#Manilakbayan2015 Welcoming Ceremony (AS Steps, UP Diliman)
I was at the lumad welcoming ceremony earlier today after my class in UP, and I learned a whole lot of new things about the situation in Mindanao. There were a lot of speakers, including the chancellor Michael Tan, the vice-chancellor for community affairs Nestor Castro, the datu Jonorito Guaynon, National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, convenor for Stop Lumad Killings Network Bryle Leano, and many others. They spoke generally about the theme of pursuing and continuing the fight for equal rights for our fellow Filipinos, the lumad, as well as pleas against the internationalization and globalization to be deepend by the APEC and the forthcoming summit in November.
I got there a bit after the initial introductions but I caught the beginning of Dr. Nestor Castro’s words. He mentioned that a lot of people asked, “Bakit ninyo pinapapasok ang mga yan sa campus ninyo? Hindi niyo ba alam na mga komunista sila? Hindi naman sila mag-aaral ng unibersidad!” (“Why are you letting these people into your campus? Don’t you know that they are communists? They’re not even students of the university!”) or something to this effect. He said, “Wala kaming pakialam, ano mang ideolohiya…pwedeng pumasok sa unibersidad, basta ginagawa ninyo sa hindi marahas na pamamaraan.” (”We don’t care. Whatever ideologies…can enter the university, so long as they are practiced in nonviolent means.”) (NV)
After the vice chancellor was the lumad datu Jonorito Guaynon. He mentioned that there are now 144 lumad dead in their district, and 150-250 have been filed with fake cases due to their resolve to reject mining companies in Mindanao. He mentioned that they were offered royalty tax by these private companies, but they refused because they did not want to sell their ancestral land because they believe that this is the heritage and inheritance of the people unto the next generation.
Military operations, he also stated, are the ones carrying out Noynoy’s Oplan Bayanihan "for peace and development"–but these military do not respect the rights and culture and lives of the citizens, of the lumad. Many of their fellow lumad have been forced to enter and join the paramilitary, to chase away and kill the lumad who reject the mining companies lest they (those who have been forced to join the paramilitary) be killed or filed cases against.Â
I did not catch the name of the female speaker, but there has been word, she said, that Noynoy Aquino promised 500,000 hectares of land to be mined without the permission nor even the consultation of lumad. You know with whom he exchanged words with? The investors, of course. Those who will benefit from the land and the resources of the people.
According to National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, who took the perspective of the importance of culture, we in the city often forget that we have undergone different cultures as a nation. Philippine ancestral culture is important, he said, which can be found inside the epics and songs and stories of the lumad. Our lives here in the city is not separate from the lives of the lumad, and our education–or learning–is not complete if we do not study the cultures of our brothers and sisters in Mindanao. It is important that we learn of our ancestors. It is important to have a grasp and understanding of who we used to be, and who we still are today.
Bryle Leano followed, saying that if we in the University of the Philippines only ever dreamt of a free education, the lumad, on the other hand, have already achieved and made true these sentiments, these dreams. The lesson of collective action is important and should be picked up by everyone. Living in the lumad context of politics, economy, and culture is important, unique, and must be studied and valued. Despite the violence and massacre, the lumad still continue to take a stand for their rights by traveling from Mindanao, some 1,100 kilometers away, to make their pleas heard.
The lumad performed a sacrificial ritual in between, what they said was asking permission for the land to allow them to tread the earth they are standing on. They killed a live chicken and spilled its blood on the AS steps, and the speaker elaborated on how important this ritual was and how important it is for the lumad to ask permission before they do anything to new land.
They also danced and played the budyong, and let people join them in the festive dance. I missed a little bit of what happened before this as I got hungry and bought lunch a bit away.
I guess, this is my plea to anyone reading this:Â
Let us stand beside our lumad brothers and sisters in their fight for equality and  justice from, and recognition by, the government. A government should be taking care of its own people, not fostering the interest of other countries. Globalization and internationalization are inevitable, yes, however, there is a limit to this and if that desire for “progress and development” tramples the rights and lives of the minority, then it is no true way to achieve progress and development. Progress and development do not solely lie on globalization and internationalization, and these two processes entail destruction in this instance–destruction and desecration of ancestral land, of the environment, of peaceful lives, of culture, of an entire country.Â
If a government cannot even play its first and most important role of protecting and serving its people, then of what use is it? Noynoy Aquino has done nothing but put the interests of foreigners–of the West, of the United States–above everything else, above the rights of the Filipino people most of all, the very people he was supposed to be putting first. His term is nearing its end and we have heard of no claims of acknowledgement, much less accountability, from him–not from the tragedy of the SAF44, not from the first few waves of the extrajudicial killings that occurred during his term. We have heard more about the so-called martyrdom of his parents in the past six years than we have the death of the Filipino under his rule.Â
STAND WITH THE LUMAD IN THEIR FIGHT TO BE HEARD! WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS SUFFERING ALL THE SAME UNDER THIS CORRUPT SYSTEM. HOW IS THEIR VOICE ANY LESS THAN YOURS?Â
We also currently need donations for the lumad residing in the kampuhan in UP Diliman for the week. Blankets, clothes, food, drink, slippers, any form of donation will be welcomed. The kampuhan can be found near the College of Human Kinetics, near the Vanguard. Please help our fellow Filipino. Let’s not ignore the murders and injustices happening right under our very noses.
