In it’s 6th year anniversary, IndioHistorian has been committed to sharing a pulsating and lively history of the Philippines for our generation. When this blog began, it began as a search for my own path in my career. I was a humble HEKASI teacher then, and had nothing to show for other than that of my love for Philippine history and for teaching. But sometimes, it only takes a heart full to the brim for doors to open. I resigned from my teaching job, entered into government service, and had been a public servant ever since. My journey, if you look at the IndioHistorian blog archive, reflected my posts. And eventually, I found my niche and it blossomed into my incessant blogging about Philippine history, culture, and the people these emanate from.

Six years is a long time. But times are changing. And one can no longer afford to be neutral.

Nothing perhaps could have prepared me, as a historian and as a blogger, when history was not only assaulted in last year’s elections, but continued to be lambasted and trumped upon especially last November. A dictator responsible for the plunder of the country’s coffers and the killings of thousands, despite being fully documented by historians and by sheer overwhelming empirical evidence, was buried sneakily into the nation’s cemetery for heroes. It was perhaps the lowest point I’ve had on this blog--the first time I cried while writing a blog post, not for history per se, but for the thousands of people still seeking justice but who were symbolically shunned out, silenced and demonized. This is already beyond politics. Truth and justice are never partisan. 

*Ms. Hilda Narciso and me at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Museum. She was a survivor of the Marcos regime. Read more about her here. 

*Read “The Aftermath: What to Do after SC Allowed Marcos to be Called Hero”

For what is History for but for its people? Para saan ang Kasaysayan kung hindi para sa mamamayan nito? It is getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that today, Philippine history is under siege. And it should no longer be historians and academicians who should stand for truth. It requires all of us--our creative energies, our cultural bearings, our capacity to empathize and to be human once more. That’s why I love the Filipino community here on tumblr. The creativity, the artworks, the writing pieces, your likes and reblogs, empower me to continue to speak out. 

This blog has been privileged to be invited last year to become part of Philippine Daily Inquirer’s ThINQ blogger network. Hence, my blog no longer only caters to the Filipino tumblr community and its regular non-tumblr traffic, but also to a wider readership. 

And so, perhaps in its sixth year, IndioHistorian has a bigger fight to engage in. 

It is to feel more, to empathize more, to know more, and maybe in so doing, we’d find again the nobility we’ve always had as a nation of peoples. Will you join me, dear reader?

Perhaps in Nick Joaquin’s centennial year, his words should resound for us all, to keep on remembering the entirety of our history, even if it’s the last patriotic act we have to do. 

By your dust, and by the dust of all generations, I promise to continue, I promise to preserve! The jungle may advance, the bombs may fall again--but while I live, you live--and this dear city of our affections shall rise again--if only in my song! To remember and to sing: that is my vocation.

Today marks my 7th year on Tumblr and for some reason, I’m getting a little bit of inspiration to just write. No quotes, no pictures, just words on a blank sheet of paper.

I’ll admit; I’ve never been a writer. I’ve never been a person that’s totally comfortable writing about myself or about the things I’ve been through. Maybe it’s because I’m not totally comfortable with myself or maybe it’s because I have a hard time just letting go and learning how to trust people. Sometimes, I feel like if I give everything away - my thoughts, my fears, my feelings that once that person decides to leave (which they always do at one point or another), I won’t have anything left for myself.

There are still a ton of things that I have yet to learn, and for me, life is constantly showing me that I don’t know everything. I’m still learning. I’m still learning how to be a better person. And how to be a better friend. And how to be a better son. I’m not perfect - far from it. It frustrates me when people think I’m perfect or that I try to act like I’m perfect because I don’t smoke and drink. People always ask why I’m not a typical person that goes out and drinks and seamlessly flirts, but the thing is, I’m not trying to be perfect at all. I feel like people won’t respect you unless you have respect for yourself. People should love you for your heart, not because of what you look like or the things that you’ve done. You shouldn’t have to get drunk or smoke or have sex with random people just so people will like you. If you show people your heart and how much you care about them, people will like you for you. And if they don’t, well it’s their loss. I think that one of the biggest things that I’ve learned is that there’s so much to people than meets the eye, and people are so much bolder and so much more beautiful than they give themselves credit for. Just remember, that sometimes, the way you think about a person, isn’t the way they actually are.

None of us are perfect, and we’re trying; constantly trying and struggling to make sense out of this crazy world. We’re expected to know exactly who we are and who we want to be, and what we want out of life. We’re expected to know whether we want that white house with the picket fence or how many kids we want; or even if we want to get married. We’re expected to have that 1.0 GPA in college and get into medical school (or law school) and become as successful as we can. There’s so many struggles and so many pressures that constantly weigh down on us.  But the reality is, we all make mistakes. Every single one of us. Even me. But there’s only one person that I can think of that doesn’t make mistakes and that’s God. God created you for a reason. And God doesn’t make mistakes. And if there’s one thing I know- I am perfectly content with not being perfect. 

I’m sorry for just kind of jumping around with my words. I’m still kind of new to this whole “writing out your feelings thing.” I hope that what I’ve written makes sense, but if it doesn’t, I promise I’ll get better in time. I am so blessed by every single one of you and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to read my posts. It means so much to me.

Oo may blogsary ako pake mo ba joke haha. 

Di ko akalain na aabot ako ng 6 years eh dapat nga magddeact na ako jusko edi kung nangyari pala yon, walang 6 years of blogging na magaganap haha. 

It’s been a great adventure, sa 6 years na yun ang dami kong natutunan, ang daming narealize, ang dami kong maling nagawa, ang daming kong nabuo, ang dami kong nasira.. Sa iisang lugar lang yon, at dito yon sa tumblr. First love ko nga ata ‘tong blog ko eh kahit minsan kung ano ano lang pinopost ko, walang katuturan, walang direksyon, pero ang alam ko dun ako nagiging masaya. Hilig ko na talaga magkwento ng bagay na nagpasaya sakin, mga bagay na nakasakit sakin, siguro kaya ako ginanahan sa 6 years kasi alam kong ang daming nakinig sakin, kahit sa post na ito, kung binabasa mo ‘to, salamat.

Ang dami kong naging kaibigan dito, sobra. Pero yung masakit dun eh yung iba nawala, lumayo, at di ko alam kung bakit sila naging iba sakin, nasa akin naman palagi ang problema haha. Or baka part of growing up talaga yon no? Nakakalungkot man pero ganon talagoa, people come and go kailangan mo yung tanggapin. Ang pinakamasaya na part, ay yung ngayon, salamat sa mga kaibigan ko dito na walang kalimutan since day one, alam nyo na kung sino kayo, alam nyo mahal ko kayo at di ko kayo iiwan itaga nyo man sa bato at apdo haha. 

Quingina bes lakas na ba makafamewhore netong post ko hahaha minsan lang ako mag long post pagbigyan nyo ko mga bes haha.

At para naman sa blog ko, di ka man perfect, di man maayos ang theme at codes mo, kahit iisa lang bgm mo, kahit nakakasawa na yung url mo sa dashboard, ikaw pa rin ang first love ko. At hindi magbabago yun. 

Five years ago today, this blog began. It wasn’t all that fancy or spectacular. Tumblr was new to me, a microblog haven for artists, and at first impression, not at all fitting for Filipino writers, especially historians. At that time, I was out of my first job as a social studies teacher. I was still looking for my own voice and podium in the world. And so if you look at the first posts I had with this blog, they were a mishmash of reblogs of photos of scenic views, of the large expanse of the sky, of good quotes, lines from favorite books and films, and even poetry. But as I grew, this blog also grew. And as I had refocused my career and rekindled my love of all things Philippine history, my blog posts followed suit. I have met several friends here, critics even. Says the Good Book, “As Iron sharpens iron, so does a friend sharpen another.” With that I am grateful. The ultimate reward, however, is when a reader, who felt encouraged by what I posted, would go to great lengths to send me a private message via tumblr chat to express their deep appreciation. Thank you!

Until now, I’m still getting the hang of it, being a student of history, of posting old photos or writing about history like it’s the holy grail. And while the Filipinos in general have had an increase of interest in history in recent years, there is still so much work to be done. The work is overwhelming, and the fight is far from over. But you, dear reader, with your followings, reblogs and hearts on my posts, make me believe that even in its small way, this blog has contributed to the greater good.

And so, cheers to you all, fellow Filipinos, whose history is greater than what this blog could ever encompass.

“By your dust, and by the dust of all generations, I promise to continue. I promise to preserve! The jungle may advance. The bombs may fall again. But while I live, you live. And this Dear City of our Affections shall rise again, if only in my song! To remember and to sing. That is my vocation.”