The CAUSWAGAN brand of politics

For the past nine months, Barangay Causwagan of Banay-banay, Davao Oriental has hosted me and the Company which I command. It is an obscure Barangay with the smallest voting population in the whole Municipality. It was formerly a major NPA Mass base and, after the successful conduct of Peace and Development Outreach Program or PDOP by my unit, is now the undergoing continuous immersion to prevent enemy recovery efforts and strengthen the Government in the community. While obscure and somehow little compared to its other neighbouring localities, it is home to the brand of politics that I so admire, that I wish is the kind that the whole country practices.

Having grown up in large metropolitan cities, my work now offered me the opportunity to get a glimpse of how rural communities are. Growing up with only our Village Homeowner’s Association being the semblance of a local governing body, dealing with the rural barangay was a welcome experience as I see how the little people in the grass roots level aspire to improve their way of life. True to its name, Barangay Causwagan (meaning development) is the typical community. Its people and its local official all aspire for Causwagan. At the onset of this year’s Barangay Election, I can honestly say that Causwagan stood out from all the Barangays I have been to.

Our country’s political practice is marred with so much controversy especially during election time. Scandals suddenly come up; people who are friends suddenly become enemies after siding with competing candidates; sometimes relatives become bitter rivals. Well, Causwagan is an exemption. There were three (3) major players vying for the Barangay Captain’s position. There’s the incumbent, the former Barangay Captain which the incumbent defeated last election, and a newbie. All three have strong winning prospects with almost equal support base. While our tradition of politics usually begin their campaign plan with show of force in the locality, these three candidates began theirs with a show of UNITY. Together with their line-up of candidate Barangay Councilors, on their own initiative, agreed to a caucus and laid down informal rules for the campaign. It wasn’t the showbiz type of caucus where candidates, in front of flashing cameras, wear their hypocritical smile. Rather, it was a private affair with no press release whatsoever which will only be heard about in chit chats among those who witnessed it. If not for the announcement at the miting-de-avance on the last day of campaigning, this event is merely an urban legend. The event did happen and none of these honourable politicians advertised such event for their own political mileage. The campaign period happened as it should and issues discussed remained professional. It was something that I have never witnessed in any of the campaigns I saw in the past.

During the miting-de-avance on the last day of campaign period, all 23 candidates for this election, sat side by side with each other. All the speeches were about selling themselves to the audience hoping for their vote. They all maintained their being honourable individuals. The dinner served to the audience was paid for by all candidates and their supporters assisted the distribution of such. It was impossible to distinguish who supports who as the dinner was more of a fiesta celebration than a political event. When all is said and done, the campaign period culminated, not with bad karma, but with smiles from everybody. There were no distinct political lines; it was a community aspiring for the best leadership for their community.

The election happened and the winners were declared. In yet another show of being an honourable bunch, they all gathered and organized a victory motorcade through the community. Election season has ended and the community moves on. Just like that.

Of course, these are my personal observations. Saying that the competition did not stir any conflict amongst them may not be entirely correct. But their display of sportsmanship is worthy of admiration. Most of these people do not have College Degrees. They grew up relatively poor. Surprisingly, they are able to display a brand of politics that is far more superior than other groups who pride themselves as well educated and/or with better breeding. I am proud to have served this people. I hope that by writing about them, our people can see what can be possible. I am hopeful than if one community can do it, our country still has a chance. This election has winners and losers but in Barangay Causwagan, they are all winners.

Changing Logdeck

SITIO LOGDECK, BRGY MARAGATAS, LUPON – Local residents of Sitio Logdeck decry claims of certain groups using them as supposed victims of a government project which these groups have branded as a ploy in order to allow mining operations in their community. Herminigildo Marianito, speaking as Sitio Leader of said community, stated that: “Nalipay gani mi sa pagtrabaho sa among kalsada ug maningkamot mi nga makatabang para mas mapadali ang pag human ani nga project” (We are even happy that they are working on our road and we will try our best to provide assistance in order to hasten the completion of this project).

According to these groups, the Local Government Unit of Lupon, which facilitated the project, is only doing the undertaking in order to allow mining companies to operate in the community. Ironically, the economy of communities to be benefited by the project is all based in agriculture. There have been reports that certain groups have indeed conducted exploration activities in the area for possible mining operations but none of them was able to push through with their plans. Recently, a mining operation in adjacent area known as Chromite has ceased to operate after their permit from the government expired. This mining operation utilized the road networks coming from Banay-banay and Pantukan towns and has not encroached the area of Sitio Logdeck from the time they begun operation up to its end. No mining permit has been issued to any company by any government entity that applies to Sitio Logdeck and its nearby communities.

Residents of the community have been very supportive of the project as it was something that they have been dreaming of for a long time. They have even volunteered to clear the area where the road will pass in order to hasten the completion of the said project. Before the project, they relied on single “habal-habal” motorcycles as primary means of transportation. One person pays one hundred fifty pesos each excluding baggage. Their produce (corn, copra, charcoal etc.) which they sell either in Banay-banay or in Lupon is charged at around two pesos per kilo. Once the road is completed, these expenses are expected to lessen as bigger vehicles will be able to go to the area.

The community of Logdeck was formerly a mass base of New People’s Army’s Front 18. For several years, the NPA’s were the ones running the affairs of the community. In 2010, the NPA Anniversary was celebrated in the Sitio. Upon the arrival of 28th Infantry Battalion in Davao Oriental, the Sitio and its immediate vicinity became battlefields as these NPA bandits refuse to let go of their control of the community. In January 2012, combined forces of 4th Scout Ranger Company and 28th Infantry Battalion encountered a group of NPAs in Sitio Barabo of Brgy San Isidro, still of Lupon town. The NPAs retreated in Sitio Logdeck which was adjacent to the encounter site. Reports later revealed that the casualties of these encounter was treated in the area. A month later, the 28th Infantry Battalion conducted the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) in Sitio Logdeck. PDOP is the Army’s primary tool in clearing a community of NPA influence. Soldiers immerse in these communities in order for them to bring the people closer to government. At the same time, the soldiers partner with other government entities in order to address the problems of the community. In the case of Sitio Logdeck, a basketball court and a water system were constructed. The soldiers also have introduced livelihood projects such as tilapia raising and vegetable growing. The farm to market road is a long delayed request of the community which is only being implemented now. By December of this year also the Sitio will have, for the first time, electricity. All of these activities intend to address issues in the community that forces the people to support or join the insurgency. Sitio Logdeck has now changed and is now moving towards a better future which is the primary goal of PDOP and the government as a whole. They have come to understand the lies that were told to them when it was the NPA that reigned over them.

Residents of Sitio Logdeck has come up with a manifesto in order to express their true sentiments regarding the government project that was undertaken for them. They are very thankful that despite their unfortunate past with the insurgents, the government did not give up in bringing them back into her arms. More importantly, they have become partners of the government in bringing about development in their community. In October 21, they will be celebrating the Araw ng Logdeck, the anniversary of the establishment of their Sitio. With the farm to market road already completed by then and a bright future ahead, the event will have more value as a milestone of peace and development in their community.

Passion into Action

With the way things are unfolding is this country now, a few people has bee asking me, how am I? Initially, I answered that I have been detached to reality as I have not been watching the news. I only get tidbits of information through Facebook News feeds and the calls I get from concerned colleagues who are in the front lines of Zamboanga. Unknown to many, our battles here continue. While many have been pre-occupied with how terrible things have become, the New People's Army, in this part of the country continue to harass and undermine the government that tries so hard to serve her people.

Upon the initial report of the death of my classmate 1Lt Rama, I started to go though my coping up mechanism of just doing things. He is the fourth in our class to offer his life and it has always been my way of showing appreciation to do better at my current mission. When 1Lt Damian, who was my upperclass, bratmate and classmate in Ranger School, died a few days later, more thoughts stirred the my belief on the reasons why I do what I do. I am so glad that I have never suffered the experience of losing a man under my watch but losing good friends to a war as stupid as what is happening now in Zamboanga, I can just mourn silently and continue to do my job.

Many people now have opinions on how things are happening for this country. This varies from expressing appreciation to our soldiers, to how "luoy" they are while lawmakers are allegedly spending our taxes for their personal use. Last night, the news of four soldiers who ransacked a certain house in Zamboanga opened up more opinion even generalizing all soldiers as thieves. While it did not gain traction in disgracing the whole AFP, it was a realization, including other opinions before it, how others seem to fall short of their appreciation of whatever it is that they appreciate.

Social Media has allowed a convenient way of expression to all of us. The sad thing though is that it has limited this expression to simply the thoughts in our minds rather than actions that we actually undertake in order to put to life that "passion" we feel behind our thoughts. Putting it bluntly, do our soldiers have to die first before they are to experience first hand our people's appreciation. I saw how many people has expressed their condolence to the death of our comrade in arms. While they may have personified the horrors of the war in Zamboanga, your condolences do not change any of the situation. They are simple bits of data that are stored somewhere as part of social media. Nothing more. Nothing less.

To top it all, I am sure when all of this issue has mellowed down, and others spring anew, opinions will once again flood social media and sadly, nothing will change. 

I therefore call on our people, what are we doing amidst all the things that are happening around us? Do we stop at Social Media or do we put our passion to action? Many of my comrades have died, not just in this war and in many other conflicts all over the country. Let's face it, your remorse and condolences does not help this country move forward. All over the country, there are schools that need teachers, communities that need livelihood trainings, infrastructures that need to be built and many others, big and small things in order to help out. I urge you to ask yourself what you can do. Let us not sensationalize our situation that it is already is, as one people let us find out what we can do to help each other. It is not by dying that one becomes a hero, it is by doing something for the sake of others.

It's early in the morning and my day begins. I hope none of the people I know will be in harm's way. As what we say here... Work lang ng work...

Quote from a classmate (I am not sure if this is his original): "The job is hard, but somebody has to do it. Let's go Army"

May the sacrifices of those who died for this country never be in vain.

(Note: I have plenty of ideas how one can help out, maybe message me in Facebook, I would be glad to provide you with those)

A fallen Mistah

This morning, I was greeted by the sad news that my classmate was the latest fatality in Zamboanga City. He is to be the fourth in my class, all four of which died in battle.

About a week ago, I had an animated conversation with a neighbor about this incident in Zamboanga City. As I was not aware of varying opinions circulating about the incident, that conversation provided me some insight as to how the public perceived that incident. What made me more involved in that conversation was when I learned that there were some Filipinos who think that the whole thing was a gimmick in order to divert people's attention away from the Pork Barrel scam. I found that offensive as actual people are dying over there. I am more enraged now considering that somebody I personally know has fallen.

The thing that set me off is the careless habit of people to just say what they want without any regard as to what their words really mean. It troubles me more that while many people especially in social media can pretend to be concerned with the way they comment on issues, very few actually participate in real activities that promote peace, patriotism and social responsibility. While it is easy to post away reactions to corruption and other similar sins, it is so hard to find people who are willing to sacrifice just a little bit to better society. While everybody condemns war, only a few works for peace.

I speak of these things not only as someone who just lost a comrade in arms. More importantly, I say this things as one of the may government workers who still fight it out not just against the MNLF but for a better citizenry who should do more rather than say more. My classmate is gone and the rest of us will try harder to glorify his sacrifice. He is a good man who has a family like
many of us. He died a hero, fighting for a country he loved. I hope that his death will inspire us to do more, help more and pray more. Walang ibang tutulong sa bayan natin kundi tayo tayo ring mga Pilipino.

Salamat Mistah sa sakripisyo. We shall prevail and your death will never be in vain.

Going back to the way it should be

I have been reading my blog entries from about 5 years ago hoping to gain some inspiration. I have tried (and failed) to bring my blog into life with entries about being an officer and the things that I do. I thought then that just as I was writing so much of my life as a cadet, it wouldn’t be that hard to continue doing so, this time writing life as an officer of the Philippine Army. So I thought.

Coming into the real thing was so much different. Unlike cadetship where leadership was merely a lesson, the actual field where leadership is actually practiced involves more than ideas that need to be dissected and understood. Rather, it involves actual people and objectives that need to be satisfied and met. While cadetship was more geared towards surviving it through graduation, life as an officer is geared towards surviving every hazardous activity required of him and his men. Now, the latter would have been easier to write about as it involves more hard-core emotions and a larger environment that people can relate more to. Ironically, from my side, that is not the case. Aside from the difficulty of finding time to write about these things in the right frame of mind, there is also my own personal difficulty of wanting to put justice on the kind of ideas that I present. I feel that whatever it is that I will write about will have to portray the real and unadulterated sacrifice of the ordinary soldier. I would like to think that cadets, per sec, are interesting in its simplest form by virtue of the mystery of the Academy while officers, are ordinary people who happened to wear ranks higher than most soldiers. This contrast presents a greater need to put more effort in putting each story into a pedestal where people can admire and appreciate more the contribution of our soldiers to our society.

Another thing that troubles me also is how I seem to find myself wanting people who read my blog to be impressed. Pardon me for saying this, of course I like people approving of my person when they read the things that I write; but from the day that I started this blog around 10 years ago (yes it has been that long) I have always made it my personal mantra to simply be honest and go away with trying to impress readers. I felt then in the same way that my conviction stands now that writing is more of an expression of the truth. The truth that sets my spirits free, the truth that allows me to have peace with myself and God, the truth that allows people to see the depths of a person’s heart.

And so, going back to the little reminiscing awhile back, I realized how simple it was when I construct my ideas then. It is only now that I realized that my love for writing has somehow took a backseat as I lost my flavor for honesty and trying to be impressive. Perhaps my becoming an officer has done that to me. Truth in my world now depends on what it is that we wish to accomplish. It is related to how we wish to appear to the larger public and how our actions affect the general perception of our organization. Truth now simply has to get things done. Period. With trying to be impressive, it seems to me the whole AFP organization is about impressing each other. Not that one has a better idea or has better work performance, what matters most is that one is able to positively impress the person who makes the decision that affects you. Good intentions are out of the question, what is important is you develop what they call a “service reputation” among your colleagues. This reputation is the one that propels your career more than your talent and sincerity.

Five years into being an officer. I have come to understand the reason for my difficulty in writing the blogs that I so much loved to write then. I have become a different person whose personality has been sapped by the organization that I so strived to serve into. I am hoping that this is a good thing, but something in my heart tells me it is not. While my life then was a simple as expressing my own personal goals and aspirations that happen to be as part of our Army, it is now dependent on so many other things that I am still trying my best to figure out. More importantly, I have come to the acceptance that this is not how I wish to live my career. I wish to come back to the days when service to my people was such a comfortable place for me. I wish to relive that ease in just firing away my experiences in this piece of space in the internet. I am starting it right now.