Face the Future (Then Go to the people) Face the East (Then dare to struggle)
Upon writing this, I saw some students in the University of the East wearing another t-shirts that show how much they take pride in their Alma mater, that also seemed showing how willing to take part aside from studies and vices around all of their lives in that institution.
"Face the Future, Face the East." These are the words written in these t-shirts worn by some students around. These words somehow also mirror the words being said in the poster and in the tarpaulin around the campus, that "tomorrow begins in the east." And it shows the institution's attempt to say that the future, that tomorrow lies there, of having students enroll, study, and finish as professionals
...or as bummers? Maybe.
But,
On the other side, despite showing off their pride and willingness to sacrifice mind, body and soul to the Alma mater, I even think that these students somehow are simply contenting on the gifts, vices, and programs around instead of showing it to the masses through concrete actions. For me, how come they will face the future in the east without any willingness to serve the people? And how come they wanted to serve through contentment and not of struggle? NSTP (National Service training Program) is just a government sponsored program, Operation Damayan is just a program limited for the victims of calamities, and all of these are just a part of reaction from the growing number of student power, not just in that particular institution, but of others affected by the system, that all must integrate with the masses similar to the once socialist China, the Soviet Union, North Korea, or even Chile, Argentina, Cuba and Venezuela.
Real future in the East, as what I have said in the earlier writeups, means integration to the masses, of joining in their struggles for progress, equality and stability through education, training, rectification of their errors, and ceaseless work. We must all remember that anything around in the East is composed of masses, especially workers and peasants who, despite their creations in the society are being neglected and disenfranchised; the worst is that they are maltreated by the society now controlled by the few. And it includes the educational system now being commercialized, colonialized, and fascist in interpretation due to the manipulation made by its owners-and thus, in need of absolute dismantlement by the working masses as well as the students affected by the policies and actions against them.
And thus,
As what the t-shirts said, lies fulfillment, that facing the future in the East meant to be going to the people and joining with their struggle, and not a mere objective of studying just to have a mere diploma, of becoming famous for that particular profession, and even to indulge in various vices around, since working for blood and soil is worth nothing without collective action, and as what I have said before, that tomorrow begins... if the East is Red.
