Legally Yours Chester Cabalza

Shanghai China

2012-01-22T13:50:00.006+08:00

Shanghai is the largest city by population in People's Republic of China (PRC) and the largest city proper in the world, with over 23 million inhabitants as of 2011. It is the birthplace of the Communist Party in China. It has become a global city exerting influence over finance, commerce, fashion, technology & culture.

Photographs by Chester B. Cabalza
Copyright © 2012 by Chester B. Cabalza. All Rights Reserved.

Xiamen China

2011-12-24T15:33:00.002+08:00

Xiamen is located in the southern part of Fujian Province & the west coast of the Taiwan Strait. It is a National Excellent Tourist City and its islands are the nearest to the Taiwanese-controlled islands – just a couple of kilometers off shore from Xiamen.

Photographs by Chester B. Cabalza
Copyright © 2011 by Chester B. Cabalza. All Rights Reserved.

ShenZhen China

2011-12-19T22:43:00.003+08:00

They say, if you wanna see how a Chinese fishing village develop into a megacity only in a decade, then you have to go and see Shen Zhen!!!

Shen Zhen is situated north of Hong Kong and is a major city in the south of southern China's Guandong province. It has become China's first and one of the most successful Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in China. Shen Zhen's novel and modern cityscape is the result of Deng Xiaoping's policy of "reform and opening up". This city is a showcase that mainland China can rival Hong Kong's economic vibrancy!

Photographs by Chester B. Cabalza
Copyright © 2011 by Chester B. Cabalza. All Rights Reserved.

Rule 115 - Rights of the Accused (Rules of Court)

2011-11-02T13:55:00.002+08:00

Section 1. Rights of accused at trial. – In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be entitled to the following rights:

(a) To be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved beyond reasonable doubt.

(b) To be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him.

(c) To be present and defend in person and by counsel at every stage of the proceedings, from arraignment to promulgation of the judgment. The accused may, however, waive his presence at the trial pursuant to the stipulations set forth in his bail, unless his presence is specifically ordered by the court for purposes of identification. The absence of the accused without justifiable cause at the trial of which he had notice shall be considered a waiver of his right to be present thereat. When an accused under custody escapes, he shall be deemed to have waived his right to be present on all subsequent trial dates until custody over him is regained. Upon motion, the accused may be allowed to defend himself in person when it sufficiently appears to the court that he can properly protect his rights without the assistance of counsel.

(d) To testify as a witness in his own behalf but subject to cross-examination on matters covered by direct examination. His silence shall not in any manner prejudice him.

(e) To be exempt from being compelled to be a witness against himself.

(f) To confront and cross-examine the witnesses against him at the trial. Either party may utilize as part of its evidence the testimony of a witness who is deceased, out of or can not with due diligence be found in the Philippines, unavailable, or otherwise unable to testify, given in another case or proceeding, judicial or administrative, involving the same parties and subject matter, the adverse party having the opportunity to cross-examine him.

(g) To have compulsory process issued to secure the attendance of witnesses and production of other evidence in his behalf.

(h) To have speedy, impartial and public trial.

(i) To appeal in all cases allowed and in the manner prescribed by law.

Yu Tek v. Gonzales

2011-11-02T13:51:00.001+08:00

Chester Cabalza recommends his visitors to please read the original & full text of the case cited. Xie xie!

G.R. No. L-9935
February 1, 1915
Trent, J.

YU TEK v. GONZALES

Doctrine:

There is a perfected sale with regard to the “thing” whenever the article of sale has been physically segregated from all other articles.

Facts:

Gonzalez received P3,000 from Yu Tek and Co. and in exchange, the former obligated himself to deliver 600 piculs of sugar of the first and second grade, according to the result of the polarization, within the period of three months. It was also stipulated that in case Gonzales fails to deliver, the contract will be rescinded he will be obligated to return the P3,000 received and also the sum of P1,200 by way of indemnity for loss and damages.
Plaintiff proved that no sugar had been delivered to him under the contract nor had he been able to recover the P3,000.

Gonzales assumed that the contract was limited to the sugar he might raise upon his own plantation; that the contract represented a perfected sale; and that by failure of his crop he was relieved from complying with his undertaking by loss of the thing due.

Issue:

Whether or not there was a perfected contract of sale.

Held:

No. This court has consistently held that there is a perfected sale with regard to the “thing” whenever the article of sale has been physically segregated from all other articles.
In the case at bar, the undertaking of the defendant was to sell to the plaintiff 600 piculs of sugar of the first and second classes. Was this an agreement upon the “thing” which was the object of the contract? For the purpose of sale its bulk is weighed, the customary unit of weight being denominated a “picul.” Now, if called upon to designate the article sold, it is clear that the defendant could only say that it was “sugar.” He could only use this generic name for the thing sold. There was no “appropriation” of any particular lot of sugar. Neither party could point to any specific quantity of sugar and say: “This is the article which was the subject of our contract.”

We conclude that the contract in the case at bar was merely an executory agreement; a promise of sale and not a sale. There was no perfected sale.

RP represented by ERB vs Manila Electric Company

2011-09-16T15:36:00.002+08:00

Chester Cabalza recommends his visitors to please read the original & full text of the case cited. Xie xie!

G.R. No. 141314 November 15, 2002

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED BY ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD petitioner,
vs.
MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY, respondent.

-----------------------------

G.R. No. 141369 November 15, 2002

LAWYERS AGAINST MONOPOLY AND POVERTY (LAMP) consisting of CEFERINO PADUA, Chairman, G. FULTON ACOSTA, GALILEO BRION, ANATALIA BUENAVENTURA,
PEDRO CASTILLO, NAPOLEON CORONADO, ROMEO ECHAUZ, FERNANDO GAITE, ALFREDO DE GUZMAN, ROGELIO KARAGDAG, JR., MA. LUZ ARZAGA-MENDOZA, ANSBERTO PAREDES, AQUILINO PIMENTEL III, MARIO REYES, EMMANUEL SANTOS, RUDEGELIO TACORDA, members, and ROLANDO ARZAGA, Secretary-General,
JUSTICE ABRAHAM SARMIENTO, SENATOR AQUILINO PIMENTEL, JR. and COMMISSIONER BARTOLOME FERNANDEZ, JR., Board of Consultants, and Lawyer GENARO LUALHATI, petitioners,
vs.
MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY (MERALCO), respondent.

Facts:

The MERALCO filed with the energy Regulatory Body (ERB), an application for the revision of its rate schedules. The application reflected an average increase of 21 centavos per kilowatthour (kwh) in its distribution charge. The application also included a prayer for provisional approval of the increase pursuant to Section 16(c) of the Public Service Act and Section 8 of Executive Order No. 172.

On January 28, 1994, the ERB issued an Order granting a provisional increase of P0.184 per kwh, subject to the following condition. In the same Order, the ERB requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct an audit and examination of the books and other records of account of the applicant for such period of time and to submit a copy thereof to the ERB immediately upon completion.

In February 1997, COA submitted its "COA Report" which contained, among others, the recommendation not to include income taxes paid by MERALCO as part of its operating expenses for purposes of rate determination and the use of the net average investment method for the computation of the proportionate value of the properties used by MERALCO during the test year for the determination of the rate base. Subsequently, the ERB rendered its decision adopting the above recommendations and authorized MERALCO to implement a rate adjustment. The ERB held that income tax should not be treated as operating expense as this should be borne by the stockholders who are recipients of the income or profits realized from the operation of their business.

On appeal, the Court of Appeals set aside the ERB decision insofar as it directed the reduction of the MERALCO rates by an average of P0.167 per kwh and the refund of such amount to MERALCO's customers beginning February 1994 and until its billing cycle beginning February 1998. Separate Motions for Reconsideration filed by the petitioners were denied by the Court of Appeals.

Issues:

1. Whether in ruling that income tax paid by MERALCO should be treated as part of its operating expenses and thus considered in determining the amount of increase in rates imposed by MERALCO; and

2. Whether in rejecting the net average investment method used by the COA and the ERB, it should adopt the average investment method used by MERALCO.

Held:

The regulation of rates to be charged by public utilities is founded upon the police powers of the State and statutes prescribing rules for the control and regulation of public utilities are a valid exercise thereof.

When private property is used for a public purpose and is affected with public interest, it ceases to be juris privati only and becomes subject to regulation. The regulation is to promote the common good. Submission to regulation may be withdrawn by the owner by discontinuing use; but as long as use of the property is continued, the same is subject to public regulation.

In regulating rates charged by public utilities, the State protects the public against arbitrary and excessive rates while maintaining the efficiency and quality of services rendered. However, the power to regulate rates does not give the State the right to prescribe rates which are so low as to deprive the public utility of a reasonable return on investment. Thus, the rates prescribed by the State must be one that yields a fair return on the public utility upon the value of the property performing the service and one that is reasonable to the public for the services rendered. While the power to fix rates is a legislative function, whether exercised by the legislature itself or delegated through an administrative agency, a determination of whether the rates so fixed are reasonable and just is a purely judicial question and is subject to the review of the courts.

The ERB was created under Executive Order No. 172 to regulate, among others, the distribution of energy resources and to fix rates to be charged by public utilities involved in the distribution of electricity. In the fixing of rates, the only standard which the legislature is required to prescribe for the guidance of the administrative authority is that the rate be reasonable and just.

In the cases at bar, findings and conclusions of the ERB on the rate that can be charged by MERALCO to the public should be respected. The function of the court, in exercising its power of judicial review, is to determine whether under the facts and circumstances, the final order entered by the administrative agency is unlawful or unreasonable. The ERB correctly ruled that income tax should not be included in the computation of operating expenses of a public utility. Accordingly, the burden of paying income tax should be Meralco's alone and should not be shifted to the consumers by including the same in the computation of its operating expenses.

The principle behind the inclusion of operating expenses in the determination of a just and reasonable rate is to allow the public utility to recoup the reasonable amount of expenses it has incurred in connection with the services it provides. Under the "net average investment method," properties and equipment used in the operation of a public utility are entitled to a return only on the actual number of months they are in service during the period.

The petitions are granted but the decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed. Respondent Meralco is authorized to adopt a rate adjustment in the amount of P0.017 per kilowatthour, effective with respect to MERALCO's billing cycles beginning February 1994. Further, in accordance with the decision of the ERB dated February 16, 1998, the excess average amount of P0.167 per kilowatt-hour starting with the applicant's billing cycles beginning February 1998 is ordered to be refunded to MERALCO's customers or correspondingly credited in their favor for future consumption.

PLDT vs NTC

2011-09-16T15:32:00.001+08:00

Chester Cabalza recommends his visitors to please read the original & full text of the case cited. Xie xie!

G.R. No. 88404 October 18, 1990

PHILIPPINE LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE CO. [PLDT], petitioner,
vs.
THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND CELLCOM, INC., (EXPRESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO., INC. [ETCI]), respondents.

EN BANC

Facts:

There are two (2) Orders, namely, Order of 12 December 1988 granting private respondent Express Telecommunications Co., Inc. (ETCI) provisional authority to install, operate and maintain a Cellular Mobile Telephone System in Metro-Manila (Phase A) in accordance with specified conditions; and the Order, dated 8 May 1988, denying reconsideration, enacted by the respondent National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) but assailed by petitioner Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).

ETCI filed an application with NTC for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain a Cellular Mobile Telephone System and an Alpha Numeric Paging System in Metro Manila and in the Southern Luzon regions, with a prayer for provisional authority to operate Phase A of its proposal within Metro Manila.

But in an Order, dated 12 November 1987, NTC overruled PLDT's Opposition and declared that Rep. Act No. 2090 (1958) should be liberally construed as to include among the services under said franchise the operation of a cellular mobile telephone service.

After evaluating the reconsideration sought by PLDT, the NTC, in October 1988, maintained its ruling that liberally construed, applicant's franchise carries with it the privilege to operate and maintain a cellular mobile telephone service.

In a "Motion to Set Aside the Order" granting provisional authority, PLDT alleged essentially that the interconnection ordered was in violation of due process and that the grant of provisional authority was jurisdictionally and procedurally infirm.

PLDT urges the Court to annul the NTC Orders of 12 December 1988 and 8 May 1989 and to order ETCI to desist from, suspend, and/or discontinue any and all acts intended for its implementation.

Issues:

1. Whether the status and coverage of Rep. Act No. 2090 includes franchise;

2. Whether there is transfer of shares of stock of a corporation in holding a CPCN; and

3. Whether there is a need to merge principle and procedure of interconnection.

Held:

There is no grave abuse of discretion on the part of NTC, upon the following considerations:

1. NTC Jurisdiction

The NTC is the regulatory agency of the national government with jurisdiction over all telecommunications entities. It is legally clothed with authority and given ample discretion to grant a provisional permit or authority. In fact, NTC may, on its own initiative, grant such relief even in the absence of a motion from an applicant.

What the NTC granted was such a provisional authority, with a definite expiry period of eighteen (18) months unless sooner renewed, and which may be revoked, amended or revised by the NTC. It is also limited to Metro Manila only.

What is more, the main proceedings are clearly to continue as stated in the NTC Order of 8 May 1989.

The provisional authority was issued after due hearing, reception of evidence and evaluation, with the hearings attended by various oppositors, including PLDT. It was granted only after a prima facie showing that ETCI has the necessary legal, financial, and technical capabilities and that public interest, convenience, and necessity so demanded.

Hence, the final outcome of the application rests within the exclusive prerogative of the NTC. Whether or not a CPCN would eventually issue would depend on the evidence to be presented during the hearings still to be conducted, and only after a full evaluation of the proof thus presented.

2. The Coverage of ETCI's Franchise

Rep. Act No. 2090 grants ETCI (formerly FACI) "the right and privilege of constructing, installing, establishing and operating in the entire Philippines radio stations for reception and transmission of messages on radio stations in the foreign and domestic public fixed point-to-point and public base, aeronautical and land mobile stations, ... with the corresponding relay stations for the reception and transmission of wireless messages on radiotelegraphy and/or radiotelephony ...." PLDT maintains that the scope of the franchise is limited to "radio stations" and excludes telephone services such as the establishment of the proposed Cellular Mobile Telephone System (CMTS). However, in its Order of 12 November 1987, the NTC construed the technical term "radiotelephony" liberally as to include the operation of a cellular mobile telephone system.

3. The Status of ETCI Franchise

PLDT alleges that the ETCI franchise had lapsed into nonexistence for failure of the franchise holder to begin and complete construction of the radio system authorized under the franchise as explicitly required in Section 4 of its franchise, Rep. Act No. 2090.

More importantly, PLDT's allegation partakes of a Collateral attack on a franchise Rep. Act No. 2090), which is not allowed.

A franchise is a property right and cannot be revoked or forfeited without due process of law. The determination of the right to the exercise of a franchise, or whether the right to enjoy such privilege has been forfeited by non-user, is more properly the subject of the prerogative writ of quo warranto, the right to assert which, as a rule, belongs to the State "upon complaint or otherwise" (Sections 1, 2 and 3, Rule 66, Rules of Court), 2 the reason being that the abuse of a franchise is a public wrong and not a private injury. A forfeiture of a franchise will have to be declared in a direct proceeding for the purpose brought by the State because a franchise is granted by law and its unlawful exercise is primarily a concern of Government.

4. ETCI's Stock Transactions

ETCI admits that in 1964, the Albertos, as original owners of more than 40% of the outstanding capital stock sold their holdings to the Orbes. In 1968, the Albertos re-acquired the shares they had sold to the Orbes. In 1987, the Albertos sold more than 40% of their shares to Horacio Yalung. Thereafter, the present stockholders acquired their ETCI shares. Moreover, in 1964, ETCI had increased its capital stock from P40,000.00 to P360,000.00; and in 1987, from P360,000.00 to P40M.

In other words, transfers of shares of a public utility corporation need only NTC approval, not Congressional authorization. What transpired in ETCI were a series of transfers of shares starting in 1964 until 1987. But again, whether ETCI has offended against a provision of its franchise, or has subjected it to misuse or abuse, may more properly be inquired into in quo warranto proceedings instituted by the State. It is the condition of every franchise that it is subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal when the common good so requires (1987 Constitution, Article XII, Section 11).

5. The NTC Interconnection Order

In the provisional authority granted by NTC to ETCI, one of the conditions imposed was that the latter and PLDT were to enter into an interconnection agreement to be jointly submitted to NTC for approval.

Rep. Act No. 6849, or the Municipal Telephone Act of 1989, approved on 8 February 1990, mandates interconnection providing as it does that "all domestic telecommunications carriers or utilities ... shall be interconnected to the public switch telephone network." Such regulation of the use and ownership of telecommunications systems is in the exercise of the plenary police power of the State for the promotion of the general welfare.

The importance and emphasis given to interconnection dates back to Ministry Circular No. 82-81, dated 6 December 1982; Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Circular No. 87-188, issued in 1987; The sharing of revenue was an additional feature considered in DOTC Circular No. 90-248, dated 14 June 1990, laying down the "Policy on Interconnection and Revenue Sharing by Public Communications Carriers."

The NTC order to interconnect allows the parties themselves to discuss and agree upon the specific terms and conditions of the interconnection agreement instead of the NTC itself laying down the standards of interconnection which it can very well impose. Thus it is that PLDT cannot justifiably claim denial of clue process. It has been heard. It will continue to be heard in the main proceedings.

6. Ultimate Considerations

The decisive considerations are public need, public interest, and the common good. Those were the overriding factors which motivated NTC in granting provisional authority to ETCI.

Free competition in the industry may also provide the answer to a much-desired improvement in the quality and delivery of this type of public utility, to improved technology, fast and handy mobile service, and reduced user dissatisfaction. After all, neither PLDT nor any other public utility has a constitutional right to a monopoly position in view of the Constitutional proscription that no franchise certificate or authorization shall be exclusive in character or shall last longer than fifty (50) years.

Ruling:

There is no grave abuse of discretion, tantamount to lack of or excess of jurisdiction, on the part of the NTC in issuing its challenged Orders of 12 December 1988 and 8 May 1989 in NTC Case No. 87-39, and this Petition is DISMISSED for lack of merit.

Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation vs Globe Telecom, Inc.

2011-09-16T15:24:00.002+08:00

Chester Cabalza recommends his visitors to please read the original & full text of the case cited. Xie xie!

G.R. No. 147324 May 25, 2004

PHILIPPINE COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE CORPORATION, petitioner,
vs.
GLOBE TELECOM, INC. (formerly Globe Mckay Cable and Radio Corporation), respondents.

x-----------------------------x

GLOBE TELECOM, INC., petitioner,
vs.
PHILIPPINE COMMUNICATION SATELLITE CORPORATION, respondent.

Facts:

Globe Telecom, Inc., formerly known as Globe McKay Cable and Radio Corporation installed and configured communication facilities for the exclusive use of the US Defense Communications Agency (USDCA) in Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base. Globe Telecom later contracted the Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation (Philcomsat) for the provision of the communication facilities. As both companies entered into an Agreement, Globe obligated itself to operate and provide an IBS Standard B earth station with Cubi Point for the use of the USDCA. The term of the contract was for 60 months, or five (5) years. In turn, Globe promised to pay Philcomsat monthly rentals for each leased circuit involved.

As the saga continues, the Philippine Senate passed and adopted Senate Resolution No. 141 and decided not to ratify the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Security, and its Supplementary Agreements to extend the term of the use by the US of Subic Naval Base, among others. In other words, the RP-US Military Bases Agreement was suddenly terminated.

Because of this event, Globe notified Philcomsat of its intention to discontinue the use of the earth station effective 08 November 1992 in view of the withdrawal of US military personnel from Subic Naval Base after the termination of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement.

After the US military forces left Subic Naval Base, Philcomsat sent Globe a letter in 1993 demanding payment of its outstanding obligations under the Agreement amounting to US$4,910,136.00 plus interest and attorney’s fees. However, Globe refused to heed Philcomsat’s demand. On the other hand, the latter with the Regional Trial Court of Makati a Complaint against Globe, however, Globe filed an Answer to the Complaint, insisting that it was constrained to end the Agreement due to the termination of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement and the non-ratification by the Senate of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, which events constituted force majeure under the Agreement. Globe explained that the occurrence of said events exempted it from paying rentals for the remaining period of the Agreement.

Four years after, the trial court its decision but both parties appealed to the Court of Appeals.

Issues:

1. Whether or not the non-ratification by the Senate of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Security and its Supplementary Agreements constitutes force majeure which exempts Globe from complying with its obligations under the Agreement;

2. Whether Globe is not liable to pay the rentals for the remainder of the term of the Agreement; and

3. Whether Globe is liable to Philcomsat for exemplary damages.

Held:

Decision on Issue No. 1: Fortuitous Event under Article 1174

The appellate court ruled that the non-ratification by the Senate of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Security, and its Supplementary Agreements, and the termination by the Philippine Government of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement effective 31 December 1991 as stated in the Philippine Government’s Note Verbale to the US Government, are acts, directions, or requests of the Government of the Philippines which constitute force majeure.

However, the Court of Appeals ruled that although Globe sought to terminate Philcomsat’s services by 08 November 1992, it is still liable to pay rentals for the December 1992, amounting to US$92,238.00 plus interest, considering that the US military forces and personnel completely withdrew from Cubi Point only on 31 December 1992.

No reversible error was committed by the Court of Appeals in issuing the assailed Decision; hence the petitions are denied.

Article 1174, which exempts an obligor from liability on account of fortuitous events or force majeure, refers not only to events that are unforeseeable, but also to those which are foreseeable, but inevitable:

A fortuitous event under Article 1174 may either be an "act of God," or natural occurrences such as floods or typhoons,24 or an "act of man," such as riots, strikes or wars.

Philcomsat and Globe agreed in Section 8 of the Agreement that the following events shall be deemed events constituting force majeure:

1. Any law, order, regulation, direction or request of the Philippine Government;
2. Strikes or other labor difficulties;
3. Insurrection;
4. Riots;
5. National emergencies;
6. War;
7. Acts of public enemies;
8. Fire, floods, typhoons or other catastrophes or acts of God;
9. Other circumstances beyond the control of the parties.

Clearly, the foregoing are either unforeseeable, or foreseeable but beyond the control of the parties. There is nothing in the enumeration that runs contrary to, or expands, the concept of a fortuitous event under Article 1174.

The Supreme Court agrees with the Court of Appeals and the trial court that the abovementioned requisites are present in the instant case. Philcomsat and Globe had no control over the non-renewal of the term of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement when the same expired in 1991, because the prerogative to ratify the treaty extending the life thereof belonged to the Senate. Neither did the parties have control over the subsequent withdrawal of the US military forces and personnel from Cubi Point in December 1992.

Decision on Issue No. 2: Exemption of Globe from Paying Rentals for the Facility

The Supreme Court finds that the defendant is exempted from paying the rentals for the facility for the remaining term of the contract. As a consequence of the termination of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement (as amended) the continued stay of all US Military forces and personnel from Subic Naval Base would no longer be allowed, hence, plaintiff would no longer be in any position to render the service it was obligated under the Agreement.

The Court of Appeals was correct in ruling that the happening of such fortuitous events rendered Globe exempt from payment of rentals for the remainder of the term of the Agreement.

Decision on Issue No 3: No Exemplary Damages

Exemplary damages may be awarded in cases involving contracts or quasi-contracts, if the erring party acted in a wanton, fraudulent, reckless, oppressive or malevolent manner.

In the present case, it was not shown that Globe acted wantonly or oppressively in not heeding Philcomsat’s demands for payment of rentals. It was established during the trial of the case before the trial court that Globe had valid grounds for refusing to comply with its contractual obligations after 1992.

Ruling:

WHEREFORE, the Petitions are DENIED for lack of merit. The assailed Decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 63619 is AFFIRMED.
SO ORDERED.

Virtual Ethnography 101: Reflexivity of an Ethnographer at Rizal Park

2011-09-01T12:32:00.004+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101: (Pabrika ng Imahe) Isang Etnograpiya ng Produksyon sa Telebisyon para sa Ika-150 Kaarawan ni Dr. Rizal

2011-09-01T12:16:00.004+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101: Rizal @ Lopez Museum

2011-09-01T11:58:00.004+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101: Filipino and Persian Heroes

2011-09-01T11:25:00.006+08:00

The Combat Zone Leader

2011-08-03T13:19:00.002+08:00

Simple thoughts by Chester B Cabalza

“Never pass up the opportunity to remain silent”

In the article by William G. Pagonis, based form his experience in the Middle East, he thought that leadership is not simple, yet too often, leadership is presented as an abstract undertaking with a matter of vision and values rather than practical detail.

This is true, especially that there are now many guides on how to become a good and effective leader. However, Lieutenant General Pagonis’ kind of leadership, with his expansive operational duties in different parts of the globe, like in Vietnam, Germany, and Iraq, to name a few, has a unique way of looking at leadership.

He deems that one needs charisma, presence and other notions. Thus he champions that no military commander downplay the importance of personal presence in leadership. Almost every combat officer is put to test to command presence. Loyalty and trust are also vital in combat zones where conflicts and pressures can immediately escalate when it is not handled properly.

What matter most, according to the principle of leadership propagated by General Pagonis is that: whether one is running a company or feeding, clothing, and equipping an army, the bedrock principles of leadership don’t change. A combat leader should know his stuff and listen hard, and can manage his troops to fight like lions for him.

There should also expertise or the art of war and empathy to help others. Expertise can be acquired by hard work and sometimes by luck. But empathy is innate in us by helping fellows hurt in war. Empathy is an absolutely vital quality because it helps you know where to draw the line and make it stick.

Yes, I agree that by definition, leaders do not operate in isolation; rather a good leader in combat zone involves cooperation and collaboration. The other piece involves system building to ensure that the right information flows back up through the organization to the leader.

To conclude, what is good about this article is its presentation on how to handle pressures at the same time it helps you to emerge as an effective and charismatic leader in combat zone where you can affect your troops to boost high morale and remain strong and determined as you carry the quality of expertise, empathy, loyalty, and trustworthiness.

The Decision Maker

2011-08-03T13:11:00.003+08:00

Simple thoughts by Chester B Cabalza

“The price of greatness is responsibility” –
Winston Churchill, in a speech at Harvard University (6 September 1943).

In one of the military articles I recently read, there is a scenario to test the wit of an Army leader in times of crisis to ensure a right national security decision making. In that scenario, Colonel Hank Tuuth, nicknamed as “Fang”, is a seasoned and successful Air Force, who would be promoted as Brigadier General, but was later tested when in 1992 the NATO Forces were tasked to immediately reduce operations in Spain.

There are times that as national security decision makers we have to deal with various role-playing situations. Just like the National Security Decision Making (NSDM) game, that is a fast-paced, challenging simulation of contemporary politics and eternal strategic principles. It is modeled after the simulations used by senior U.S. Government officials to explore geopolitical options. Thus, players will be assigned to individual roles within a variety of nation-states. "Real world" dynamics will inexorably draw these player-states toward cooperation in some areas and conflict in others. Meanwhile, within each state, players will inevitably find themselves aligned with some players in the pursuit of common goals, and against others as each seeks to obtain advantages for their interest group and achieve personal political ascendancy (http://www.nsdmg.org/nsdmis.htm).

In the given scenario, many times there were challenges and threats on how Colonel Hank Tuuth will cope to the situation, such as getting worthwhile opportunities to train pilots, getting them to the practice of bombing ranges, while they are in operation 24/7.

Because of this, I deem that when making a tough decision, ask yourself what would you do if all parties involved knew your true intentions and your true desires. Imagine you lived in a world where everyone could tell if you were speaking the truth, or lying, or hiding something. What actions would you take then? Asking this question leads you to see what is truly in your heart. Certainly, that should help you make the right decision.

Planning is useful in emergency situations, too. When a crisis arises, a little thought about the overall plan will help determine which decision to make that will not only help resolve the crisis but will also help advance the overall plan. Without a plan, crises are dealt with haphazardly and decisions are made which may ultimately be in conflict with each other. Decisions made under the guidance of planning can work together in a coherent way to advance company or individual goals.

Just like in the scenario when it ended, there was presentation of many of the recent challenges faced at Aviano Air Base in Italy where Colonel Hank Tuuth was located. Hence, the depicted US and NATO chains of command had been simplified, following the useful planning strategy to achieve a better national security decision making.

The Strategic Leader

2011-08-03T13:02:00.004+08:00

Simple thoughts by Chester B. Cabalza

“To lead is not to influence others to do something they are not committed to, but rather to nurture a culture that motivates and even excites individuals to do what is required for the benefit of all.”- Arthur F Carmazzi, in The Colored Brain Communication Field Manual (2009), page 76.

I subscribe to the idea that all professional Army leaders consistently prepare themselves for greater responsibilities while mastering core leader competencies. To become organizational and strategic leaders, they should be multiskilled leaders who can comfortably operate at all levels of leadership to apply their vast experiences and knowledge for success across the spectrum of conflicts. They must develop programs and plans and synchronize the appropriate systems allowing soldiers in small unit to turn tactical and operational models into action.

In organizational and strategic leadership, leadership by example must exude wide ranging competency and knowledge. Organizational leaders must build teams of teams with discipline, cohesion, trust, and proficiency. However, they say that modern organizational leaders now are multiskilled and multipurpose leaders. They have to develop a strong background in doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as an appreciation for the geopolitical consequences of their application.

In my experience, as an organizational leader, I rely heavily on developing my subordinates and empowering them to execute their assigned responsibilities and missions. More so, soldiers and subordinate leaders, in turn, look to organizational leaders to set achievable standards, to provide clear intent, and to provide necessary resources.

In one point of my career, there are times that conflicts arise in work. I do deem that leaders often must leverage negotiating skills to obtain cooperation and support necessary to accomplish a mission beyond the traditional chain of command. A successful negotiating involves communicating a clear position on relevant issues and integrating understanding of motives while conveying a willingness to bargain on other issues. Thus, good negotiators visualize several possible end states while maintaining a clear idea of the optimal end state.

It is true, as General Gordon Sullivan has opined that, if you are a leader, your people expect you to create their future. They look into your eyes, and they expect to see strength and vision. To be successful, you must inspire and motivate those who are following you. When they look into your eyes, they must see that you are with them.

This happens in large organizations, especially that most of Army’s organizational leaders play critical part when it comes to maintaining focus on fighting the enemy; and your men look up to you as their strength and inspiration. With this kind of situation, organizational leaders represent the critical link to collecting, recording, and exploring the tactical and operational lessons learned. They ultimately direct the integration of critical experiences and new concepts into doctrine and future training.

Seasoned strategic and organizational leaders know themselves - the mission and the message. They own it to their organization and men to share much information as possible. Thusly, they must take a long-term approach to developing the entire organization. They prepare their organizations to boost the spirit and morale in order to achieve victory in any endeavors.

Aside from the motivations and right values and conduct shown toward organizational leadership, I believe that in order to foster the culture of systemic organizational leadership, one must also prepare his self. Leadership begins at the top, and so does developing. They keep a focus on where the organization needs to go and what all leaders must be capable of accomplishing.

Also, one important organizational leader responsibility is to create an environment that enables and supports people within the organization to learn from the experiences of others. To strengthen learning in organizations, organizational leaders can make interdependent avenues available for lifelong learning on assignment oriented training, simulations, learning centers, and virtual training.

To foster building team skills and processes, according to the article, organizational leaders recognize that their respective organization is a ‘team’ – that has to learn confidence and excellence that will be translated into reality. He must empower his team within a larger organization and must exploit the value of a creative staff composed of competent and trustworthy subordinates.

In my mind, I admire strategic and organizational leaders who achieve consistent results and are competent in planning, preparing, executing, and assessing. While leaders can continuously emphasize teamwork and cooperation, they also understand healthy competition as an effective motivator. They must provide clear focus with their intent so their subordinates may accomplish the mission, no matter what happens to the original.

The Seasoned Executive

2011-08-03T12:56:00.004+08:00

Simple thoughts by Chester B. Cabalza

“In matters of style, swim with the current: in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” - Thomas Jefferson, as quoted in Careertracking: 26 success Shortcuts to the Top (1988)

I sometimes think how a great manager can handle a big organization – minute by minute how he decides and analyze problems and inevitable situations and at the end of the day becomes successful after firm decisions. Indeed, seasoned managers at all levels must play the role of very good decision makers. However, to become effective decision makers, he must undergo a process – by learning new skills and behaviors and by creating and evaluating options.

The article of “The Seasoned Executive’s Decision-Making Style,” suggests four styles of decision making of a seasoned executive. He must be (1) decisive, (2) flexible, (3) hierarchic, and (4) integrative. Naturally, I believe that managers make decisions differently in public settings as well as in private settings. Herein, to be decisive means that the decision style is direct, efficient, fast, and firm. Publicly, this action-focused style comes across as task-oriented.

In the chart of styles of decision-making, the author Kenneth Brousseau, in gist illustrated the following options: to be flexible suggests that this style is about speed and adaptability. Managers make decisions quickly and change course just as quickly to keep abreast of immediate and shifting situations. Thus in public, this flexible style comes across as highly social and responsive. The hierarchic style of decision making insist that people using this highly analytical and focused style expect their decisions, once taken, to be final and to stand the test of time. Also in public, this complex style comes across as highly intellectual. Lastly, the integrative mode speaks of people frame problems broadly, using input from many sources, and makes decisions involving multiple courses of action that may evolve over time as circumstances change. In public, this creative style comes across as highly participative. In my view, I see myself as flexible yet integrative, multifocus yet maximizing in the number of options in my decision-making.

It says that it is essential to use leadership style that keeps the information pipeline open and the data flowing freely to access best information and analysis. However, the most successful managers come to the convergence zone more quickly than the least successful and continue to adjust and adapt to different styles as their careers progress.

Needless to say, one of the flaws of managers is that they fail to evolve on how they make decisions and fail to recognize and correct their erroneous decision. A brave and seasoned executive must at all times follow what is righteous and upright. This brings to the idea that global managers emerge, they must ensure a culture of effective and efficient leadership by way of their good decision-making, at times of risky and difficult times. And as pointed out by the author, when decision-making style is compared in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, there is apparent cultural impact on leadership and thinking styles. The differences in terms of which styles vary from one culture to another. What matters most is the universal principle that they must learn, adapt, evolve, and keep abreast with their leadership styles and good decision-making process.

Inspiring Leaders

2011-08-03T12:42:00.003+08:00

Simple thoughts by Chester B Cabalza

The general perspective of research is to present results of any scientific discovery and strategic view to find solution to a particular type of problem. In this way, the researcher will show how the problem is directed to further solution or putting some light in the unknown areas of knowledge for one’s enlightenment to that particular area of knowledge. Thus, research actually helps us understand the reality more clearly.

My primary research interest dwells on Leadership. I deem that good leadership works also through emotions using emotional intelligence (EQ) in handling various personalities of people. However, leaders carry out this process by applying leadership attributes such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills. Although some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles based from the trait theory.

Based from my secondary research material that is published online on the secrets of inspiring leaders, it reminds us of the importance of inspirational leaders in our society because based from quantitative research through surveys, only 10 percent of employees look forward to going to work and most employees point to a lack of leadership as the reason why.

In one of the articles I read, it discusses the following seven techniques that leaders can use to inspire their employees, such as: (1) to demonstrate enthusiasm – constantly; (2) articulate a compelling course of action; (3) sell the benefit; (4) tell more stories: (5) invite participation; (6) reinforce an optimistic outlook; and (7) to encourage one’s potential.

I have chosen the said article because I consider myself a good leader that possesses strategy, vision, power, and powerful ideas. A good leader like me can ignite passion and inspiration to my subordinates and colleagues. This supports my character to being focused and responsible.

Just like what I believe in, research is significant because it forms as a cycle. It starts with a problem and ends with a solution to the problem. Every research works is intended to identify new opportunities for novel ideas. Research helps us to diagnosing any known problems or opportunities. It helps us to establish a standard of taking action on any chosen area of the knowledge domain. And lastly, it evaluates and develops the current strategies and systems.

It is usually one of the first statements made in any research paper, as well as it defines the research area, should a quick synopsis of how the hypothesis was arrived at. Research problem will lead to the proposal of a viable hypothesis. It is also the situation that causes the researcher to feel apprehensive. It is the demarcation of a problem area within a certain context involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE, the WHEN, and the WHY of the problem situation. In the article, it said that leadership is the key to employees’ engagement, innovation, and success. Herein, it asked several questions such as, are you investing in building your leadership ability? Are you setting a good example, setting vision, inspiring others, remaining optimistic and investing in others?

Hence, I should answer the research problems based from the primary factors that affect the issues in the research study. In the said article on leadership, the author suggested and discussed briefly the seven secrets of inspiring leaders by enumerating techniques that leaders can use to inspire their employees.

Data analysis is a practice in which raw data is ordered and organized so that useful information can be extracted from it. The process of organizing and thinking about data is the key to understanding what the data does not contain. In the course of organizing the data, trends often emerge, and these trends can be highlighted in the write up of the data to ensure that readers take note. Summarizing data is often critical to supporting the arguments. In the article, techniques on inspirational leadership were gathered based from real experiences of people combined together as lessons learned.

Findings or conclusions are based from facts and figures collected to convey strengths and weaknesses of the study. It encapsulates the totality and essence of the study because it embodies all the processes done in the study and presents it through findings and conclusions. It can be the summary of the entire study encapsulated in organized thoughts under findings and conclusions.

So far, the short article on the secrets of inspiring leaders did not expressly give recommendations. On the other hand, from the questions it posted, the essay has shown inferences to the readers on what they ought to do to become inspiring leaders. Hence, recommendations usually include appropriate and specific recommendations as part of the conclusion, which should always be specific and appropriate to the researcher’s readers.

I therefore classify the uploaded article on inspiring leaders as secondary qualitative research. It is secondary research because it looks at existing data which was summarized, collated, and synthesized. Also, a qualitative research because it examines what human behaviors and reason behind it. It also tackles on what people should do and why.

Virtual Ethnography 101: Rizal Conference

2011-07-21T14:45:00.005+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101:The Great Man in Luneta

2011-07-21T13:57:00.004+08:00

As part of the weekly exercises of my graduate students in Anthropology 225: Philippine Society and Culture, I wanted my students to explore places and write ethnography using the method of participation-observation.

In celebration of the sesquicentennial (150th) birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine's national hero, I asked my graduate students to visit museums that exhibit memorabilia for our dear renaissance Filipino man Jose Rizal, attend local and international academic symposium on The First World-Class Filipino Jose Rizal, travel to his ancestral house in Laguna, or pay respect to one of Asia's great intellectuals enshrined at Luneta Park, and so on...

I am posting in my blog with the writer's consent selected ethnography penned creatively by my students to contribute to the emerging sub-discipline of anthropology called 'Virtual Ethnography'.

Basically, virtually ethnography is also referred to as Webnography. We cannot deny the fact that with increasing use of technology and the Internet, there is now a demand for online spaces on various ethnographic accounts.

Ethnography by Zy-za Nadine Suzara

My last exposure to Rizal Park was back when I was an undergraduate student in junior year sometime in 2003. It was likewise intended as a fieldwork to conduct interviews with foreign tourists for a class paper. I have the vaguest recollections about those weekend visits in the park, let alone what the park looked like back in the day. However, I do remember that my group mates and I would avoid the benches, prefer sitting on the grass picnic-style, ‘strategically’ choosing a spot where we saw people walking to and fro, where we thought those foreign tourists would pass. Whether we successfully met our research objective, I do not recall anymore. Had I kept my old notes and scribbles it would have been interesting to draw comparisons between then and now.

On Thursday afternoon, the first thing I noticed upon getting off the van that took me to Luneta was the hubbub of the commuters along Taft Avenue. It was around 5:30PM. A few meters from the pavement was an arc, freshly constructed it seems. It bannered the 150th year of the national hero’s birth in huge letters that read: “Rizal at 150” on the left side, “One Stop Heritage Trail” on the right, and “SALAMAT PO” right in the middle. I wondered where exactly the heritage trail was.

A few more steps and I noticed more banners of green enfaced with the iconic image of Rizal, announcing his 150th every 6 or so meters apart. Yes, I’m Rizal Park, I thought. There were too many things to take note of given that in my haste to get to the park, I forgot to bring a camera!

I had always had the impression that Luneta was quite benign. I was wrong. There were too many activities going on all at the same time! I realised that there was no way I could observe everything, what with my limited time and the dark rainclouds threatening to spill more rain that afternoon.

I was a mere two meters away from the arc down the ‘trail’, I suppose, when I general, I observed a very diverse crowd of people. To my right was a group of students in their PE uniforms practicing their dance routine. To my left was that huge Philippine map in the man-made lake where even more people converged – friends, lovers, cliques taking pictures, posing and smiling by the railing-enclosed man-made lake.

I also noticed that there were photographers roaming around. When I walked closer to the area, one photographer even approached me, offering to take my picture in broken English. I had to politely decline adding, “Manong hindi po ako Koreana. Pwede po kayo mag-Tagalog.” At that I walked along the pathway around the man-made lake. The dreaded rain started to fall. I fished out my umbrella and continued to observe. Interestingly, the people seemed unfazed by the raindrops! Some opened their umbrellas but they pretty much stayed where they were, chatting and relaxing lazily amongst themselves, perhaps because it was a gentle rain anyway.

As I walked around, I had the urge to talk-up individuals who where in the park. But seeing how they were spending time with their friends, and the couples were getting cozy with each other, I decided against it. I won’t disturb, I thought. I carried on with being a mere observer.

I noticed that in the periphery of the man-made lake were pictures of places that had anything and everything to do with Jose Rizal. Each of these pictures had anecdotes and was enclosed in glass frame, mounted on two poles. Like those green banners, they lined up the walk, commemorating, indeed valorizing the national hero evermore. These included:

1. Calamba Church – where Rizal was baptized
2. Kamestizuhan District – where Rizal was said to have paid a visit while recruiting members of La Liga Filipina
3. Rizal’s Grave at Paco Par
4. Rizal Fountain at Roxas Boulevard
5. Rizal Execution Site at Roxas Boulevard

Save for one black tourist who quipped to his Filipina companion, “Hey take a picture of that (referring to the image of Rizal’s house in Calamba Laguna), no one actually paid attention to the frames - not the people who were hanging out, the Middle Eastern couple strolling hand in hand, or the couple sitting right under one of the mounted frames. (Yes, they were smooching. When they realised that I was taking too long reading the caption, they exercised discretion and left the spot. I chuckled to myself as soon as they were gone.)

I found out later on from the roaming guard that the frames I took time to observe one by one were very recent additions to the park fixture. In fact, I had an informative conversation with this guard about the frames, area security and a little bit of the park’s demography.

Apparently, the commemorative frames were specifically mounted for the occasion of Rizal’s 150th. According to him there were about 30 of them (I forget the exact number) around the man-made lake. They were constructed in March to late April and unveiled in the month of May. I asked him if people who visit the park pay attention to them. He replied, “Mangilan-ngilan lang po”, validating my initial observation.

Ironically, despite my idea of Rizal Park as a benign place in the city – with the exception of El-Shaddai and such gatherings held there on some occasions as I hear in news radio - I had previously thought of Rizal Park as a very unsecure place where pick-pocketers and snatchers threaten personal security. In essence, I have in my mind a very disjunctured impression of Luneta: static, unevolving seemingly locked in history, on one hand, yet an uninviting and unsafe petty crime scene, on the other.

Of course, this was debunked by the information I gathered from the security guard that the premises is held secure 24 hours a day 7 days a week by 23 roaming guards excluding 4 security heads. This means that there is a total of 27 guards patrolling the whole park day in and day out. Not too bad, I thought.

As I chatted more with the guard, I learned that many students from nearby schools and universities like to hang out in the park. It has become a temporary “shelter” for the homeless, though the word is quite inaccurate since the open area doesn’t give much protection in times of cold and rain.

I was a bit impressed at how attentive and sharp the guard was when he posed his constructive observation in question-form about my lack of knowledge about and immersion in Luneta. “Ngayon lang po ba kayo nakapunta dito?”, he inquired. I guess my questions about the demography of the park, what else there was to see further down the Roxas Boulevard side, struck him as common-sensical.
With a little shame on my part, I replied, “Hindi naman. Matagal lang akong hindi nagpunta dito.” Before I departed, the guard also kindly informed that there was a light and sound exhibit on the execution of Rizal. “Kaya lang po, baka sarado na kasi umuulan”, he added. It is ironic to me that the commemoration of Rizal’s birth is very much inseparable from his execution and death. At the Taft entrance, there is announcement about his 150th birth, yet somewhere near the Roxas end, there is an exhibit showcasing the culmination of that birth in death through no less than that heroic gunshot.

I walked further into the heart of Luneta and noticed even more people sitting on benches holding their umbrellas to shield them against the drizzle. I spotted several calesas, noting how their presence did not seem odd in those surroundings. To me, it was the lamp posts in the park, the Hispanic architecture of the old government buildings nearby like the Department of Toursim to my left and the National Museum to my right, that made that old form of transportation appear more ‘romantic’ than bizarre. Had those calesas been somewhere along the Makati Central Business District, it would have been stupefying to some.

I was also going to meet up with my cousin who was at nearby Intramuros shooting scenes for a TV show. She and the cameraman initially intended to shoot at Luneta upon my suggestion to meet up there. However, they had to move to a discreet street in Intramuros because park authority noticed the professional camera gear and halted the shoot. Park regulations forbid shooting with such intimidating gear.

When we finally met up, she relayed the details of this small anecdote. I noted that indeed, park security was foremost afterall in Luneta. The guards aren’t negligent, I thought. They do their job. According to my cousin, the administrator (if I remember right) explained that this was because courtesy must be observed. There are people at the park like the joggers or the passersby who do not wish to be visible on national TV. My cousin said, the administrator especially made mention of the homeless who have sought “shelter” in the park.

Upon learning this, I immediately tried to locate who these people were. Which among the diverse hundreds converged in Luneta were they? I guess, I was not observant enough, for I failed to locate anyone who would qualify as “homeless”. That, or it was simply getting too dark. I thought I would see beggars or disheveled people and kids however, I saw none. Could it be that they are banned from the premises? I had forgotten to ask the guards about them. If so, does that then make Luneta a wee bit exclusive to the “civilized” city people to a certain extent?

I shrugged off those lingering thoughts in favor of exploring more, taking advantage of the fact that the sky cooperated at last with me and my cousin. We were by now left alone by her colleague, the cameraman. Strolling just like others in the park, we stopped to chat with an adorable 8-year boy, slouched on a monobloc chair, happily munching one of the Indian mangoes they were selling. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Hello. Magkano ang mangga?
Boy: 20 po isang supot(beaming while munching on the mangga)
Cousin: Ikaw ata umuubos ng tinda nyo eh.
Boy: (chuckling)
Me: Sinong kasama mo dito?
Boy: Yung ate ko po.
Me: Araw-araw?
Boy: Opo
Me: Eh saan ka umuuwi?
Boy: Sa Tondo po. (still munching on his mangga)
Me: Umiikot rin kayo pag nagbebenta ng mangga?
Boy: Hindi po, dito lang kami (referring to one of the intersection within the Luneta)
Me: Marami rin bumibili ng mangga sa inyo?
Boy: Opo, paminsan nauubos.
Me: Eh anong oras kayo uumuwi?
Boy: Hindi ko po alam. Basta pag madilim na madilim na.
Me: O sige, salamat ha. Alis na kami. Wag mo uubusin tinda nyo.

As we left the little boy, we came across one of the calesa drivers who approached us offering to take us around the park. After my cousin and I politely declined, we likewise talked to him about his transport business. “May dalawampung-taon na ako dito sa Luneta”, he related. I probed, trying to find out if his sense of time would be like the boy’s. I wondered if the boy’s inability to say what time they leave the park was simply a function of not knowing to tell the time or something else, i.e., that clock time is not all too relevant in Luneta. Maybe another indication of this is that no one was in a rush to leave the place.

“Mga anong taon po kayo nagsimula magcalesa dito?”, I asked. “Hindi ko alam, basta matagal na.” My initial thought was that specificities in terms of time do not seem important to them but those that involve monetary transactions are.

Still trying to persuade us to take a calesa ride, the old man qualified his fare scheme, “Pag local, 50 lang ang sinisingil ko. Pag mga foreigner, 5 dollars, 10 dollars. Depende.”. It struck me that he was pricing his rides in dollars! Forex, hey! He clearly distinguishes between locals and foreigners, with his fare scheme pegged at two currencies!

***

There are speakers in some spots in the park creating varied atmospheres and moods depending on the crowd converged in a specific area. At one intersection, “Kapag tumibok ang puso” was blaring in the speakers, reminiscent of Filipino flicks where the characters indeed converge in none other than Luneta and suddenly, break into dance and song. At least, that night no one was dancing but I observed the cheerful happy expressions in the faces of families, of moms or siblings running after the toddlers.

At another juncture some old Filipino love song was playing. My cousin and I christened it, “the Lovers Lane” precisely because down the path of benches and lamp posts were lovers seated close to each other. Some even had their mats sprawled on the ground, complete with picnic food. Of course, most of them were camera-ready, documenting time spent in the grounds of Luneta.

Near the huge fountain, another speaker was playing a sentimental song that went, “Parang kalian lang, ang mga pangarap ko’y kay hirap abutin.” And as if on cue, the rain started to fall again. Heavily this time! I was distracted and by then oblivious to the rest of the crowd as my cousin and I ran to find shelter. Our stroll was cut short before reaching Rizal’s bantayog! It should have been the highlight of the evening!

In any case, we took temporary shelter at the nearest restroom pay booth we saw. As we waited for the rain to cease, we noticed the Sinic architecture to our right, trying to determine whether it was Japanese or Chinese. As much as we wanted to go around some more, the rain wouldn’t stop.

We then decided to call it a night and come back another time, sharing the same observation that contrary to our common speculation, there is what we roughly termed, “a park culture” in the Philippines; that like the Europeans and Americans we saw on TV, hanging out in a park was not something alien to the average Filipino. Luneta, afterall, provided the space for that.

As we finally walked again in the downpour, we saw my cousin’s cameraman colleague (he left earlier) approaching with his huge umbrella. He failed to get a ride along Taft Avenue, he said. I was wondering where all the people went. In the darkness, I could not see the people we earlier passed by from where we were.

Unfortunately, it continued to rain harder. The three of us could not find a roofed structured in the vicinity. The winds were blowing stronger and so the cameraman walking ahead of us stopped at a monument. My cousin and I followed suit. When I checked out which monument it was, I absent-mindedly read aloud: “Ang Lugar na Pinagbarilan kay Rizal”. When it dawned on us where we actually were, we all ended up laughing with an ensuing conversation about Rizal’s execution initiated by the cameraman that went:

Cameraman: Saan nga ba ang West?
Me and Cousin: Ummm…
Cameraman: Ay dito ang East (faces the direction of Taft avenue and re-enacts under his huge umbrella the famous scene of Rizal’s execution - complete with the foot and body twist.)

My cousin and I laughed harder at this stunt pulled under the heavy rains.

Cameraman: Di ba nakatalikod sya sa West? Kaya nga sya humarap nung binaril sya kasi parang gusto nyang iparating hinarap nya ang mga kalaban? Di ba nga Westerners sila?
Me and cousin: Seryoso ba yan?
Cameraman: Oo, seryoso yan. Tapos di ba sa Paco sya inilibing. Nasa east naman iyon. Hindi naman daw sya totoong namatay. Fabricated lang daw iyon. Bumangon nga daw sya eh. (poker face)
Me and cousin: Ha? Saan mo naman napulot yan?
Cameraman: Ah yun, hindi na totoo yun.

Predictably, we laughed harder, more for the delivery than the unheard of Rizal joke itself.

That night, the rain cleared the park of the diverse groups of people hanging around in it. My cousin and I left with the conclusion that though we observed a “park culture” among the locals in Luneta, they, however, seemed oblivious or at least appeared detached from the historical and commemorative artifacts and fixtures around the area. During the hour I observed, not one took the time to read the captions and anecdotes of history etched in varied monuments in the park.

Virtual Ethnography 101: A Look Back on Jose Rizal's Family Genealogy

2011-07-21T13:47:00.005+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101: May Rizal sa Amin

2011-07-21T13:26:00.003+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101: Si Rizal at ang Bahay na Bato sa Biñan

2011-07-18T13:27:00.007+08:00

As part of the weekly exercises of my graduate students in Anthropology 225: Philippine Society and Culture, I wanted my students to explore places and write ethnography using the method of participation-observation.

In celebration of the sesquicentennial (150th) birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine's national hero, I asked my graduate students to visit museums that exhibit memorabilia for our dear renaissance Filipino man Jose Rizal, attend local and international academic symposium on The First World-Class Filipino Jose Rizal, travel to his ancestral house in Laguna, or pay respect to one of Asia's great intellectuals enshrined at Luneta Park, and so on...

I am posting in my blog with the writer's consent selected ethnography penned creatively by my students to contribute to the emerging sub-discipline of anthropology called 'Virtual Ethnography'.

Basically, virtually ethnography is also referred to as Webnography. We cannot deny the fact that with increasing use of technology and the Internet, there is now a demand for online spaces on various ethnographic accounts.

Ethnography by Jo-ann Gimenez Grecia

“Boss, ano ‘tong bahay na ‘to dati?”
“Bahay ni Don Alberto, kapatid ng nanay ni Rizal. Dyan nga siya tumira nang saglit noon eh.”

Naiinis ako lalo na nitong mga nakaraang taon nang hindi sine-celebrate, o ipinagdiriwang, o pahapyaw lamang na nababanggit sa TV o dyaryo ang kaarawan ni Rizal. Dismayado talaga ako dahil hindi alam ng lahat na birthday niya – at National Hero pa natin ito nang lagay na ‘yan! Sa akin lang, lahat ng Pilipino ay dapat nasa puso ang June 19 bilang kaarawan ni Rizal. Oo nga’t may punto naman na minsanan lang ang selebrasyon para ito ay maging tunay na espesyal, ngunit hindi ba pwedeng exception to the rule na si Rizal? Kung tutuusin, utang natin sa kanya at sa iba pa nating bayani ang kung ano mang klase ng kalayaan mayroon tayo ngayon. Hindi ba’t sapat lamang na i-celebrate iyon taon-taon?

Ako, ang Biñan, at ang Pagkamulat kay Rizal

Isang tricycle ride na mga 15-20 minutes ang layo ng bahay namin sa mismong sentro ng bayan ng Biñan. Ito ang mismong sentro ng lugar kung nasaan ang dating munisipyo, simbahan, palengke, plaza, at kung anu-ano pa. Maraming mga bahay na bato bago dumating sa mismong bayan. Isa na dito ang mga marker sa bakuran na “Rizal in Biñan.” Hindi halata ang bahay sa loob ng bakuran dahil ito ay nahaharangan ng mga puno at nasa may bandang likod pa ito ng lote. Ngunit halata naman ang marker dahil ito ay kulay itim sa peach na pader at may grills pa. Nadadaanan din ito ng mga dyip patungong Biñan kaya talagang mapapansin ito.

Habang ako ay lumalaki at nagkakaisip, hindi lingid sa akin na minsan tumira sa Biñan si Rizal. Tubong-Biñan kasi ang kanyang amang si Francisco maging ang inang si Teodora. Ito ang naisip ko noon, “Aba, I have something in common pala with Rizal! Parang kababayan ko na rin pala siya!” Parang dumoble talaga ang pagkaproud ko sa kanya! Hindi ko masyadong mapaliwanag pero may sense of pride ako kapag sinasabing kong taga-Biñan ako dahil iniisip ko si Rizal. Siguro, lalo na para sa mga tubong-Calamba, ‘di ba? Overwhelming with pride malamang.

Lagi akong tumitingin sa marker na iyon kapag dumadaan ang dyip sa bahay na iyon at tinatahak ang Gen. Mateo Capinpin St. Noon pa man ay curious na kasi talaga ako sa pamamalagi ni Rizal dito sa Biñan. Alam kong saglit siyang nag-aral dito sa patnubay ni Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Common knowledge na si Rizal ay sadyang maalam na kaya nasabi ng maestro na wala na itong maibabahagi pa kay Rizal – alam na niya ang lahat ng dapat niyang malaman. Bibo kid pala itong si Rizal! Batid ko rin na siya ay nakaranas ng pangungutya mula sa ilang kamag-aral dahil sa laki ng kanyang ulo kumpara sa kanyang katawan. Ngunit dahil sa angking talino, pinayuhan siya ng maestro na magpatuloy ng pag-aaral sa mataas na antas.

Sa paglalakbay
Nalaman kong noo’y
Miminsa’y napaunlakan
Mumunting bayan ko

Sa Biñan na kinagisnan ko
Namalagi ka nang saglit
Nag-aral nang maigi
Sa bahay na pawid

Natuto ka nang husto
Sa maestrong mahigpit
Napasubo sa hamon
Mag-aaral na pilyo

Ang Lihim ng Bahay na Bato

Napakaiksi lamang ng mga nasusulat tungkol sa pansamantalang pamamalagi ni Rizal sa Biñan, at kadalasang ito ay umiikot lamang sa kanyang pag-aaral. Kahit sa dyaryo at brochure ng Biñan, naiuugnay lamang ito sa unang pormal na pag-aaral ni Rizal. Ngunit sa iksing mga naisusulat na ito, marahil ang pinakasikat na elemento na naiuugnay kay Rizal at sa bayan ng Biñan bukod sa kanyang pag-aaral ay ang “bahay ng kanyang ina” na matatagpuan dito.

Sa katunayan, kung nasaan ang marker na nasa peach na pader ay hindi ang bahay na bato na sinasabing bahay ng ina ni Rizal kundi ang bahay ng mga Gonzalez, prominenteng pamilya sa Biñan, ayon kay Jasmin G. Alonte, Tourism Officer ng Biñan (personal na komunikasyon, Hulyo 4, 2011). Sa bakuran ng mga Gonzalez dating nakatayo ang kubong ginawang paaralan ni Maestro Cruz sa estudyanteng si Rizal at iba pang mga mag-aaral. Sa kasamaang-palad, ang kubo ay nasira noong pagsalanta ng bagyong Milenyo noong 2006. Sadya lamang tama ang lugar kung nasaan ang marker dahil doon sa lugar na iyon natuto si Rizal bilang isang mag-aaral.

Kaya’t ang tinutukoy na “bahay ng ina ni Rizal” ay ang bahay na bato sa sentro ng Biñan, ang tinaguriang Alberto House. Ngunit bakit may quotation marks pa sa “bahay ng ina ni Rizal”? Ito ba ay paglalagay lamang ng emphasis o sadyang may kaakibat na interes? Ito ay dahil may mga panayam sa TV kung saan ang inapo o descendant ng mga Alberto, si Gerardo Alberto, ay sinasabing kapatid lamang sa ama o kaya naman ay pinsan ng kanyang lolo, si Jose Alberto, ang ina ni Rizal na si Teodora Alonzo (Ocampo, 2010). Ang mga Alberto ang may-ari ng sinasabing bahay ng ina ni Rizal. Sa ibang salita, illegitimate o anak sa labas si Teodora. Kung gayon, hindi talaga pagmamay-ari ng mga Alonzo ang bahay na bato sa bayan ng Biñan kundi naiuugnay lamang kay Rizal. Gayunpaman, sa kadahilanang dito siya namalagi noong 1870-1871 habang ito sa nag-aaral, mayroon pa rin itong historical significance (Ocampo, 2010).

Sa TV special ni Howie Severino ng GMA 7 na I-Witness pinamagatang “Ang Lihim ng Pamilya ni Rizal” pinalabas noong Enero 31, 2011, ipinaliwanag ang sinasabing relasyon nina Jose Alberto at Teodora Alonzo. Nakapagtatakang sa isang family tree na ginawa ni Rizal, detalyado ang pamilya ng angkan ng kanyang ama ngunit natigil ang sanga ng angkan ng kanyang ina sa ngalan nito. Wala nang ibang pangalan na idinugtong si Rizal sa angkan ng kanyang ina. Winawaring ito ba ay nagsasabing may lihim ang angkan ng kanyang ina kaya’t hindi niya kinumpleto ang kanyang family tree.

Maraming kontrobersiyang umiikot sa bahay na bato kung saan sinasabing lumaki ang ina ni Rizal at si Jose Alberto. Sa lahat ng kontrobersiyang umiikot sa kaugnayan ni Lolo Jose at Lola Teodora at ang bahay na bato sa Biñan – mula sa pagdududang bastardo o hindi lihitimong anak si Jose o kaya naman si Teodora, hanggang sa pagtatangka umanong paglason sa asawa ni Jose na Teodora din ang ngalan, hanggang sa ‘di umanoy pagkakaroon bawal na relasyon nina Jose at Saturnina, anak ni Teodora at nakakatandang kapatid ni Rizal – nangangahulugan lamang ito na makasaysayan ang lugar na ito. Matatandaang ang pagbibintang na tangkang paglason ni Teodora sa asawa ng kanyang kapatid ang dahilan kung bakit siya kinulong at ang pagkakakulong niyang ito ay ininda ng batang si Rizal. At ang pangyayaring ito ay isa sa mga kawalang hustisya napuna ng batang si Rizal.

Ayon pa rin sa TV special ni Howie Severino, ang umano’y hidwaan sa pagitan nina Jose at Teodora ay tila naipasa sa kanilang mga inapo. Nang magkaroon ng pagtitipon at magkita ang kasalukuyang angkan ng mga Alberto at Alonzo/Rizal, may hindi kumportableng hangin sa pagitan ng dalawang pamilya. Tila ba may certain degree of awkwardness. Maraming kuru-kuro sa kontrobersiya ng pagiging anak sa labas at ito marahil ang dahilan ng awkwardness sa pagitan ng dalawang pamilya.

Ang tila nakapagtatakang ‘bitin’ na family tree ni Rizal sa angkan ng kanyang ina ay tinuldukan ng isang ring family tree na ginawa rin mismo ni Rizal. Sa family tree iyon, buo ang angkan ng pamilya ng kanyang ina. Kabilang dito ang tala ng pangalan ng kanyang ina at ng mga kapatid nito, kasama si Jose. Binigyang linaw nito na tunay na magkapatid sina Jose Alberto at Teodora Alonzo. Nararapat lamang na ituring ding bahay ng ina ni Rizal ang bahay na bato sa Biñan.

Ngunit ika’y malungkot
Tila ba matamlay
Nangungulila marahil
Sa bayang sinilangan

Sabi mo pa,
“Mas gusto ko ang Calamba,
maliit kung tutuusin
ngunit mas kaakit-akit.”

Ilang luha rin ang umagos
Sa makinis mong pisngi
Sabik na makapiling
Pamilyang tinatangi

‘Di ka nakatatagal
Sabik ka nang lumisan
Tila ba ‘di lilingon
Sa bayan ng Biñan

Mula Biñan patungong Bataan

Ang panayam kay Gerardo Alberto, inapo ni Jose Alberto, ay tungkol sa planong pagdemolisyon sa “bahay ng ina ni Rizal” at paglipat nito sa Bataan para sa isang historical community o heritage resort. Pinipigilan at tinututulan ito ng pamahalaan ng Biñan at mga mamamayan nito, at ang kilusan para sa conservation ng kultura ng Biñan, ang United Artists for Cultural Conservation and Development (UACCD). Sinasabing ire-relocate ang makasaysayang bahay sa Bataan dahil naipagbili na ito sa halagang P500,000. Sa katunayan, pinakitang nasimulan na ang pagtitibag sa ilang bahagi ng bahay tulad ng sahig at bubong.

Mula sa pagbisita ko sa city hall ng Biñan, nalaman kong matagal nang nakikipag-ugnayan ang pamahalaan sa mga Alberto. Ang Public Information Office at Tourism Office ay parehong nagsabing may mga pag-uusap na ukol dito. Maraming flash reports, news updates, at TV specials na rin ang ipinalabas ukol sa planong demolisyon na ito. Paulit-ulit din ang panawagan ng mga tumututol dito na huwag hayaang tuluyang mawala ang makasaysayang bahay na bato.

Ang pamahalaan ng Biñan ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga Alberto para hindi na matuloy pa ang planong demolisyon. Ngunit sa parehong palabas ni Howie Severino, nakapanayam niya ang kasalukuyang alkalde ng Biñan, si Mayor Marlyn “Len” Alonte-Naguiat, na nagsabing ang bahay na bato ay hindi kasama sa heritage sites ng National Historical Institute (NHI). Ibig sabihin nito ay hindi ito itinuturing na historical kahit ito pa ay naiuugnay kay Rizal. Ang katotohanan lamang na ang bahay ay mahigit na 200 taon na ay sapat na basehan upang ipreserba ito dahil ito ay mahigit sa 50 taon nang istruktura.

Naglunsad ng kilusan ang mga mamamayan ng Biñan kasama si Mayor Alonte-Naguiat ng “Save the Alberto House Movement” ayon sa News to Go na pinalabas noong Marso 22, 2011. Sinusulong nito ang pagpigil sa pagde-demolish ng Alberto House. Sabi ng Vice-Mayor na si Arman Dimaguila, naideklara na ng city council na isang heritage site ang Alberto House kaya hindi na ito maaring ilipat o gamitin sa ibang paraan (Ozaeta, 2010). Dito sila ay nagfile ng expropriation case para bilhin ang bahay na bato. Hindi na gigibain ang Alberto House at mangangalap na lamang ng malaking pondo para sa ikagaganda nito.

Ika’y nagbalik
Sa Calambang tunay na ibig
Kung maaari’y ‘wag nang umalis
Doon na lang mamalagi

Ngunit kailangan
Kaya ika’y nagbalik
Naparito nang muli
Kahit masakit sa dibdib

Panahon ay lumipas
Dunong nagging sapat
Wala nang maibabahagi pa
Maestrong giliw na giliw

Ika’y pinalaya
Humayo kang dali-dali
Walang pag-aalinlangan
Biñan iyong nilisan

Ang Mukha ng Bahay na Bato

Sa mga kuha ng Alberto House as TV special ni Howie Severino at dating larawan, ang loob at labas ng bahay na bato at talagang nagdetriorate na. Ngayon, may nakapalibot na luntiang bakod na gawa sa yero at may makakabit na slogan tulad ng “husay at galling kaya mong pagyamanin.” Bukod sa napakalaking signage na nagtuturo kung nasaan ang pinakamalapit na Jollibee, ang Alberto House ay nagmumukhang historical landmark na. Dahil ito sa pathway na gawa sa kahel na bricks na may mga mala-Kastilang ilaw. Ito ay bahagi ng Buhay Rizal Values Campaign ng Yuchenhco Group of Companies (YGC), malaking grupo ng kumpanya sa bansa. Sa bukana ng pathwalk ay isang marker na may mukha ng Rizal at ng kampanya at nagsasabing ito ay para sa mga mamamayan ng Biñan. Pinasinayaan ito noong Pebrero 2, 2011.

Hindi pa ito marker na nagsasaad na ang lugar ay isang NHI Heritage Site o historical landmark ngunit ang paglalagay ng pathwalk ay indikasyon na pinahahalagahan na ngayon ng mas matindi ang Alberto House. Mas magara na nang hindi hamak ang harap ng bahay na bato. Kahit hindi maaaring pumasok sa bahay ay mararamdaman naman ang mas matinding pagpapahalaga dito dahil sa kalinisan ng harap ng bahay kabilang na ang pathwalk. Wala na rin mga nagtitinda sa harap ng bahay dahil mayroon nang nagbabantay dito. Dahil ito ay nasa sentro, dinaraan ito ng mga tao at sasakyan kaya naman walang nagtitinda sa harap nito. Sa gilid at likod ng bahay ay nandoon pa rin ang mga commercial establishments na dati nang may-ari ng parte ng lupain ng mga Alberto at Alonzo.

Sa aking pagtatanong sa mga kababayan ko, alam ng aking mga natanong na may kaugnayan ang Alberto House sa buhay ni Rizal. Naglalaro ang kanilang alam sa gitna ng “bahay ng kapatid ng ina ni Rizal,” “bahay ng malapit na kamag-anak ni Rizal,” at “bahay ng ina ni Rizal.” Maaaring ‘di eksakto at ‘di pare-pareho ang nalalaman ng aking mga pinagtanungan, tulad din naman ng disagreement ng mga manunulat at mananaliksik sa buhay ni Rizal. Ang maganda dito ay hindi ignorante ang mga taga-Biñan sa kung ano ang mayroon sa lugar namin at kung ano ang ginampanan nito sa ating kasaysayan.

Ang mga kawani naman ng city hall ay nagpatotoo sa mga ipinapalabas sa TV at isinusulat sa dyaryo ukol sa mga nangyayari sa Alberto House. Hindi nga lang ganoon kalalim ang diskurso na aking naranasan sa mga kawaning aking nakausap – maaaring dahil sa mababaw na nalalaman nila ukol kay Rizal dito sa Biñan – ngunit pinapatotoo din nito na alam ng kinauukulan kung ano ang bigat ng sitwasyon na kinasasangkutan ng Alberto House. Hindi bulag, pipi, at bingi sa mga saloobin ng mga taga-Biñan.

Katulad ng pathwalk sa Alberto House, ang monumento ni Rizal sa sentro ay inayos din ng YGC. Naging mas magara ito at kung titignan mula sa harap ang monument ay makikita ang Alberto House sa background. Nakakatindig ito ng balahibo dahil alam kong minsan ay tumira doon si Rizal, lumakad sa kalsadang nilalakaran naming mga taga- Biñan at ng mga dumarayo dito. Ngayon ay hinihiling na lamang na sana ay magampanan ng pamahalaan ng Biñan ang pagsasaayos ng Alberto House para muling ibalik ang dati nitong kinang, para sa kultura at pamana ni Rizal at para na rin sa mga taga-Biñan at lahat ng Pilipinong gustong malaman ang buhay niya dito sa Biñan.

Bakit tila ganito
Saloobin mo sa bayan ko?
‘Di mo nais
Pagkupkop nito sa iyo?

‘Di lingid na Calamba’y
Natatangi sa iyo
Ngunit wala bang puwang
Biñan sa puso mo?

Tamang ika’y mangulila
Sa bayang umaruga
Ngunit bakit ganoon na lamang
Turing mo sa Biñan…

Biñan ay tunay kang mahal
‘Di ka itatanggi
sigaw na sasabihin
“Nanggaling ka rin sa amin!”

(Mula sa tulang “Pagtatampo” ng may-akda, sinulat bilang requirement sa PI 100 taong 2003)

Mga Pinagkuhanan ng Impormasyon

Alatiit, G. (2011, Hunyo). Ang Biñan sa Buhay ni Gat Jose Rizal. Balitang Biñan, p. 3.

Ocampo, A. (2010, Hunyo 13). Secrets locked in Alberto house about Rizal’s mother. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. 12.

Ozaeta, A. (2010, Nobyembre 21). Row rages on over Rizal mom’s alleged house. ABS-CBN News Southern Tagalog. Retrieved July 6, 2011 from http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/11/21/10/row-rages-over-rizal-mom’s-alleged-house

Severino, H. (Host). (2011, Enero 31). I-Witness: Ang Lihim ng Pamilya ni Rizal. Quezon City: GMA News and Public Affairs.

________________ (2011, Marso 22). News to Go. Quezon City: GMA News and Public Affairs.

Virtual Ethnography 101: Yuchengco Museum's Tribute to Rizal

2011-07-18T10:26:00.007+08:00

Virtual Ethnography 101: Asian Civilization Museum (A Visit to the Past and My Heritage)

2011-07-18T09:52:00.004+08:00

As part of the weekly exercises of my graduate students in Anthropology 225: Philippine Society and Culture, I wanted my students to explore places and write ethnography using the method of participation-observation.

I am posting in my blog with the writer's consent selected ethnography penned creatively by my students to contribute to the emerging sub-discipline of anthropology called 'Virtual Ethnography'.

Basically, virtually ethnography is also referred to as Webnography. We cannot deny the fact that with increasing use of technology and the Internet, there is now a demand for online spaces on various ethnographic accounts.

Ethnography by Cluadette Uy

Being interested in knowing about the history and cultures as I am, I am in a perfect place right now. Living in Singapore allows me to interact with different people from nations around the world. In fact, I need not look beyond the walls of my office, where the workforce represents more than 40 nations. Naturally, it has the usual mix of Singapore’s Chinese, Indians and Malays, but there are also Malaysians, Indonesians, Thai, Burmese, Americans, Latin Americans and Europeans to name but a few.

Singapore being an eclectic mix of Chinese, Malays, Indians and many other minorities, it becomes all the more becomes very important to know the history and culture of different nations. Maybe this is why Singapore put so much stock into their museums and encourage its people and visitors to go. Also, the staff on hand can also just be volunteers (of which there are many), which requires them to study and undergo rigorous training so that they can work at the museums. Singapore has multiple museums such as the Singapore Art Museum, Pernakan Museum, Asian Civilizations Museum, National Museum of Singapore to just name a few where they preserve the different artifacts of the past and present.

Now, many associate museums as being stuffy. However, for me, museums holds the secrets to our past and secrets are much valued. Now, imagine, in addition to the usual objects open for viewing and some write‐up about these items, there being an interactive application for an exhibit in a museum, where modern technologies helps museum administrators tell the ancient stories of man. One such museum is the Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM) in Singapore. Walking amongst other visitors, I look around and see what was on exhibit that fine Friday night.

As I was walking along the hallowed halls of the museum with discreet staff aiding visitors and also, guarding the museums treasures, I noticed interactive TV screens where you can learn more about a particular topic pertaining to the exhibit. In a particular exhibit area showcasing the jewelries of different Southeast Asian communities, they had put them up with holographic images so as to give the visitor a view of how they were worn before. Also, they had provided some areas where you can listen to any audio recording pertaining to the exhibits as well. There were also areas where you can “participate” as they have provided spaces for presenting a particular theme such as the living area of the West Asian communities. In addition to these, they even had an iPhone application available for download for one
of the exhibits. Specifically this was for the Chinese terracotta warriors. It enables you to follow the exhibit, providing more background and even some role playing on the events that might have occurred during the time. This makes a tour more enjoyable and you can do away with a tour guide.

Now moving on to the exhibits themselves… I was pleasantly surprised that there was the exhibit on the Chinese terracotta warriors. I headed straight for this as I only had an hour and a half before the museum closes. It was a fairly small exhibit however. Looking at the intricate warriors and at the various other items from China, I was very impressed with the intricate detail of the warriors and the other items on display.

The Terracotta Army was built by the first Emperor of Qin in 210‐209 BC, where its construction started when the emperor was 13 years old. It is now part of the funeral compound of the emperor where its purpose was to help rule another empire with Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. As such, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies." The figures of the infantrymen were different from each other and the level of detail is so fantastic that there were even rumors that these were actually real men of the army who was buried with the Emperor! Imagine that! Other items on display were some objects found in the tomb of the Terracotta Army such as a bell, the horse drawn chariot of the Emperor, as well suits of armor!

It’s incredible that these survived until present day, but of course, not without the scars of battle. Some infantrymen look beheaded as the figures were built separately and not as one whole figure. Paints of the figures/items have been chipped off. However, this does not in any devaluate the Terracotta Army, in fact it brings, more pride since these were created when there was no modern technology to help in building these. Being a 2nd generation Chinese Filipino, I am proud of my Chinese heritage, where the Chinese is known for its advancements even in the centuries that have passed.

This does not diminish the fact that I was born and raised in the Philippines and I quickly looked for the rest of the museum’s offerings in the other galleries. The ACM divided the remaining areas into West Asia, North East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and of course a specific gallery for Singapore exhibits. Heading quickly over to the Southeast Asian section, I was looking for any exhibits of the Philippines. Sadly there was none! There included the aristocratic art of Khmer sculptures, Javanese temple sculpture, Buddhist art from Burma and Thailand, Sinicised temple art of Vietnam. There were also Pernakan gold, Malaysian textiles, tribal ornaments and theatrical masks. Squelching my disappointment of not being able to see any Philippine items on exhibit in a Singaporean museum, I notice the commonalties and influences of the other regions in our way of dress, jewelry, textiles based on what I remember of the Philippine history, especially looking at the Malay exhibits of textiles, tools and weapons! I distinctively remember thinking, “oh hey, that’s what I saw in my history books before!”

However, no matter how many things may be common with other nations, looking at how rich our Philippine ancestry has become with many influences, Philippines has forged its own identity. And maybe one day, there will be special and permanent exhibits showcasing the Philippine heritage in one of the pioneer museums specializing in pan‐Asian cultures, civilizations and history. And, I shall look forward to that day.

Virtual Ethnography 101: Of Churches and Temples

2011-07-15T16:22:00.001+08:00

Last summer I asked my college students in Anthropology 1, aside from learning anthropological concepts and theories inside the classroom - to explore places, experience cultural happenings, and then apply their learning through writing ethnographic accounts using the method of participation-observation.

I am posting in my blog with the writer's consent selected ethnography penned creatively by my students to contribute to the emerging sub-discipline of anthropology called 'Virtual Ethnography'.

Basically, virtually ethnography is also referred to as Webnography. We cannot deny the fact that with increasing use of technology and the Internet, there is now a demand for online spaces on various ethnographic accounts.

Ethnography By Seth Yao

A Disclaimer of Sorts

Given both my family and personal background, I have found the religion of Buddhism very enticing. There are many specific and biased reasons for this but I will go through the more rational ones. To put all this simply, I will try to compare and contrast a Buddhist temple with a Catholic church since this is most familiar to me.

Façade

The Catholic Church is basically an oversized house, a sanctuary to all people, in principle, that is. The church designs vary from the Rock Church in Norway, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, to the Notre Dame in Paris. For the most part, these churches and cathedrals tend to come in different shapes and sizes since the Medieval and Renaissance bourgeoisie competed amongst themselves to prove whose local church was the most magnificent at that time. This is not unfamiliar to our culture, where the grandest festivals and church ceremonies are sought after throughout the nation.

The Buddhist temple is often very simple. It has taken many forms such as the stupa, pagoda, or even a giant bronze statue of Buddha sometimes, but the idea is to be in harmony with the universe, not to be fixated on worldly things but on the path to enlightenment. The idea behind this is to inspire inner and outer peace.

Purpose

The church is sacred place for Catholics. This is where they celebrate most of their religious milestones like baptism, confirmation, marriage, and for some people, their wake when they have passed away.

The Buddhist temple is not so much a sacred ground as it is a silent retreat, a kind of religious coffee shop. The point of going to a Buddhist temple is to find peace within oneself and meditate along with a community that tries to accomplish the same thing. This way, the environment is conducive to focus and detachment from the world.

Décor

Given the history of the Catholic Church as a medium of colonization, colonizers tended to preach to aboriginal people in a language not understood by the locals. Instead of paying attention to the priest or friar, these people focus their attention on the colorful stained glass windows, statues, and paintings covering every inch of the structure. This is why churches tend to be vibrant and ornate inside.

Buddhist temples are the exact opposite of these churches. As much as possible, there is nothing stimulating inside the temple. The objective is to facilitate the people’s overcoming of sensual desire and excitement, to rid oneself of extreme joy and depression. Instead, a relaxed sense of neutrality is achieved, a step closer to enlightenment. Aside from the cushion or pillows meant for kneeling, sitting, the full lotus position and such, the temple is bare.

Environment

In a church at any time, there is most probably a distinct din of murmuring, of people talking, praying, begging, gossiping, and asking for forgiveness. At certain times there are melodies coming from Christmas carolers or the church of choir. Then passages, rejoice, repent, and make promises to God.

In a Buddhist temple, there is mostly silence, accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing as people clear their minds and focus on nothing but their breathing. Sometimes there is music playing not dissimilar to those often heard in spas; in both instances, this is done to help people relax. Other than that, barely anything else is heard.

A view from the ground

I experienced and observed all these things myself. I grew up a Catholic. From weddings in Manila Cathedral to tours in the Sistine chapel in Vatican City, I have had my fair share of Catholic churches. These are vibrant, sacred, solemnly prayerful places where different people plead their own cases to their magnanimous God. Being mostly Chinese, I have visited a lot of Buddhist temples in my time as well. From pagodas to giant bronze Buddha statues and modern monasteries (like the Ocean Sky Chan Monastery), I have noted how the world is suddenly left behind as I step over the threshold into a Buddhist temple. Children wonder at the instantaneous serenity in their environment but other than their wide eyes and slack jaws, the peace is maintained. This ethnography is not an attack on the Catholic Church or an attempt to proselytize for Buddhism; it is merely the musing of a curious traveler and scholar.

Parting thoughts

Like most ideologies, the two religions discussed here have been twisted and transformed throughout centuries; such is the nature of most things and like the philosophies that have evolved, their place of worship or religious practice has changed as well. The once hidden and plain houses for worship turned into magnificent cathedrals spread throughout the entire world, inspiring awe and for some people, spiritual distraction. From my travels, I have witnessed all sorts of grand cathedrals like the ones I have already mentioned from France and Italy, not to mention the great Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow’s Red Square.

For Buddhism, however, the unimposing stupas that Siddharta Gautama’s followers meditated around have spanned a vast continent and even most of the world and became pagodas, monasteries, and, like I said, a giant bronze statue of Buddha (found in Korea). These are havens for the disturbed soul rushed through hectic city streets and swept through rushing traffic; in these places they find their way back to their path to enlightenment and overcoming the suffering that is intrinsic to human life.