Yesterday, hundreds of youths from different universities, colleges and high schools, including out-of-school youths from across Metro Manila, marched together to Mendiola to protest against an education system that has become increasingly inaccessible, and to protest against the impending implementation of an “Anti-Terrorism” law.
We were, however, as usual, stopped on our way to Mendiola when we reached Morayta, just in front of the gate of Far Eastern University. When we tried to push forward, the police violently pushed us back.
Eventually, the dust cleared and we went on with a program right on Morayta. While everything was at peace and negotiations were going on, the police, amusingly, engaged some of us in casual conversations, and vice-versa. Some were even sharing their drinks. It was a funny sight. They weren’t really evil (duh). It felt as if they were simply role-playing, and it was their salaried duty to play the role of protecting a repressive status quo.
As we always do, after a few hours, we pulled out from Morayta and tried to circumvent the police barricade by taking the narrow streets of Sampaloc in a mad dash to Legarda. Unlike previous years, we were able to push on to as near as a few feet from Chino Roces bridge. A few steps from Mendiola. A few blocks from the country’s seat of power and corruption.
Just behind the police barricade on Legarda were a few armed policemen. What a clear breach of rules and protocol during rallies. Law enforcers are restricted from carrying firearms within a certain distance from the bulk of people.
There were also firetrucks, though there was obviously no breakout of fire within the area.
There was this inspiring boy who spoke to everyone at the rally a little before we self-dispersed. He was so young and yet he spoke so eloquently and passionately about our issues as young Filipinos.
More pictures can be found at my Multiply site.
law student, national democracy activist, film school graduate, photography hobbyist
Facebook Comments
Pingbacks to “Youth march to Mendiola”
26 comments to “Youth march to Mendiola”
sayang at hindi ako nakapunta. mukhang masaya kayo. hehehe.
may board meeting kasi ako nang araw na ito
Bikoy, nice pictures you have here.. it says it all.. a la “Dekada ’70″ (loved that book!).
btw, can you give me some details about this “Anti-Terrorism Bill” that you guys are opposing.. why are you against it? sorry if i’m being ignorant but as far as i know it involves this “National ID” system wherein the US can have access to.. tama ba?
gusto ko lang maliwanagan from an activists POV.
thanks. =)
here’s my email: lalon.delarosa@inbox.com
Bakit kaya hindi ako nasabihan na may pagkilos pala kahapon? Tsk tsk, sayang naman. Nakasama bali ako.
Sa susunod na pagkilos na lamang uli.
great shots bikoy! pang – PDI ang kuha mo ah.
I saw that little boy on some morning show (I forget what ABS CBN calls their morning show now). I find it so st… amusing how he believes that there’s no opportunity of social discourse in college and opted out of studying so he can be in the streets to rally about education. How uh… consistent *rolls eyes*.
Anyway, I don’t really see the point of these demonstrations but, as neon says, it makes for good pictures. I like the bit about the police thing too.
hey, kutya bikoy. hahaha
hmmm. there are people who are not open-minded, saying that rallies bring crime and violence in town. nooo. it would occur if a bunch of policemen come out, and shove these demonstrators.
hey, kuya bikoy. hahaha
hmmm. there are people who are not open-minded, saying that rallies bring crime and violence in town. nooo. it would occur if a bunch of policemen come out, and shove these demonstrators.
Wow. Nabalitaan ko nga na nasa may bukana na kayo ng Mendiola nang araw na iyan. Sayang at hindi ako makasama sa inyo at sa iba pang mobilisasyon.
Matagal-tagal na rin akong di nakakapag-cover ng rally dyan sa Mendiola.
GO FIGHT! Education is not being commercialized. 1000pesos per unit in UP? Come on!
tangina, yan na naman kayo nambabara ng kalsada. pucha, nakakabad-trip. mga sagabal!
who told you that particular boy opted out of studying?
kung hindi kami hinarang sa morayta, eh di hindi sana kami nakabara doon. kung pinagtipon lang sana kami sa tulay ng mendiola eh di hindi sana kami nakabara sa legarda.
-aparato ng pasista at pahirap na gobyerno.
Hindi naman lahat ng ayaw sa rally ay “aparato ng pasista at pahirap na gobyerno.” Siguro, may sarili siyang dahilan.
He did!!! DUH. Via National Television.
celeni! i saw that! on gma 7 though, and it was at night. he’s so young.
i don’t know why you oppose such law that’s really badly needed by this country.
the pinas is the only one without a terrorism law. My recent blog post about Singapore, actually a financial crimes conference focused on terrorism and stopping terrorist financing, the Philippines was singled out as the weakest link in the fight against terror for having such a weak military and no law to fight it. Kakahiya na naman pilipinas sa conference na yun!
imagine suspects with tons of explosives caught by police walked out by posting bail? later they hogged the headlines again for bombing of something? a charge of terrorism is non-bailable
what would you do in that case? illegal possesion of fireams and explosives charged against them when they’re really into terrorism? How would you tell the victims and relatives of the bombing once they knew that the suspects were once arrested but got out by posting bail?
the people and government should guard against abuse of the law during implementation but not totally oppose it. There are so many provisions inserted there to guard against abuse.
i don’t believe everyone who joined the rally really understand what the law they’re fighting for.
Mr. Bikoy:
Pardon me for intruding your blog’s comment space. I would like to comment on sir Tutubi’s comment.
Sir Tutubi:
I recently wrote a lengthy entry in my blog at http://postcardheadlines.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/km15/ about the Human Security Act and even linked this post to that article. I will echo the text in my blog in this space to explain why there is a need to stop this new law:
Karlo of Cebu
no offense, but it seems to me, from the way you so conveniently simplify the anti-terror law into a just a legal safeguard against bomb-carrying terrorists, you’re the one who hasn’t read and analyzed the law well to foresee its repercussions against legitimate dissent
and who told you he opted out of studying out of mere personal choice? his dropping out is actual manifestation of the things he and we are saying–that mainstream education in the philippines has become commercialized and prohibitive
nope. i’ve been monitoring the progress of this since it’s filing in congress even to the delaying of its implementation after the elections
for example, see section 7 and 8, if you’ve lost your confidence in the justice system particularly the CA, then I understand your opposition to it. reading through it, you can see the various checks against abuse added particularly by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel
what I see needed here are the IRR before full implementation
it may be big brotherish at first glance but our country needs a stronger teeth to fight this modern menace that is terrorism
what i said was just a simple example of the effect of the absence of such law that countless terrorists simply
walked away to to kill and bomb another day…
yeah nabasa ko nga yung buong anti-terror law sa dyaryo last week.
ps. buti ka pa ang damiong readers kahit isang lkinngo kang di magpost… haaaaaay… ang galing nung mga pictures… masdramatic kasi naging black and white… parang nagbabasa ako ng newsprint.
Great pictures! I never really can take rallies and such… Last 2 years ago, our professors forced us to form a rally in Morayta for the Nursing Board issue. I can’t say I was thrilled with the thought because it was raining so hard. Plus, take not of the word forced.
Goodluck with fighting for the cause!
Sorry, I don’t know much about the HSA.
But I definitely share your opinion on education.