Eksam

Labing-limang minuto bago mag alas-diyes ng umaga. Kung hindi sa dyip ay sa bus ako nakasakay at bababa sa Philcoa. Pihadong tatakbo ulit ako sa overpass. Minsan na akong napagkamalang mandurukot dahil sa mabibigat kong hakbang dala ng pagmamadali. Kaya sa mga sumunod kong marathon, sinisigurado kong hindi na magiging maingay, hindi hahangos at lalong hindi hahakbang na angkop sa ‘king bigat. Samakatwid, hindi dapat maging tao sa overpass.

Minsan na rin kasi akong nakaranas ng hampas. Buti na lang mabilis akong nakailag. Paranoid yun, nakaramdam lang na may tumatakbo sa likuran niya, pakiramdam ay nanakawan na siya. Tinapunan pa ako ng matalas na tingin na animo’y tunay akong mandurukot. Sa itsura naman niya, kung ako ang mandurukot, wala akong balak na taluhin siya.

Labing-tatlong minuto na lang. Nakaakyat na ako sa hagdan. Lahat nagmamadali. Katulad ko, ayaw ring mahuli. Maraming mukha, pero may ilan akong nakikilala. Madalas ko kasing makasalubong sa mga overpass gaya nito. Sa St. Peter ba? sa Litex o sa Batasan? Di ko lubos maalala. Basta may hawak na lata at nakaupo sa gitna. Di ko alam kung pamilyar ba ako sa kanila. Basta sigurado akong lagi ko silang nakakasalamuha.

Sampung minuto. Nakasakay na sa dyip at bumabagtas papasok sa UP. Nainis naman ako. Itong mga taong nakikita ko, wala nang ginawa kundi magmasid mula paa hanggang ulo. Pakiramdam ko nakakasakop sila ng pribadong espasyo. Mga manghuhusgang wala naman sa husgado. Pero pakialam ko. Nagmamadali nga ako.

Marami nang nagbabaan, marami ring pumalit sa mga upuang iniwanan. May mga nag-uusap, may mga nagsisibasa. Naalala ko bigla ang mga tore ng librong iniwan ko. Dapat ko pang matapos ang mga iyon.

Pitong minuto, lima, tatlo. Nasa tapat na ako ng gusaling paroroonan. Ang aking mga paa’y hakbang na lang ng hakbang. ‘Di na naghihintay ng dikta ng isipan. Panaka-naka mang natatapilok dahil sa ngumangawang panyapak, patuloy pa rin sa pagkaripas. Iniisip ang magiging mas malalang kalagayan ‘pag di nakapasok sa pinto sa tamang oras.

Ilang Segundo pa bago mag-alas diyes nang makapasok ako sa pinto. Walang nabago sa iniwan ko. Dahil hindi ako nahuli, may dinatnan pa akong puwesto. Nawala ang aking pagod nang sa wakas ay nakaupo na sa trono.
Gaya ng nakasanayan, ito na, sisimulan ko nang muli ang pangongopya.

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The peasant says: “The land is God’s, the land is the people’s, the land is nobody’s.” The “divisionists” tell us that the peasant says this without realising what he is saying; that he says one thing and means another.

You want to transfer the land to the people? Excellent! But what does transferring the land to the people mean? Who controls the people’s wealth and the people’s property? The government officials, the Trepovs.

Hence-we will explain to the peasants- if the land is to be transferred to the whole people in a way that will benefit the peasants, it is necessary to ensure that all government officials, without exception are elected by the people.

Minutes of the Unity Congress of the R.S.D.L.P., Vol 10, p.287

Upon reading the passage, I can’t help but to glance back on the history of our country. I know that during the pre-Hispanic times, everything is communal. In a primitive Filipino community, no one claimed to own a certain land for example, for everything is shared, and everything is everybody’s own. Not until the Hispanic time when the colonizers started to spread the feudal culture. From this culture as root, Encomienda then Hacienda system sprouted. The specialization of the crops to be planted, the ownership of big mass of land of a small group of people, which usually is a single family/clan, the continuous exploitation of the peasants and the like have been long experienced by most of our folks.

Philippines is undeniably an agricultural country, and it is not surprising to know that 75% of its population are farmers. The land plays a crucial role in a Filipino’s life. It is where life begins, sustained, and if there’s a need, is ended. The peasant sector of our society who owns nothing but farming skills comprises most of our population and in the lowest part of the social triangle. They were oftenly workers found in haciendas and it is, logical to think that those who are in the higher part of the social strata were continuously taking advantage on them.

These people were oftenly deprived with the most basic social services like education and health benefits which any Filipino must be experienced. As a result, most born being a peasant usually dies to be one. This makes them stagnant and was stigmatized to be ignorant.

It is blatant that most of the officials of our government were landlords. With this case, laws which will aim for the betterment of the peasants at the expense of their WEALTH were impossible to be passed and regulated.

According to the last line of the passage, it is necessary to ensure that all government officials, without exception are elected by the people. It is timely because of the coming national elections, with the loop-holed Automated Election System as a side-dish. Choosing the right person in the right position is already a problem. And now, after attending a Voter’s education regarding the process of AES, flaws of the result for the incoming election is for sure. The machines vulnerability on manipulation, plus the program malfunction and the sort will not ensure a more valid and correct counting and canvassing compared to the process of human clerical intervention on automation which for how many years was used.

At this point when the Philippine society is at the verge of insanity caused by the exploiters which happen to be our countrymen from the higher social class, it is most important to be critical. The genuine spirit of service amongst the vying politicians is hard to unravel. Electing politicians not merely in their ultra-exposure on advertisements in all forms of media and being censorious with it will help much, for sure.

We live with the law and with control of the leaders of our society. Choosing the right leaders, and ensuring that the coming elections will bear a veracious result-this will surely lead to a better society from desirable governance based on true public service.