Expecting "Patriotism" and "Life" written by "Harlots" and "Merchants"

Expecting "Patriotism" and "Life"

written by "Harlots" and "Merchants"

Sorry for the name of this post, but this writeup mirrors the reality how today's contemporary culture outweighs patriotism resulting to what everybody else thinks about what the Philippines, both country and people is.

That, basing much on our surroundings, and on what mass media propagates, the culture prevailing nowadays is a culture of the west and east simply being adored by many to the extent of putting some "Filipino" twist to accommodate more and perhaps in pursuit of making it "Filipino" the way an Italian Spaghetti should be sweet and sour to accommodate the Filipino taste.

However,

Due to the overtly influx of foreign goods, including TV programs and movies, people became totally dependent from it; and as from the earlier statement, putting some "Filipino" twist to accommodate more, thus generating profits to those who tried to insist through; no matter what response from the people would say so about it.

That, we sought a massive trend prevailing and making near-carbon copies of it such as drug-sex-brag laced "mainstream" Hip-Hop culture whether it is from the Ghettoes controlled by African-Americans or Chicanos (that some old-school Hip Hop fans as well as Progressive ones would dare to oppose it), Movies and TV programs from the Far East (especially those from Korea) and last but not the least the prevailing culture from the U.S.-a legacy what Filipinos tried to break away entirely ...or not.

And no matter most people dare to put some "Filipino" flavor in it, its appearance would still look a rehash of its very own past (unless some from it making it purely realistic and Filipino in character no matter what foreign genre is): that most Hip-hoppers for example would hear sex-themed music and women wear skimpy clothing and trying to get attention yet Hip Hop originally speaks of emancipation from the Ghetto and of the individual from the repressive social order; that Tupac Shakur dared to challenge the order the way his parents (both members of the Black Panther party) did; but why Soulja Boy? Or in case of the Filipino experience, having BLKD venting social realism (such as Poverty, Tuition Fee Increases) in his words during a Rap battle session but why those from the street would still hear Juan Thugs, Gagong Rapper, and others who usually sings about being unlucky in love, about a narcotic, or everything just to provide escape from realities? (Sorry to the listener for that, I am just making an assessment although I do listen for quite some time)

Of cultural idealists people didn't think upon as artists

On the other hand, there are people whose idealism and looking at realities tried to create something yet people had least to understand it's very own essence. Francis Magalona tried to instill Patriotism in his music and his clothing range of course, but people simply think of it as a mere fad that they wear clothes bearing "Three Stars and a Sun" simply because that came from his, that because it is popular, that is to show being "Filipino", and so forth. Same goes in Noel Cabangon's music-obviously he's once an activist preaching about change, that his song "Tatsulok" speaks about the Filipino society as a majority being ruled by a minority; even "Kanlungan" that speaks about leaving and returning, but then it end up a sell-out than of making people know about what their country is: that most would say that "Kanlungan" was the song from an old McDonald commercial and "Tatsulok" was sung by Bamboo Manalac, memorizing the lyrics without knowing its substance.

If that's the case then does having a fashion, music, movie, TV program using a "Patriotic" statement make a person Patriotic? Or just a fad, a ploy used by the prevailing order in desperately currying popular support and making them contented to it?

The Balkan experience and its near similarities to Filipino contemporary pop music

Well, it all reminds me of a country that shared the similar fate, especially in music: the former Yugoslavia and Romania.

Yugoslav culture was so similar despite religious and territorial differences that, in pursuit of "Brotherhood and Unity" it tried to infuse different cultures-in a manner that Croats, Serbs, Slovenes, Bosnians, having belonged to the Slavic ethnicity be described altogether as "Yugoslavs" same as their homeland was-and their culture.

However, since most people in Yugoslavia were urbanized, its culture was also affected, especially folk music-resulting to a variety of music genres such as Turbo Folk.

Turbo Folk was and is, one of the recognized music the way Novelty songs being played most of the time in the Philippines-they have similarities that, aside from acquiring a massive audience, of having modern-day (like synthesizer and Drum machine) and traditional instruments (especially acoustic guitar) being fused and used, they carry meaningless or quasi-meaningful lyrics with a variety of topics such as "love", "fame", and "struggle" while its people, especially those who escape the crisis sought solace in it.

But then, it fell down to imitating western music despite using native language and music as its producers and creators of Turbo-folk, in making the genre popular have copied the aesthetics of American rap or pop clips, filling every shot with scantily clad women and covered everyone with so much jewellery that the combined weight of gold and jewels would undoubtedly number in the kilos or girls imitating Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and the like yet much seductive like Goca Sekulić, Olja and Jelena Karleuša and Ceca Raznatovic.

As a writer, upon listening to Turbo Folk, as well as Manele (a music genre in Romania), as well as relating it to the present music in the Philippines (especially novelty and rap music), it simply carries the same appeal as it reached the hearts and minds of the lower class regardless of its near-meaningless topics such as "love"-to the extent of calling it as "erotic", as well as "drug-and-gun culture influenced" in its words being sung and its singer-like Ceca Raznatovic, who aside from making Turbo Folk popular, also married a notorious criminal and paramilitary leader named Zeljko Raznatovic, known by his nom de guerre, Arkan (with their marriage being called a matrimony of pornography and patriotism). Same goes in the Philippines (although not related to music, but carried some populist appeal) like Korina Sanchez (a newscaster) who married Mar Roxas (then a Senator, and even proposed marriage earlier in front of the audience of a show hosted by Willie Revilliame), or even much earlier, when Congressman Jules Ledesma married sexy actress Assunta de Rossi, and much much earlier, when Congressman Ferdinand Marcos married "the rose of Tacloban" Imelda Romualdez.

These experiences, whether music or not, yet affected the minds of the people made these a tactic of the ruling class to use the masses, from mind to persona for their own benefit although controversial-as Ceca, known for singing erotic-laced Turbo Folk married to a gun-toting politico-criminal Arkan; or Mar Roxas used Willie Revilliame's show back then in ABS-CBN proposing marriage to Korina Sanchez. Sorry to say so, but it unveils the system raping popular culture, of using the feelings of the masses for their very own benefit-making some people criticize the culture they sought much for celebrating the external symbols of easy acquisition of wealth, being too eroticized, promoting violence, escapism and exaggeration of feelings.

Otherwise, such content we usually see, hear, taste, and experience all the time are merely representatives of the global pop-cultural scene, of wholesale westernization being excessively integrated into the common Filipino culture (like noontime shows, that originally based on both talent and game shows; and soap operas basing much on comics and pocketbook romances). They even point out that an average music video shown on MTV, MYX, or its sound being played on Love Radio or being downloaded online and played in Mp3 Players depicts just as many if not more "women treated as objects", golden chains on muscular bodies, repetition of green jokes, and generally everything that is recognized and condemned as banal, vulgar, sub-intellectual and unsophisticated; even it has "patriotic flavor" in it like treating patriotic symbols as mere logos devoid of meaning, leaving it merely as aesthetic nonsense or if too much, chauvinism and xenophobia like those who rant out of Spratlys.

For sure most people are enough of these experiences and wanting to stop it. Yes, that some are tired of listening, or seeing people becoming vulgar, having almost pornographic kitsch, glorifying crime, and a corrupted moral around the community with its appearances, as what Ivana Kronja said, a manifestation of an "aggressive, sadistic and pornographically eroticised iconography" that justifies the prevalence of Machismo chauvinism and subjugation of women in all spheres in the society.

After all, trying to parallel the current music scene with those of the balkans, it somehow becomes enough connected despite its different ethnic backgrounds: that the novelty music and love songs within contemporary OPM music being blared most of the time in mainstream radio in the Philippines are similar enough to those of Turbo-folk and Pop-folk in former Yugoslavia and Romania; that the love songs of Yugoslavia's Ceca Raznatovic are quite like those of the Philippines' very own Imelda Papin (or Ara Mina for late 90s and 00s sake).

Conclusion

To conclude this writeup, I, as a writer would say that the Philippines tried to "modernize" its culture yet it end up submitting to the wishes of those imposing agreements that seemed unequal to Filipino sovereignty. We may see people wearing "Barong Tagalog", dancing the "Kuratsa Mayor", looking at the Apayew (Rice Terraces) and getting satisfied after eating Lechon or having a Hilot massage yet these are merely reduced to a mere formal significance to say there's a culture prevailing for all tourists to see, same as collective action that end up a mere rhetoric for politicians appeasing the growing tide of masses who themselves bond collectively to counter their rule. Comparing to Malaysia, Japan, China that had still keeping its culture by modernizing it-with the Petronas towers had striking resemblance to traditional architecture using modern methods, and urging people to drive cars such as Proton.

And since these countries had its culture intact, why not start modernize, innovate what comes directly from the root than getting contented on mere exports? Of having lives and love of home be written by serious, hardworking people basing their dreams and aspirations from concrete realities than of those who trying to throw themselves to the dogs or those who make profit from it?

Sorry to say some of the words being vented upon in this writeup, but then this nation needs a overhaul in all sides. And for sure few would likely to understand this while more and more entice to enjoy a gold-foiled shit (sorry for the term) served upon to everyone. God forbid, but like sugar, too much costs loss of knowledge, brawn, and perhaps lives supposed be contributive to social well being. I do recognize people trying enough to instill patriotism like Magalona, but in the eyes of a common man, would think of it as an artist making rap music popular than a patriot trying to instill patriotism using his talent.

Rizal's "Idealism" is the Filipino Everydayman's Realism

Rizal's "Idealism" is the Filipino Everydayman's Realism

"Each one writes history according to his convenience."

These are the words Jose Rizal said to Ferdinand Blumentritt during his sojourn in Europe in 1886.At first we think of it as true since most of us are making our own fate that made us "convenient" especially to those who tend to escape from everything disastrous in pursuit of something that is "peace and quiet." However, These words somehow also made Rizal think how people creates its own fate same as its own society, and it somehow corresponds to a Chinese quote and it said, 'The Masses Are the Makers of History'; yes, for it is the masses who endure repression, not just the ones who initiated are the ones who started the clamor for radical change.

But then, every quote being said so are likely to be reduced into a mere sentiment or an idea being bannered upon to by such individuals and calling it as "idealism" or a "figment of an imagination." If so, then how come every event corresponds to what Rizal hath said in his books?

I may not been against "Idealists" so to speak, but then most of them tend to act like Jose Rizal in order to negate the rising tide of radical change coming from the laboring people. They may've used Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo just to justify favoring "Reform" over "Revolution", of Ibarra over Simoun, but then how come there are still Elias and Cabesang Tales around us? Like Cervantes, Rizal may've been taking time focusing on books and artwork; like Don Quixote searching for an "Impossible Dreamand its fans wasting time on his works and emulating his way of self-gratification guised as knowledge, yet the vast majority end up in pain in their back and out of it, willing to take revenge than getting contented to it as possible.

His longing for Leonor Rivera for example, this so-called "obsession", despite Rivera married the British Kipping made him not to seriously gave way to other women whom he met and perhaps loved with, like Boustead, Jacoby or O Sei San; all except for the Irish Josephine Bracken whom he seriously being with as a "permanent substitute", or I should say in a Tagalog parlance a "Panakit butas" in his barren heart. How come Rizal can't move on until he met Bracken? Was Rivera really correspond to the Philippines in the form of Maria Clara? Whose beauty, charm and submission, contentment embodies the psyche of a Filipina? Yet on the other hand praised the Spartan women whom likely to take arms and fight for their and others' lives as what Josephine Bracken did? Which of the two really corresponds to the Filipina then?

Well, back to the main topic (sorry for tackling Rizal's love life) Perhaps his consumption of hashish as an experiment made his mind having "colour" in it. Sorry to say so again in regards to that, but like his, we tend to experiment ourselves out of our realities, of our senses. That also became an infuence in our later works and to others as basis for our "ideals", but then Rizal's experiences aren't really idealism; Americans simply codified it as his "idealism" but in fact products of his very own realities as scenes from Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo continues to linger even in an era of Cellphones, Internet and other sorts of wholesale westernization. I may have disagreed Rizal's passivism but then I still acknoledge him as a hero-he may not carried weaponry nor lead directly as what Bonifacio did, for he preferred acting as a scapegoat, a nitrogycerin bomb in Simoun's hand triggering a change that is left unfinished.

But then, despite all these, we sought a distorted picture of Rizal and his fellow heroes and noble countrymen. ‘We are brainwashed to glorify traitors and enemies of the Revolution and the Motherland’ according to Domingo de Guzman, that despite unearthing everything about his and other's lives, we kept on thinking that Rizal was merely an idealist who dissuade people from advancing armed struggle in favor of reforms that deemed impossible; not noticing that Rizal also became an inspiration by those who insist so as well as he himself offered Antonio Luna for the revolution whilst keeping himself aloof in it. Yes, he favored education over revolution but why not he joined in and head the education department of the Katipunan?

Anyway, as Rizal said to Blumentritt:

"We want the happiness of the Philippines, but we want to obtain it through noble and just means. If I have to commit villainy to make her happy, I would refuse to do so, because I am sure that what is built on sand sooner or later would tumble down."Good to read this kind of quote Rizal hath said, especially that he urged Filipinos to traverse the long and winding road to self determination and prosperity by means beneficial to them. But to others, especially those who took his words as detrimental to the tide of popular change it meant reducing things to mere sentiment-like reducing struggles to lobbying and negotiations for example; Rizal perhaps wanted everything "by all means" especially in the latter days as a patriot although he still wanted to give reforms, education a chance over Bonifacio as well as others who chose taking up arms, but still how come Filipinos rally over the one who endures than the one who sees? Especially to those whose reason was land and bread rather than "National independence" alone? Yes, Rizal may have wrote Noli and El Fili, but compare to the one who endure forced labor which is worth fighting for? Anyway, it unveils himself as "the spirit of contradiction; a soul that dreads the revolution, although deep down desires it." according to Unamuno, and it was shown by his actions contradicting his works, or rather say his idealism that contradicts his realities.I personally made this work not to misjudge him, but rather to think that Rizal himself is a realist rather than an idealist as others may've seen of him. Aguinaldo, and later the Americans made him a hero due to his works and ideals, whilst his words and actions are being reduced to mere sentiment as we suspect of it; not noticing how come El Filibusterismo still had an open ending and one by one willing to write an unfinished part or another book to continue in it. Hernandez somehow did it with his Ibong Mandaragit, that involved both education and organization as tools for self determination as we ought to see and take, but then we tend to look at the perspective of those trying to dissuade people from the very meaning of change. Of substituting sheeps for wolves, of tamed slaves than a noble savage.Sorry to say so but that's fit enough to be called "true", we expect people tend to "just" codify his thought and be dubbed thee as "idealism" not noticing that his words aren't just sprout from his mind but rather out of realities he've sought or experienced as an individual-as during his time everything, even morals are tied to the economic structure such as feudalism; that superstition and overtly literal interpretation of Christian faith justified corvée labor and massive accumulation of wealth by the vested gentry; and Rizal wanted these to be "break" down whilst keeping the productive and positivistic ones as he himself wanted a major overhaul in the society in pursuit of the advancing times. That justifying self-desire for total greed is one of the narrowest of all justifications, tell it to the massed ranks of hungry, destitute peoples crying for land, peace, bread, justice and they will respond with direct fists and kicks, aggro over the wretched parasites who steal wealth from those who create in it like what Bonifacio or earlier leaders of spontaneous revolts insisted. And somehow these meant what Filipino ought and how to struggle for self-determination, he may still insist education like Crisostomo Ibarra, but more and more Simouns will be its results. As what one writeup said:"In his first novel "Noli Me Tangere", Rizal did not endorse a bloody revolution, instead, he introduced the possibility of reformation. In his second novel "El FIlibusterismo", Rizal showed how the abuse and maltreatment of the Spanish system would lead the Filipinos to revolt against them."But despite these, the system still clings to the desperate "idealism" just as what America tries to codify Rizal's thought, but instead of Ibarras and Simouns, we'll expect more and more Basio Macunats and Senor Pastas out of it. Or as what Constantino thinks of: Veneration without understanding.

Foreigners Praise Kim Il Sung′s Feats for Times and History -KCNA

Foreigners Praise Kim Il Sung′s Feats for Times and History

Pyongyang, July 8 (KCNA) -- Foreigners who visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, sacred temple of Juche, highly praised the greatness of President Kim Il Sung who performed undying feats for the times and history.

Kalevi Wahrman, chairman of the Finnish Communists' League, wrote in the visitor's book: Comrade Kim Il Sung , eternal President of the DPRK, devoted his all to the Korean people and the socialist cause.

Vishwanath, secretary general of the International Kim Il Sung Prize Council who is director-general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea, said that President Kim Il Sung 's founding of the Juche idea was the most brilliant of his exploits.

Pavel Ovsyannikov, head and chief conductor of the "Orchestra of the 21st Century" of Russia, said:

Comrade Kim Il Sung was a distinguished great man. The Korean people and other progressives of the world revere him as the eternal sun.

Basuki Yusuf Iskandar who visited the DPRK at the head of the Indonesian delegation of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, said:

President Kim Il Sung built the country of the people. He was a genuine popular leader and kind-hearted father.

Anders Karlsson, chairman of the Communist Party of Sweden, wrote in the visitor's book: President Kim Il Sung was a distinguished leader of the Korean people and the international communist movement. He is always remembered by mankind as the great sun.

Of Yankeephilic individuals, sentiments, and their narrow mindedness

Of Yankeephilic individuals, sentiments, and their narrow mindedness

"Our nation (The United States of America) was based on the ideal of individual Freedoms and individual rights no other nation was created on those principles. That is why we dominate because when we are at our best we liberate individuals to be the best they can be doing what they love doing. And we believe that each individual has the right to make their own choices."

These words mirror an idea of a narrow minded American loyalist. These words also state the fact trying to justify America as dominator of the world, using such phrases like individual rights and individual freedoms, privileges that in fact, being deprived in nations under their control. How wonder why people agreed to this kind of sentiment regardless of bloodshed, ravage, everything what their "sovereign country" did to others.

Upon reading it, sounds nice and appealing that the person saying those words was trying to justify America as "Liberator" like during World War II, Korea, Vietnam even Afghanistan and Iraq, but to the victims of that "Liberator", will they accept that kind of sentiment said so? Partially yes but absolutely NO!

Why?

First, they may agree on such sentiment like rights, freedoms, but at the same time opposing the point of view of every American-that instead of being "Liberated", it is as if being "Forced", "Imposed" that is contrary to their aspirations, ideas, including their well-cherished freedoms and rights, that are, inherent to every people and their respective societies.

Worse,

Bragging with pride as "Vanguard of Democracy", "Liberty", the United States of America is as if monopolizing everything that, everything contrary to their so-called principles are to be perished, destroyed by force if not by embargo or anything just to submit to their will; as evidenced in the past, we sought every nation being "neo-colonialized" by the great almighty U.S.ofA are rather acting as if gardens, mining and oil fields, everything an American ought to get a bigger chunk of it both the kind and the profit accumulated. The Philippines for example, they produced sugar, rice, cacao, copra just be exported away than to feed its own people!

Once there's a person countering the former sentiment, and said:

"Because we LIE.

We lie about everything.

Deception has got us where we are today.

"America" meaning the rich bankers and companies dominates not only the world but doesnt hesitate to screw its own people for profit. THey are literally KILLING us slowly for profit."

True to say so, as every report taken, profiteers in the guise of bankers and companies are gaining much profit because of the conflict, of the crisis taken pitting much the people while conditioning them to their consciousness like "self-centeredness" and the like; especially the concept of "Peace through Strength" that is, justifying Imperialism as its main purpose of creating conflicts in the pretext of maintaining order.

Speaking of that so-called "Peace through Strength", and its justification of producing much arms, training more men for the sake of goddamned Imperialism and profiteering, it somehow creating a conflict that is, resorting that has no victory nor any armistice but only total destruction; as evidenced by the arms race both by U.S. and U.S.S.R, it really creates a scene of a disaster, of trying to escape and looking for a peaceful world for the sake of maintaining lives.

Once, I remember a group of persons venting rage against the system in the Philippines, but despite their rage, I noticed that how come they are against the system yet admiring America and its system? And they even wanted the Philippines as part of America! as one of them said:

"The Philippine government is against the Filipino people. Our government officials have proven over and over again that they are worth shit! I'd rather see the Philippines as one of the states of America!"

Nice to say that the government is against the people, but how come that person wanted the Philippines to be a part of America? The Great Satan and the No.1 mass murder under the pretext of maintaining peace and order? Didn't he remember the early days of American colonization? Of having Samar turned into a howling wilderness? Of the struggles of the Pilipino people ranging from Millenarian-Populist movements (quoting Nemenzo) to Bourgeois Nationalists? Such sentiment, so to speak is not a patriot at all; worse? How come you are saying FUCK THE SYSTEM if you also support a SYSTEM who dominates the SYSTEM you are FUCKING off?

Another person, also said something against the system, and here it goes:

"Throughout history the Philippine government has always been corrupt, inhumane, wrong and evil. Filipino politicians are absolutely incapable of running the government. The system is going through a process of self-destruction. The END is near."

Nice to hear it, but on the other hand:

"I VOTE YES!"

Oh God! Sweet Stalin! You spoke of self-destruction and change, but how come you favor America than the Pilipino themselves in running their affairs? Your idol had a tattoo bearing the sun and the symbol of "Ka" representing Freedom, but why America? Where's the essence of destroying the system only to submit to America's wishes? It's like choosing McKinley over Bonifacio regardless of having a "Ka" Tattoo or everything "Patriotic" adorning your home! What's the purpose of those things anyway? Aestheic purposes? Mere displays of curiosity?

Well...

In assessing these kind of people, they are rather misunderstood enough to be called as upbringers of change, or rather say they don't speak change at all... but rather preserve everything, of having entire nations weak whilst their idol as strong.

Regarding "The Great Rapture"

Regarding "The Great Rapture"

Last time, there are many billboards showing around the world wanting us to repent and to prepare for the coming doom as Harold Camping and his Family Radio vented messages of "preparing to meet thy doom" in May 21, 2011.

The message Camping said so seemed to be too skeptical and prone much to ridicule as last year, we heard about 2012 according to the Mayan Calendar, or earlier, the ones coming from the Seventh-Day adventists and other similar sects, cults, around the world. Such messages, on the other hand perhaps are rather acting as "signals" for the coming rapture that is, far from their perceptions.

AS according to the Orlando Sentinel, it said that Camping cites two Bible passages to determine the date. The Book of Peter implies that the end of the world will occur 7,000 years from the date of the great flood. And the Book of Genesis says the flood occurred on the "17th day of the second month." Taking a look at the Jewish calendar, the de facto guide in that era, May 21, 2011, is the corresponding date. Family Radio predicts that great earthquakes will shake the earth at 6 p.m. on the 21st, continuing for five months.

In fact, I believe some of his words except that message. That "hell" is synonymous with "death" and the "grave", and that there is no everlasting torment and the Cross was just a demonstration of what had already happened before the foundation of the world. The way how Bro. Eli Soriano spoke that the Bible does not condemn the hormonally imbalanced persons or the gays and the lesbians but the sodomites as Sodomites are heterosexuals who practice homosexual sex because of their perversion.

But in reality, perhaps as for Camping's message about "Hell" synonymous with "Death" or "Grave", "Hell" is in fact, the Earth itself dominated by the repressors, of those who keep the rotten social order whilst its people endure absolute slavery and repression; and Heaven? The so-called "Utopia" mankind wanted to achieve.

Here's the Song entitled "Pantasya" by Ramon Ayco:

Kay tagal ko ring
Nabuhay sa Pantasya
Ang buhay raw ng tao
Kapalaran ang may pasya
Tulad ng gulong
Mapataas, mapababa
Ngunit bakit tayo
Lagi na lang dukha

Kay tagal ko ring
Nabuhay sa paniwala
Kapalaran daw ng tao
Darating na lang kusa
O ito'y itinakda
Guhit ng tadhana
Ngunit ito pala'y
Isa lamang haka-haka

Koro: Ang dating mga pangarap
Tinapon ko nang lahat
Ang langit nating mga dukha
Tayo ang gagawa dito sa lupa

Ngayo'y alam ko na
Kung bakit naghihirap
Tayong mga dukhang
Punong-puno ng haka-haka
Ang langit at impiyerno
Sila rin ang may likha
Langit ay kanila
Tayo ang kawawa

Ngayo'y alam ko na
Ang tunay na mga demonyo
Sila ang nagpapasasa
Sa kayamanan ng tao
Tayo ang lumilikha
Ng kayamanan sa mundo
Ngunit tayo pa rin ang
Nakatira sa impiyerno

(Ulitin ang koro)

English Translation, partly based on Ramon Ayco's version:

For a long time I've been living in a fantasy
That life they say are been set by destiny
Up and down like a wheel of fairy
But why we're always submerge in poverty

For a long time I've been living in a belief
That everybody's fortune are already set
Or our palm lines determines our fate
But then I realize these are all myths

Chorus:The yesterdays' visions of mine
I am throwing it out this time
The people's heaven someday will rise
As we will build it in this land

Now I know why are we impoverished
Because our minds are full of superstitious beliefs
That "heaven" and "hell" are just a creation of exploiters
That they live in "heaven" while we suffer in "hell"

Now I know who are the real devils
They are the greedy people's exploiters
We are the creators of wealth in earth
And yet in this hell we languished

(Repeat Chorus)

The words somehow mirror the reality how mankind lives in a living hell, and how mankind also tries to resist, breaking away with old ideas and create a living heaven on this barren earth; it is a continuous struggle so to speak facing everyday demons, calamities that tries to destroy man's lives and morale. In fact, we expected much tragedies around us, whether man made or not, these events surrounding the end of the world are likely to be realized as repression continues to prevail, worse? As we endure everything in this living hell mankind tries to resist.

Unless man would like to become like those of Monkey King and willing to destroy this so-called "world" we live in, that is the world of oppressors.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/15/judgment-day-no-way-what%e2%80%99s-behind-the-may-21-2011-end-of-the-world-rumors/#ixzz1N3swEBs6

Agartha – A Nation Inside Earth

Agartha – A Nation Inside Earth*

Much has been said about the Hollow Earth. Books have been written about it, a lot of Internet sites cover it and some of it is good research, some of it is not. It is an important part of our story, because due to both the Thule and Vril Societies (and other secret societies as well) there is a Nation of Beings inside Earth. This Nation is called Agartha or Agarthi (both variants are used interchangeably — there are other spellings as well). and their Capital is Shambala (or Shamballah). I will just touch briefly on it here.

I am going to quote Jan van Helsing from his well researched book: Secret Societies and Their Power in the 20th Century again and this time when comes to explaining what Agarthi/Agartha is, because his research confirms to some extent what members from Thule have told me, but is still just a part of the story"

ULTIMA THULE” apparently was the capital city of the first continent peopled by Aryans. This was called HYPERBOREA and was older than Lemuria and Atlantis (continents with advanced cultures since submerged). The Scandinavians have a tale of “Ultima Thule”, the wonderful land in the high North, where the sun never sets and the ancestors of the Aryan race dwell.

Hyperborea was up in the North Sea and sank during an ice age. It is assumed that the Hyperboreans came from the solar system Alderbaran which is the main star in the constellation Taurus, and that they were about four meters tall, white, blond and blue-eyed.

They knew no war and were vegetarians (so was Hitler). According to alleged Thule texts they were technically very advanced and flew “Vril-ya”, flying machines that today we call UFOs. These flying disks were capable of levitation, extreme speeds and the maneuvers known from today’s UFOs due to two counter-rotating magnetic fields and they used the so-called Vril power as energy potential or fuel (Vril = ether, Od, Prana, Chi, Ki, cosmic force, Orgon…, but also from the academic “vri-IL” = as the highest deity = God-like), i.e., they take the energy from the earth’s magnetic field (free energy) like the “tachyon converter” of Captain Hans Coler.When HYPERBOREA began to sink the Hyperboreans are said to have burrowed with huge machines gigantic tunnels into the Earth’s crust and settled under the Himalayan region. The subterranean realm is called AGHARTA and its capital SHAMBALLAH. The Persians call this land “Aryana” the land of origin of the Aryans.

Here we should mention that Karl Haushofer claimed that Thule was actually called Atlantis and – contrary to all other researchers of Tibet and India – he said that the surviving Thule-Atlanteans were separated into two groups, a good one and an evil one. Those who called themselves after their oracle Agharta were the good and settled in the Himalayan region, the evil ones were the Shamballah who wanted to subjugate humanity and they went West.

He maintained that the fight between the people of Agharta and Shamballah had been going on for thousands of years and that in the Third Reich the Thule-Gesellschaft as Agharta’s representative continued it against the representatives of Shamballah, the Freemasons and the Zionists. This perhaps was his mission.

The head of this subterranean region he said was Rigden Iyepo, the king of the world, with his representative upon the Earth’s surface, the Dalai Lama. Haushofer was convinced that the land below the Himalayas was the birthplace of the Aryan race, which he claimed to have confirmed during his Tibet and India travels.

The symbol of Thule was the Swastika counter clockwise. Tibetan lamas and the Dalai Lama personally testified that people from Agartha were still living today. The subterranean land that is anchored in almost all Eastern traditions has spread over the millennia under all of the Earth’s surface with huge centers under the Sahara desert, the Matto Grosso and the Santa Catarina mountains in Brazil, Yucatan in Mexico, Mount Shasta in California, England, Egypt, Czechoslovakia.

It seems that Hitler especially sought to discover the entrances to the subterranean world Agartha and to get in contact with the descendants of the Aryan “God people” from Alderbaran-Hyperborea. In the myths and traditions of the subterranean world it is often said that the world’s surface was yet to suffer a terrible world war (Third World War) which would though be ended by earthquakes, other natural disasters and a switching of the poles and the deaths therefrom of two thirds of humanity.

After this “last war” the several races of the inner earth would reunite with the survivors on the surface and that the thousand-year GOLDEN AGE (age of Aquarius) would be rung in. Hitler wanted to build an outer “Agartha” or “Aryana” with the Aryan master race, and Germany should be its home. During the existence of the “Third Reich” two large expeditions were sent by the SS to the Himalayas to find those entrances.

Further expeditions searched in the Andes, the Matto Grosso mountains in the North and the Santa Catarina mountains in the south of Brazil, in Czechoslovakia and parts of England.

Some authors claim that the Thule people believed that – quite independently of the subterranean tunnel and city system – the Earth was HOLLOW, with two great openings at the poles. Natural laws were quoted, “as above, so below”. Since blood, body or egg cells, a comet or an atom all have a nucleus and a hollow space surrounding it that is enclosed by a “corona radiata”, an envelope, and the actual “life” is taking place in the core, one has deduced that the Earth was built after the same principles.

Druses confirmed this, as they were hollow and the “life”, the mineral and crystals, were in the interior. Therefore the Earth also had to be hollow – apparently agreeing with the views of the Tibetan Lamas including the Dalai Lama – and had a nucleus, the Central Sun (also called the “Schwarze Sonne”, the Black Sun) that gave the interior an even climate and permanent sunlight, corresponding in the microcosm to the central sun of the galaxy in the macrocosm.

They maintain there is a place in the interior – the master race lives inside and the mutants on the surface – and that this was also the reason why we wouldn’t find any life upon other planets of our solar system, because their inhabitants live inside. The main entrances are at the North and South poles through which the central sun is shining and producing the aurora borealis. In the interior the land mass was exceeding the water mass.

The polar explorer Olaf Jansen and others said that the water in the interior was fresh, which could explain why the ice of the Arctic and Antarctic is made of freshwater, not salt water. It is interesting to note that this view of the make-up of the world is shared and supported by the polar explorers Cook, Peary, Amundsen, Nansen, and Kane and, last but not least, Admiral E. Byrd. All had the same, strange experiences contradicting existing scientific theory.

All confirmed that after 76 degreed latitude the winds became warmer, that birds flew north, that they found colored and gray snow which when thawed left colored pollen or volcanic ash. The question arises: where do flower pollen or volcanic ash near the North Pole come from, as not a single volcano is marked on any of the accessible maps? Further, some of the explorers found themselves in freshwater seas, and all say that at a time during their travels they had seen two suns. Mammoths were found whose flesh was still fresh and whose stomach contained fresh grass.

The “Hollow Earth” theory has so far remained just a theory to the public, although some authors and explorers claim to have visited there and even – like Admiral E. Byrd – had taken numerous pictures. It cannot be denied that all the Arctic explorers had had extraordinary experiences that so far cannot be explained, which points to something strange happening there.

But the theory that the Earth had a molten core has equally remained just a theory. The fact remains though that the subterranean man-made tunnel and cave systems do exist. They can be found in almost any country of the world and by the largely still existing light source (a greenish glow that gets brighter the deeper one enters the tunnels), by the smooth walls and the unknown machinery that was found in the Boynton Canyon in Sedona, Arizona, are witness to a technically advanced culture that existed millions of years before.

The myths of a “Hollow Earth” were enough for the Thule people to go out to start a serious study of the phenomenon. Therefore there was at least one expedition to the Antarctic during World War II.

To show that the story of the Aryan-Hyperboreans was not entirely invented I would like to mention two examples: When the Spaniards under Pizarro came to South America in 1532, the natives called them “ivicarochas” (white lords). According to their legends there was a master race of very tall white people who centuries before had descended in “flying disks” from heaven. They had long ruled in some of the towns and when they disappeared had promised to return.

When the fair skinned Spaniards arrived, the natives thought them to be the iviracochas coming back and therefore in the beginning willingly gave them their gold. Similar occurrences took place when the first white travelers arrived in Tibet and other Himalayan regions. They were scrutinized in astonishment by the Tibetans and asked why they came from BELOW (the foot of the mountains) rather than from ABOVE as they usually did.

* Url:http://black.greyfalcon.us/

Rodong Sinmun Brands Bourgeois Ideology and Culture as Dangerous Virus -KCNA

Rodong Sinmun Brands Bourgeois Ideology and Culture as Dangerous Virus

Pyongyang, May 13 (KCNA) -- Bourgeois ideology and way of life are dangerous virus making people mental cripples. Rodong Sinmun Friday says this in a bylined article.

It goes on:

Today the imperialists are infiltrating the reactionary ideology and culture into other countries, saying what can not be solved even with nuclear weapons can be easily done by the spread of ideology and culture.

What they seek through their active ideological and cultural poisoning is to degenerate the people's idea, disintegrate those countries from within and put them under their domination and control.

Running through the bourgeois ideology and culture are such inhumane elements as deception, fraud, extreme liberalism, class, national and racial discrimination, misanthropy, personal luxury, corruption and degeneration, dollar-almighty idea and war instigation.

The bourgeois ideology and culture make people betes noires and mental cripples who idle time away with debauchery, dishonesty and corruption.

The bourgeoisies are desperately trying to stamp out the national culture of other countries through ideological and cultural poisoning. The aim sought by them through this is to obliterate the national characters of those countries and make them blindly follow and serve them.

One should never allow any practice of spreading bourgeois ideology, culture and lifestyle which divest man of his soul and body and cause social chaos.

“Freedom of Thought” Touted by Imperialists Dismissed as Hypocritical-KCNA

“Freedom of Thought” Touted by Imperialists Dismissed as Hypocritical

Pyongyang, May 3 (KCNA) -- The “freedom of thought” touted by the imperialists is a hypocritical slogan aimed to suppress the progressive idea in the capitalist societies and justify all their means and methods to spread bourgeois reactionary ideas and the ideological and cultural poisoning of other countries.

Rodong Sinmun Tuesday observes this in a bylined article.

It goes on:

The imperialists-touted “freedom of thought” is aimed to suppress the progressive ideas and spread bourgeois reactionary thoughts.

The reactionary bourgeois ruling class pretends to allow to a certain extent the progressive ideas in a bid to embellish the capitalist society as “a sample of freedom” and “democratic society” but mercilessly suppresses them when it considers they are threatening its rule even a bit.

The suppression of the progressive thoughts still persists in the capitalist countries.

The imperialists are becoming evermore undisguised in their ideological and cultural poisoning of the socialist countries and independent countries against imperialism.

The imperialists are openly vociferating that those countries they cannot bring them to their knees with nuclear weapons can easily be brought down by the spread of bourgeois ideology and culture.

"A stronger unity against the system and the crisis"

"A stronger unity against the system and the crisis"

Message for graduation day

Graduates,

At first, we are profoundly greateful as all of us, after passing the trials in the four corners of the classroom end up having a citation. Grateful, that most of us have also opened our eyes to the realities of life that is, different from the dreams, ideals what is coming upon us.

True, that in this piece, speaks about the life of our society. The purpose of protecting our life, liberty and happiness of us and the rest who till, forge, work all for the betterment.

But that betterment as we expected nowadays are not the ideal betterment as those who control the society further steer the society backwards all despite the reforms they've been made and initiated. Such reforms and programs so to speak are not even concieved to uplift the people nor to steer into improvement, but as toppings for their prevailing repressive policies and ideas that pushed us the rest down all in the name of order. We may disregard it away yet we faced those things much from the paper to the T.V. otherwise, turing it to another channel, looking at the showbiz page or anything just to escape the realities that in fact, unhelpful and counter-productive.

But still, despite the apathy prevailing there are still those who are willing to counter the tide of repression, intolerance, crisis that is creeping and pushing us downwards regardless of what we are and our ideas with. We still sought demonstrations against the oil price increase, increase in the price of basic commodities, tuition and other fees and even policies that as if productive in appearance but destructive since it counters the will of the toilers and tolerates the will of the few. Such couragious people indeed are the ones who vent out protest, after all regardless of calling it a hindrance as the system speaks off, are the ones who experienced everything-that they till, forge, earn, save yet luckless as they meet prices and charges increasing.

For sure most of us are luckless nowadays even those who are with honours with shiny medals bear in our necks, still endure the crisis that individual ideas can't counter it. We may still tried enough to be like Neitzsche's Ubermensch but not enough as he himself insist in individualism, yet he understood how man itself is a matter, that has no value or dignity except as creator and transvaluator of cultural values whose creativity serves the future, of thinking that the individual as of instrumental value, yet having their function as essential, since they, and not institutions, systems create cultures.

But will that he, alone can fulfill in creating change even he started it? He may have started it, but still it is useless since it is merely from his own without any benefit nor value for others except as a creator. He may've changed his lifestyle but does it changed the society as well?

To tell frankly, this statement calls for unity as a means for change, but that unity is not like those shallow ones with less results. A guided, comprehensive one that, as Mao Zedong stated:

" If we study history, we find that all the movements that have occurred in the course of history, of whatever type may be, have all without exception resulted from the union of a certain number of people. A greater movement naturally requires a greater union, and the greatest movement requires the greatest union. All such unions are more likely to appear in a time of reform and resistance..."

Sorry to quote Mao Zedong, but his words mirror the fact that being a creator of history, a participant in an endless struggle called for a greater unity of every individual, of every Ubermensch (to use Neitzsche) in breaking the cycle that pushed us backwards, downwards all just to maintain order. That from the senses lies consciousness, ideas, action, reason, faith a la the scientific method. For sure most of graduates taught that method and create means to break age-old ones right? As we study History, Logic, everything lies the fact that as we exist meant facing repression, illusion, degredation, that the only solution is Revolution, and that Revolution requires unity, struggle, unity, struggle, and so forth as it advances.

Sounds weird isn't it? But still both history and reality wittnessed things that what the earlier statement Mao Zedong stated. Same as here:

"The decadence of the state, the sufferings of humanity, and the darkness of society have all reached an extreme. To be sure, among the methods of improvement and reform, education, industrialization, strenuous efforts, creation, destruction (of that which is bad and outmoded), and construction are all right, but there is a method more fundamental than these, which is that of the great union of the popular masses."

True to say so, that what makes everything possible to create a good future is the great unity of the people, but is it the entire people in general? Including the oppressors and slanderers of our kind? A shallow unity so to speak without any result except that "we are united?"

Few amongst them may likely to understood and remold to join us, but the rest remained aloof and trying to be ignorant all despite the coming change starting. That though this great unity within the sphere of struggle lies tremeandous result. For sure all of us are wanting peace in our homes, good life and complete everything for our well being, but will these be fulfilled in a system that is rotten, dilapidated and repressive?

We've faced the trials of our daily lives regardless of our social status-increasing tuition and other fees, rampant student repression, increase in commodities yet low in wages, corruption amongst government officials and foreign intervention in our society. Isn't it too contrary to our so-called dreams that perhaps, becoming impossible to realize all despite haivng high grades and the like?

Well, we cannot deny an inviolable fact that the history of this world is primarily a complete struggle. And through our experiences, there's only one solution-taking up the weapon and join hand in hand in dismantling the rotten system and to build a bright future better than the past and our present. That our struggle as a nation is also moving towards the struggle between ourselves and our backgrounds, of realities and dreams, and our unity against the society.

Graduates, the gates of reality hath open, prepare to meet thy doom as crisis, repression, degredation, awaits us!

Authorities outlaw "atheist" Easter procession

Authorities outlaw "atheist" Easter procession*

14/04/2011

The Government Delegation in Madrid has today banned an "atheist procession" being planned by various social groups for Maundy Thursday, having decided that it will be in conflict with the traditional Holy Week procession, a decision the organisers have described as "erroneous" and which they intend to contest.

The march, which was originally planned as a ceremony and later formalised as a demonstration has been organized by groups such as the Madrid Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (AMAL), Ateos en Lucha and the Lavapiés Beach Neighbourhood Association.

These groups had planned their march for the evening of Maundy Thursday, but the Delegation of the Government has banned the march, arguing that it coincides with the traditional processions and the authorities are unanimous in their disapproval of the event. The president of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre applauded the decision, saying it was wrong for people to be "free to offend the Catholics", and the mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon also welcomed the ban, saying the march would have been a "provocation".

The Madrid Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (AMAL) has announced its intention to appeal the ban, saying the authorities' arguments are "inaccurate" and "basically the same as those being voiced by fundamentalist Catholic groups" .

The AMAL President has acknowledged that the "atheist procession" will not be able to march through the streets of Madrid in a week's time, but has not ruled out a demonstration against the "reversal of fundamental rights and freedoms".

* Url:http://thinkspain.com/news-spain/19455/authorities-outlaw-atheist-easter-procession#

Overmen to Nowheremen

Overmen to Nowheremen

Regarding Slaves in the name of "Pleasure" and Overmen against Overmen

Man tends to love pleasure the way man tends to love his neighbor, however not all things around are pleasurable, but rather addictive as it continuously do and think of, to the extent that man's very own consciousness isn't much of a man but of a thing, device limited to do such things, a slave in his own corner difficult to break away from the cycle.

How come man is reduced to a device due to that pleasure?

As man, in Ayn Rand's idea "ought to love pleaure" are signified by continuous urges to do things, regardless of what it is, just to say as "pleasurable." Greed perhaps in Ayn Rand's idea is pleasurable for to her it is resulted of your "work."

But then,

As it continues to be tolerated, that "pleasure", driven by urges, made an individual a slave for such urges whilst thinking of it as nothing except pleasure. Obviously, as culture nowadays, manifested by tremeandous influx of mass-produced music, visual arts, all made, that is meaningless, "for sake" by artists and cherished by many, called every individual "to love pleasure" regardless of what is coming, regardless of the reality happened, that, sadly to say "they are eaten by that pleasure" in the guise of "joining into the flow." Lu Xun would have also think that "pleasure" under control of a clique "eats people" in a variety of ways like morality.

And capitalists nowadays, all despite the crisis, tend to steer backwards thanks to Ayn Rand and her "Objectivism." And if so, then they are also trying hard followers of Neitzsche, that as if professed as Overmen wanting to dominate, all driven by pleasure somehow, that includes accumulation of profits, less emphasis on welfare, small or no governments and so forth, that it even increases tension and ailienation especially to the "have-nots" who, despite working hard earned less, that despite saving their bread meet higher debts and prices!

But not all Neitzscheans are into Ayn Rand. Whilst the Overmen, supposedly as a new human who's to be "neither master nor slave" all coming from every rotten society around the world, it be fulfilled? Especially though mere supraindividualist means? Lucky if you are like the Unabomber!

Secondly,

It doesn't mean that a Neitzschean is limited to an uberindividualist utopian being. And since it recognizes that no individual has value or dignity except as creator and transvaluator of cultural values whose creativity serves the future, of thinking that the individual as of instrumental value, yet having their function as essential, since they, and not institutions, systems create cultures.

But,

despite of its creations, contributions, its primary value coming from it are neither from the individual nor to the culture, but rather to the society, to the surrounding. That the individual who do so based everything from the surrounding, to every matter he held, see, feel in its senses and not from a mere speck of his consciousness, a characteristic of a man-centeredness guised as "knowledge and innovation." And if creating cultures are freely as man also ought to be free, then it is possibly freely desire to subordinate their individual, un or mis-organized creativity into an organized one, specifically of the collective the way man is freely to organize a collective! Such idea, so to speak tells us that man is the creator of history and the master of his own fate, and somehow that redeeming man meant breaking the chains and redeem his desires-as the state withers so ends repression and be as Overmen who are "neither master nor slave."

Personally, I think that in the other life, Ayn Rand would have met her adversary in the man named Pol Pot. Both may agree and argue, especially in this dictum:

"To keep you is no benefit, to destroy you is no loss."

If so, then how come?

For sure most Capitalists are secretly agreeing in that dictum as obiously, with contractualization as a law having their right to impose workers to work in a limited month, year then be replaced off away with low wage and little or no benefit. In short, they disregard them, no benefit and no loss since they have pumped much profits from those who work in a limited day, week, month, or year only to be fired away, and somehow frankly speaking, it is their pleasure to do so-their job of gaining and firing.

Well...

As time passed by, and features changing, humanity's will to be "Overmen", "neither Master nor Slave" remains the same, but not in a rotten system as of this day-that through destroying its vestiges lies man's emancipation from the cycle and to bring forth his creativity in a new scale, that is according to the realities that created his consciousness.

But how about this kind of future awaits us as of this day?

But how about this kind of future awaits us as of this day?

(In response to the Postcards showing the Future by Hildebrands Chocolate)

After looking at the "Dreams" of yesteryears, why not look at the "futures" that awaited us this time around? This time full of technology, innovation, outmost changes that may affect our lives and our well-being. This kind of future also fulfills us, the dreams of your yesteryears that usually seen in comicbooks, novels, even drawings laid to us, blueprints for the coming utopia that awaits us.

"Prefabricated furniture" thanks to IKEA

"Cloning"

Buildings feat. "Modern Day" Architecture

Waiting in a terminal or an airport

Pushing a "Space-Age" Vehicle after getting overheated

But despite these, there are also consequences of that kind of "Future" bringing upon to us. Why? Every aloof tolerated by the system towards humanity, nature, is resulted to these "Truths" that also awaited us if not to be opposed and insist on calling for a real change in this world. Yes, that despite the modern day living, the space-age buildings, tools, furniture and equipment, all these are made by those who till, forge, reap, exploit things around us just to satisfy needs that in fact, not really most of us have.

And thus,

This also kind of future is simple: A nightmare for us.

A Plastic turtle everyone?

Looking at corals yet no more fishes nor vegetation, thanks to overexploitation of nature and misconservation, neglecting our environment for profit

"Habitat"

More and more cars and emission of carbons further destroys

the Earth's atmosphere and the planet itself.

Same as from above, tolerating the use of Coal, Oil as a primary source of fuel for power plants, foundries, factories creating everything to satisfy those who have money, the rest? Are doomed to work with less or no pay.

Again, another factory emitting gases

Of Dimitry Medvedev apologizing for not seriously thinking about climate change

and other environmental issues during the Copenhagen summit

So did Angela Merkel

And Barack Obama

Of seeing a chav, an MTV-generated artist, gangster dominating the culture

and mindsets of the young, compelling them to join the flow despite the risks taken,

Ghettoes of course! Calling it perhaps by the elite as "Low Cost Housing",

Housing for sake of nothing.

Rampant malnutrition especially in the developing countries

and depressed, repressed areas,

And death of a culture all thanks to this person who started this mess around us.

The benefactor of the rotten systems around the world,

happy are those who called to his "Supper"

I mean who called to us and SUFFER.

That makes us sense...less.

This kind of future, regardless of the benefits, are mere stages, toppings for repression to be laid against us in the future. The world nowadays witnessed the rampant repression laid to us by benefactors of rotten systems here and around the world, from the Philippines to Libya, or even America, the crisis that made us suffer these days will compel us to choose a single option:

REVOLUTION!

Southern Tagalog’s cultural squad Bannering revolutionary art

Southern Tagalog’s cultural squad:
Bannering revolutionary art*

a feature from Ang Bayan July-August issue last 2000

They traverse guerrilla fronts and zones-carrying on the task of propagating and advancing revolutionary culture in Southern Tagalog. They promote the different art and literary forms like music, theater and other performing arts, visual arts and poetry among others. They are the cultural cadres and activists comprising the cultural squad of Southern Tagalog.

The cultural squad was formed by the regional Party leadership in 1997 in response to the pressing need to advance revolutionary cultural work along with other tasks. This is also in keeping with the challenge to develop and mold the Red army into a cultural army. Within the framework of the people's army, the cultural squad serves as a detachment of the Artista at Manunulat ng Sambayanan (ARMAS) in Southern Tagalog.

The cultural squad plays an important role in the further consolidation of mass organizations and NPA units in Southern Tagalog. Among their tasks is taking part in the formation and strengthening of cultural committees and ARMAS chapters in the people's army and in barrios undergoing consolidation. In their tour of the different guerrilla fronts and zones where they carry out mass work, they conduct study sessions and trainings to develop the artistic and literary skills of local activists and NPA fighters.

The squad also publishes Dagitab, the regional cultural magazine of Southern Tagalog. They diligently gather and compile contributed works of comrades and the masses such as poems, essays, stories, songs and illustrations. Works that are the result of trainings conducted in different guerrilla fronts have been published in Dagitab.

The squad oversaw the release of two compilations of revolutionary songs in cassettes: "Dakilang Hamon" (Great Challenge) in 1997 and "Alab ng Digmang Bayan" (Fervor of People's War) in 1999. These compilations have been instrumental in the promotion of revolutionary songs not only in Southern Tagalog but in other regions as well.

The cultural squad also leads performances during the Party and NPA anniversaries and other select occasions. It maintains links and cooperates with some progressive cultural groups in urban areas.

The masses and comrades in the region warmly appreciate the revolutionary movement's efforts to advance and put into practice a national, scientific and mass-oriented culture in its day-today struggle. The sustained conduct of cultural work is expected to further strengthen the unity between the broad masses of the people and the people's army.

* Url:http://www.philippinerevolution.net/cgi-bin/ab/text.pl?issue=200007-08;lang=eng;article=12