It makes you judges of yourselves.

Restoration of Balance


If Spiderman has “With great power comes great responsibility,” The Dark Knight Rises has “There’s a storm coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches. Because when it hits, you’re all going to wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.” The warning was uttered by Catwoman, an outlaw, who, together with the League of Shadows, is determined to do what it takes to restore balance in society.
           
            But what is there to balance? Statistics show that the financial condition between the rich and the poor has become vast, even uncontrollable. This consequently slings power in the monopolizing hands of the former, and the perceived solution is to give it back to the rightful wielders, the people.

            What does it take to restore balance? According to the means employed in the movie by the propagandists, terrorize with a nuclear bomb, deinstitutionalize law, try cases with exile or death as punishment, blackmail the rescue team to open fire on those who seek external refuge, free the criminals, stall the economic market, cut any outside communication, cripple any potential leader of the opposition, win the trust of the biggest industry and bring it down from the inside. They all seem to demand a lot from someone, but the collective distaste of the situation marked by the overriding phenomenon of passion over reason makes them all plausible.

            The most striking part of the orchestrated blasts and gasps of horror and discomfort is when the very woman who aided in its completion realized amid the resulting chaos and lawlessness that this is not what she asked for. Why does man almost always fail to notably foresee the detrimental implications? Indeed, regret comes at that precious moment when everything turned into disarray.

What she dreamt of fulfilling is a world where everyone freely and equally enjoys the fruits of nature and mankind, but at what cost? Restoration of balance defined according to the terms of the League of Shadows comes with scandalous sacrifices. Homo homini lupus. When man is a wolf to his own kind, all imaginable monstrosity can be expected. At such an instance, one is led to comprehend that perhaps the situation then was a necessary evil to prevent a greater one, perhaps balance is not necessarily quantitatively equal but qualitatively. For when power is vested on those who are clueless as regards how a society must be run, every activity would be driven by revenge, and humanity would be left to revert back to the theoretical state of nature.

            Societal imbalance is not only corrected through violence alluding to historical uprisings, but also through reasonable argumentation. It is not wise to repeat history. The world is a witness to the growth of minority representations, albeit not usually speedy. By this token, sectoral interests can be objected without recourse to atrocious activities. After all, man is a rational being and what best nurtures him in this exclusive degree is its exercise. 

#SONA2012


           Where does one even begin a discussion regarding the recently delivered State of the Nation Address or its contents? With the multifarious interests of different societal groups which almost always concern themselves only with what is beneficial or detrimental to their being, one may sense, at the outset, the preference to deal with what readily affects him as a person and a citizen of the Philippine state. Yet, how does one even deliberate on a particular facet if, in general, it is intricately connected with the rest? The specific is best understood in relation with what is broad. For this reason, the endeavor to write on something that technically encompasses everything of national scope is reckoned with universality.

            The Official Gazette, the primary instrument of the Philippine government responsible for publication of necessary know-what, provides a historical background of the SONA. Although the purpose of bringing this out is not to cross-check Aquino’s third address with the constitutional provision as regards this privilege, it is well to note that the delivery by the President of the Philippines of the SONA is a yearly tradition to report on the status of the country. Since the power to enact laws is not vested on the executive department, the speech merely has a persuasive appeal – a proposal for the legislative branch in whose reins the duty of law-making is consigned. Hence, the bicameral Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is the principal recipient of the recommendations expressly or impliedly stated. It is by this token that the SONA itself is read or recited where the two chambers are lodged.

            Public participation must have been introduced and made possible only through media. No restrictive attempts have been on record; it is safe to assume that those elected in office want to radiate the democratic figure. Although the people do not have a direct influence on what happens in the interaction of the different branches of government, they, nonetheless, achieve a sense of naive fulfillment by the simple consolation of being aware of what is being said and done, nonchalantly interpreting it as involvement. As the means of expression advance, so, too does this phenomenon become complex. Contrary to what Aquino himself mentioned towards the end regarding “… those who have gathered in a room, whispering to each other, dissecting each word… uttered,” all forms of public scrutiny or praise are freely written, paraded, and rallied on the streets, and more liberally on social networking sites. In other words, people have become more expressive than they were years ago – an aftermath of the liberating effect of the emergent modes of communication.

The question lingers: are these voices being heard? In yet another attempt to make the people feel aboard the ship of progress, Yahoo! reports that the Office of the President has created a website (ANG SONA KO) where netizens can post their own SONAs. It is a noble preoccupation for every citizen to draft his own speech, outline what he reckons to be necessary and expedient, and share it with the rest of his countrymen. This, however, is an empty show. The act of posting on the said site is never a guarantee that Aquino will take it into consideration. One academician stated as a matter of fact that a speech of that considerable length and great significance must have undergone about ten readings by a roster of high-grade writers and editors! As it appears, nobody’s opinion counts, for how can a statement on ANG SONA KO be any different from one published somewhere else, say a personal blog?

May saysay ang SONA ng bawat Pilipino. Indeed, it has. A perception of the current state of things and a vision for its furtherance create a mentality that tailors someone’s life in accordance with that vision in mind. But the hope of realizing whatever is yearned for fades away just as fast as that sprout gave light to one’s world, if growth is an implausible reality. True despair is born out of hope.

People long for concrete manifestations of the exercise of power and in the SONA, Aquino did not disappoint. He showcased a long list of the record-breaking accomplishments thus far, apparently not failing to miss a minute detail. However, the phrase “state of the nation” appeals to mind as demanding more than simply knowing the positive notes. The tone of Aquino’s third speech is not harmonious with the title. This prompts an inquiry on how the past leaders have composed theirs; one is worth bearing in mind.

It is well-established that Marcos, in spite of the nefarious history surrounding that moniker, was one if not the most brilliant among all who served and are serving this land. Accordingly, he is the only president who ever delivered his SONA without reading the piece on a paper or teleprompter! Unlike Aquino, Marcos’ fourth address to the Congress is skillfully written. Having divided it into five major parts, namely, introduction, recapitulation, general matters, portrait of the nation, proposals, and conclusion, the text reads like an academic paper; it even has a title like one! First, he identifies the crises that plagued society then: backward or stagnant economy, and defective political system. Notice that he never pointed his fingers on anyone. How he arrives at these problems is a careful reading of historical facts that directly affect collective attitude. Second, he summarizes the accomplishments of the previous year as a reference for the fourth part which provides a list of the feats, problems, and policies of the present year. Third, he discusses general themes that are of national interest. Fifth, he lays down his proposals for the coming year. Finally, he expounds on the title of the address and the idealism needed to cross the frontier.

Having inadvertently made a comparison, it is no contention, nonetheless, that Aquino’s performance is worthy of commendation. What is repulsive of his personality reflected on the speech is the blatant sarcasm or mockery of the former president and the ousted chief justice. Is it not enough that they have been publicly humiliated for the notorious labels of plunder and corruption? Forgiveness is possible; forgetting is not. This entails learning from the offense to craft preventive measures for the future not concentrating blame on GMA and Corona as if the problems that this country faces are caused only by them. Moreover, it is preposterous to think that they desire these issues for the nation, for if the Philippines falls economically, they are not exempt. GMA, despite of the undesirable image stamped on her, has a very good standing in the field of Economics. Certainly, she would know the consequences of her actions; she would have acted on the difficulties to the best of her abilities. But the circumstances then must not have been favorable to her plans.

Marcos and GMA, unlike Aquino, knew the importance of what the public thinks. They did not regard criticisms as attacks against them. On his fourth SONA, Marcos beautifully puts thus: “There are those among us who will oppose—probably violently—these ideas. Let us hear them out. The democratic dialogue must be preserved. The clash of ideas is the glory and the safeguard of democracy.” Economic stability, peace and order are not achieved by sarcasm, mockery, and blame. Turn back on the culture of negativism, you say? Look who’s talking.

Freudian-Foucauldian Shades on Fifty Shades of Grey


            Freud confidently stated rather unorthodoxly his understanding of the human nature as basically sexual, that every human activity is propelled by an underlying sexual predilection. His conclusion is a sifted medical finding grown out of years of practice and experiment in the field of Psychology. Unconventional as it may sound, probably under-tested compared to Aristotle’s zoon politikon (political being), nevertheless it is neither a sweeping nor precipitous one. Its immediate non-acceptance is a result of the prevailing themes at that time and considering the rootedness of such in the then circumstance, hitherto, it would demand a revolution to command social recognition. His point is shared by the more controversial figure of Foucault who championed that in the dynamics of power play, effective control over coital activities becomes necessary “to ensure action, prevent over-action… and obtain efficiency” industrially. By this token, the erotic book authored by E L James belies the same – challenging the most conventional, conservative views or should-be manifestations of human conduct.

            Indeed, in its depthless albeit picturesque nature, the book might be construed to be ludicrously pornographic, that the material is principally aimed to incite a sexual revolution. No, at least not yet. Neither Freud nor Foucault would nod in agreement to such an over-the-top phenomenon. In the slow unfolding pace of history, the last thing to be considered is an irrevocable rupture. After all, what lies behind the mainstream is a series of sluggish introduction of ideas that get tested time and again. This way no stone is left unturned.

For too long has sex been subjected to a rule that dictates what is and what not. It is high-time, as the contemporary Foucault prescribed years ago, that sex must be let out from hiding or being hidden, for it is both its elusiveness and concealment by the dominating from the general public that all kinds of discrimination arising from the different sexual orientations are engendered. The proverbial air exuded by the union of man and woman has now been contaminated with the entry of different homosexual relations and its subsequent forms. This is not a new phenomenon, in fact, subject to much contention is the Platonic love between a master and disciple. The question remains regarding its interculture-wide non-acceptance. To satisfy at this instance, it is well to note that the anatomical feature of the human body is designed for procreation, a trait shared with the rest of sentient beings. However, the faculty to transcend a biological activity for sublime purposes is what further classifies the human race at the forefront of the hierarchy of creation. Such is manifested in the aftermath of intellectual activity. Man arrives at knowledge and the application of the latter opens new terrains of consideration. It is against this background that the opus of James must be construed. Its crying out for attention is a mere manifestation of what she wants her readers to be aware of – a reality that is almost always precluded in human affairs and dialogue. In her rather lewd depiction of love in the form of sadomasochistic tendencies, James endeavors to stage one of the most misunderstood inclinations of man. The purpose of such can be gleaned from the foregoing, i.e., to take into consideration such appalling matters with open mind. Any other shades of construction of socio-political origins would produce otherwise, rendering the book futile in its attempt to display a world not even fathomable and accessible to the hoi polloi’s imagination. With such vividness, it is prudent to reserve a verdict whether the contents are experiential or meticulously researched. Nonetheless, Fifty Shades of Grey is not a perversion but an artistic exploration of sexuality via the instrumentality of literature.

Institutional Impracticality


Learning happens uniquely to all individuals, a fact which must be understood in essence by a doctor of education, no less, who, of all people, must be aware of the novel idea of constructivism. He does not! In his absence, four pages in two columns of study materials have been left not to be mastered but to be transcribed on notebook! Two contrary points came to mind after that crazy announcement:

1.      I am lazy or better yet who has time? The materials were given on Wednesday night. The notebooks must be passed on Friday (!), at most Saturday morning. Who has time? To one who considers his subject to be the only requirement which must be accomplished, such a thing is possible. It is probable to someone who lives a life of inconsideration. Even regardless of time management, I can’t fathom how he thinks we would devote a serious amount of time just writing what we already have in print, a clearer and more readable material! Where’s priority?!

2.      It is impractical. Apparently, the underlying final cause is the subconscious imprint of written activity to the mental. My God. The genius invention or aspect of written language is its possibility to last eternally. It ensures the patrimony of knowledge which borders on corruption and annihilation if left in the limited capacity of the mind. The brain cannot contain it all, it does not have to, much less strain it with the tedious activity of writing.

How can those who came before me tolerate such incongruity? I asked a junior who advised me to just follow the instructions or choose to be rebellious as to not do the assignment and face the consequences alone. In one of our free times, I saw several of my classmates busying themselves with transcription. I guess for now I have to succumb. The battle against the mainstream is never carried out individually. The dynamics of power play lures the decrepit to cling on to the one who wields it. In the impending event of losing, the weak almost always become unpatriotic. Yes, I haven’t mustered the courage to do it alone yet this is not the end. The fight ensues.