Brotherly love under the dictatorship

"We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies -- it is the first law of nature."
-- Voltaire

Going through an actual political upheaval is a unique experience, though sometimes bloody. The difficulties of democracies going through transitions, especially from an autocratic or despotic rule on the way to a new democratic government, may sometimes take years. But I didn’t expect that such a phase would drag on for several years in the case of our Motherland, the Philippines. There is democracy in the Philippines alright since we have been electing presidents every six years (or supposedly after completing their term as president under the Constitution), but the political machineries set in place by two decades of Marcos rule are still being run, where grease money is used with hopes of an easy ride in running for public office.

The Philippines maybe is a basket case (full of bananas) in that the vestiges of dictatorship are all still too present, particularly among the past participants and their cohorts, some of whom remain moneyed and powerful. These people are just waiting for the right opportunity or the right public officials to peddle their corrupt ways, which by the way, is still rampant in almost all graft-ridden agencies of the government – from the Palace to the legislative and judicial branches, all the way to the provincial, municipal and, believe it or not, barangay levels where the barangay captain and tanod positions are being held by a “chosen few” to capture the budget, while also exploiting what could be nationally-owned lands and resources to fatten their wallets in cahoots with local officials and contractors.

But what I didn’t know and just found out is that the 20 years of martial rule would also divide what was supposed to be my family outside of my blood family. I’m talking about my fraternity, which I joined during the my high school days, when martial law was just four years old. Little did I know that as solid as I thought it was during those days, growing up under the dictatorship would bring about different political beliefs in many of us, thus, affecting some of our views later on in life. Just like many other organizations, perhaps, some of our brothers may had connections with the Marcoses and probably earned businesses through these, while some fought hard fighting it on the streets of Mendiola during the Second Quarter Storm. I, for one, had become an inactive member because we were busy trying to topple it down, together with anti-Marcos forces of newly-established organizations that replaced what used to be fledgling fraternities in schools,. Being politically active in the 80s paved the way for my becoming a journalist that was kept busy by the numerous political events that prevented me from even saying hello to some of my fraternity brothers then.

While others sought protection elsewhere after the fall of the Marcoses, the “liberators”, hardened by the struggle with some now occupying government posts, continue to promote “democratic ideals” even in our organization that is now trying to regroup, thanks in part to an egroup which now allows anyone from any part of the globe to keep in touch. Fraternities in the Philippines have since become unpopular and faced many roadblocks as far as mustering former members and in recruiting new ones inside universities because of frat wars that have occurred before. It has been made more difficult by hazing reports that sometimes resulted even in death of neophytes in some other fraternities.

With the advent of group emails, however, we are now realizing how polarized some members have become, at least in our very own fraternity, whose members come from different regions and religions. Those who have settled abroad and are raising families who are now citizens of their adopted lands also have differing views as far as where the country is headed. I guess remitting billons of dollars every year make some feel that they should have a voice on how the country should be governed – strengthened by a law that allows for dual citizenship and absentee voting.

Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “We may have come in different ships, but we are in the same boat now.” Some members, especially those who have settled abroad, may not share other people’s beliefs. But that what makes an organization more dynamic, where diverse minds converge for a universal cause. “Toleration is the best religion,” Victor Hugo added, imploring us to always keep an open mind, telling us to live with others with different opinions. I, myself, was blinded by the early years of Marcos rule. I still clamor for social justice and total freedom from economic bondage our countrymen are still facing. I have chosen to depart the country, but our lofty goals of achieving a better nation will always remain in our hearts, either away from or while in the country. We are, by the way, still Filipinos, if not in our current ways, at least in the food we eat, our culture and language, in the way we treat our families, in paying respect for our elders, and most especially because we belong to the same fraternity. To my fraternal brothers and sisters, Long live Gamma Epsilon and Gamma Lambda Epsilon Sorority! (The Gamma Epsilon and Gamma Lambda Epsilon Sorority after 43 years will hold its first-even national conference on Oct. 21 and 22 in Diliman, Quezon City.) RFL


Compiled from the email of:
Bro. Rhony Laigo
Fontana, California
Streetnews Publishing Inc.
Email Address: streetnews@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.diaryopilipino.net