(Photo snapped in Baguio City via iPhone4G
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Of “Lupoy” and “Magpupukot”
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 9:20pm
Development work is really exciting for new discoveries and learning are inherent in this kind of job. My recent immersion in Sta. Maria made me discover and learn some ways of life in the community. Along with this is the opportunity to talk and work with the residents living in the area who belong from different Muslim groupings such as the Tausog, Maguindanaon, and Kalibugan (mixture of Subanon and Muslim).
Brgy. Sta. Maria is part of the twenty six (26) barangays of the Municipality of Siocon, Province of Zamboanga del Norte. Majority of its population are Muslims. Fishing is the main livelihood in Sta. Maria.
Below is a brief description on how fisher folks in Sta. Maria perform their fishing activity in a particular period they referred to as “dulom”.
“Lupoy”
Lupoy is a local term being used by the residents of Sta. Maria for a fish known as Tamban in Tagalog. However, this lupoy is not yet a full grown Tamban. It is only about one to two inches in size. Lupoy is attracted to light.
From the months of January to March (the longest), every first quarter and last quarter period of the moon they called as “dulom”, lupoy swarm to the cove of Sta. Maria.
Fishermen dry the lupoy and sell them to a middle man for about Php60.00 to 90.00 per kilo or directly sell them in Siocon Market.
“Magpupukot” and “Mangingilaw”
Pukot refers to a “fishnet”. A fisherman who owns a pukot is called magpupukot or “fishnet owner”.
There are magpupukot who own a small boat that carries a small pukot and usually do the activity in the nearby shore. However, there are magpupukot who have a quite bigger boat (called as “pakpakan”) that can carry a bigger pukot and can fish in the deeper portion of the cove.
On the other hand, a mangingilaw is a term used to refer to a fisherman who owns a light they called “petromax”. Typically, as required in this particular activity, a mangingilaw should own two (2) petromax.
Based on my initial data gathering activity, there are around thirty nine (39) magpupukot in Sta. Maria. However, it is very difficult to identify the numbers of mangingilaw that are legitimate residents of Sta. Maria since there are mangingilaw who joins other mangingilaw catching lupoy in the area that are residents of the nearby Barangays like of Nonoyan and Panubigan. Nevertheless, as observed, during the season of lupoy there are about ninety (90) to one hundred twenty (120) pairs of petromax seen floating in the water. (I counted them one by one during my overnight stay in the area.)
Catching Lupoy or the “apong”
The months of January to March are considered season of lupoy. The magpupukot and mangingilaw start catching lupoy during dulom.
Since lupoy is attracted to light, they swarm into the petromax of the mangingilaw floating in the water.
When the mangingilaw notices a huge team of lupoy teeming (the fisher folks called this as “apong”) by his petromax, he will then carefully paddle his boat while slowly pulling the petromax into the direction of the magpupukot where the fishnet is already set up to catch the lupoy. It is very important for the magpupukot not to create any motions that will disturb those lupoy following the light coming from the petromax.
The magpupukot and mangingilaw are dependent to each other. As practiced, the mangingilaw get the two-third (2/3) share from the total catch and the magpupukot gets one-third (1/3). However, this is not always the rule.
When the magpupukot is known generous (galante), he will be patronized by more mangingilaw.
Development work is really exciting for new discoveries and learning are inherent in this kind of job. My recent immersion in Sta. Maria made me discover and learn some ways of life in the community. Along with this is the opportunity to talk and work with the residents living in the area who belong from different Muslim groupings such as the Tausog, Maguindanaon, and Kalibugan (mixture of Subanon and Muslim).
Brgy. Sta. Maria is part of the twenty six (26) barangays of the Municipality of Siocon, Province of Zamboanga del Norte. Majority of its population are Muslims. Fishing is the main livelihood in Sta. Maria.
Below is a brief description on how fisher folks in Sta. Maria perform their fishing activity in a particular period they referred to as “dulom”.
“Lupoy”
Lupoy is a local term being used by the residents of Sta. Maria for a fish known as Tamban in Tagalog. However, this lupoy is not yet a full grown Tamban. It is only about one to two inches in size. Lupoy is attracted to light.
From the months of January to March (the longest), every first quarter and last quarter period of the moon they called as “dulom”, lupoy swarm to the cove of Sta. Maria.
Fishermen dry the lupoy and sell them to a middle man for about Php60.00 to 90.00 per kilo or directly sell them in Siocon Market.
“Magpupukot” and “Mangingilaw”
Pukot refers to a “fishnet”. A fisherman who owns a pukot is called magpupukot or “fishnet owner”.
There are magpupukot who own a small boat that carries a small pukot and usually do the activity in the nearby shore. However, there are magpupukot who have a quite bigger boat (called as “pakpakan”) that can carry a bigger pukot and can fish in the deeper portion of the cove.
On the other hand, a mangingilaw is a term used to refer to a fisherman who owns a light they called “petromax”. Typically, as required in this particular activity, a mangingilaw should own two (2) petromax.
Based on my initial data gathering activity, there are around thirty nine (39) magpupukot in Sta. Maria. However, it is very difficult to identify the numbers of mangingilaw that are legitimate residents of Sta. Maria since there are mangingilaw who joins other mangingilaw catching lupoy in the area that are residents of the nearby Barangays like of Nonoyan and Panubigan. Nevertheless, as observed, during the season of lupoy there are about ninety (90) to one hundred twenty (120) pairs of petromax seen floating in the water. (I counted them one by one during my overnight stay in the area.)
Catching Lupoy or the “apong”
The months of January to March are considered season of lupoy. The magpupukot and mangingilaw start catching lupoy during dulom.
Since lupoy is attracted to light, they swarm into the petromax of the mangingilaw floating in the water.
When the mangingilaw notices a huge team of lupoy teeming (the fisher folks called this as “apong”) by his petromax, he will then carefully paddle his boat while slowly pulling the petromax into the direction of the magpupukot where the fishnet is already set up to catch the lupoy. It is very important for the magpupukot not to create any motions that will disturb those lupoy following the light coming from the petromax.
The magpupukot and mangingilaw are dependent to each other. As practiced, the mangingilaw get the two-third (2/3) share from the total catch and the magpupukot gets one-third (1/3). However, this is not always the rule.
When the magpupukot is known generous (galante), he will be patronized by more mangingilaw.
My take on ABS-CBN's Anti-Mining Campaign
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of his organization
ABS-CBN, through Ms. Gina Lopez and her anti-mining campaign, is miseducating the public and is playing a counter-productive role as an influential institution in our society.
The problem is not mining but our lack of vision/direction as a country. Mining as an industry, undoubtedly, is one of the pillars for our industrialization. However, such industrialization blueprint is still missing in the development equation of our policy-makers and government leaders.
The problem is not mining but rather, how these mining companies will operate responsibly through good governance and public participation.
It is not mining but the policies we have that are holding us back to fully maximize the returns out of this economic activity.
The public deserves a media that would always present impartial information presenting both sides of the coin thus, providing them the opportunity to make intelligent decisions and productive actions. This is the critical role and responsibility of the media in the context of pursuing development and positive change in our country. However, it’s saddening that ABS-CBN is becoming an instrument of “pagbabansot” of the minds of the public.
A lot of opportunities for productive actions are being missed out because of how ABS-CBN is presenting the mining industry to the public. Sayang….
I’ve been in the mining industry for the last five years and I have been bridging business, governance and communities. Based on this experience, I would strongly argue here that if only we accept mining as one of our vital industries and discuss it objectively and productively we would be able to identify as well sound courses of actions addressing our lack of industrialization plan; corruption; poverty in the rural areas; and poor management/state of indigenous peoples’ ancestral domains.
Ms. GL’s anti-mining stand is the epitome of anti-development mentality that plagues us Filipinos for a long time now. It is a kind of mentality where we often convert an opportunity into a problem out of vested interest/ideology or due to lack of information. We are already missing a lot of opportunities for development.
The Philippines is ranked in the world as 3rd for gold; 4th for copper; 5th in Nickel; and 6th for Chromite. Let us create opportunities out of this abundance! Let’s pursue mining and the path that will make it a responsible industry and a catalyst for our industrialization agenda.
More and more changes are now happening globally and locally as far as realizing responsible mining is concerned. The international business institutions and our own Chamber of Mines have already comprehensively defined what constitutes responsible mining and a lot of companies are already buying this idea. Moreover, mining companies are now guarding their own ranks and sharing information on best practices on Corporate Social Responsibility through forming coalitions (I was part then of giving birth to a certain coalition which composed of mining companies in Mindanao dedicated to the ideals of responsible mining). Lastly, and most importantly, the communities are now more aware on their rights and on different environmental concerns.
CSR, though it has numerous names and definitions, is just all about doing business ethically and embracing responsibility for the company's actions and ensure a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. It is also a deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making and honouring of a tripple bottom line: people, planet, profit.
“Cell phone over rice” or “rice over cell phone” is a lousy case in point as what one of the anti-mining ads is showing in ABS-CBN. Mining is not antithetical to Agriculture. These two industries can co-exist. However, the question lies on the effective Land Use Plan of each local government and how this is being integrated in the overall national development agenda.
“NO” is only appropriate for irresponsible mining.
“NO” is only appropriate for irresponsible media (resulting to the miseducation of the public)!
Living with the "Hiloanon"
Friday, January 22, 2010 at 6:59pm
A couple of weeks ago when I arrived early in my office , a Subanon utility worker assigned in our building approached me and reminded me to be extra careful in accepting any drink offer (may it be a “tuba” or water) from community folks in Sta. Maria (a small coastal community in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte). This was after he learnt that I’ll be frequently visiting the area due to my new work assignment. Curiously, I asked immediately our utility worker for some explanation behind his warning. Quite hesitant, he responded and said: “Daghan man hiloanon didto Sir!” (There are many hiloanon in that place, Sir).
That was not the first time that I heard of ‘hiloanons’ and the warnings about them. I’ve been hearing several stories about the hiloanons in my three years of stay in the mountains of Canatuan. Those stories are really creepy to the point that they look unbelievable in this modern time, more so when you look at it in the point of view of Science.
However, in my desire to uncover some truths on hiloanon, I seized the nature of my work - of visiting the community every day and talking to the people - as an opportunity to gather bits and pieces of information about this phenomenon. Let me share what I’ve got.
Knowing the Hiloanon
Hiloanon is a Bisayan term used by the locals referring to a person in the community who have the skills and the power to poison someone in a concealed manner. In bisayan term “hilo” means poison. They are ordinary people like us except that the community perceived them to have specialized knowledge of killing someone without the victim knowing it.
The hiloanon used to put an unseen object in the food or beverages that once you have eaten or swallowed it, you will feel a sudden difficulty in breathing and dumbness in your whole body that will cause your death in just a few minutes. No one has given me definite information about this object that the hiloanon is using for poisoning a person. However, one Subanon woman has told me that it is the ash out of the liver of a certain snake that a hiloanon hide in his/her fingernails.
Specialization
There are many types of hiloanon based on their skill and power. There is an hiloanon whose skill is poisoning a person, as discussed above. There are also hiloanon who can cause sudden illness and even death to someone just by tapping him/her at the back. Finally, the most powerful hiloanons ever considered by the locals are those who can bring you unknown illnesses just by looking at your eyes.
Motives
There were no clear motives as to why the hiloanon do what they are doing. Based on stories, these people use their power when they merely likened (“nakatuwaan”) someone. Sometimes they used it to protect themselves and kill/punish their enemies. However, those that I have interviewed believe that the hiloanon get sick when they haven’t performed their power for a longer period of time and this is the reason why even their children, wives or close relatives regularly fell as their victims too.
“Lana” – The cure
Of course, this is something that I did not forget to ask to those who have knowledge about hiloanon. The most common and accepted cure or “pangontra” for the hiloanon is called “lana”. This is a special kind of oil placed inside a tiny bottle. If someone has this with them they will be protected from any hiloanon. I learnt that lana boils and comes out from its bottle (even if it’s tightly sealed!) to give you warning that someone near you is an hiloanon. Only few have the knowledge to make lana. Sadly, most of them are hiloanon as well.
The story of hiloanon is only one of the many unexplainable realities in this world that are hard to explain and can be accepted as truth. However, as a development worker, I view the story of hiloanon as part of a multifaceted way of life of the community where I am now and has special reason why such reality exists.
I may not entirely believe on those stories about hiloanon, but I’m very willing to carry a lana with me even in the city.
That was not the first time that I heard of ‘hiloanons’ and the warnings about them. I’ve been hearing several stories about the hiloanons in my three years of stay in the mountains of Canatuan. Those stories are really creepy to the point that they look unbelievable in this modern time, more so when you look at it in the point of view of Science.
However, in my desire to uncover some truths on hiloanon, I seized the nature of my work - of visiting the community every day and talking to the people - as an opportunity to gather bits and pieces of information about this phenomenon. Let me share what I’ve got.
Knowing the Hiloanon
Hiloanon is a Bisayan term used by the locals referring to a person in the community who have the skills and the power to poison someone in a concealed manner. In bisayan term “hilo” means poison. They are ordinary people like us except that the community perceived them to have specialized knowledge of killing someone without the victim knowing it.
The hiloanon used to put an unseen object in the food or beverages that once you have eaten or swallowed it, you will feel a sudden difficulty in breathing and dumbness in your whole body that will cause your death in just a few minutes. No one has given me definite information about this object that the hiloanon is using for poisoning a person. However, one Subanon woman has told me that it is the ash out of the liver of a certain snake that a hiloanon hide in his/her fingernails.
Specialization
There are many types of hiloanon based on their skill and power. There is an hiloanon whose skill is poisoning a person, as discussed above. There are also hiloanon who can cause sudden illness and even death to someone just by tapping him/her at the back. Finally, the most powerful hiloanons ever considered by the locals are those who can bring you unknown illnesses just by looking at your eyes.
Motives
There were no clear motives as to why the hiloanon do what they are doing. Based on stories, these people use their power when they merely likened (“nakatuwaan”) someone. Sometimes they used it to protect themselves and kill/punish their enemies. However, those that I have interviewed believe that the hiloanon get sick when they haven’t performed their power for a longer period of time and this is the reason why even their children, wives or close relatives regularly fell as their victims too.
“Lana” – The cure
Of course, this is something that I did not forget to ask to those who have knowledge about hiloanon. The most common and accepted cure or “pangontra” for the hiloanon is called “lana”. This is a special kind of oil placed inside a tiny bottle. If someone has this with them they will be protected from any hiloanon. I learnt that lana boils and comes out from its bottle (even if it’s tightly sealed!) to give you warning that someone near you is an hiloanon. Only few have the knowledge to make lana. Sadly, most of them are hiloanon as well.
The story of hiloanon is only one of the many unexplainable realities in this world that are hard to explain and can be accepted as truth. However, as a development worker, I view the story of hiloanon as part of a multifaceted way of life of the community where I am now and has special reason why such reality exists.
I may not entirely believe on those stories about hiloanon, but I’m very willing to carry a lana with me even in the city.
The Regime of Daang Matuwid: A propitious context for cultivating positive mindsets
When President Simeon Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III focused his platform of governance on eradicating corruption and capsulized it into two sticky Tagalog words known as Daang Matuwid, pessimists and critics started doubting it. They are all the same in their discernment that Daang Matuwid lacks substance, numbers and vision for our country.
Well, I must say that these slaves of negativism and hopelessness fell short in their analysis.
Certainly, a country without a trace of corruption is a vision itself and Daang Matuwid is a kind of mindset needed for us to reach that vision. Daang Matuwid is a “workspace” which PNoy created to make us start believing again that we as nation of moral individuals can and must walk on a straight path. It is a form of mind conditioning. It is a narrative where all of us must be inside of it to achieve remarkable national transformation.
In one of his interviews, PNoy summarized it well what he believes about his platform of governance and where it can lead us:
“Governing with integrity, with transparency and with accountability not only heals a national psyche that has long been characterized by its cynicism and mistrust of government. It also provides the foundation for equitable progress…Good governance therefore is good economics.
…“The goal is to percolate socio-economic development to a greater majority. And it all begins with cleaning up government: instituting a culture of transparency and accountability - at the bottom line, a culture of trust in government…
…Without accountability, there will be no certainty that others will not follow in the footsteps of those who have wronged our people…Without accountability, the entrenched culture of impunity will remain, the corrupt will continue to flourish and steal, and the atmosphere of doubt and mistrust will continue to linger even as we rebuild our institutions.” (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=729974&publicationSubcategoryId=63)
I agree with Jose Ma. Montelibano when he argued on his article entitled “Change is knocking at our doors,” that:
“Drastically curbing corruption is an almost impossible mission. That is why I tend to smirk when those who criticize P-Noy say he is without vision. A Philippine society that is not ruled by corruption is a vision most other politicians had been afraid to commit to. They make easier promises like improving the economy – as if that is a vision that has built a weak people to become a strong nation.” (“Change is knocking at our doors”, Glimpses by Jose Ma. Montelebano, September 23, 2011, Philippine Daily Inquirer)
And as time goes by, it cannot be denied anymore that we are now slowly embracing the narrative of Daang Matuwid towards a vision of a corrupt-free society. We are becoming more positive and trustful to the government and to the future of our country. This significant change in our political landscape is can be seen in the results of surveys after surveys being conducted by Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS).
In the survey conducted by Pulsia Asia from February 24 to March 6 of 2010, PNoy got a high trust rating of 75%. Nothing has changed in the subsequent survey conducted from October 20 to 29 of the same year.
Further, after one year as President and despite of the many challenges he has faced, still, PNoy got a highest rating in terms of public trust in the recent nationwide survey by Pulse Asia conducted from August 20 to September 11, 2011 using a face-to-face interviews among a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above and has a ± 3% error margin at the 95% confidence level.
“Amidst the different problems facing his administration, President Benigno S. Aquino III continues to enjoy big majority approval and trust ratings (77% and 75%, respectively). In contrast, less than one in ten Filipinos disapproves of presidential performance (4%) and distrusts the President (5%). Ambivalence toward the work done by President Aquino in the past three months is expressed by 18% of Filipinos while essentially the same percentage (19%) cannot say if they trust or distrust him. In general, these figures do not vary significantly from the national ratings obtained by the President in Pulse Asia’s May 2011 survey…President Aquino records basically the same majority approval and trust ratings across geographic areas (72% to 81% and 73% to 82%, respectively).” (http://www.pulseasia.com.ph/pulseasia/)
The high public trust rating we are giving to PNoy is self-explanatory. We believe that he is not corrupt. We have been waiting for so long to have a leader that we can trust. We perceive him as clean, dedicated and honest to the legacy of his parents and serious in leading our country into the righteous path. No doubt, PNoy emerges as a hero in our minds after the draining leadership crisis we’ve experienced under the GMA regime.
We already knew what life will look like under a government that cannot be trusted due to rampant corruption and gross politicking. And we cannot afford anymore to experience it again in the next six years and beyond.
The Chair Wrecker, William Esposo, is right when he said this in his column:
“The emotional feature of the Noynoy ascendancy is the passion with which most Filipinos now feel for their new champion. They see him as the Moses they can trust to free them from their generational cycle of poverty and bring them into their Promised Land.” (Why for over 40% of voters 2010 is 'It's NOY or Never', AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo, The Philippine Star 2010-01-03, http://www.chairwrecker.com/column.php?col=661)
This atmosphere of optimism among us is a beautiful indication that we Filipinos are started switching our mindsets toward our government. And why not, this is the right time to be more hopeful. Gone are the days of governance that is predominantly ruled by those “utak wangwang”. We are now excited with what a good leader can do and see better times again.
Quoting again Mr. Montelibano, on the same article cited above, he noticed that:
“More and more Filipinos who began as volunteers in the days of the campaign are now getting involved in translating that spirit through good citizenship. The tendency of Filipinos to contribute time, talent and treasure is finding warm motivation, and reception, among more citizens. The students, especially, are hearing the call for courage and nobility. Tens of thousands of them have become busy in their communities and towns doing activities that help their environment…
All this uplifting ambience is founded on the approval and trust of Filipinos. And that approval and trust of the people are because they see change, or a great attempt for change, being led by P-Noy himself.
…There is change. It is not just around the corner, it is knocking on our doors”
This observation is consistent or if not correlated to the result of the 2011 Survey on Local Governance initiated by the SWS where public found to have increasing public confidence that a government can be run without corruption.
“In 2009, 54 percent felt that “the government can be run without corruption,” whereas 42 percent felt that “corruption is part of the way government works”; this is close to a mere split opinion. In 2011, however, 65 percent feel government can be run without corruption, or double the 33 percent who feel otherwise; this is a big improvement in public confidence.” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, “The 2001 Survey on Local Governance, By Mar Mangahas, October 15, 2011)
Yes! The regime of Daang Matuwid is an opportunity for all of us to consider switching negative mindsets that breed hopelessness and paralyze us as individual and as a nation.
Certainly, the greatest challenges to achieve positive changes that PNoy are trying to push are those “wang-wang” mindsets that have been formed by the moral crisis of the past regimes.
Wang-wang mindsets must be challenged and replaced. They are not constant. Our context is inviting us to start cultivating positive mindsets that will guide our actions towards of becoming a productive citizen and as a catalyst of change.
The change must start in our minds. We must empty our minds of counterproductive thoughts and fill it instead with hopes and positive views of what we can do if we live straight and let these thoughts flow in our hands and do the actions expected from us by our beloved country.
The Anti-Development State...of Mind
Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 10:16pm
Are we serving the community or our ideology?
If a "responsible" mining company operating in a mountain community built a clinic and started providing healthcare services for the residents of its host community that have been deprived for a long time of these services mainly due to geographical factors and poor governance, why on earth do some individuals whom they called themselves as "development workers" are more concern on defining the act whether it is really a practice of Corporate Social Responsibility or a dole-out, a show, or merely a philanthropic act? Why on earth do they can still confidently conclude that business and human rights are diametrically opposed?
Why on earth does burning of mining companies' equipment and killing its people by the so called vanguard of the masses are justified means to a particular end? Why on earth do individuals we consistently see shouting in the street for some human rights abuses and violations committed by the state or by a certain corporation are silent in this kind of doing? Destroying properties and killing are both grave violations of human rights. Period. No need here of any Karl Marx's dictums or whatsoever.
Years ago, I got possessed also by some nihilistic ideologies. I used to see all things/realities then as product of conflicts arising between those who owns the means of production and who sells labour or between who owns the land and who tills it. Everything is chaotic and struggle leading to revolution is inevitable. Capitalism is evil. Capitalism will be collapsing eventually due to its destructive nature and Communism as a new system/order will be installed. Anything that would not fit into this kinf of mindset is a farce. I was doubtful of everything then. Sa salitang kanto pa para akong sabog na laging tamang hinala sa mga nangyayari dahil hindi nga ito naaayon sa ideyolohiyang pinaniniwalaan ko.
However, things changed. Society has changed. Capitalism has changed. So did I.
And this one particular wave of positive change within the Capitalist system which I'm pointing out is the birthing of CSR. For Bill Gates it's "Creative Capitalism."
CSR, though it has numerous names and definitions, is just all about doing business ethically and embracing responsibility for the company's actions and ensure a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. It is also a deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making and honouring of a tripple bottom line: people, planet, profit.
CSR is providing huge opportunity to address those issues and doubts we have in Capitalism. There is no Devine decree on what CSR is or how it should be done. Thus, we can continuously define and influence how it should be. WE MUST WELCOME CHANGE AS THE RULE BUT NOT AS OUR RULER.
Unfortunately, for the living armies of Marx and some slaves of nihilism, CSR is nothing but a "deodorant" of Capitalism (especially if it's being practiced in the mining industry). It is viewed as a phenomenon to be doubted and opposed rather than a kind of positive change which is happening within the system of Capitalism thus, an opportunity which must be siezed to advance the goal of development. Change brings opportunity.
Yes. There are still a lot of things to fix in Capitalism. However, there are also a lot of positive changes happening in this system that need to be appreciated and capitalized. This is one way of moving forward and living the very essence of "w-o-r-k-i-n-g" for development.
On the other hand, I know very well that CSR is not an all-encompassing reality yet in the entire gamut of socio-economic system.
However, to see all things as a problem because they don't fit in our ideology is like pursuing development the way Sisyphus is trying to bring a boulder up on a hill.
Tomorrow or in five year time surely things will change again and I would not think twice adjusting or changing as well the way i see things. Ideologies must do change.
So, what's my ideology now? Neo-Capitalism? Postmodernism? I don't know and I don't care defining it or changing it through time either. "Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change," Confucius said.
I do not serve any antediluvian ideology anymore but rather I serve the community and this country in its pursuit of development using human rights as my framework.
POSTSCRIPT:
Development for me is best discussed by Michael Todaro and that it is "a multidimensional process involving changes in structures, institutions, and attitudes as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality, and the eradication of absolute poverty. Development must represent the entire gamut of changes by which an entire social system, tuned to the diverse basic needs and desires of individuals and social groups within that system, moves away from a condition of life widely perceived as unsatisfactory, and moves towards a situation or condition of life regarded as materially and spiritually ‘better’."
With this definition, it is very clear that the pursuit of development is not a mere choice between Capitalism and Communism or about supremacy of certain ideology. The challenge therefore for all of us in the field of development is to be open to change and come up with alternatives.
If a "responsible" mining company operating in a mountain community built a clinic and started providing healthcare services for the residents of its host community that have been deprived for a long time of these services mainly due to geographical factors and poor governance, why on earth do some individuals whom they called themselves as "development workers" are more concern on defining the act whether it is really a practice of Corporate Social Responsibility or a dole-out, a show, or merely a philanthropic act? Why on earth do they can still confidently conclude that business and human rights are diametrically opposed?
Why on earth does burning of mining companies' equipment and killing its people by the so called vanguard of the masses are justified means to a particular end? Why on earth do individuals we consistently see shouting in the street for some human rights abuses and violations committed by the state or by a certain corporation are silent in this kind of doing? Destroying properties and killing are both grave violations of human rights. Period. No need here of any Karl Marx's dictums or whatsoever.
Years ago, I got possessed also by some nihilistic ideologies. I used to see all things/realities then as product of conflicts arising between those who owns the means of production and who sells labour or between who owns the land and who tills it. Everything is chaotic and struggle leading to revolution is inevitable. Capitalism is evil. Capitalism will be collapsing eventually due to its destructive nature and Communism as a new system/order will be installed. Anything that would not fit into this kinf of mindset is a farce. I was doubtful of everything then. Sa salitang kanto pa para akong sabog na laging tamang hinala sa mga nangyayari dahil hindi nga ito naaayon sa ideyolohiyang pinaniniwalaan ko.
However, things changed. Society has changed. Capitalism has changed. So did I.
And this one particular wave of positive change within the Capitalist system which I'm pointing out is the birthing of CSR. For Bill Gates it's "Creative Capitalism."
CSR, though it has numerous names and definitions, is just all about doing business ethically and embracing responsibility for the company's actions and ensure a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. It is also a deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making and honouring of a tripple bottom line: people, planet, profit.
CSR is providing huge opportunity to address those issues and doubts we have in Capitalism. There is no Devine decree on what CSR is or how it should be done. Thus, we can continuously define and influence how it should be. WE MUST WELCOME CHANGE AS THE RULE BUT NOT AS OUR RULER.
Unfortunately, for the living armies of Marx and some slaves of nihilism, CSR is nothing but a "deodorant" of Capitalism (especially if it's being practiced in the mining industry). It is viewed as a phenomenon to be doubted and opposed rather than a kind of positive change which is happening within the system of Capitalism thus, an opportunity which must be siezed to advance the goal of development. Change brings opportunity.
Yes. There are still a lot of things to fix in Capitalism. However, there are also a lot of positive changes happening in this system that need to be appreciated and capitalized. This is one way of moving forward and living the very essence of "w-o-r-k-i-n-g" for development.
On the other hand, I know very well that CSR is not an all-encompassing reality yet in the entire gamut of socio-economic system.
However, to see all things as a problem because they don't fit in our ideology is like pursuing development the way Sisyphus is trying to bring a boulder up on a hill.
Tomorrow or in five year time surely things will change again and I would not think twice adjusting or changing as well the way i see things. Ideologies must do change.
So, what's my ideology now? Neo-Capitalism? Postmodernism? I don't know and I don't care defining it or changing it through time either. "Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change," Confucius said.
I do not serve any antediluvian ideology anymore but rather I serve the community and this country in its pursuit of development using human rights as my framework.
POSTSCRIPT:
Development for me is best discussed by Michael Todaro and that it is "a multidimensional process involving changes in structures, institutions, and attitudes as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality, and the eradication of absolute poverty. Development must represent the entire gamut of changes by which an entire social system, tuned to the diverse basic needs and desires of individuals and social groups within that system, moves away from a condition of life widely perceived as unsatisfactory, and moves towards a situation or condition of life regarded as materially and spiritually ‘better’."
With this definition, it is very clear that the pursuit of development is not a mere choice between Capitalism and Communism or about supremacy of certain ideology. The challenge therefore for all of us in the field of development is to be open to change and come up with alternatives.
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