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Ito ang dalawang mukha ng rebelde sa panitikang Pilipino. 

Sa kaliwa, makikita isang binatang aktibista; si Jules (Julian Bartolome, Jr.) mula sa Dekada ‘70 ni Lualhati Bautista. Sa kaliwa naman, si Elias, mula sa Noli me Tangere ni Rizal.

Magkaibang-magkaiba sila ng kinalakhan. Isang middle-class, isang maralita. Isang nakapag-aral, isang indio. Isang inabuso noong panahon ni Marcos, isang inabuso noong panahon ng mga Kastilla. 

Si Elias ay sawimpalad. Kung isang dula ang kaniyang buhay, isang trahedya ito. Tragic mula simula– naulila siya ng maaga, at siya na lang ang natira sa angkan– hanggang sa dulo– iniligtas niya ang buhay ni Ibarra, kapalit ng kaniyang buhay.

Si Jules naman, masasabing mapalad kahit papaano. Ang kaniyang drama sa buhay ay tinutugis siya ng militar, dahil siya’y aktibista. Nabilanggo rin siya, tinorture, at naging isa sa mga mapapalad na naka-survive at napalaya.

Si Elias, naiintindihan natin kumbakit siya’y tulisan. Natikman na niya ang karahasan ng buhay sa kamay ng mga mapang-abusong Kastilla. Ito yung justification ng kaniyang pagiging tulisan. Pero si Jules, na pinalaki sa isang environment na hindi nakatikim ng tsinelas o sinturon ng kaniyang mga magulang. Ni taasan ng boses, hindi nagawa ng kaniyang magulang. Paano, at bakit, naging isang Elias din si Jules?

Si Jules ay isang manipestasyon na hindi natin kailangan ng tragic backstory para maging mulat sa kalupitan ng lipunan. Hindi natin kailangan mamatayan muna bago ipaglaban ang ating mga kapatid na namatay sa sistemang bulok. Kailangan lang maging tao, upang ipaglaban ang karapatan ng kapwa-tao.

Sanggunian:

Bautista, Lualhati. Dekada ‘70. Mandaluyong city: Cacho Publishing House, 1983. Print. 

Are DARNA, a  provincial girl who transforms into a warrior woman, based on the creator’s single mother (largely considered the Philippines’ greatest and central fictional superhero)–released in a time when everybody insisted that “a female comic book heroine won’t sell” (though the creator never gave up, considering the country itself a woman, and Darna its powerful and beautiful female spirit)

TRESE, a woman who is the head of their family and its responsibility over the streets of Manila and its supernatural relations (a mix of a supernatural crime boss and detective) whose fan following is enormous and growing and whose authority is unquestionable despite being the youngest of six living siblings and the only daughter 

ZSA-ZSA ZATURNNAH, a gay man and arguable transwoman (some gay men in the Philippines might in fact be transwomen who self-identify as gay men due to lack of knowledge about other genders, and Zsa-Zsa has expressed delight in being a woman) who, like Darna, can transform into a woman warrior and defend the world from outer threats while dealing with the more personal hardships of her everyday life as an effeminate gay man in a traditional Filipino community

and CAPTAIN BARBELL, a poor, disabled man who is abused by his siblings, who can transform into a strongman type hero who uses his powers for good and to help others in need like he was

So let me reiterate: The Philippines’ most famous comic book and TV show/film heroes are

A young girl, a woman, a gay man /  transwoman, and a disabled man.